Creative Machine Embroidery

Tuesday 28 November 2017

Chapter Five, Task 1, Wonderful Whip Stitch

Sample 1

Free motion whip stitch with feed dogs down and 100 needle. Polyester thread upper spool, sewn on orange cotton fabric with red Rayon 40 in the loosened bobbin with a tension set to 5 circling right and left for the first two samples left and right.

The bottom two samples are sewn directly onto the calico sample page background.
The left sample using Coates thread on top and Rayon 40 turquoise bobbin thread.
Meandering line left to right.

Right sample varieagated 100% cotton on top using the same bobbin then changing to yellow Rayon 40 and finally a gold metallic thread, bobbin tension 5.

Sample 2

Black sample page.
Top left;
I loosened the bobbin tension even more and used varieagated thread in the top 100% cotton and Rayon 40 in the bobbin staying with the same tension 6.
The top right I changed to a metallic thread in the top and the tension was very tight - I loosened the tension in the last lower section to 5.
The third section was very loose indeed underneath - I had a break and returned the next day to finish this page with little success. I moved onto the final section and changed the thread to metallic in the top and bottom. Sewed very slowly to produce this tight finish.

Sample 3

For this sample I used purple satin on a calico and felt background. Dividing the page into 4 sections and using a running stitch for the top two sections and 100% varieagated thread top and bottom with normal tension which on my machine is number 4. I had as usual tested the tension on a similar piece before beginning to get the tension right. When using cotton on the top and the bobbin it sews really well with tension 4.

For the lower two sections I set the machine to zig zag and keeping everything else the same tried vermicelli variation of whip stitch which worked well until the bobbin ran out. I changed the colour and finished the section with whip stitch. The last section there were no changes.

Sample 4

This is an example of my pre work sampler page to test for tension.

Sample 5

Black calico and felt sample page. 100% cotton varieagated thread in the top and Rayon 40 Yellow bobbin. Needle 100. Feed dogs down and free machine foot on. Set to running stitch circling and travelling very quickly with my hands in a fast whipping motion to create this.

The pink thread is Rayon 40

The varieagated thread is Rayon 40

The tension is set to 6 and I am happy with this page.

Sample 6

Sewn directly onto the calcio and felt page using varieagated 100% cotton thread top and bottom.

Tension remained the same at 6. The top two samples are running stitch and the bottom left is zag zag stitch.

The fourth section bottom right was the same thread with zig zag with the feed dogs up and a normal foot on (2) keeping the same settings and the same loosened bobbin. I experimented with various rows of running stitch, zig zag and satin stitch. I really loved this sample.

Notes of my hours per Task and Chapter - I have the daily log on my file.

Monday 27 November 2017

Chapter 4, task 1 Rainbow Hues - reworked samples

Sample 1

Accent hue is too large and in the wrong place

Re worked sample reducing the size of the accent and re positioning it.

Original sample on black background and with the red strip too large and the yellow accent hue too small.

Sample 2

Re worked on white background with shorter red strip and bolder yellow accent hue.

Friday 27 October 2017

Module Two, Chapter 3, Task 2 Free to Zig Zag

Sample Page 1

Free motion zig zag green cotton sewn on calico and felt backed sample page using yellow Sulky Rayon 40 cotton, tension set to normal.

Sample Page 2

Free motion zig zag sample page on black calico and felt backing with Janome embroidery thread, tension set to number 5 for the second, third and fourth designs. The first sample top left was set to normal tension and proved too tight. The fabric has puckered.

Notes page 1

Notes page 2

Wednesday 18 October 2017

Module Two, Chapter 4, Task 1 Rainbow Hues

Page 1

Notes on the sample page above;

Top left

1) The purple sample worked well but my accent hue of yellow was too big for the design.

Top Right

2) Blue satin, not good, I realised I placed my accent hue red dot in the wrong place floating in outer space and so added another one which made it worse.

Bottom Left

3) Yellow felt was much better, the small accent violet stitch was much better placed.

Bottom Right

4) Dark green felt with yellow circles, I tried cutting the felt and adding the accent hue to join up the two pieces and then sewed more circles over to blend it a little so the accent hue was more subtle.

Page 2

Notes on Sample Page above;

Top Left
1) Purple satin with blue stitching using the machine to wander outside the design area and block areas of colour for interest. The red was a strip of fabric machined down in a very strong side to side running stitch and my accent hue was a tiny piece of yellow ribbon which on reflection looks a bit lost. The red is very strong perhaps blotting out the yellow?

Top Right
2) Blue strips of ribbon, satin and lace - my favorite on the page. I wanted to layer and then layer some more with the stitching almost like pencil marks laying down the fabric, so much so that the blue lace almost disappears in places. My accent hue orange is small but strong and delicate - I really liked this small sample.

Bottom left
3) Orange tapestry fabric sewn on using a circular motion with a plain piece of cotton as a contrast. I used yellow embroidery threads bunched up and couched down with red stitching, The violet accent hue is stitched over and with hindsight too much so - it got lost again and the yellow couched threads seem to jump out more easily. Not my favorite as it is too busy.

Bottom right
4) Cut yellow discs from cotton and satin and stitched on backing fabric using circular motion to accent the circle design. Violet satin sewn on with violet stitching as the accent hue so it didn't get lost and finally orange satin stitch to accent the curve of the circle and add the second colour. I do like this and it is consistent in the design and stitch - it sort of works together.

Page 3

Notes on Purple Sample Page above;

Purple satin mounted onto a sample page with zig zag and then I cut lots of pieces of ribbon and fabrics and paper and embroidery thread in all the reds and violets and blues and greens and as I cut let them fall wherever they laid moving around the page, then free machine embroidered over everything using the tiniest fragments of yellow satin as my accent hue.

I am not sure this was part of the task although you did say "think outside the box" and I was partly thinking of my assessment project piece. I do however love it because of the shades and tones and texture and the little bright yellow point of interest.