MY FACING TECHNIQUE

 Our small art group group has been meeting via Zoom.....not ideal but still very inspiring and wonderful to have this monthly connection.

Recently the subject of facings came up...several of us shared our methods.  Each has its merits and probably negatives as well.  

Since so many of us are 'home alone' for this holiday season and perhaps have spare time to play, I thought I'd share my facing method. It's a combination of several I've used over the years.....read on....

You should be able to enlarge the photos by clicking on them.

OLD TRICK TO MARK DARK FABRICS

  I’m using a Hera marker to create lines on this dark fabric that will be hand stitched with metallic thread. This will avoid visible pencil marks showing.

FUSING TIP

My attention to this blog has been lacking lately as I'm still hunkered down working on a special project that is SLOWLY coming together.  To say I'm focused is an understatement, in part that's due to the complicated process the design requires.

First let me say, I'm not generally a fuser....give me turned edges over raw ones any day of the week. But here's a tip that may come in handy for you someday when you are fusing.

This view of an area on the quilt doesn't appear complicated at all does it?  Yet exact placement of the motifs was vital. I came up with this idea a number of years ago while creating a quilt where much of the designing with fused motifs was done while it was on the design wall.

So....how to transfer a biggish piece to the pressing surface while keeping all the motifs exactly in place?

 'Fuse tack' them with a hot Clover mini iron.  It's easy to get into small areas to work around pins. (These strips are a scant 1/4" wide).  The pieces are fused just enough to hold in place before transferring the entire top from the design wall to the ironing board for final pressing.

Perhaps this method can be helpful to you someday too.

Instead of having to check whether or not I've posted here......consider following my blog by submitting your email address in the box on the right side bar, or subscribe to the RSS feed option.  Some computer software can be prickly about using RSS feeds.  If you have issues with your system, I recommend subscribing to Vienna.....using an app. that is readily available.  

MORE OF MARY'S BEADING TECHNIQUES

The C & T Blog continues to highlight my techniques published in All-In-One-Beading Buddy.  The book is out of print but and ebook version is available at their website.  (and your purchase will earn me about .35 cents) Yes, really...but as they say, you don't do this for the money....rather the love of sharing and that's very true.

This design adds energy by drawing the eye around and out.

1. Use the Washer/Nut Method to attach a large and a small seed bead.

2. On wrong side, travel about 1/4" away, come up at B, attach a seed bead using Single-Bead Backstitch.

3. Travel again on wrong side, come up about 1/4" away at C. Repeat, adding beads around center unit, making as many rounds as desired. 

Washer/Nut Method

1. Come up at A, string a large bead and a smaller bead (larger than the hole of the large bead). Pass needle back through hole of large bead at B, through to wrong side, bypassing smaller bead. Tie off.

Single-Bead Backstitch

1. Do a lock stitch, string a seed bead.

2. Go down at A, one bead width from where thread last came up, toward 12 o'clock. Bead will cover lock stitch. Stitch length should equal exact size of bead.

This design comes from Mary Stori's book, the All-in-One Beading Buddy. 

There are so many methods one can use to incorporate beading into your work. Here are a couple of small mounted pieces featuring my altered fabrics and a variety of beading techniques along with hand embroidery.  Available for purchase at my gallery shop.  www.marystorishop.blogspot.com

NEW STABILIZER

Happily, I'm back to stitching again.....still having some issues with the eye post cataract surgery, but improving daily.

 While digging in the boxes of batiks my friend Helen gifted me, I came across a long 6" wide strip featuring bamboo.  Since I'm actively focusing on nature themes for the ongoing NC Arboretum exhibit I'm involved with, I dug further and paired it up with another piece.

 Recently I've read about Terial Magic, a new (or new to me) liquid stabilizer that when generously used, can render fabric into a paperlike material.

My pal Kate shared a large linen sheet with me which I ice-dyed. It was perfect for my bamboo design, BUT even with the aid of Wonder-Under (my preferred paper-backed iron on stabilizer) I suspected those nasty little frayed edges would appear during the machine applique process.  

So, I decided to try Terial Magic. Rather than creating a stiff paper-like material which one can do, I lightly sprayed the fabric and pressed until dry. It worked but not without some negatives. It's advertised NOT to leave debris on the iron or stain fabric.....both of which I experienced.  Now could that be because I was working with hand-dyed fabric?

Now back to that first picture.  Next, my concern moved to the stability of the lighter than usual weight of the center batik section.  I repeated the process on it.  Disaster.....I was VERY careful when I pressed it....but it distorted terribly, so bad in fact I had to remove the borders, recut the center, straighten the borders and start over.  As I was ripping out the stitches I noticed the off-white thread was now pink!*!*

I'm not at all sure what the heck happened, except to think the center fabric shrunk and the color ran.  Perhaps I learned a lesson.....pretreat the fabric BEFORE working with it!?!? For the most part, the raw edges of my design behaved quite well and I had very little staining with this commercial fabric. So, I need to experiment further before giving this product a thumbs up....and BTW....it's pricey. $14.95 for 24 ozs.

Oh well....onward.  Here's the start of auditioning bamboo images......check back soon for the results.

Follow these links to see what others have been working on this week:  Nina-Marie's Off The Wall Friday, Sarah's Whoop Whoop Friday, Crazy Mom Quilts.

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BEADING TECHNIQUE

I haven't been very productive lately, still coping with the aftermaths of cataract surgery which has been a disappointment.  I'm still hoping that because my body appears to be a slow healer, in time I'll be rewarded with my patience.

