Filling Pattern – No. 555

By on 11. June 2021   /   blog, filling patterns, Openwork pattern   /   2 Comments

Filling Pattern – No. 555

category: Limet-Filling pattern
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 20
stitches used: Diagonal Four-Sided stitches
center: intersection of withdrawn thread lines (in other shapes or motifs: longitudinal axis = withdrawn thread line)
one pattern segment = 8 threads

While embroidering the filling pattern No. 554, I got the idea to create a pattern using diagonal Four-Sided stitches only – one more pattern for smaller shapes.

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.

First, establish a Limet grid with an intersection of withdrawn thread lines at the center by alternately cutting 1, leaving 3, vertically and horizontally.

Mark the center point. Bring the needle up in the next hole left of the center. From there start to work a Four-Sided stitch in a diagonal row – as a rhombus around the center point.

Therefore, *travel one square diagonally right up, insert the needle and bring it up again two squares downward.

Travel one square diagonally right up, insert the needle and bring it up again two squares to the left.

Travel one square diagonally right down, insert the needle and bring it up again two squares upward.

Travel one square diagonally right down and insert the needle.

In this way and always tightening the working thread, a prominent stitch sequence is established.

This time it is not necessary to work the Four-Sided stitch twice. By working these stitches side by side to the next, in the end all four sides of the stitch will be doubled.

So, after the fourth stitch, insert the needle and bring it up one square up and three squares to the left to work from there the next diagonal Four-Sided stitch in the established way.

So that the holes keep well defined and open, please make sure to catch all the working threads on the back with the stitches.

Work diagonal Four-Sided stitches up to the end of the row.

Try to always keep the same tension to establish an even structure throughout the entire pattern.

Turn the piece and then work a next row of diagonal Four-Sided stitches beside.

Work row beside row until the entire shape is filled. Make sure that you always turn the work so that the rows are oriented from bottom right to top left.

Once the entire shape is filled, a pattern is created which, viewing from the top, looks similar to other patterns with same sized segments.

But the side view shows another structure.

After boiling and ironing the pattern develops its full charm.

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Correct Sharpening of DEKA Transfer Pencils

By on 4. June 2021   /   blog, tips and tricks   /   1 Comment

Since I made a comparison of iron-on transfer pencils, I prefer to use the DEKA Draw & Iron Pencil for transferring my designs onto linen. Now and then I noticed breaking cores. But lately I have received messages from some of my customers being very dissatisfied with their pencils. They report that the cores always break during sharpening, and so the pencils become used up too quickly. I was a little bit stumped until I was told that the sharpener is the reason for the breaks.

I visited the web page of Faber-Castell and found these hints:

Preventing core breakage
Always make sure that your sharpener still has a sharp blade. Blunt blades fray/tear the wood and allow the core to break easily, especially with the more delicate/softer coloured pencils. Very often the dreaded breaking of the tip is due to an old or blunt sharpener and not to the pencil.

Angles of sharpeners
For different pencils with different applications, there are also corresponding sharpeners with partially adapted angles: the harder the core, the sharper the angle. Pencil sharpeners usually have a 21° angle, while the tip of crayons can usually be slightly duller (about 24°).

There are different sharpeners for graphite and for coloured pencils.

I immediately ordered one and tried it out on some of my different DEKA pens – old and new ones.

After only a very few turns, the pencils had nice points.

In comparison to the pencil tips shown in my first article on iron-on transfer pencils, I noticed that the tips were now all shorter and wider.

BGELMUSTERSTIFT Detail

I used a pencil sharpened with the new sharpener to draw my design onto transparent paper and was satisfied. The lines fine and well defined.

The point was scarcely worn down after finishing the line drawing of the small design.

I prepared a piece of linen with marking lines, and using the pre-heated iron I warmed the ironing surface and

then warmed up the linen.

Finally, I ironed the design onto the linen.

After only a short time of heating, I carefully proofed the transfer, and it was good.

So I removed the transfer paper and saw a well transferred design.

In comparison to the drawn lines on the paper, the ironed lines on the linen are somewhat thicker, but still very good to use.

Then I tested this newly sharpened pencil on a larger piece. For a very large (50 cm X 70 cm) and elaborate design, I had to resharpen it only a few times. Unfortunately I did not picture it before ironing. So now I can show only a small detail of it – the remainder is too light to see.

Conclusion: Correct sharpening is absolutely important to get a good result while working with DEKA iron transfer pencils.

