First of all, I’ve finally managed to finish final versions of the Zentangle Zodiacs and the Elemental Horses, and organised the worksheets and the other designs that go with them. Both sets are now available on the Designs For Sale page (see the tab at the top of this page). The whole zodiac project took me something like two years from start to finish and I’m SO glad to be able to get on to something else!
Second, I’ve spent the past two weeks on a very complicated commission, so I don’t have any new complete designs to post today. But I’ve been playing around with a few new techniques. These aren’t designs in themselves – they’re just new methods of using machine embroidery which I might use in future designs. The first one came about because several people commented on the use of the frayed-edge squares in the colourful pheasant panel (the posting of 29 October) One reader suggested that this fringe could be used to suggest grass that the pheasant was walking through (thanks, Deena!) so I thought I’d try to make some more realistic fringe-grass. I just stitched down a square of green fabric, leaving a couple of inches free, and then frayed the edge. Then it was just a matter of putting in some loose running stitching over the “grass” to hold it in place. It worked pretty well and I’m sure I’ll find a use for the technique somewhere
"Grass" made of frayed fabric
The second technique came about because we’ve been having some very foggy weather recently and I thought I’d try to capture the vague shapes of the trees round our house as they appear through the fog
I cut three squares of tulle and appliqueed them on the background fabric, stitching each square with the shape of a leafless tree. The squares were slightly overlapped, and you can just about make out the shapes of the trees on the “far-side” squares, just as far-away trees look dim and distant through the fog
Misty trees, with the aid of tulle
The effect wasn’t too bad and again I might use this approach in a future design. However now I need to stop playing around with new techniques and get on with some real designs
The idea for using the fringed fabric for grass was a fantastic idea and I love how you used the fringe and net backing for the trees to produce a foggy effect. I wonder how window screening might work for an unusual effect. Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Wow! I love both techniques. Great ideas. The grass keeps drawing me back to look. I never would have thought of that.
Great techniques on both grass and fog. I’m sure you’ll use them in the future.
Loving your play. You are such an inspiration to get out of the box and experiment. Keep pushing the boundaries.
This is a great new technique! I love it.
Thank you!
Mia, I love the techniques you used with the grass and fog. Great job. I may give your grass method a try using monofilament thread so more of the loose threads can be seen. I’m not as accomplished as you are with free motion embroidery so am sure it won’t look as nice as yours, but art is in the eye of the beholder. Thanks for sharing. Deena
I so enjoy your experimentation and creative use of interesting techniques.