#needleworkmonday :: ๐๐จ Saving my stained canvas shoes ๐
Happy #NeedleWorkMonday everyone!!
It is the first Monday in 2019! Here's to more amazing needlework projects through the year! ๐ฅ
One of my goals this new year 2019 is to complete projects that I have started and abandoned over the past year(s) ๐ . You may remember my unhappy shoes from a couple of months back.
I figured my shoes have been unhappy long enough (lying around, ignored and abandoned ๐ข by me ๐) and it was time to get down to it and do something about them.
In my first post, some of you have given me very nice ideas and @cryptocariad even went on to draw a nice pattern diagram which I set my mind this week to go ahead and give it a try.
Conceptualizing the idea
The first thing I did was to sketch the idea (like @cryptocariad's suggestion) and see how it would look like.
I traced the outline of my shoes onto a sketchbook and tried to water pencil colour them (note to self: go get some watercolours for better coverage๐ )
I decided to go with one main flower on each shoe and my initial idea was to have colourful petals, following the embroidery book that I shared before:
In the book, there was a page on Stem Stitch and it intrigued me on how a curved line can be nicely stitched by making sure we are consistent with how the needle is pulled through along the line as we stitch. Then, there was also a page on working with petals and I love how we can mix colours to create a nice gradient on the petals. Finally, there was also a Bullion Stitch / Knot to create nice coiled buds and petals.
Transferring the idea to reality
Then, it was time to transfer the idea onto my hopefully-soon-to-be-happy-shoes. I used a 2B pencil. At first, I drew 4 petals, thinking that it should take less work but felt like it was missing a petal. I redrew and adjusted the petals. So, 5 petals it is ๐บ. The brown stains will naturally be the stems and soil.
Preparing the thread
I used gradient coloured DMC cross stitch threads which has 6 strands in each skein. I split the 6 strands to 3 strands for the embroidery and the way I split the strands was using one hand to split while the other hand unwinds the strands.
I found that if we use all 6 strands for this size of a project, the embroidery will be too fat and 2 strands is too thin. 3 strands seems just nice.
Now, for the moment of truth, will this work or make the shoes look worse? ๐คท๐ปโโ๏ธ
The embroidery
First, I started with the outline of the petals. The gradient purple thread was at a lightest shade when I started stitching, so that became the outline. I started the stitch by inserting the needle into the center and ended up with the knot facing upwards. It kind of gave an interesting bushy effect to the center of the flower.
And I absolutely love the stem stitch. It really curves very nicely as long as you maintain consistency with the direction of your needle inserts as you move along the line.
Then, I moved on to adding the lighter colour to the upper side of the petals. You will notice that I ended up not doing multi coloured petals because the purplish hues look quite pretty as it is and is simpler too, compared to changing to different coloured strands of thread for each petal. Plus, I love purple ๐.
Next, I changed to a darker gradient strands of thread and stitched the middle center parts of the petals.
Once the petals are almost formed, I changed to a yellow gradient thread to stitch the centers of the petals.
With the same yellow thread, I added little buds with the bullion knots.
Then, I stitched the soil and main flower stem with brown thread.
Lastly, I added green stems for the little yellow buds.
The result
Once I was done with the first shoe, I moved on to the 2nd shoe ๐.
All in all, it took me about 7 hours to complete this work. The best part about the shoes is that the stitches can be hidden within the fabric layers of the shoe, you just need to stitch and sew in between the layers of fabric.
I am happy with it and I think they are happy shoes now ๐ What do you think?
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I like what you did with your shoes. This is one thing I did not think of ... to offer a new life to my unfortunate shoes. Thanks for teaching me!
Thank you @bluemoon! :) Yes yes, I am pretty happy that one of my favourite pair of shoes has a new life now :) You can try for yours too.
You have right. You are a model to follow.
This is so so beautiful, and the stem stitch looks truly great!
I love how old 'unhappy shoes can be brought back to life with some colour thread and some imagination :-) Well done!
Thank you @vliet! I was surprised with the results myself. It was worth the hours :)
They turned out Fabulous!
I love to embroidery, or used to, it has been a while. I actually did a project to quit smoking. I found by keeping my hands busy it was easier not to light a cigarette. I later gifted it to someone.
Thanks for sharing your work. โค๏ธ
Thank you @rebeccabe! :) Ooo.. that is a great way to keep hands and mind busy and away from smoking. What project did you do? Now, I think I have more confidence to embroider, thanks to Stem Stitch! :D
It was a beautiful piece with all types of flowers and stitches. I framed it and they hung it in their living room. This was like 40 years ago..lol
Hi @marblely
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Oo thank you @hoaithu and@haccolong!
Yay! Comfortable, beautiful and happy, @marblely :D
Yay! Yay! Thank you @cryptocariad! Hehe.
They look cute with a flower in them..nicely done @marblely ..happy shoes and happy toes underneath.. ๐
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Thank you @dizzyapple! :) Yes yes, happy toes underneath too hehe.
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Thank you so much @c-squared! :)
Another great project! I love the detail in your planning process, and then you make it look so easy to do. Even the most inexperienced person could do this using your post.
Thank you @randomwanderings! :) It was a really satisfying project to work on and I am really happy with the result. Phew! (Else, the shoes will have to be abandoned again ๐ ).
Wow! They look amazing. Unhappy shoes no more!
Yippyy! Happy, happy shoes :) Thank you @romeskie!
Great post, well detailed and explained your steps well! The flower petals turned out beautiful!
Thank you @jamethiel! I do like the petals :)
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