Spring Flags and Laundry Line: Embroidery and Applique

I loved this bright blue towel that I found on clearance at Sur la Table. 

I just had to add a little bit of whimsy!

I thought it was humorous that I used the basket stitch on the basket!

I embroidered on the dress before I cut it out to applique.

The flowers were the first time I embroidered free hand.

 

I added flags in my favorite spring colors and buttons.

 

I was happy to find this flowered ruffle from Joanne's to add to the bottom.

Welcome Spring!

Flower Power! Embroidery and Applique

A friend came over with a lovely meal for us and saw a dishtowel that I had made.  I ended up making her one to fit with her kitchen colors as a thank you. 

Project Details:  This is a very easy project.  I found the images I liked and printed them out using normal printer paper. 

Using my heat transfer pencil, I traced the image I wanted to embroider in reverse. 

 I traced the flowers I wanted to applique onto double sided fusible, adhesive web (Pellon EZ-Steam II from Joanne's).  I used my light board and traced the images in reverse.

I placed the images that I had traced onto the fabric and cut them out.

I placed all of the items where I wanted them on the towel.

I did my new trick of combining several colors to create a multicolored floss.

 

 For the bottom of my towels I often add some ribbon, rickrack, lace or cording.

 A fun project for a very generous friend!

Applique Owl on a watercolor embroidered background: Whoo can spot my mistakes?

One of these things doesn't belong: 
Can you spot the one background shape that I did in the wrong color? 
And the mistake I made on the owl?
Answers:  I had thought a light yellow would blend in well but after completing one of the shapes (by the tip of the lowest hanging branch) I decided it would be too much yellow.  I chose to leave it just for fun (or maybe I was too lazy to redo my work!)  I'll call it a little bit of whimsy and smile and go on my way!
As for my poor owl.  The owl in the image has his wings pointed out, by mistake I pointed mine the wrong way and steamed it in place!  Oh dear, Mr. Owl I apologize!  As I embroidered the image I found it helpful to refer back to the original many times.  Apparently I needed to refer to it even more often!  Another touch of whimsy - onward ho!

Image printed on regular printer paper.

Image traced in reverse with heat transfer pencil.

Project Details:  I found this image online, printed it out using regular printer paper, copied it in reverse using a heat transfer pencil and my light board and ironed it onto the fabric.  I added watercolor to the background, a light green.  I copied the applique pattern in reverse onto two-sided fusible backing and, after embroidering the background, placed it and ironed it with steam following the Pellon (bought at Joanne's-see picture below) directions.

Ready to stitch!

 

This is what I use to affix my applique in place and then I sew around it.  The applique is repositionable until you iron it!

I always trace the part I am going to embroider and on the places I am going to applique I go little bit smaller than the image so I can use my pencil marks as a guide as to where to place the applique.

Usually when I use the fusible backing I stitch around the material to keep it firmly in place if it is going to be washed (such as an apron or dishcloth).  Since this is a wall hanging I wanted the tree to look smooth and not highlight stitches so I just left it steamed into place without the stitches.

If I was to do this project again I would have laid out the colors for the background ahead of time to balance light and dark colors.  Sometimes I just want to get going and let the project evolve but I think that would have helped. 

I also thought my owl blended in too much in the finished project with such a busy background so I outlined it in orange.  Next time I might chose a solid color for the owl to set it apart.

This project served its purpose, it kept me busy while I couldn't walk and as far as my mistakes, I don't think it really matters!

Looking for advice:  The heat transfer pencil that I use comes out pink.  I would rather have one that leaves a grey mark but I haven't been able to find that anywhere.  When I buy transfer patterns they are black.  Any ideas?

Take Me to the Sea!

Finished Project: Stretched and stapled over a mounted canvas.

Project Details:  "Take Me  to the Sea!" is a wall hanging that I created using applique, embroidery and water color.  I got the idea for “Take me to the Sea” from a darling calendar I bought after New Year’s for a discount.  I took the lettering from the calendar, the sandcastle from a purchased pattern from the store, the birds and water drops from images found on the Internet and the sun I created from fabric purchased at Joanne's fabric.  When I am able to walk on my foot I will iron it, mount it and take a better final project picture.

You can't see it in the picture but I decided to wrap the embroidery around the edges of the frame by embroidering the sun's rays to the very edge of the cloth, this was easier so I did not need to measure exactly where the frame was going to end up but I loved the finished effect that it added to the project!
Techniques:
WATER COLORING:  My favorite new thing is to add watercolor to my projects!  Such an easy way to add color and it adds a kind of dreamy quality, in my opinion.  It is limited in that you cannot add it to something that will need to be washed.   

Water coloring can be done before embroidering around the image.  Before I embroidered the sun's rays I actually painted on the rays using a ruler.  Then I decided to use a full strand of thread so I ended up covering up the watercolor underneath! 

To add depth and to represent water in keeping with the theme I painted light blue under the lettering in "Take me to the" lettering. 

When I did the sandcastle watercolor I colored inside the image I had already embroidered.  It is a little harder to get all the way to the edges and I found that the color is darker where you start your brush so you can kind of think about darker and lighter shading as you paint.

MULTI COLOR THREAD:  I also used multicolored thread for the first time on the sun's rays and also on the bird's feathers.  The sun's rays I chose to do thicker, using a full strand with a thick needle.

For the bird's feathers I took a strand from each of the blues I had used elsewhere in the project to make a color combination that blended in well.

PLACING BUTTONS:  I laid out the buttons in the design I wanted and then I took a picture of them with my phone.  While I was sewing them on I referred back to the image as a guide and reference for where to place the buttons. 

LOOKING FOR ADVICE:
Mounting:  I stretched and stapled this to a blank stretched canvas I purchased at Joanne's.  Any better ideas for mounting?

Water color:  I am wondering if there is a way to make watercolor permanent?