Answers

Preeta from Muscat , had enquired about transfering  embroidery patterns-

there are 2 types of pettern books-

1.neck and yoke design books from  India- from these books  we can start on an idea  for embroidery and move on to actual pattern making.

2.textile and traditional Indian design books are also available.Requires lots of browsing on bookshops.these books are also very expensive.

For tranfering designs-

I design the pattern in its original size on an  A3 size paper or graph paper.

Then I use white or yellow carbon to trace it in a cloth, it is too risky to draw on the cloth[ biggest problem is the symmetry]. if the cloth itself is light coloured, then I use the corresponding colour carbon.

you can also enlarge your desired pattern and then trace it on to the cloth, this is the safest method.

Hope  my answers are useful for you, I can be more specific , if I have an idea of the project.

 

Mirror ar shisha tutorial-1

This is the step by step method for attaching the mirror or shisha.

      

mirror project

 

 

 

 Hold the mirror with your thumb of your non-sewing hand.

We are going to cross over the mirror 4 times to secure it.

The space which we get in the middle,where all the lines cross  becomes the inner ring.

The outer ring is the circumference of the mirror.

 

diagram -1 1.Bring up the needle and thread at point1Cross to the opposite side,over the mirror and insert the needle at 2-----1st linediagram -2

 

diagram-2

.2.Bring the needle at 3 and just cross over to the opposite side and insert the needle at 4-2^nd line

diagram -3

.        

3.Bring the needle up at the side at 5 ,go over and under the  2nd line at ‘A’.

The thread is now twisted once at ‘A’. Remember to bring the needle outside,

Otherwise even when the mirror is held, thread has the tendency to move over

 to the corner ,and the mirror becomes loose.

Now move the needle over and under at ‘B’ ,now the thread is twisted inside.

Insert the needle at 6-3^rd line

diagram-4

 

4.Bring the needle up at 7, go over and under at ‘C’[with needle outside].Again cross over and under at’D’[with needle inside] and insert the needle at 8-4^th line

sample-1

sample-2Bring the needle very near 8 .Now there is a inner ring and the outer ring. Mirror is secured.diagram-5 sample-3

5. Insert the needle into the inner circle[eg-cretan st

diagram -66.Make small st on the cloth near 8sample-4

Keep repeating this till mirror is fully covered

 

sample-6

 

sample-7

 Mirror is now completed 

 The wrong side

sample-8

sample-square This is a square mirror.sample-diamond

Diamond shaped mirror can be secured like this.

Notes- I have used Anchor stranded cotton-3 strands for this medium size mirror.

For big mirrors use 4 strands.

For small mirrors use 2 strands, otherwise this stitch will completely obscure the mirror .

If the inner circle gets bigger[when the tension of the thread is more], after  completing the stitch,the inner circle can be whipped and tightened.

Generally mirrors are heavy, so use cloth of medium thickness.

While learning and practicing ,keep the length of the thread sufficient to complete a mirror.Round mirrors have the tendency to slip away,when it is not held comfortably ..

 

I hope this tuitorial  will help people to embellish their embroidery with mirrors.

I enjoyed doing this,

Please leave your comments and suggestions to improve  the content of this tuitorial.