Globales Schwälmer Mustertuch Archive - Page 4 of 9

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (27)

By Luzine Happel on 6. November 2020 / blog, Globales Schwälmer Mustertuch / 2 Comments

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (27)

GSS – Further Considerations for Assembling

The task of assembling the embroideries contributed to the Global Schwalm Sampler and finishing the sampler is now imminent.

I would like you to participate in this process, too.

After publishing my first considerations for assembling, I received many suggestions and valuable tips. Thanks for that!

In the meantime, many more tests were carried out and now the decision has been made.

My originally favored variant ( items 6 and 7 seen here) was first refined and then discarded. On the one hand, despite careful work, the meeting points of the connecting lines do not appear clear and “clean.” In addition, both the zigzag and the Herringbone stitches are elastic. It could happen that the hanging cloth warps under its own weight. Another essential point was the calculation of the seam allowances (e.g. if I wanted to arrange several small parts next to a large one).

So the variant shown in item 4 moved back into focus. However, in the meantime I had thought of covering the seam allowances on the back with a strip. But since I didn’t want any visible machine stitches, I thought I’d have to sew the strip on both sides by hand. (The average size of the 92 items is 26.22 cm X 27.04 cm. Since on each item there is a length and width side that requires a strip, this would be 50 meters of strip for the back alone and thus approximately 100 meters of hand sewn seams in all.)

The advice (using a hand seam only on one side of each strip) of an experienced blog reader helped me and encouraged me to use the variant below for joining the individual parts.

To do this, the strip on the back is first marked along the longitudinal center axis, one long side is placed exactly on the marked line and the fold is ironed. The ironed fold makes sewing by hand later much easier.

The folded strip is placed right side up. The embroidery is then placed over the free edge with the right side up and then a second strip is placed edge to edge with the right side down.

All three are sewn together with the sewing machine.

The upper strip is pressed over to expose the right sides of both the strip and the embroidery piece.

The next adjacent embroidery is placed face down, edge to edge, over the front side strip

and sewn together with it.

The seam is smoothed out.

From the back it looks like this:

Now the back strip is folded over to conceal the seam allowances. The seam is smoothed out.

At the end, the back strip is attached to the existing machine stitches with fine hand stitches.

In this way a stable connection is established that does not affect the character of the embroidery – even allowing a view of the reverse side. This strip connection creates both a neat front

and a “clean” back.

The big advantages are that the pieces can be put edge to edge for puzzling out placement and one doesn’t have to worry about additional seam allowances.

Previous Update
Next Update

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (26)

By Luzine Happel on 30. October 2020 / blog, Globales Schwälmer Mustertuch / Leave a comment

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (26)

Now my readers look forward to seeing all ninety-two pieces of Schwalm Whitework from different parts of the world sewn together to make ONE.

But how does that work?

The pieces could be put together in the style of the Korean patchwork bojagi. Then all the contributed projects would keep their actual size. But that’s too complicated for me as a layman.

Very few of the ninety-two embroideries are the same size. And the sizes of all the rest are very different. Some have a generous unembroidered border that allows something to be cut off, and others have a margin that is so small it is imperative that nothing be trimmed.

First I made scaled down paper templates to try out different arrangements. And so to not make the composition unnecessarily tricky, I decided on a connection that does not require an additional seam allowance calculation (more on this in a future post).
In this way, the individual parts can be placed next to one another without gaps or overlapping. So I can test the distribution of the motifs and see which parts can be trimmed in length or width in order to better connect them together.

The guidelines I set: The inner part of the sampler containing all the contributions should not be higher than 2.10 m. Similar motifs should be distributed as evenly as possible over the area. And the whole thing should end in a rectangle that is completely covered with the donated contributions without gaps.

In case you want to puzzle it out yourself, please email me your request, and I will email you a prepared three-part pdf document containing all the single pieces.

You can view all contributions again by browsing from Update 25 down through all the other updates to Update 1.

Next Update

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (25)

By Luzine Happel on 24. October 2020 / blog, Globales Schwälmer Mustertuch, embroideries / 9 Comments

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (25)

Finally, the last of the promised contributions has been received. So this blog post will be the last in the series showing a great online exhibition of Schwalm whitework. The sampler will be made of so many stunning, unique, and various embroideries.

Thanks to all the talented contributors. Their work inspires awe in so many embroiderers all over the world!

#92
An embroiderer from Germany, who wishes to remain anonymous, has donated an excellently worked contribution to the joint project. She chose a rainbow as the subject of her piece, and I think this motif happens to be the perfect end to the embroideries that have been collected from all over the world. She named her project Schwälmer GSM-Regenbogen (=Global Schwalm Sampler Rainbow).

