Tuesday, September 18, 2012

A Fine, Fine Thread

Over the last day or so, I've been making a needlebook for a special friend made completely from silk fabrics.

Until now, I have used decorator weight and/or traditional Japanese dobby cloth for the needlebook cover.

I ran into a problem when I went to bond the silk with the heavy interfacing (which gives the book its sturdy, book-like quality).   Unfortunately, the silk didn't bond evenly.  The silk was almost too thin and was giving me a somewhat puckered, rumpled appearance with tiny creases where the bond pulled the thin silk too tautly.


What to do?  I had already embroidered the flower so I wasn't thrilled with the idea of re-stitching it on a new piece of cover fabric.

My next idea was to add texture to the background, quilting the layers together.  This quilted approach might help to smooth out the puckers and create a more uniform appearance to the flower background.

Because my cover is fairly small (5"x8" or so)...I needed a quilting thread that was fine and delicate enough to not overpower the silk or the ribbon flower...


Enter these fine needlework threads from YLI.  This 100 weight thread is very fine and, because it's silk, it's also very strong.  I use it for couching sequins, for couching stumpwork wire, for applique, for adding accents to delicate work, and for embroidering in small places.

Due to it's finer nature, it's mostly sold in quilting shops but I have found lots of uses for hand embroidery.  As an extension of the 100 thread, YLI has introduced a new product called Silk Sparkle which has a strand of metallic twisted in with the plain silk.

I love this thread.  The metal does not strip as you stitch with it and it gives off the most subtle suggestion of sparkle.  It was the perfect thread for adding understated texture to my silk...


All the flower needs is a few gold beads for the center and my little cover will be transformed.


It feels good to be settling back into the rhythm of autumn.  More time to stitch.

See you next time!

22 comments:

Gerry Krueger said...

I can see that I have to have some of that thread with the sparkle... You might want (in the future) to back your silk with Allie's tricot interfacing before you add the heavy interfacing... That is what I did when I made your needlebook because I was using silk also..... Ger

Unknown said...

Очень красиво! Утонченно, шелк переливается и приятно восприятию.

margaret said...

someone is going to be thrilled when they get this needle case

gracie said...

What a beautiful piece.

Rachel said...

An ingenious - and highly successful - way to deal with the problem!

Coeur de freesia said...

You had a good idea ! Lovely work ;-)

Thearica said...

This is gorgeous!

I back my CQ fabrics with ultra lightweight interfacing and it gives them just the right body to use them however you wish.

SharoninStitches said...

How pretty!

Catherine said...

You are so clever! Very pretty!!

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

That really turned out lovely.

Thank you for sharing how you took a potential problem and made it work into another piece of beauty.

FlowerLady

Judy S. said...

What a great solution and a very pretty one too! I need to look for that thread. Your flower is beautiful; I love the french knot embellishments. How'd you do that two toned stem?

Mary Ann Tate said...

I was making a doll that required that dupioni silk be glued to a cardboard tube...what a mess that was:)

Jillayne said...

What a great save! The quilting adds so much to the piece and as you say, doesn't overpower it at all.
Beautiful!

Suztats said...

Your needlebook will be gorgeous! Somebody is going to love it.
Thanks for sharing your solution, and telling us about that thread.

Shirlee Fassell said...

The thread elevates your cover. I love it. I have seen the thread on line but never in person. I might have to order some.

Linda H said...

As always Susan, you have come up with the perfect solution to a problem. Looks great! Someone will be very happy/lucky to receive this. I have not seen the Sparkle silk thread.. must look for that!!

Marty52 said...

Perfect solution... and I like how you only ran it down one side of the stripe... it gives it a lovely shadow effect... brilliant as always!

Linda Steele said...

Great idea, I have this thread and hadn't thought about using it for handwork. I back my silk with a lightweight , stretch, fusible Interfacing and it makes the silk as stable as cotton.
Thanks for sharing.

Sarah Sequins said...

Oh, wow! Your embroidered flower is gorgeous.

And thanks for the tip about the thread! I'll have to look for some of that... the metallic kind sounds beautiful.

WandarArt.Stitch said...

Hello Susan,
So glad I can be of great pleasure, as well as take advantage of your great talent of art.
Beautiful creating each his work, and so I got used to the privacy of your art. , Your blog, as otherwise no longer can be, just love what you create, thank you, I cordially greet!

maire said...

Oh Susan, another beautiful needlebook in the works!!! Will you have kits for this one as well?

Kelly aka STITCHNMOMMA said...

WOW! What a huge difference and a perfect solution for you. Great job, I'm sure your friend will just love it!

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