Samples 2016: Week 47, Illumination/Earth

Had a bright (literally!) idea here to avoid using dull earthy colours again... the colours of planet Earth from space! So I got away with bright blue and green.

 

And then for the design theme, I used Blackpool Illuminations. So I was free to use my favourite FME on dissolvable fabric to make this lacy little sample. Freely stitched on hooped Solufleece, dissolved and pinned out to dry. Finally photographed raised on pins for yet more shadow play!

Samples 2016: Week 46, Holey/Bark

A vague brief... how to make it fun? I used the Flower Stitcher attachment to machine lots of satin stitch circles on Lutradur. A brown/rust/silvery grey "bark" palette of rayon threads.

Then I zapped it with a heat gun until there was hardly a trace of the Lutradur left, just enough under the stitching to hold it together.

Finally, if it's holey it makes shadows - so I had to photograph it raised on pins! 

Samples 2016: Week 45, Frosty/Berries

Don't you love those ferny, feathery patterns that frost makes on glass? As long as they're outside...

That was my inspiration for this little sample, although it's not obvious now it's made in warm berry colours. I used a built-in embroidery pattern on my Bernina, but stitched single "ferns" in different directions and overlapping. These auto stitches don't appeal at all when they're stitched out in a line as intended, but massed and messed about they're transformed.
      

Samples 2016: Week 44, Decay/Chocolate

With signs of autumn all around, a leaf skeleton made the idea of a "decay" design more enticing.

I free machined it on brown SpunBond (fine, ready-coloured Lutradur - not sure it's available any more?), stretched in a hoop of course. Not trusting myself  to get a recognisable shape freehand, I stitched round a paper template to start with. Finally I zapped it with a heat gun to get that authentic decayed effect! That bit's always fun.

My "milk chocolate" leaf skeleton is mounted on "white chocolate" calico with its edge distressed (decayed again, I suppose) by the embellisher.
     

Samples 2016: Week 43, Shiny/Spring

Shiny, hmm... first thought for something completely different was shisha. I dug out some very authentic (rough!) old shisha mirrors and thought about stitching them in spring colours.

Just in time I remembered - I did this for C&G and once is MORE than enough.

But sticking with the mirror idea I found some very shiny silver card and quickly zigzagged it in crocus-inspired colours. OK it's not one of my most memorable efforts, but I did save myself many hours of torture by swerving the shisha stitch :-)

The only pain then was trying to get a photo without reflections!