Tea break
WIPW

The snowflake decoration tutorial

I promised to put up this little tutorial some time ago but with all the drama going on here I forgot.

 

You could use this method for any type of round decoration.

For my decorations I used a 32 count linen which is a a bit stiff and a cotton,( with a high thread count) printed fabric for the back.  Other fabrics could by used, some might even gather better than these ones did.  I also used a heavier card  (1 for the embroidery, 1 for the backing)  for the shapes, not the very heavy but an in-between weight.  It has to have enough stiffness in it that it will not buckle.

 I wanted a finished size of 3"  so I used a template to trace the shape onto the card.  I then found the centre and marked the quarters on the card with a pencil.  This is important because there is nothing worse than a piece that has an off centre design.

  Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.23.00 am

I then took a round bowl that was larger than the desired finished sized and marked a cutting line.  Again making sure that the embroidery was in the centre with an equal distance to the edge on all sides.  The back didn't really matter if it wasn't centred so I just marked the circles.

  Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.22.48 am

On both the front and the back I stitched a line of running stitch about 1/4" from the edge.  (I tried doing this with the sewing machine but the result wasn't as good.)

  Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.22.38 am

I put a long pin through the centre of the card and then through the centre of the design and pulled up the gathering thread, it sat just right. 

Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.22.29 am
 

I used the extra thread left over from the gathering to lace the fabric in place.  This was repeated on the backing shape.

  Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.22.17 am

I then attached the hanging cord so it could be enclosed between the two sections.

Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.22.05 am
 

The back and front were whip stitched together using a cotton quilting thread, which is just a bit heavier than normal sewing thread.  To start the stitching I ran my needle  behind the fabric for a short distance before my beginning stitch and did the same when I finished the thread.

  Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.21.56 am

To stitch Van Dyke stitch I ran the thread in the same way as before using a perle 8 thread.

Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.21.38 am

This was stitch over the two edges of the decoration.

Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.21.29 am

Van Dyke stitch is worked between two imaginary lines.  In this case the edges of the front and back shapes become the lines.

Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 3.00.38 pm

Because I used an even weave linen inserting the needle at a 2 thread interval kept the stitch even.  It was also easy to work around that hanging thread.

Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 8.21.09 am

When you use this stitch in this way it raises it up and makes a good edge to attach beads to but can be also used as it is.  In fact using this stitch on an edge defines the edge and gives an attractive finish.  I have used it on needle cases and even pages of fabric books. This method of construction does take some time but gives a good finish to your piece.

Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 3.06.00 pm

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Comments

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RachelandDesign

That's a great use of Van Dyke stitch, and one I've never seen before. The best I've ever managed is herringbone stitch....

Carolyn Foley

It makes great centipedes as well.

Queeniepatch.blogspot.com

Great tutorial. I will try out the VanDyke Stitch on the edges of my greeting cards.

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