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| Sewing Nuggets Machine Embroidery – Vintage Topic: Machine Embroidery – Vintage Vintage Embroidery Machines Speed Up the embroidery process so you can create lovely items in no time at all, but the finished result can sometimes scream computer-generated. With today’s digitizing software, it’s easy to create designs that replicate traditional handcrafted techniques and pay homage to the beautiful needlework done by our ancestors. Artwork Designs Most of the featured examples are original designs created using artwork from Dover Publications “Biggs” Floral Embroidery Designs, which contains clipart images taken from transfers originally published by the English company William Briggs circa 1900. Hand-embroidery books and antique publications in the form of women’s journals are also a great source for traditional designs and often include needlework sketches or diagrams that can be traced and scanned. Old embroidery transfers are another good source, although, depending on their age and condition, it may be better to trace them onto white paper before scanning. Use a light box or tape the transfers to a window in daylight. Permission-free artwork is readily available from craft stores and is ideal in quality; it’s often provided on a mult-format CD-ROM in addition to a printed copy. Once you find artwork you like, use either automatic or manual digitizing tools in your software to create traditional embroidery styles. Adapting Embroidery Designs * Digitizing software usually lets you break apart and rework existing designs, which is a great way to create a new design without having to digitize it from scratch. Changing the properties of embroidery to incorporate feathering motif stitches, or simply removing the computer-generated outline may be enough to give the design a more handcrafted look. Different thread colors also produce dramatic results. Quilting designs can easily be converted to Redwork, run-stitch motifs can become the basis for Blackwork, and white thread on white fabric inevitably assumes an appearance of heirloom embroidery. Copyright of the design still lies with the original owner, so you can’t sell or pass on the new design. But in most cases, adapting a design you purchased for personal use is acceptable practice. The yellow and orange flower pictured above is a Janome design. On the yellow sections, a feathering option was selected to produce a softer look as with traditional silk shading designs. Fabric Natural fabrics, such as linens, cottons, silks and wool, embroider very well and help enforce the traditional theme. Fabrics containing man-made fibers also work and are generally more resistant to creasing. As with all embroidery, it’s essential to make sure that the fabric is an appropriate weight to support the density of the design, is suitably stabilized and is properly hooped. Traditional embroidery was often worked on cream or light-colored fabric so the thread colors would show. Using a slightly darker cream or light-gold fabric helps achieve and antique look. Silk Shading * Feathering sections of a design is a lovely technique for replicating long and short stitches in hand embroidery and is particularly suitable for natural subjects, such as flowers and animals, where good color blending is essential. Feathering is ideal for creating delicate shading and makes it the perfect choice for the featured vintage bag design. Rayon threads are the closest to natural silk in terms of luster but are strong enough to withstand the high speeds of embroidery machines. Always have a good selection of colors on hand as the beauty of feathering relies on subtle changes. You can also use variegated threads to create rich colors, but the results are less predictable than with single color threads. All digitizing software has an option to feather blocks of satin stitches while allowing you to alter the stitch length and density to suit the project. It’s important to get the stitching angle correct for each section of the design so the eye follows the natural line of the object. Avoid using a run or satin-stitch outline, as they tend to look too consistent and perfect for natural subjects. Crewed Embroidery * Crew embroidery is a way to try out many different stitch fills in one design. Traditionally it was worked using two-ply worsted wool, making the design very textured and with a matte finish. When digitizing the design, adjust the stitch for a longer length than normal and reduce the density so there’s room to accommodate the fluffy yarn. If using a mixture of threads, 30 – weight cotton sits nicely alongside Lana and is ideal for knot type stitches, such as candlewick, as it has the same matte finish without the bulk. Almost any stitch can be used in crewel embroidery, including satin stitch, feathering. Blanket stitch, cross-stitch, run stitch and stem stitch. Blackwork * Blackwork designs are easy to replicate as they consist of small geometric shapes and repeated patterns, a selection of which can be found in the motif libraries of all the main digitizing software packages. The key things to look for are small designs consisting of run stitch, cross-stitch and diagonal stitches that are suitable for use as fills or borders. Blackwork is usually done on linen or Aida fabric so the stitches are always consistent in length. It’s an ideal form to stitch on an embroidery machine because it relies on using a continuous length of a single color thread for large sections at a time. Use rayon thread to replicate traditional silk embroidery; use cotton thread for a matte finish. Gold Work * Traditional gold work generally consists of parallel rows of stitching with contrast thread used for couching and securing the gold threads. It’s difficult to replicate the couching element because computerized embroidery relies on a continuous thread moving from one area to another over the surface of the fabrics, whereas handwork can hide traveling stitches underneath. However, parallel rows