Hola Friends! Let's jump right in to day two of Embroidery Week!
If you recall from last week, I talked about a heat transfer pencil (like this one HERE). MomChops saved me the shipping fee on a $1.99 item and went to the fabric store and got each of us one (thanks a TON Moms)!
I could not wait to test this puppy out - mainly because just about everything I will be sharing will need to be transferred to fabric!
Several of you told me about your transfer method of either using carbon paper OR holding the fabric up to a window and tracing the pattern from there....and some folks even said they could not get the heat transfer pencil to work for them (which kinda worried me honestly).
I drew up a batch of little flower stems and leaves and printed them right out. This is when I discovered that I actually need to go back to kindergarten. Evidently I missed the whole section of class on tracing (I must have been daydreaming or eying some cute boy or something)...anyhoot...horror or horrors... I could not draw over those lines to save my life. At first I was going kinda fast and then when I realized I was tracing like a 2 year old I slowed down.. and guess what.. that did not make a shred of difference.. in fact I think it made things worse!!
I was pretty skeptical about the whole heat transfer thing. I was thinking that it did not matter that I was sloppy dogging it all over the place. I figured it would be a really faint line once it had done it's thing. ummm.. HELLO.. (hang on I need to make a graphic to get my point across.. I'll brb).
Ok that's better. I figure the majority of folks do not read all this endless babble I write... so a catchy graphic might actually get your attention!
So guess what...??? GUESS!!! Ye Ole heat transfer pencil works.. really really really well (did I mention what a sloppy joe tracing job I did on the stems and leaves???)... yeah ok... so it picks up every mistake you make (like some sort of 1st grade teacher). Not even kidding. I am not going to get the scratch-n-sniff sticker for this one. Check this masterpiece out....
Ta da! So why am I making a big deal about this... well... if you want to do some delicate embroidery you had better have some nice tight, thin, pretty lines.. or it's going to take some fancy pants work to get it all covered up! The pencil I got is permanent - as in... all mess-ups will be there for eternity!
So how does the heat transfer pencil work? Well you trace over the image you want to transfer and you lay your fabric piece over it (remember that it will be backwards from where you started - I totally cannot explain this.. but as a test write your name or some letters and transfer it and you'll see what I mean - that was not even remotely helpful I know - sorry guys).
When I first tried it I ironed over the fabric and nothing happened. So I flipped it over and ironed on the paper (with the fabric underneath) and like magic... it transferred every single little detail over. I was totally impressed!
I hooped up my little fabric piece and got to work!
I read in one of my books that you should not work with a piece of yarn/thread that's over 12 - 14 inches long. Trust me.. listen to them. Any longer and it gets all tangles and mangles and it's a real nightmare!
I cut off about 2 or 3 pieces of each color so I would have everything ready to go as I was working... I also got a few needles out and threaded them up. That helped make the process go MUCH faster (I could switch back and forth between colors with ease)!
Again... I am really new to this so I started with just a few basic stitches...straight, chain, split, french knot, and satin (and some mish mash Lolly made up stitch that I won't be trying again. Ever.).
Below is a picture chronicle of my progress on this piece.
This is as far as I was able to get... I know it's sloppy potatoes... but I was pretty happy with it all things considered. I learned a lot in just this small piece.
So today's patterns are below. I was going to wait till Friday to share Hank the TRee Stump and Hamie the Hedgie - but there was just too much love sent their way in yesterday's post - so here they are for all the world to sew!
Hamie the Hedgie
AND
Hank the Tree Stump
I have ONE (ok well two more things and then I am done...).. honest!
Sarah G. of Missouri Star Quilt Company sent me a picture of the work she's been doing on the Lolly Birds!!! I HAD to share!
Check out her fabulous handiwork!
AND
I got the most wonderful card ON-THE-PLANET today!!! It's from Becky of The Butler's Wife! She used Wonder Under with fabric and made this incredible card using the Lolly Bird pattern! My heart nearly melted when I saw it!
I have some more goodies from you guys to share tomorrow.. I just cannot get it all in at once!
HUGS for a terrific Tuesday everyone!
P.S. The pic of the card from Becky shows you a tiny sneak peak of my craft room re-do! RonChops got me shelves for Valentine's Day and put them up for me this past weekend! I am completely excited about it! I have loads more room and they are nice and open (makes the whole room feel bigger)! I'll share those pics next week!
P.S.S. Ok I fibbed.. I wanted to say one more thing (in addition to the two one more things I already said)... If you have any pics to share of the projects you have made using some of the freebies I have shared with you - it totally thrills me to see them! So pretty please with flourless chocolate cake on top send me some pics ok! xoxo!
