Sampling my Design Ideas

Here are a few of my Koala samples that I have done recently. There are three different designs in the column of photos below and each of different found fabrics.

• The first design the sleeping koala. Although I do enjoy drawing this design and it also shows the innocents of the koala and makes you consider the fact that we, humanity are causing such innocent soles so much pain. I will develop this design further, looking at other techniques to use or even looking at different coloured thread as well. The positioning of the design isn’t great and I am disappointed that you are not able to see the design on this fabric. I do like these types of fabrics because they have floral patterns, trees and leafs on them and this is many things that have been lost in the bushfires.
• The second design on the green found fabric is one of my design I first started to look at, at the begining of this project where I did a number of character like sketches of Australian animals in different positions. I believe this design works really well and that the koala has a lot of charm and character to it. I think on the green this design works well and could potentially be a good design to go onto different fabrics, such as the patterned fabrics.
• The final design to the right of the column of photos I chose to look at in a red cotton thread to symbols the fires that are happening in Australia. Although I think the concept works well I particularly like the design itself I have other designs that I feel are much better than this one.

Sampling my Design Ideas

Recently in my sketchbook I have taken an interest in sketching out one of Australia’s best known reptile and that is the crocodile. I have very much enjoyed looking closely at the crocodile partly because they are the reason my idol is famous (Steve Irwin) but also I have a passion for the colour green and have enjoyed sketching the crocodile in different media. This is my first machine embroidery of the crocodile and have enjoyed this very much, for me to move forward and develop I want to look at filling the crocodile in with machine embroidery; looking at hand embroidery and also looking at other techniques such as applique and reverse applique.

Sampling My Design Ideas

So far with my development with the design of the turtle I have only looked at doing machine embroidery the first sample on the green found fabric was a simple outline of my turtle drawing and the turtle.
For the second sample I started to look at filling the shell of the turtle in using machine embroidery so that they are a block of colour. 

Machine Embroidery

Machine Settings:

Tension: 4
Stitch: Any depending on desired effect.
Length: 2 or depending on desired effect
Width: 2

Instructions: 

Draw your deign onto your fabric using a disappearing marker.

Cut out backing paper the same size as your fabric and place it at the back of your fabric

Place the fabric and backing paper in an embroidery hoop so the fabric is nice and stretched.

Then using the sewing machine freely stitch into your design

Applique

Applique is a decorative technique used to add other fabrics on to a base fabric.

Machine Setting:

Tension: 4
Stitch: Straight or Zig Zag
Length: 2 or depending on desired effect
Width: 2

Instructions:

Trace the applique design piece(s) from your design onto the fabric you wish to use for the applique.

Cut out the piece(s).

 Place the piece(s) onto the desired place on the fabric.

You can use pins or a tacking stitch around the shape to hold it in place.

Set up your sewing machine to the right settings and desired stitch and begin sewing around the shape.

You can sew inside the shape with a straight stitch or using the zig zag stitch around the edge of the cut out piece an the backing fabric.

Speed Dating Recap: Needle Punch

Needle Punch Machine

Has a cluster of five barbed needles fuse fabrics and fibres together with or without a base fabric.

Use screw on left hand side of the foot to raise or lower it.

I guided the fabric as I would with a free machine, moving fabric slowly, while pressing down as hard as possible on the foot controller.

Can be used for a huge variety of fabrics and fibres, not just felt. Also creates interesting finishes on reverse.

Speed Dating Recap: Fringe Foot

Fringe Foot

Used for creating fringes using zig zag or decorative stitches which can then either be cut or left intact. If cut, you will need to stitch down the middle afterwards to secure the thread, using an ordinary stitch.
The needle moves over the vertical blade creating loops as it sews.

Important:

Do not adjust the stitch selector or width dial unless the needle is in the highest position, and hand wind the machine through the first few stitches to check that the needle is hitting the vertical blade on the foot before starting sewing.

Here is a couple of images of the samples I made using this technique.

Speed Dating Recap: Ruffler

Ruffler

Used to automatically ruffle long strips of ribbon giving a finely pleated stitch. Only suitable for fine to medium weight fabric.

Machine Settings:
Tension: 4
Stitch: Straight
Length: 2.5
Width: 0 (centre needle position)

Insert fabric into foot. Take fabric through the foot so that the strip is underneath the needle.
Adjust guide on front foot for ruffles on every stitch, every 6 stitches, or every 12 stitches. Guide can also be set to 0 for gaps between groups of ruffles.

I made two samples of this so I could see the different ruffles I could achieve from the ruffler.

Speed Dating Recap: Smocking

Smocking 

In our speed dating class we used a smocking machine. You can place as many needle as you want in the machine as possible or desired. The machine was already set up for us all we had to do was thread the needles, I wanted threading. I threaded four of the needles. I then placed the fabric around the stick and I then placed the fabric around the stick and threaded it through the back of the machine and used the handle to turn the wheel which pulled the fabric through.

Speed Dating Recap: Cording Foot

Cording Foot

Used for stitching over plain and decorative cords. Two sizes can be used, narrow and wide.

Machine settings 

Tension: 4
Stitch: Zig Zag
Length: Any depending on desired effect
Width: Just wide enough to cover cord

Place cord in channel through the centre of the foot. The zig-zag can be used to just hold the cord in place, or to completely cover it. Increase or decrease the stitch length to cover more or less of the cord. This works better if a smooth cord is used. This foot can also be used without any fabric to bind a cord, although consideration must be give to what thread is used on the bobbin as it will show as much as the top thread.

Here is a few of the stitches I did with this technique. I really enjoyed the result of this technique as it lifts the fabric and gives it a nice raised texture. I looked at creating curved, straight and zig zag lines.