Design Transfer tutorial......My way ! And my 'POPPY' watercolour !!

Hello dear friends, I hope life is treating you well......Spring has truly sprung here in the UK ! Well as I promised....a tutorial on design transfer to fabric.....
WHAT YOU WILL NEED........
1. A normal HB PENCIL
2. A piece of suitable  FABRIC....ie, calico or close woven linen
3.Masking tape
4. A design of your choice !
5. A craft embossing tool (small end ) or an empty ball point pen
6. Tracing paper
This is your step by step guide for transferring your pattern..............

1. Place design on a flat surface and place tracing paper on top...hold down with masking tape.
2. Trace your design onto the tracing paper.........now turn your tracing paper over and pencil over the design Again ( This is important, to retrace on the back
as well, so that your design is the right way round when you transfer it !
3. Turn your tracing paper over AGAIN to the first side that you traced ! Now
place your fabric down and secure to the surface with masking tape
4. Now place your tracing paper design on top of your fabric and secure again with masking tape !

5. Now using your embossing tool and pressing firmly, go over the whole design,
If you are using an old ballpoint pen, please be very careful as the point is sharp and could easily rip the paper design .
6. when you are happy that you have 'EMBOSSED' every line of the design, very carefully lift one corner and see if the lines have transferred.....if they are very faint ,it means that you have not pressed firmly enough and may need to go over the design again ( Also if the pencil lead is too hard, then it will not transfer, so use a softer pencil ) When the design has transferred, it may be faint in places so I go over the design again with a very fine ballpoint pen and I ensure that I embroider over the design lines completely !!

This method of tranferring for embroidery has served me well over the years and it saves me money, as I dont need to buy embroidery transfers( the iron on type) !
In fact it opened up a whole new design source for me.........clip art, colouring books, in fact anything that I see on the internet that inspires me, I can just print off and then trace......I do hope that this works for you and you certainly dont need a light box for this method !
If anyone has any questions, they can leave a comment and I will comment back with advice.........OMG I'm giving all my secrets away....... !!!
          My latest embroidery  is here to show you...........................

This is a watercolour background that has turned out so well.........HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE A TUTORIAL ??? Well if I get a whole lot of requests for a one, then I might just TREAT you all !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe just a little more 'EYE CANDY' then....................................

Well I do hope you have enjoyed my post today.......Now I'm exhausted and must put my mind to a huge mouthwatering  roast chicken dinner with all the trimmings and a strawberry and apple crumble (diabetic style ) of course with lashings of double cream...........Yummmmmmmmmm..................Thanks so much for dropping by and leaving a comment, it means so much......xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sunflowers and a pretty maiden !

Hello everyone, well I'm still waiting for Spring.....are you ? Here in the UK it is still cold and overcast....Yuck !!!!
I would like to show you a couple of ongoing projects that  I so enjoy doing.........
But that are so very different in style........Take a look..............

This is a watercolour background that I used on a silk napkin and transferred the design with a normal pencil and an embossing tool....now you're asking, whats that all about, well an explanation will be revealed soon !

I love the 'softness' of this piece and the light and airy colour pallette...........

I will do a tutorial on transferring designs onto fabric if I get enough interest !!!!

My second piece is a lovely Maiden, mostly in Needlelace.............

Isnt she lovely...........................................

A couple of close ups to show the technique.......................................

Well have a good week folks and thank you for popping by..........look out for the tutorial coming soon.........................................xxxxxxxxx

P.S. This is my sons band, on the cruise ship 'VENTURA' !!!!!!!!!!

BYEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

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KWAN TUNG..........Elegance !

Hello Everyone, the sun is shining here today in the UK !
   I would like to show you an ongoing project that is magnificent when completed.......I wish there were more kits like this one.......The colours are totally amazing........Take a look........

This piece is stitched with six strands of floss altogether in the needle !

Now I know that you all like your 'EYE CANDY', so I try to post as many different
angle shots as possible !

Lately I have had a creative block......For days now, I have struggled to get anything done.......Maybe after a long winter I just need a holiday !!!
My Diabetes has been playing up and now I have to inject Insulin......But hey its not the end of the world, so I must keep smiling and be thankful for what I have got

So to finish....just a little cross stitch picture that I made many years ago..........

Right, I'm off to have my Easter chuckie egg.........A boiled one.............
Have a great Easter and thank you for popping by and dont forget your waistline girls, with all that chocolate......have fun ..............xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

EYE CANDY, WIPS, (works in progress ) and so much to learn !