of run stitch can create a similar look, and satin stitches add lovely texture and sheen to a design. Traditionally parallel rows of stitching were used to echo the object’s shape and follow the natural lines of the design as with the pomegranate design shown below. Gold and silver threads were originally made of actual metal. Today’s metallic threads are entirely man-made and available in myriad colors along with classic shades of gold and silver. Always use a metallic needle to prevent the thread from shredding, and, if necessary, slow down the machine and use an upright spool pin to prevent the thread from twisting. Cross-Stitch * Cross-stitch is another technique that’s traditionally worked on an even weave fabric, and it’s possible to set the stitch length accurately so the needle penetrates the fabric correctly. All digitizing software packages have cross-stitch in their motif library and some also include a selection of pre-digitized designs. If using Aida fabric, set the stitch size to match the fabric count, and use the nudge facility on the embroidery machine to ensure that the needle start position is exactly centered over a hole in the fabric. For outlines use run stitch, triple run or backstitch. Some software packages have automatic wizards that instantly convert images and photo graphs to cross-stitch at the touch of a button. Cotton thread is a good choice that provides a traditional matte finish. Other Heirloom Techniques There are more traditional embroidery techniques to explore in the form of white-work, Redwork, cutwork, candlewicking, lace embroidery, quilting and heirloom sewing. Search the software’s motif library as stitches are often grouped in categories for a particular style of embroidery. For other ideas, seek out genuine antique textiles displayed in museums, books, even Grandma’s attic. Vintage Bag A dainty bag with an antique metal frame is the perfect showcase for traditional embroidery designs. What You’ll Need · 9” x 18” rectangle of silk doupioni · 9” x 18” rectangle of satin lining · 9” x 18” rectangle of lightweight fusible interfacing · 5” antique style bag frame · 6” length of beaded trim · Handful of seed beads · Embroidery design, threads and tear-away stabilizer · Air-soluble marker Assembly Download the bag pattern at www.sewnews.com. Check the bag frame to make sure it matches the shape of the pattern piece. Adjust the pattern if necessary. Cut a 9” silk square. Trace the bag outline onto the fabric with an air-soluble marker. Use the outline as a template to mark the position of the embroidery motif. Stabilize the fabric, and then embroider the chosen design. From the embroidered silk, cut one bag front. From the remaining silk, cut one bag back. From both the lining fabric and the interfacing, cut one bag front and back. Fuse the interfacing to the bag front and back wrong sides. Staystitch ½” above and below the side seam marks on the bag and lining pieces just inside the seamline. With right sides together, stitch the upper section of the bag front and lining beginning and ending at the marks (1). Repeat to stitch the bag back and the remaining lining piece together. Clip to the dots, trim and grade the seams, and clip the curves. Turn the bag upper edges right side out; press. Right sides facing, pin the bag front and back together at the side seams. Stitch, beginning at the marks and leaving the lower edge free (2). Repeat to stitch the lining front and back together at the side seams, beginning at the marks and leaving the lower edge open. Press open the seams (Use the handle of a wooden spoon and the tip of the iron to make this easier) and turn the bag right side out. Position the beaded trim on the lower edge of the bag front right side with the ribbon just inside the seam allowance and the bead facing the bag center. Hand tack the beaded trim in place (3). Pull the bag through the opening in the lining. Right sides facing, hand stitch the front and back lower edges together using a small backstitch. Turn in the lining seam allowances; press. Stitch the lower edge closed by hand or machine. Tuck the lining inside the bag. Attach the bag handle using strong thread or two strands of standard thread. Bring the needle up through each hole in the frame, add a seed bead, and push the needle back through the same hole so no stitches show on the right side. * Adapting Embroidery Designs – Janome Digitizer Pro software, Flower 2 (modified). * Silk Shading – Design created using Bernina Designer Plus V5 software and artwork from Briggs’ Floral Embroidery Designs. * Crewel Embroidery – Design created using Bernina Designer Plus V5 software and artwork from Briggs’ Floral Embroidery Designs. * Blackwork – Design created using Bernina Designer Plus V5 software and artwork from Briggs’ Floral Embroidery Designs. * Gold Work – Design created using Bernina Designer Plus V5 software and artwork from Briggs’ Floral Embroidery Designs. * Cross Stitch – Design created using Bernina Designer Plus V5 software and artwork from Briggs’ Floral Embroidery Designs. To review pictures associated with this article, please click on link below:- -------- Sewing Nugget “Vintage” is an article excerpted from “Sew News Magazine’s January/February 2008 Issue”. The article was written by Ruth Cox. Ruth Cox is a freelance writer and tutor specializing in computerized machine embroidery. A stitcher for over 25 years, she teaches a range of courses on behalf of Janome and Brother throughout the To learn more above Ruth Cox’s, please visit School Of Sewing at http://www.schoolofsewing.co.uk. Sew News Magazine is sold exclusively at Amazon, their website www.sewnews.com and newsstands. Creative Machine Embroidery is sold exclusively at their website www.cmemag.com and newsstands. . For further details or to purchase please click on the respective names below: Magazines If you are interested in further insights on the subject of embroidery, please visit the below link which have a selection of books on the subject. Sewing Places |
