| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Sarah Blue |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 08:19:05 AM
Well, I've caught the embroidery bug and I have a couple of questions for those of you who are more experienced than I am...
1) a 30"x30" floursack towel is huge, where do you put your design? In the bottom center, one of the corners? Just wondering!
2) Right now, I'm embroidering my designs on small pieces of white floursack and then I want to attach them to full sized towels so the threads don't show in the back. I'll probably use ric rac around the edges. If you do the same thing, do you just sew the edges and leave the middle free or is this a problem? Do I need to tack the middle down or use an adhesive to connect it to the towel I use?
3) Polyester :( ric rac doesn't need to be prewashed does it?
4) I'm now using a fabric pen to transfer my designs, but I did my first one with a black felt tip pen. Was that bad?
These are kind of silly questions, but thank you in advance if you take them time to share any answers or tips. I'm pleased to say that after struggling with french knots and getting really frustrated, I learned how to make a colonial knot and now my life is easier! I also soaked my red floss in vinegar as recommended here previously :)
Sarah
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
| 24 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| MagnoliaWhisper |
Posted - Jun 05 2007 : 6:29:41 PM
I love chickens and love the towels. Hey is the ones from Linen's and things good? The ones I got at walmart I really don't loike, they are like gauze. |
| Runbikegrrl |
Posted - Jun 04 2007 : 03:43:37 AM
Hey Sarah - Guess what? just washed and ironed these flour sack towels I got at Linens and Things..they looked hhuge so I measured them 35 x 37..... LOL
"So many interests so little time!"
http://lovelifelivegrrl.blogspot.com/ |
| Sarah Blue |
Posted - Jun 03 2007 : 11:23:26 PM
Hi girls, thank you for the compliments! They were my first tea towels so I'm glad they turned out well. I have a lot more ideas to get started on now. I love the chickens too, they have so much personality and I smile every time I look at them. I got the designs from a blog and I didn't even write down the web address, but I know the blogger is named floresita so you could maybe do a search for her. While looking for free printable patterns, I realized that coloring book pages would work really well too, and there are some cute coloring books out there. I just put the paper on a lightbox, put the fabric on top, and then trace with a water erasable pen. It's easy and the pattern lasts forever.
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
| suzyhomemaker |
Posted - Jun 03 2007 : 5:16:19 PM
Those are really cute!! Love the country chicken and rooster. Where were the designs from?
Country girl in NE PA |
| Lizabeth |
Posted - Jun 03 2007 : 4:35:30 PM
Maryann, Gabe posted a fabulous "how to" in the technical section on the first page of the forum board (towards the very end of the page)
http://www.handcraftsbyheather.com |
| Runbikegrrl |
Posted - Jun 03 2007 : 4:30:49 PM
I love those chickens...where did you get those? I am starting a couple of flower sack towels with Aunt Martha's Kitten motifs as a gift for my best friend back in CT...her birthday is July 3rd...hopefully I can manage to get them done by then! BTW - how do ya'll get those pictures in the message body?
"So many interests so little time!"
http://lovelifelivegrrl.blogspot.com/ |
| Annie S |
Posted - Jun 03 2007 : 1:04:06 PM
Those are so darling! Great job. Makes me inspired to get going too and finally get something going on all my floursacks that I have laying around just waiting to get something pretty put on them.
Annie |
| mkmomus |
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 5:07:39 PM
They look great! |
| sewgirlie |
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 3:55:45 PM
Those towels are the cutest things!! Love, love, love them! They make you smile just looking at them. Great job.
|
| Alee |
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 1:48:27 PM
Those look great! How fun! Where did you get the pattern?
Alee |
| katmom |
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 10:41:58 AM
Sarah,
those turned out adorable!
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom.
www.katmom4.blogspot.com |
| nut4fabric |
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 10:39:37 AM
Great job! As for the rick rac shrinking or bleeding, better safe than sorry
Hugs, Kathy |
| mommom |
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 07:58:57 AM
My husband and I have been chicken farmers for 30 years. I love them! Susan |
| horse |
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 06:27:04 AM
those are so cute. Keep up the good work.
Laura
www.2lmzfarms.blogspot.com |
| Marybeth |
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 06:03:30 AM
Those are very special, Sarah. I really like doing embroidery. MB
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
| Nancy Gartenman |
Posted - Jun 02 2007 : 05:10:33 AM
Sarah,
Oh so cute, don't you just love embroidery?
NANCY JO
www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 11:25:51 PM
Very cute Sarah!! I wash my ric rac more to keep it from bleeding than shrinking. It usually dosn't (bleed ..or shrink) but I feel safer doing it.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| cinnamongirl |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 11:14:51 PM
Those are very cute!Looks good |
| Sarah Blue |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 10:37:46 PM
Well, I washed and dried my ric rac but I don't notice any difference so maybe it's not necessary when it's polyester? And not that I'll be doing it again, but I got the black felt tip ink out pretty well by soaking the fabric in warm soapy water and rubbing gently. Hurray, I finally got to put the first two towels together and here they are!
 
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
| Cindy Lee |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 09:25:31 AM
I don't think you will need to soak your floss, I never do. Kathy is right about DMC, it is color fast. I would say that you would add some vinegar if you did though.
Also, if you are doing red work, I sometimes use a thin red pigma marker. It won't come out but is such a nice thin line that you won't see it if you use red floss.
If life gives you scraps, make quilts! |
| nut4fabric |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 08:49:11 AM
I had not heard about soaking red floss. DMC floss is color fast and I have never had any problem with any of the colors bleeding. I wonder if the rayon floss has bleeding problems
Hugs, Kathy |
| britchickny |
Posted - Jun 01 2007 : 02:42:26 AM
Can someone let me know about soaking the red floss? I missed that but it sounds important!
Thanks. Angie.
"Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance" JUDE 1:2 |
| Sarah Blue |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 8:39:58 PM
Thank you, Kathy. That's helpful :) I've pre-washed my towels and still need to iron them. I'll do the ric rac next. I'm using a water erasable pen now and as far as the piece I did with felt tip, I'll wash it and see what happens...
"i believe in god, only i spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
| nut4fabric |
Posted - May 31 2007 : 09:34:04 AM
Hi Sarah Tea towels are a passion of mine so I always have one in progress. I put the design in either the center or the corner, just depends on where I think it looks best. Some towels don't fold with the corners matching very well so those I always put the design in the center. When using Rick Rack I always preshrink it and the towel and I sew in the middle of the trim. Now black felt tip, probably not the best choice, I use a water erasable pen or pencil. Glad you have the bug to try something new!
Hugs, Kathy |
