Embroidering a simple design
Happy #needleworkmonday !
I have been busy doing a bit of embroidery… and below is a little section of it.
It all started with a photo of goosegrass or cleavers… what do you call this sticky weed? I took this particular photo some time ago and I really liked the shadow.
I was really keen to make use of this lovely natural pattern and even made a drawing to make an easy ‘zakka’ style embroidery - I wrote a post about a book I’ve got ages ago and I’ve been practising.
I did a sketch simplifying the photo and got this:
It was just a sketch started with red biro and then changed to black biro when the former ran out. I then took it a bit further and tried to think of a design for a simple zipper pouch:
I then traced the design using pencil onto a thin polycotton piece of fabric… it’s what I had.
The fabric is so transparent that you can see the original below - it looks pretty.
This could also be a design for a bookmark… Incidentally have you seen this steemit bookmark contest ?
Thanks to @tinygalaxy for taking a photo of me embroidering the stem and trying to avoid showing my really sore hands with eczema 😖
It was fun to make.
That’s the finished design. I’m pleased I made it 😁 and actually there’s more to this story … I may write a different post about it if I get the chance.
photos by @cryptocariad and one by @tinygalaxy
With thanks to @crosheille and @crystalize for hosting and co-hosting #needleworkmonday and thanks to you for reading !
I usually don't comment on embroidery because I feel I'm not qualified to have an opinion but I love this pattern and love your post showing the creative process :)
Thank you @steven-patrick... it's inspired by me trying to deal with goose grass which gets everywhere 😊
HI @cryptocariad, I just stopped back to let you know your post was one of my favourite reads and I included it in my Fiber Ramble. You can read what I wrote about your post here
Join us on Mondays for Creatives' Coffee Hour at 1pm EDT in the Steemit Ramble on Discord or view it life on Rambling Radio.
🌼 Thank you very much for your support @fiberartists🌼 I'll go and have a good read of the other posts too 🌼
Nicely done ... its nice seeing the whole process.
Thank you @rentmoney... a bit time consuming stopping the actual work to take the photos, but hopefully that proves that I've done it myself
not that that counts that much anyway😂 😂I like how you show how you developed your pattern. It is simple and beautiful.
Thank you very much for your comment @gmatthe2 😊
it's a wonderful idea to turn a shadow from a plant into an embroidery. I like it very much. I never thought about this possibility. now I will carefully observe the shadows. I hope you can cure your hands
Thank you @tali72... and I hope to see your shadow-inspired work soon 😊
The embroidery is really cute and beautiful @cryptocariad! And you know what, I was just thinking about trying out embroidery this past weekend! What thread do you use? Is it the thread for cross-stitch? I think embroidery takes a lot of patience and skill to make sure the lines are straight or curved gracefully.
Thank you @marblely ! Please give embroidery a try ... it's great to see your own creation with those lovely threads and it's definitely 'on trend' at the moment. I don't normally buy embroidery threads because when I've been to the local charity shop I have found bags like this one below ... sad but lucky for me :
I really love the variety of colours...
I agree patience and skills are truly important for a good finished product. I appreciate good embroidery and hope that with practice I will get better at it 😊
Ooo nicee.. The thread do look similar to the ones we use for cross stitch. And I like the variety of colors in that bag. I will give it a try, hopefully soon :D
Very much 'pot luck' @marblely - that bag will keep me busy for a long time 🌼
Nice... oh hope your eczema is better? I have it too when the skin gets too dry and it is painful! When the fingers start to crack, it will take a while to heal. I try to keep them moisturized as much as possible.
After tonnes of moisturiser (Aveeno and various others) the cracked and 'weepy' bits are no longer so painful @marblely, yay !
I'll keep reapplying the cream because I thought it might all get infected - do you get that ? 😒 it's so annoying !
Please have a look at @phoenixwren's suggestions below to basically soak and seal the eczema ridden bits... It did work for me using the Aquaphor in the night -too sticky during the day...
I love the finished embroidery but especially following its development which your pictures show brillantly!
The name we use here in Germany simply is "Klette" which could be translated as "clings to" - because that's what it does ;) The official German name is much longer: "Kleinfrüchtiges Kletten-Labkraut" and the scientists call it Galium spurium.
Fun fact: The word "Klette" is used in the German name for velcro = "Klettband" means "ribbon that clings".
Oh thank you for the wonderful facts and translation to German @muscara.
I haven't checked whether our (only) goose eats goosegrass or whether its feet are similar to the plant (as wikipedia suggests), but it's a really great natural velcro !
A little plan I had was to embroider the design on clothes 'as a bit of a joke'...
I love that shadow photograph @cryptocariad. Your mind went to embroidery and I immediately thought what a great stencil that would make. 😁
I hope your eczema gets better soon. 😢
I also thought of stencilling @gillianpearce - for an Alabama Chanin type piece... ha ha... dream on !
The eczema comes and goes but it's been quite bad recently so I've been using Aveeno cream - it looks as ugly as it feels 😖
I have no idea what you are tolking about @cryptocariad. I will have to go and look that one up. 😁
😊 You choose a stencil; paint it onto a piece of t-shirt fabric; put another piece of fabric undernath; secure the two pieces so they don't move; sew running stitch around the edge of the stencilled design; cut carefully bits out of the stencilled design to reveal the fabric underneath... ha ha...@gillianpearce... It's more complicated to write the steps than do it, you can check the website. I greatly admire the use of slow sewing and hopefully one day I will make enough money to take an online course...
Ah. I see @cryptocariad. It's sewing, so it's not likely to be something I'll be doing but thanks for the explanation. I can visualise it! 😊
I hope that comes soon for you. 😁
I love the simplicity and elegance of your design.
A zipper pouch seems like a brilliant idea to show off this piece of embroidery :)
Thank you @vliet ! Yes, it's simple but I find little pouches like this are very useful - the fabric will definitely need backing to make it a bit sturdier though 😊
Couldn't agree more! I use pouches like these for carrying around small items in my handbag. They make handbag space so much more organised :-)
Que lindo e criativo!!! Parabéns!
Obrigada @cleateles - foi muito divertido fazer o bordado 😊