Stitching Still Life with Sophie Standing Requirements and Class Prep ...
Stitching Still Life with Sophie Standing Requirements and Class Prep Information Supplies: -
Background fabric with template drawn in the center of the right side of the fabric, cut to 75x65 cm (size of finished artwork will be 50x40cm). Please see next pages for more information on this step. Sewing machine in good working order with ability to do free motion. Darning foot and spare bobbins for your machine Black and white copy of supplied image, printed at 11x17” and cut out. Color copy of supplied image, printed at 8.5x11” to use as a reference. Masking tape Fine glass head pins 3m Tear Away (optional. I do not use this, but you might like to have it on hand for your own project) Jeans/Demin (size 90) machine sewing needles, two packs. Paper scissors and small fabric scissors. Assorted cotton fabric prints for applique of the design. Bring as much as you’d like. For added texture in your applique, you may also like to bring lace and/or very fine crochet, if you have it. 8” wooden hand embroidery hoop 10” wooden hand embroidery hoop Black fine line pen (ie Sharpie – ultra fine point) White dressmakers chalk HB and B graphite pencils, sharpener and eraser Tape measure 40 and 50 weight 100% cotton sewing thread in a variety of colors, at least 30 colors that can work in with your chosen fabrics for your applique as well as darker shades for adding detail and outlines. Note: I personally use 100% cotton, however, if you have poly mix threads and if that is what you are used to using, please feel free to bring these to class.
Preparation and Info: These workshops are 4-5 days long and we have a lot to get through. So that you are not wasting precious class time, it would be best if you can come to class with your background fabric prepared, ready to start the applique process. To prepare your background fabric, please cut out the shell/bird shape from the large paper template and trace it onto the right of your background fabric in pencil. Note: Trace pattern onto the side that you feel is the best. Ie, if you’ve painted it you may prefer one side over another. If it’s pattern fabric, then use the right side. With canvas, I try to buy one that has the same texture both sides. I try not to use one that has a ridge effect. I prefer and even texture. If you are wondering, I have used quilting fabric and even a Tana Lawn (Liberty fabric) but I found I had to use a spray bonding which I used to attach the fine Lawn to a canvas background fabric so as to make it thicker so it could stand up to the tread painting without distortion. If you have done a certain amount of thread painting previously and feel you are capable of getting the tension right then feel free to use a quilting fabric for a background. You will most likely need stabilizer (ie tear away) in order to reduce the distortion. When tracing my designs, I use a pencil. I don’t like black lines around my edge when I’m sewing as the sometimes show up. But if you are hard of seeing or you think it will make it easier for you to follow the pattern of the image when it is time to do the applique then you can use the black pen. Usually, I use the pen later on when I am defining things like the exact amount of spines on a fish or the rib cage of a mammal like a rhino. It shows up well over the applique fabric. Below are the stages outlined for you I have emailed the images that we will be creating together, for the class organizer to forward to you. I have also mailed a sample of the type of backing fabric with I use in my work so that you can see the thickness of the canvas I use. I normally do a painted effect on my canvas with acrylic paint; washing it first and painting on it whilst it’s still wet. Outdoors is the best place to do this as it can get messy! You can then wash it again once the paint has dried outdoors in the sun and then iron it dry to make sure it is very flat. In the past I have also used denim, very thick colored linen or floral curtain fabric. You could use so many fabrics just as long as it is a good thickness, like the one I use. You will be doing a lot of thread painting style of stitching and the fabric will need to be substantial enough to withstand all that thread being stitched on to it, as well as the extra weight/thickness of the appliqued fabrics.
I have included photos below of the different background fabrics I have prepared for my work as well as fabric selections that I use for applique.
Background fabric with template drawn in the center of the right side of the fabric, cut to 75x65 cm (size of finished artwork will be 50x40cm). Please see next pages for more information on this step. Sewing machine in good working order with ability to do free motion. Darning foot and spare bobbins for your machine Black and white copy of supplied image, printed at 11x17” and cut out. Color copy of supplied image, printed at 8.5x11” to use as a reference. Masking tape Fine glass head pins 3m Tear Away (optional. I do not use this, but you might like to have it on hand for your own project) Jeans/Demin (size 90) machine sewing needles, two packs. Paper scissors and small fabric scissors. Assorted cotton fabric prints for applique of the design. Bring as much as you’d like. For added texture in your applique, you may also like to bring lace and/or very fine crochet, if you have it. 8” wooden hand embroidery hoop 10” wooden hand embroidery hoop Black fine line pen (ie Sharpie – ultra fine point) White dressmakers chalk HB and B graphite pencils, sharpener and eraser Tape measure 40 and 50 weight 100% cotton sewing thread in a variety of colors, at least 30 colors that can work in with your chosen fabrics for your applique as well as darker shades for adding detail and outlines. Note: I personally use 100% cotton, however, if you have poly mix threads and if that is what you are used to using, please feel free to bring these to class.
Preparation and Info: These workshops are 4-5 days long and we have a lot to get through. So that you are not wasting precious class time, it would be best if you can come to class with your background fabric prepared, ready to start the applique process. To prepare your background fabric, please cut out the shell/bird shape from the large paper template and trace it onto the right of your background fabric in pencil. Note: Trace pattern onto the side that you feel is the best. Ie, if you’ve painted it you may prefer one side over another. If it’s pattern fabric, then use the right side. With canvas, I try to buy one that has the same texture both sides. I try not to use one that has a ridge effect. I prefer and even texture. If you are wondering, I have used quilting fabric and even a Tana Lawn (Liberty fabric) but I found I had to use a spray bonding which I used to attach the fine Lawn to a canvas background fabric so as to make it thicker so it could stand up to the tread painting without distortion. If you have done a certain amount of thread painting previously and feel you are capable of getting the tension right then feel free to use a quilting fabric for a background. You will most likely need stabilizer (ie tear away) in order to reduce the distortion. When tracing my designs, I use a pencil. I don’t like black lines around my edge when I’m sewing as the sometimes show up. But if you are hard of seeing or you think it will make it easier for you to follow the pattern of the image when it is time to do the applique then you can use the black pen. Usually, I use the pen later on when I am defining things like the exact amount of spines on a fish or the rib cage of a mammal like a rhino. It shows up well over the applique fabric. Below are the stages outlined for you I have emailed the images that we will be creating together, for the class organizer to forward to you. I have also mailed a sample of the type of backing fabric with I use in my work so that you can see the thickness of the canvas I use. I normally do a painted effect on my canvas with acrylic paint; washing it first and painting on it whilst it’s still wet. Outdoors is the best place to do this as it can get messy! You can then wash it again once the paint has dried outdoors in the sun and then iron it dry to make sure it is very flat. In the past I have also used denim, very thick colored linen or floral curtain fabric. You could use so many fabrics just as long as it is a good thickness, like the one I use. You will be doing a lot of thread painting style of stitching and the fabric will need to be substantial enough to withstand all that thread being stitched on to it, as well as the extra weight/thickness of the appliqued fabrics.
I have included photos below of the different background fabrics I have prepared for my work as well as fabric selections that I use for applique.