Hello people.....so cold here in the Uk today ! Have been sorting through my
stash and I have come to realise that I have so many projects to get on with........

    This first one is a ' Trish Burr design..............It is so pretty !!!
It comes from this book.............

If you really love 'Crewel' embroidery, then you need this book !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love ' close up' shots like this, so you can see the intricate detail of every stitch !

Next up is an experimental piece that I have been working on occasionally........as
the mood takes me ! Ooooooh I so love this hobby....It has kept me sane for years !

I think that I have used every conceivable stitch in my knowledge, on this little beauty from under the sea...........I hope that I have provided enough 'eye' candy for you this week..........OMG WHAT AM i GOING TO SHOW YOU NEXT !!!!
Have a fabulously fun week and thank you so very much for dropping by.........
BTW....thanks Mike for your great posts http://michaelgoodes.blogspot.co.uk/.......xxxxxxxxxxx

Whitework texture..............

Hello all, hope you had a great week.....A bit dull here in the UK today !
But spring is around the corner and my son is coming home in three weeks !!!
He's been cruising around the Caribbean' for five months......working on the Cruiseship 'VENTURA'.........with his band, a nice life you'd say but he is really missing home.......bless him !!!

Anyway, this is a piece of  'whitework' that I did for texture ! I feel that textural
pieces, really catch the eye and obviously which thread you use to accomplish it !
In this piece I have used perle threads, simply because they give a wonderfully tactile effect and cast shadows as they are more 'raised' than stranded flosses.......

            Love the added pearls...........I've used bullion stitch, french knots,               needleweaving,buttonhole stitch and spiders web plus many more !!!
            Have the best week ever.........do something creative and be happy !
Thanks for stopping by.........Last but not least.......This embroidery was framed and given as an 80th birthday present to my Mother-in-law !!
This is her with my Grandson 'Toby'...........

                                                   
                                              bless them........................
By the way I am now on Facebook :) If anyone would like to be my friend........http://www.facebook.com/chris.richards.1272

A ' BEAUTIFUL ' BISCORNU ' ......

Hello everyone, First an apology for my absence...........Struck down with a nasty virus ! I've been poorly for about three weeks and am now on the road to recovery,

anyway enough about illness...................

What you really came here for is the 'eye candy' right ????

So here it is..........................

This is a CANVAS BISCORNU.............................................................................

I spent quite some time on this little beauty and it was well worth the effort !!!    ..

There are many needlepoint stitches used on this including Rhodes, Long legged 

cross stitch, florentine and satin stitches with Miyuki drop beads and gold tassles !

Although I was quite poorly, I got a tremendous buzz out of making this little pincushion, which seems to be very popular at the moment !!

Variegated threads work brilliantly with this little pincushion, adding lots of interest and so pleasing to the eye ! I decided to make it 'reversible' by adding a

gemstone on one side and a chinese enamelled button on the other side !

I shall certainly make more biscornus in canvas.....such fun and a great result !!!

             Just to finish off today...........Hubby and doggy 'MAX' huddled up together

in front of the telly.........................................

Have a great week end folks, stay happy and thanks for popping by...................

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Dusting off the stump work....And a peep at whats to come !!

Hello all, how's your week end so far ? Well we've got sunshine here in the UK !
I've been out for a walk in the woods with hubby and the dog for an hour and now feel very refreshed !!! My life has been a hive of activity this week so many projects to do but hey, its lovely to have lots of variety and so looking forward to the spring.........Mr Michael Goodes blog    http://michaelgoodes.blogspot.co.uk/
Has some fantastic photography and I just love visiting his posts each day..........
Keep it up Mike !!!
Now to my embroidery.........This is a 'Stumpwork' piece that I did about four years ago and gave as a gift to my Mother-in-law................

She adores this piece....................Then I have a couple of 'BISCORNUS' .......
For those of you who are not aware of this creation...........It is a french, oddly shaped pin cushion and here are two that I have made ....................................

These are very collectable and displayed in basketfuls , I do plan to make more of them.....They are soooooooo pretty !!!!!!
Last but not least a tiny peep at my Bead journal project for February..........I'm
loving this one........................

Loads to do on this project yet....................Have a wonderful, safe and happy weekend folks and thank you so much for your lovely comments......................
Take care  xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx