tips and tricks Archive - Page 13 of 14

Testing Fabric Suitability for Schwalm Whitework

By Luzine Happel on 9. May 2015 / blog, materials and equipment, tips and tricks / 3 Comments

In my post “Linen: Embroidery Fabric from Flax Fibers”, I explained the importance of using pure linen appropriately manufactured for Schwalm whitework.

Recently, one of my customers sent me a small piece of fabric. She got it from her grandmother, and it was originally purchased for making embroidered bed sheets. My customer thought the fabric was linen, but she wondered whether or not the texture would be suitable for embroidering in the Schwalm technique. So, she consulted me.

I share with you here the steps I took to determine whether or not her fabric would be suitable for Schwalm embroidery. I hope it will enable you to analyze your own fabric.

The swatch measures 10.5 cm in the width and (up to the withdrawn thread line) 10 cm in the height. At one side it has a selvage, so I could easily classify warp and woof.

First visual observations:
At first glance, the fabric looks densely woven and, as such, suitable for Schwalm whitework. But observing the fraying at the edges, I could see that the warp threads are much thinner than the woof threads. Also, the fabric does not show the slight sheen typical for linen; this lack of sheen might indicate cotton material.
A burning test makes no sense because both natural fibers burn in the same manner – quickly with a big bright flame, smelling like burned paper and leaving a light and fine fly ash.

A closer look:

Looking through the thread counter the threads/cm of the fabric are easily determined. I can ascertain that the fabric is not only different in the thread count of warp and woof (this could possibly be adjusted by “refined” thread withdrawing), but there are also differences among the warp threads. While for the woof 18 threads/cm are used, in the warp there are in places 20 threads/cm, in other places 21, or even 22. Such a texture will create an uneven structure of the withdrawn filling patterns. Perhaps, this is appealing for some people, but not for all.

Practice test – thread withdrawing:
Both the horizontal and vertical threads can be easily withdrawn.

At once it is clear that the thinner warp threads are much more strongly twisted than the thicker woof threads. (Warp threads must be more stable so that they will not always break during the weaving process.) The warp threads of this fabric were easily withdrawn in one piece. This indicates both a strong twist and long fiber bundles.

Untwisting (A fabric thread is stretched between thumbs and forefingers of both hands and slowly turned against the original twist direction. As soon as it splits, the thread is slowly pulled apart. Out of the separated thread ends single fibers can be picked.) the threads show that the woof threads more easily strip down into single fibers than the warp threads. The single fibers of the woof threads are longer than those of the warp threads. This hints at cotton material for the woof threads.
(Cotton fibers have a length of 10 mm to 55 mm, flax fibers have a length of 20 mm to 40 mm.) The fineness of both is approximately the same.

The heckled flax, which is used for spinning, still consists – though hardly heckled – of fiber bundles held together by the glue of the plant. But these fiber bundles are very different in thickness and so for linen threads typical bulges develop. With this in mind, by comparing the warp threads and woof threads experience tells us that the warp thread (image below, upper thread) shows the typ cal linen bulges, however the woof thread (image below, bottom thread) is uniform. This is especial ly easy to see by stretching the respective thread between the hands.

Also, this is a sign of two different materials used for the warp and woof.
(However, I do not have a microscope and an exact material analysis is only possible in a laboratory.)

Looking at the withdrawn Limet grid, it is easily observed that – even though the fabric is stretched very well in a hoop – the thicker woof threads have a tendency to shift out of place.

Practice test – embroidering:
Threads easily shifting out of place makes embroidering very difficult. Only with a great deal of effort will it be successful.

After 5 minutes of boiling, the fabric shrunk; 10.5 cm became 10.2 cm and 10 cm became 9.5 cm – a normal percentage.
After drying, the fabric feels soft – another indication of cotton fibers.

Final result:
In consideration of the above observations, using this fabric for embroidering Schwalm whitework is not recommended.

So, if you have a “mystery” fabric that you are considering to use for Schwalm whitework, simply invest some time in examining and experimenting with the fabric as outlined above.
The time spent beforehand can prevent frustration and disappointment later on.

My reference materials were

Kleine Textilkunde
Lisa Adebahr
Verlag Tandwerk und Technik – Dr. Felix Büchner
Hamburg 1964

Von der Faser zum Stoff
Lisa Adebahr-Dörel
Verlag Handwerk und Technik – Dr. Felix Büchner
Hamburg 1964

Schwalm Designs (4) – Scallops (3)

By Luzine Happel on 15. November 2014 / blog, Schwalm designs, tips and tricks / 4 Comments

As already mentioned in the article Schwalm Designs (2) – Scallops (1), it is customary to decorate simple Schwalm motifs by outlining the shapes with scallops placed close together.

But how can one get uniformly sized and evenly distributed scallops around the edges of a shape if a computer drawing program is not available?

It’s easy to do on motifs that are not completely outlined with scallops. For an example, I will describe the process for adding scallops to a heart shape.

Supplies needed: a stencil for the motif, tracing paper, a sharp pencil – a mechanical pencil is best – a circles template and an eraser.
Using the stencil a heart shape is drawn on the paper. On the template, a circle of a proportionate size is chosen to draw a scallop at the heart’s lower point. This point should either match the center of the circle or should be placed slightly above the center of the circle.
Using the same circle template, additional scallops are drawn next to it.
Each circle stencil has four marks (→).
Two opposite marks should match the outline of the heart.
In this way the semi-circles makes scallops.
If the outline is curved, the template has to be positioned as shown in the picture above. The center of the circle (the diameter of the circle is marked in red as a visual aid) meets the outline of the motif. If care is not taken when placing scallops on a curve, the scallops could get distorted.
Reaching the top of the heart, either the scallop line ends before the center point – leaving a small distance free between the last scallop and the hearts upper point
or the last scallops (on both sides of the concave point) are slanted a little so to be able to fit down into the concave point.
It is more difficult to embellish circles with scallops. It is possible to calculate it using geometry, but this is too complicated for an embroiderer.
So one could utilize either paper, a pair of compasses and a protractor,
or tracing paper, a stencil of the shape and a pencil.
A circle is drawn on the paper
and divided into quarters using the protractor or
by folding. The slightly transparent paper is held against a window or other light source. It is folded – so that lines match – first in half
and then into quarters.

From the template, a circle of a proportionate size is chosen to draw scallops along the outline of the shape. For my circle, I started with a 13 mm diameter circle from the template – three scallops did not exactly fill the quarter.
So, I tried a 14 mm circle; three scallops fit in the quarter exactly.
To facilitate getting the scallops the same height, an additional marking line can be drawn with a pair of compasses.
Such a line eases the work enormously.
Proceeding carefully, in the end the scallops meet exactly.
To ease the work on larger shapes, the circle should be divided once more – into eighths.
Again, drawing an additional outer circle (for scallop height) will further aid you in drawing perfect scallops.
In the end, uniform and evenly distributed scallops outline the circle.

Schwalm Designs (3) – Scallops (2)

By Luzine Happel on 11. October 2014 / blog, Schwalm designs, tips and tricks / 7 Comments

Scallops are not only used to completely outline a shape, as seen here on the small bud,

small bud outlined with half-eyelet scallops

but they are also an effective embellishment, for example, on baskets, buds, birds or making stems more prominent.

basket decorated at both the top and bottom edges with uniform half-eyelet scallops

bud decorated with uniform half-eyelet scallops

bird decorated with uniform half-eyelet scallops

stem decorated with uniform half-eyelet scallops

Scallops in graduated sizes

bud decorated with half-eyelet scallops in graduated sizes

or arranged fan-like

bud decorated with Satin stitch scallops arranged fan-like and in graduated sizes

are often found in different variations along small buds

bud decorated with scallops arranged fan-like and worked with Coral Knot stitches and Chain stitches

or pomegranate motifs.

pomegranate decorated with scallops arranged fan-like and in graduated sizes, worked with Coral Knot stitches and Chain stitches

pomegranate decorated with scallops of differing sizes, worked with Blanket stitches

Scallops in the shape of leaves sometimes decorate hearts

leave-shaped scallops in different sizes outline a heart, worked with Blanket stitches

or birds

uniform leave-shaped scallops as decoration for a bird, worked with Blanket stitches

Schwalm Designs (2) – Scallops (1)

By Luzine Happel on 16. August 2014 / blog, Schwalm designs, tips and tricks / 1 Comment

The simple motifs are often enhanced with embellishment. So, a circle is seldom seen unadorned, and hearts are usually decorated.
The customary form of decorating simple Schwalm motifs is to outline the shapes with scallops; they look nice and they are easy to embroider.

The scallops are placed close together.

Circle outlined with uniform and evenly distributed half-eyelet scallops. The thread weight is correct, and the stitches have been worked with the appropriate density.

Circles are outlined with scallops of the same size, evenly distributed around the edge of the circle.

Heart outlined, except for the bottom and top center, with uniform and evenly distributed half-eyelet scallops. The thread weight is correct, and the stitches have been worked with the appropriate density.

