Wednesday 16 July 2014

Apple tree fire screen - applying the embroidery to the background

With the embroidery safely cut out and all in one piece, it's time to add it to the background.

I'd already got that set up and key reference points marked on the fabric to ensure I got the apple tree design on straight.  I laid the embroidery on the fabric, lining it up with the reference marks, and pinned over - not through - some of the stems to hold it in place:


I then started stitching it down, using single strands of the same shades I used for the embroidery itself.

The outer edge of the stems:


The rest of the stems:


The apples:


And finally the leaves:


Finished!  Or finished the embroidery, anyway - the last thing to do is to stretch it onto a board and put it into the fire screen itself.

3 comments:

  1. Loved the 4th picture where everything except leaves were stitched down. The detached look of leaves added dimension. Love the idea !

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  2. What a wibbly wobbly piece it would have been when cut out, and needing to be placed on straight. Congratulations.
    So, having done those two approaches - cut edge folded over and thinned glue stabilisation - which do you prefer? I like the glue approach, most definitely for anything that is small or has a lot of turns, tho I thiiiink the folded edge approach is the traditional one.

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  3. I agree with you an all counts - I've just done it the once but I already prefer the glue method, but everything has its place: for a deliberately traditional piece like St Cuthbert's Banner the folded edge apprach is more appropriate, so if I was doing that again I'd still do it the same way. This is easier, though!

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