Hand Embroidery

[Hannelore N.]

I know it is adding to another section or topic heading but a hand embroidery topic may be nice. I have been doing a lot of red work projects...it may be nice to have a place to share with others.

As I have stated, sometimes having too many topic titles limits the 'free form' chatter. We all tend to want to put our subject in a section.
I completely understand the reasoning...so folks will not have to search the forum for his/her interest. But I do find it confining for the free flow of chatter.

Happy Stitching!!
FW

[Hannelore N.]

I have done a lot of Elizabethan Blackwork over the last 40 years, and I always say to myself that I should just go ahead and use red thread instead of black, and.... hey presto..... redwork. But so far I haven't got around to it. Too many ideas and projects - not enough time.

Lorchen

[Hannelore N.]

I am hand quilting a "Red work" quilt that I have been embroidering on and off for more then 6 years. It has been one of my take along projects while traveling. It will be a while before I get it done and get a nice picture to post.

Margarita in Auburn, CA

[Annette R.]

I read things in order so just posted on the forum that we should start a thread here. OK its been done!!!! So I do and teach traditional embroidery, Brazilian embroidery and silk ribbon embroidery and will be glad to be a resource to anyone needing advice, resources etc. Hope I can be helpful. Ann

[Annette R.]

I've tried some hand embroidery on a crazy quilt practice piece and enjoyed that. Would love to learn more. I love the silk ribbon look, but seems like I have too many thumbs when I've tried it....looks weird or lopsided. Sandi in FL

[Jo H.]

I read things in order so just posted on the forum that we should start a thread here. OK its been done!!!! So I do and teach traditional embroidery, Brazilian embroidery and silk ribbon embroidery and will be glad to be a resource to anyone needing advice, resources etc. Hope I can be helpful. Ann

Ann, my eyes about popped out of my head when I read that you teach Brazilian embroidery. I have a piece that I started over 6 years ago and was taking weekly classes when the store decided to cancel the classes. It's a bird with flowers. I have several of the flowers done but don't know what to do next and I don't understand what the markings on the cloth mean (i.e., which stitch should be stitched).

Do you think if I took a picture and posted it you could give me some advice? I loved working on it and I like what I've done. It's just so disappointing not to be able to finish it.

JoJo

[Annette R.]

Lady Quilter, I won't guarantee that I will be able to read your pattern but either post it in a blog or send it to me via e mail and I will try to see what your piece needs. I am mostly self taught with the help of a couple of friends and some books but have made quite a number of projects that IMHO are quite nice and I do know almost all of the typical stitches. (There is one that has me stumped and also has a couple of my friends stumped too so we just substitute if that one is asked for) But given those caveats, I will certainly try to help and lets see what we can accomplish. Ann

[Annette R.]

Ok Ann, I'll bite - what is Brazilian embroidery? I'm sure the embroidery I did 20+ years ago is nowhere close to what the folks are talking about in this post. Plus I've never heard of Brazilian embroidery. Maybe I should buy a book on the different types of embroidery styles? Bobbi

[Annette R.]

Brazilian embroidery...WOW!!! I have done some crewel work but WOW on the Brazilian!!

About two years ago, I found some embroidered pillowcases my mother did. They are still lovely and I use them on my bed. I decided to do more of them. There is nothing more comforting for me to crawl into bed with fresh linens which have been haning outside to dry and to have a beautiful design to lay my head on.
I even got fancy and did the sheet top hem in a matching design.

But back to quilting blocks with embroidery. I have several holiday wallhangings in embroidery. Two projects in process are two free patterns offered on line. One is for Christmas (Christmas Wish) and the other is from Bunny Hill (Basket of Bunnies).

I also have in my line up of embroidery to do Roly Poly Circus Quilt. I thought I would do one in Red and one in Blue and add some pieced blocks and border.

FW

[Annette R.]

Brazilian embroidery is dimensional embroidery usually done with rayon or silk threads that are used as they come. The threads are two or three ply in most cases but are wound in such a way that they can not be easily separated. (not like regular embroidery thread that is six ply and you split it based on your embroidery pattern.) Brazilian embroidery also uses many unique stitches. The bullion stitich is one of the most often used stitches and is basically a very long french knot. You wrap the thread around the needle many times depending on how long you want your stitch to be. (sometimes 50 or more wraps) Then you pull the thread through. Depending on how you position the needle you can make this stitch straight, curved or in a tight circle. This stitch is used for flowers and leaves as well as other figures. Also there are cast on stitches and detatched button hole stitches as well as many others. Standard embroidery stitches such as the stem stitch, french or colonial knots, feather stitch etc are also used and look totally different when using the special threads.

I have a number of books and sources for patterns but will have to dig them out so I can give the correct resources. If you go to my blogs and look through the archived ones I have posted pictures of some of my Brazilian and silk ribbon embroidery. I will try to do some sample stitches and explanations to post in a blog or here.

Hope this information helps. Ann

[Judy M.]

I love redwork, too, and am presently working on the pattern "to Grandmother's house we go"--I'm sure you've all seen it. I made a really cute snowman of the month pattern and a cat of the month pattern in redwork several years ago. I just need to put the blocks together. I bought these patterns at a shop in Redlands, CA, where the owner at the time always had folk art patterns that were unusual. Anne, I would love to see your Brazilian emb. work. A friend of mine in Las Vegas used to use that type of emb. on her quilts. Judy in Torrance

[Anne B.]

Ann, is Brazilian embroidery the same as stumpwork?

[Anne B.]

Here's a good site for an over view of the Brazilian.

http://www.jdr-be.com/

[Anne B.]

oh man, I gotta hide my checkbook/credit cards. That stuff is just too beautiful. :lol: Sandi in FL

[Annette R.]

JDR is a good website to see Brazilian embroidery and their book Sunshine Treasures is a great book to start with. It is one of my favorites. Edmar threads are excellant threads and work wonderfully in Brazilian embroidery. One caveat about JDR though. If you buy their beginner kits and do not have the book Sunshine Treasures, you must buy the kits in order and don't skip any if you want the directions for the stitches. They start with number one and do not repeat the directions for the first stitches in the subsequent patterns/kits. I found that I could learn all of the stitches from the book (except one that I still have not mastered and it can be skipped or substituted for without a problem) and the book was a much better value than buying the kits.

And yes if you get hooked on this type of embroidery your credit card can take a hit. But the thread stash doesn't take up nearly as much room as a fabric stash. LOL Ann