Thread Painting Tutorials

Posted on January 1, 2011 by Linda Matthews

I posted a thread painting video the other day and I have since found some really good tutorials and instruction for thread painting. I like to do thread painting, although only small pieces at a time, but it gives you the freedom to create designs without the need for an embroidery machine which for a lot of people is an unnecessary expense (although way too much fun).

First head over to HGTV where you’ll find a really nice step-by-step tutorial with photos that explains the technique quite well.

Fembellish, as always, has a lovely tutorial, and then StarThreads has a bunch of nice projects by Terry Whitewhich can be found here – scroll down the page for the “Sunny Beach Bag”, “Tree of Life” and “Loose Leaf Notebook” projects. Each of these projects feature thread painting designs.

And of course Nancy Prince has lots of information about thread painting on her website here.

If you haven’t tried thread painting before, I’m sure you’ll be hooked if you give it a try.

This post is part of the 30 Days of Titivations; a 30 day blogathon all about embellishing and embellishments.

You can find lots of free embellishment tutorials in the tutorials section of my blog which can be found here, and even more techniques can be found on my Titivations DVD. Please visit the Instructional DVD section of the store for full details.

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Embellishing with Hand Stitches

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Linda Matthews

Embellishing with hand stitches is both a very creative and a very relaxing way to embellish. As opposed to machine stitching which is often fast and furious, hand stitching has the effect of slowing us down and bringing us into the present moment; allowing us to become aware of each stitch we make and the conscious choice of making those stitches. It gives us time for personal reflection, and gives us a feeling of actually being a little in control of our often hectic lives. Plus as an added bonus, it’s much easier to unstitch than machine stitching

Hand Stitches

I personally only use a few different types of hand stitches when I embellish my art quilts or wearable art. My favorite is the french knot which I use a lot, and I also like a simple running stitch, fly stitch and cross stitch. Each of these stitches can easily be changed in appearance by simply changing the color, thickness or type of embroidery thread, and also by lengthening or shortening the stitch.

Decorative hand stitches using can be used to represent realistic images such as small bunches of flowers …

Hand Stitches

they can used simply as a freehand embellishment …

Hand Stitches

or they can even be used functionally and decoratively to replace the traditional quilting stitch.

Hand Stitches

A great online resource for hand embroidery stitches is Sharon b’s Dictionary of Stitches for Hand Embroidery and Needlework. On her website she has listed hundreds of different hand embroidery stitches, and on her blog you’ll find lots of information, free patterns and tutorials.

If you’ve never tried hand stitching, I encourage you to give it a go. It’s a wonderful way to add a little personality to your projects and is a very relaxing way to embellish. I’m sure you’ll be hooked in no time.

This post is part of the 30 Days of Titivations; a 30 day blogathon all about embellishing and embellishments.

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YarnBombing Anyone?

Posted on December 10, 2010 by Linda Matthews

Photo courtesy of Aine D

OK this really has absolutely nothing to do with sewing beads and charms onto art quilts, but as far as embellishing goes it’s gotta be right up there at the top of the embellishment list.

If you’ve never heard of yarnbombing before, then it’s time to get familiar. Grab a cup of coffee and learn all about yarnbombing.

This post is part of the 30 Days of Titivations; a 30 day blogathon all about embellishing and embellishments.

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Silken Threads

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Linda Matthews

Silk Art Quilt Those of us who work with fabric, whether it’s making art quilts, garments or any of the other zillion things you can do with fabric, have probably at some point worked with silk fabric. I generally like using my beautiful silks sparingly, allowing the beauty, the color, the sheen of the silk, to stand out in relief amidst the other types of fabric I use.

I did break that rule though when making the little “Serenity” Quilt and made the art quilt completely in overdyed kimono silks but found the fabric difficult to work with, slipping and sliding all over the place and I can’t tell you how many times I unsewed and resewed a seam to get it straight. I think maybe because I wasn’t used to working with silk solely, or maybe because it was such a small quilt (about 12″ high) and very structured in design and quilting, that even the smallest misalignment in a seamline was evident. You can find out more about “Serenity” here, and here.

But regardless, have you ever wondered about the source of all that beautiful silk; where exactly did it originate? I remember as a young child watching, mesmerized, the silkworms in the mulberry trees as they quickly produced their cocoons; never quite realizing the amount of effort it took for even one little silkworm to produce all those lovely silken strands.

So I was delighted recently to revisit my past when stumbled across a lovely blog written by a man living in Japan who was cataloging in photos and words, his experience growing silkworms, as well as other aspects of his life in Japan working with textiles. If you’d like to know more about silkworms, or if you’d just like to enjoy a lovely story, please stop by and pay him a visit at Japanese Textile Workshops. It’s become one of my favorite blogs.

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Adventures in Knitting

Posted on June 17, 2010 by Linda Matthews

Knitting Hands up who likes to knit?

I find knitting very relaxing and I remember spending many days when I was very young, with my grandmother who patiently taught me how to knit. I think when we are taught to do something with patience and understanding instead of criticism and disparagement, then we connect with it on a much deeper level.

Even though I don’t knit much these days, I have somehow managed to collect an enormous amount of wool and yarn, mostly hand-dyed, and mostly in small quantities and I’m always hopeful of taking it up again “one of these days”. But at the back of my mind I was never quite sure how all those small bits and pieces of different colors and types of knitting yarn were going to come together. I knew if I waited long enough though, the answer would come .. and sure enough.

Today, knitting has come a long way from those days of thick aran style jumpers and impossibly tiny baby bootees and has reinvented itself and become an art form in itself. If you love knitting or are thinking about taking it up, stop by Jane Thornley’s site and be inspired. I guarantee you won’t look at knitting quite the same way again.

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