Also, hearts are outlined with such scallops. The scallop at the bottom of the heart should be drawn somewhat longer making it look almost teardrop shaped. It is best to start the line drawing here (at the bottom of the heart) and to work to the top in even steps on the right and on the left side of the heart. Meeting at top of the heart, either the scallop spacing needs to be adjusted or they are slanted a little bit.

Heart outlined with half-eyelet scallops. The thread weight is correct with appropriately dense stitches. Some of the scallops should be closer together and the bottom point should have only one scallop.

It does not look very elegant to have two scallops meet at the lower heart point.

Heart outlined with scallops. The thread weight is correct and the density of the stitches is good. However, the treatment of the scallops at the heart’s lower point is not attractive.

Also, the effect is not harmonious to have scallops becoming smaller at the heart’s lower point.

Tulip outlined with scallops utilizing the correct thread weight. The density of the stitches is not consistent. In this example, one can see that the embroiderer had difficulty distributing the scallops evenly – especially along the curved line at the top of the tulip.

Tulips completely outlined with scallops are rare. It is difficult to distribute the scallops evenly –
especially along the curved line at the top of the tulip.

Tulip embellishment with half-eyelet scallops. The thread weight and the density of the stitches are both correct.

On very large tulip motifs a scallop embellishment along the sides and the bottom is often seen.

Tulip embellishment with half-eyelet scallops of differing sizes. The thread weight and the density of the stitches are both correct.

Smaller tulip motifs have scallops (if they have them at all) of differing sizes at the top edges,

Tulip embellishment with uniform half-eyelet scallops. The thread weight and the density of the stitches are both correct.

and to achieve a more harmonious effect, a single scallop can be placed at the lower center of the tulip.

Tulip embellishment with uniform half-eyelet scallops. The thread weight and the density of the stitches are both correct. However, it would be more aesthetically pleasing to put a single scallop at the center point, rather than having two scallops meet there.

The scallops are worked with Blanket stitches, and the half-eyelet scallop is preferred. Blanket stitch half-eyelet scallops ease the attractive finish.

Heart outlined, except for the bottom and top center, with uniform and evenly distributed half-eyelet scallops. The thread weight is correct, but the density is not. The scallops should have more stitches.

The scallops should be easy to stitch, that means they should not be too small, nor too large.
Scallops with a radius of 1 cm are perfect. Of course, the scallops must be in proportion to the motif – smaller motifs need smaller scallops. However, a scallop’s radius should not be smaller than ½ cm.

Circle outlined with uniform and evenly distributed half-eyelet scallops. However, they are too large. The thread weight and the density of the stitches are both correct. A larger scallop needs more stitches to become sufficiently covered; it is difficult to get an orderly appearance with so many stitches radiating from the same point.

Circle outlined with uniform and evenly distributed half-eyelet scallops. The individual scallops are divided and worked with the appropriate thread weight, and the stitches have been worked with the appropriate density. The additional embroidered parts also utilize the correct thread weight.

Larger scallops can be managed by dividing the individual scallops and embroidering both parts separately.

Circle outlined with uniform and evenly distributed scallops. The scallops have been embroidered using precisely placed Satin stitches.

Sometimes scallops are also worked with Satin stitches. This needs much more practice than embroidering with Blanket stitches.

Circle outlined with uniform and evenly distributed scallops. However, the thread is too thin and the stitch density is not correct.

The thread should not be too thin and the stitches should lie densely together.

Circle outlined with fairly uniform and evenly distributed scallops. The thread weight is correct, but the Blanket stitches could be more dense.

How to create a Schwalm design? (1)

By Luzine Happel on 22. March 2014 / blog, Schwalm designs, tips and tricks / 1 Comment

Typical Schwalm designs consist of many different large motifs of simple figures (heart, tulip, basket, circle, etc.) which are bound together by tendrils, small leaves and small flowers.

First, one must create the outlines of the simple figures.
All motifs mirrored on a vertical axis, for example heart and tulip, are created from a fold-cut.

Therefore, a sheet of card stock or paper board is needed. It is folded along its length.

From the fold, half of the desired motif is drawn and then precisely cut out.

aufgezeichnete Motivhälften | drawn motif halfs

In this way one gets stencils in different shapes and sizes.
To get circles or segments of circles, a pair of compasses or simple round items may be used.

The stencils are laid upon a sheet of paper and held with one hand while the other hand traces around the shape with a pencil.

In this way the outline of a motif becomes a part of the design.

Please try it! It is very fun to get, for example, different tulip shapes using the fold-cut technique.
You will be astonished and surprised by the wide variety of shapes you will get.