Redwork to digitize

It is thrilling to digitize a project and stitch it out. Redwork is very easy to digitize and a very good place for any one who want to learn digitizing, to start. I did a class with Hanlie Snyman of Bernina, Paarl and San Tyger. We recieved the 7 pictures and with Hanlie's clear instruction select our stitch (Backstitch), the colour (red) and our tool- mainly the Open Object tool. When all the lines were drawn the magic was created by the Blackwork Run tool.

I made some cloth  paper towels (saw it on a blog) with a nappy and some flannel squares I had. This was a good way to sew the designs out to see if adjustments was needed in the stitch length and number of strokes. Now I am ready to sew it on some dish cloths- to have some gifts ready for friends.

Vivian at the Rose Cottage has an Enhanced Line Drawing lesson as this June's challenge. You can purchase the lesson from her website without having to take part in the challenge.

Redwork and the ability to digitize it also helps you to digitize continuous quilting designs. When you use the double run tool the program work out the optimal route to complete the pattern without starts and stops. Very good classes, specifically for digitizing quilting designs is available at Quilt University from Joanne Winn. They will be available in September and October.

If you own an embroidery module and haven't used it yet- it might be the time to get going!

Redwork or Coral Red?

We are fortunate to have a wide choice of threads to use in our textile arts. I did this redwork in a cotton Mettler thread. When sewn out my daughter mentioned that is actually the new "fashion" colour of Coral red. It has a more matte finish that is also beautiful.

This redwork design was stitched with Isacord thread. Here is some close up detail. These designs are by Enigma Enbroidery at Oregon Patch Works.

I could not resist to sew out this mugs. I arranged the individual mugs in a row and fit it into my Jumbo hoop.

Do one always need an uneven number- or will 4 in a row do?

A Confession

I am a devoted blog reader and a lazy blogger. When I read this post- I decided it is time to write again. Thank you dear reader of my blog- without your comments and page views I would have quit long ago. When I began blogging I thought I will do it just for myself to keep a visual record of how I spent my days- and of how my quilts grow- from idea to being quilted.

Well I am sure if you are blogging you know how important feedback is- here I want to thank Liri (have you seen a more beautiful header than Liri's in blogland?)-  your comments are always building my confidence as a blogger- and why have we not see a blog post from you for so long?

I will do the hand piecing tutorial, although nobody have indicated that they are going to join me, in a future post. I have spent a few days with my children at a hot water spring, Goudini- near Rawsonville in the Cape. This gave me lots of time for hand piecing and I completed another 12 blocks.

My embroidery weeks came to an end now with all the heart embroideries completed for this quilt. It is on my design wall- but will have to wait patiently while I work and complete my quilt for the Tri- Nation exhibition. I am scared of the quilt and have found an excuse to put it off till TOMORROW, but tomorrow I am going to work on it.

(To fix a sideways photo-read here)

I also worked on a Blackwork "strip". After I stitched out one block I was so pleased with the results that I want to make a five block string. However I could only fit 2 blocks in a hooping- so it took 3 hoopings. Every time one need to make sure that the blocks are correctly spaced and placed. Hanlie Snyman- our Bernina teacher (The best of the BEST) find this challenge thrilling- that is what make it interesting to her. For me- it is an adrenalin pumping exercise and I do not like adrenaline and what it do to me!

I used Perfection cotton thread that Pam Holland gave to me for the Blackwork and just love the results.

On this redwork piece I used a multicolor pink to red. I liked the background but when it sewed the satin stitches it did not look so good any more. I can try to isolate the satin stitched parts and give it a second colour. Then the background will be this lovely: "Now you see it, Now you don't." Or perhaps I should just make it in red?