So...here's a beading technique you might find fun to incorporate into some of your work.  The following appeared in C & T Publishing's blog, my publisher for well over a decade.  But first, take a look at how this technique was used to add interest to one of my wool felted bowls.

Today Mary Stori, author of the All-in-One Beading Buddy, shares the branched fringe stitch, perfect to use within the body of a quilt or garment and along the edges or bindings. 

Work this method as a single fringe unit, in bunches, or a row.
1. Come up at A, string a length of size 11 seed beads.
2. Pass needle up through next to last bead, B, travel 3 beads and exit at C.

3. String 4 more seed beads, re-enter at D, pass through "branch" and re-enter central stem at E. Repeat to top of original string, varying number of beads and location of side branch.

MARY'S BEADING TECHNIQUE

Over at the C & T blog occasionally different beading techniques from my book "All-In-One Beading Buddy are posted.  This one just popped up.  Though the book is now out of print, it is available as an ebook for $6.99.

Decorative bead strings secure braid or other objects to fabric.

1. Position braid, come up through fabric at A.

2. String sufficient number of beads to completely cover thread as it crosses over braid (either horizontally or diagonally), go down at B.

3. Come up at C, add beads, go down at D (same angle as A/B).

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Well.....what a suprise to be alerted about the following (found on C & T's blog) by my pal Nanette Zeller, a talented artist friend who frequently works as an editor for C & T Publishing. 

Stepping away from the quilt world as an active instructor/author only a year ago in many ways seems like a lifetime.  Younger folks now fill the roles many of us (hate to say it) 'mature' quilters had.....and oh my....how quickly we are forgotten.  

I always felt my style was ahead of the time.  My first embellishment book was published by AQS in 1994, followed by 7 more publications with two other publishers.  Interestingly, C & T published, "Embellishing With Felted Wool', in 2008.  Both beading and wool are now a huge craze.......who knew?!?  I did.....I can't get enough of either construction styles.

It's great to know that "All-In-One Beading Buddy" is now available as an ebook!!  Be sure to check out my gallery shop to view how my beading techniques are incorporated into my work.

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Beading is perennially popular, and no wonder–you can use it to embellish quilts, clothing, bags, home decor, and so much more! Today, Mary Stori, author of All-in-One Beading Buddy, shares two of her favorite 'lazy' stitches, great for creating patterns.

Lazy Stitch

Alternate bead color and direction for a herringbone pattern. Treat several beads as one to quickly create rows, fans, and other defined patterns.

1. Come up at A, string 4 seed beads, go down at B.

2. Come up at C, string 4 seed beads, go down at D. Repeat to make 4 rows.

3. Come up at I, string 4 seed beads, go down at J. 

4. Repeat to make 4 rows. Add additional units as desired.

Undulating Lazy Stitch

Use different bead combinations and spacing to create pathways and designs. 

1. Come up at A, string a seed bead, a bugle bead, and a seed bead, go down at B. Come up at C, string beads, go down at D.

2. Repeat to create desired effect. 

NOT AN ORDINARY SEWING PROJECT

So....'the husand' asked me to tackle a project for him.  It seemed simple when he described the task....ha, surprise, surprise....it didn't take the 15 minutes I thought it would.

 These are SUPER, SUPER strong magnets....that I was to sew into the top of a flag.

No problem....says me.  I set about sewing a casing at the top of the flag.

 Thinking....I'd slide each of the 8 magnets into the sleeve....and machine stitch lines on each side to hold them in place.  NOT.....I was literally laughing out loud when I plopped the flag onto the bed of my sewing machine (with 1 magnet in place)......well....smack me in the face!  Of course the magnet stuck to the machine....and couldn't be moved.  Naturally, immediately I tugged it off....worrying the magnet could affect the computer in the machine.

So....I had to stitch little pockets by hand....NOT easy as the needle kept stitching to the magnet....as did the scissors when I cut the thread.  Really, it was comic!

But......finally they were all stitched in place and the 'flag' will now be firmly secured over the auto's windshield.  One of the annual car races we attend is located in an area where the soil is particularly nasty.....this hopefully will save the windshield.

ONE MORE ZIPPER FLOWER

I'm still away playing but in my absence here's another zipper flower to perhaps inspire you......

This one was made by rolling the full width and length of a small plastic tooth zipper....tacking together as it formed.  It really doesn't look all that difficult but it was surprisingly time consuming.  The zipper tape is thick and stiff, combine that with the stiffness of the zipper...well you get the idea.

The leaves (here and on the previous zipper flowers) came from a piece of hand dyed cotton batting made by and gifted to me from my fiber friend Gen. The color and texture were just right!  They were simply hand embroidered in place which provides a little dimension.

ANOTHER ZIPPER FLOWER

Besides embellishing rocks (which you've seen me do) I can't think of anything sillier to spend time on than making zipper flowers!  Yet, they are fun and challenging....

 Perhaps the challenge comes from not have the proper zippers....again instead of using one with large metal teeth, all I have is a narrow plastic one...but the color is right!

This time after taking it apart, I trimmed about 75% of the zipper's tape away....running a flame along the cut edge to seal it.  (It's poly so it melts). 

Next, the zipper was cut into 4 sections...sealing those ends with a flame as well.  Matching the color, it was paired with a piece of felted wool and hand stitched in place.

 The excess wool was trimmed away and each petal was auditioned for placement on my project.

Here's the completed flower.....

I'll be away with some fiber friends for a couple of days...doing what we do....playing with fabric/dye/eating/chatting.....in general...having a big ole' time.  Expect a report in a few days....or sooner if I can figure out how to blog from my iphone!