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Filling Pattern – No. 554

By on 28. May 2021   /   blog, filling patterns, Limet pattern   /   12 Comments

Filling Pattern – No. 554

category: Limet-Filling pattern
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 20
stitches used: Rose and diagonal Four-Sided stitches
center: intersection of withdrawn thread lines (in other shapes or motifs: longitudinal axis = withdrawn thread line)
one pattern segment = 16 threads

While embroidering the filling pattern No. 553, I got the idea to create a similar pattern in a narrower Rose stitch grid.
This allows one to work the pattern in one step – alternating rows of Rose stitches with rows of alternating diagonal Four-Sided and Rose stitches. The pattern begins with a diagonal Four-Sided stitch.

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.

First, establish a Limet grid with an intersection of withdrawn thread lines as center by alternately cutting 1, leaving 3, vertically and horizontally.

Mark the center point. Bring the needle up in the next hole left of the center. From there start to work a Four-Sided stitch in a diagonal row – as a rhombus around the center point.

Therefore, *travel one square diagonally right up, insert the needle and bring it up again two squares downward.

Travel one square diagonally right up, insert the needle and bring it up again two squares to the left.

Travel one square diagonally right down, insert the needle and bring it up again two squares upward.

Travel one square diagonally right down, insert the needle* and bring it up again two squares to the left.

In this way and always tightening the working thread, a prominent stitch sequence is established.

But this stitch will turn out much more prominent, working the Four-Sided stitch twice. This also enables one to better tighten the working thread and so to establish a more even structure of the complete pattern. So repeat the four steps (*) once.

After the eighth stitch, insert the needle and bring it up one square up and two squares to the left to work up from there a Rose stitch.

Please note that the centers of the alternating diagonal Four-Sided and Rose stitches lie along a diagonal line.

So, finish the Rose stitch by inserting the needle in the center hole and bring it up two squares to the left and one square up. From there start to work the next double diagonal Four-Sided stitch as established (*).

Always alternate working Rose stitches and double diagonal Four-Sided stitches up to the end of the row.

Then work a row of Rose stitches beside.

Always alternate working these two rows. Make sure, that you always turn the work so that the rows are oriented from bottom right to top left.

So that the holes keep well defined and open, please make sure to catch all the working threads on the back with the stitches

If the entire shape is filled, a nice pattern is created.

Unboiled the contrast of prominent and flat areas is visible.

After boiling and ironing the pattern develops its full charm.

I think it will become one of my favorite filling patterns for medium sized shapes.

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Embroideries by Rosemarie Landsiedel-Eicken (2)

By on 21. May 2021   /   blog, embroideries   /   2 Comments

Embroideries by Rosemarie Landsiedel-Eicken (2)

In Part 1 of Rosemarie Landsiedel-Eicken’s embroidery I presented her first work. Here is one of her other works. This, too, is still closely based on the course program of the time.

A tea cloth with an elaborate wreath motif was created. In addition to hearts and various tulips and other flowers; bird motifs can also be seen.

A combination of Peahole hems and Four-Sided stitches was used on the edge. Such combinations were common and popular as further teaching content in courses. Because of the fabric threads remaining in the corner due to the rows of Four-Sided stitches, the corner was easier to work out than, for example, with a needle-weaving hem, where all the corner threads are withdrawn and have to be replaced by embroidery threads.

In addition to the basic stitches, other patterns and new pattern combinations were used: Feather stitches decorate some bird motifs, openwork needle-weaving patterns, Satin stitch fillings, heart-shaped leaves, 2 short-2 long stitches, and Blanket stitch eyelets.

Take a look for yourself!

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Pre-Transferred Designs and Heat (2)

By on 14. May 2021   /   blog, tips and tricks   /   1 Comment

Pre-Transferred Designs and Heat (2)

A few months ago in preparation for a series about small embroideries, I moistened linen with pre-transferred designs and then ironed it so that the linen appeared nice and smooth in the photos.

I had already embroidered some of these patterns.

As explained in Part 1 of this article, the embroidery was initially soaked for two days in lukewarm soapy water.

Then I tried in vain to get the blue colour out of the fabric by rubbing, washing, and rubbing again. After almost an hour of effort, the blue lines under the Coral knot stitches were a bit faded but still clearly visible.

Since I hadn’t invested too much time or effort in this little embroidery, I tried a wide variety of remedies – including harsh agents. Nothing helped. The blue lines seemed to have become permanent.

They can be seen very clearly against the light.

As a last resort, I got a decolouriser, which I dissolved in lukewarm water exactly as instructed.

The embroidery was submersed and completely covered with the mixture. The vessel was covered with a lid, and the embroidered linen soaked there overnight.

The next day the lines were weaker, but still dimly visible in the wet fibers. Repeated washing with rubbing and rubbing did not help.

Conclusion: Damp heat makes pre-transferred designs permanent. So you should avoid steam ironing before starting the embroidery. In any case, you should wash the finished embroidery after soaking in lukewarm water until the blue lines have disappeared and only then boil!

It is comforting that the blue lines can no longer be seen after drying and ironing.

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