She wrote – roughly translated: “I chose the rainbow because it is considered an old (biblical) symbol for connectedness. It should represent the global connection of all submitted work on this GSS.

Here it is formed from five ring segments, which are supposed to represent the five continents (inside out according to size): Australia, Europe, Africa, America, Asia.

The half-eyelet scallops represent clouds.

The lower line made of knot stitch with the spirals is supposed to symbolize the seas connecting all continents.

The heart, as a typical Schwalm motif, was chosen by me as a symbol for the love of all female embroiderers and of course also male stitchers for this art of embroidery. Because without love for this beautiful and sophisticated embroidery technique, this project would hardly have been realized.

The small sun (or flower) over the heart motif should represent my wish that the art of embroidery should blossom again and again. It is such a beautiful expression of human creativity – just like the diversity of nature.”

With the apt words of Mimi Chan, that she generously has allowed me to use, I would like to end this series of introductions to the individual contributions:

In the world of embroidery, there is no boundary.

We love the art, regardless of its technique, where it is made and who made it.

We love this art, not only the finished piece but also the process of making it.

We love this art, which brings peace to our mind and heals our soul.

We look forward to seeing all the small pieces of Schwalm Whitework from different parts of the world sewed up to be ONE.

You can see more contributions in Update 24.

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (24)

By Luzine Happel on 16. October 2020 / blog, Globales Schwälmer Mustertuch, embroideries / Leave a comment

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (24)

The last of the promised contributions have arrived.

However, with such an ambitious project, it should not be surprising that a little problem might arise. Due to language difficulties, misunderstandings arose with one person’s contribution. Cheayoun Lee from South Korea contributed straightaway three embroideries: a pillowcase with a beautiful, but coloured stitched tulip wreath design,

a perfect worked square doily with a folded Peahole edging,

and a cute oval doily.

I immediately thought that I could not accept so many elaborate, but unsuitable, works for the sampler project. But how was I going to explain all this in a heartfelt way? Fortunately, I was introduced to another Korean lady – Youngmin Lee – who lives in the United States. She immediately and generously agreed to help me express my thoughts in Korean.

In the end, Chaeyoun Lee strongly urged me to not send back the unsuitable sampler embroideries. Instead she asked that I keep them as a donation for my museum. So I will gratefully do this.
Her oval doily, however, will be attached to a rectangular piece of linen. In that way I can very easily include it in the sampler; it will be a wonderful and unique addition to all the other embroideries.

#90
Chaeyoun Lee
She wrote: “With the wish of all people in the world to be healthy”

#91
Ekaterina Khokhlova from Russia embroidered a beautiful spruce tree.
She wrote – roughly translated: “I really liked the idea of creating a sampler together, and I will be very happy to participate. I hope I am not too late with this letter and my work. I chose the spruce motif for my work because Russia is rich in natural resources – especially forests. The forests of Russia take up 22% of the total forest area of the planet. Among all Russian trees, spruce plays a special role. This evergreen tree stands for eternal life, youth and strength. While embroidering a spruce tree for the Global Schwalm Sampler, I want to wish everyone health, steadfastness and striving for life in these difficult months of our lives.”

„Я выбрала для своей работы мотив ели, потому что Россия богата своими природными ресурсами- лесом. Леса России составляют 22 процента от всего лесного массива планеты. Среди всех деревьев у русских ель занимает особое место. Это вечнозелёное дерево олицетворяет вечную жизнь, молодость и силу. Вышивая ель для Глобального семплера швальмской вышивки, я хочу пожелать всем и каждому в эти непростые месяцы нашей жизни крепкого здоровья, силы духа и стремления к жизни».

Now only one embroidery is remaining to be presented. It will be shown in the next blog post.

You can see more contributions in Update 23.

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (23)

By Luzine Happel on 9. October 2020 / blog, Globales Schwälmer Mustertuch, embroideries / Leave a comment

Global Schwalm Sampler – Update (23)

Now only a couple of the Hong Kong contributions remain to be presented – all very individual and varied.

Also, a few more embroideries have arrived. They will be featured in upcoming blog posts.

#86
Carol Lawrence

#87
Sandy Wong

#88
Sandy Wong

#89
Mimi Chan
She wrote: “I named my piece Twelve Bunnies, but you´ll only find 11 bunnies in it. The twelfth bunny is in my heart. His name is Pasta. I adopted him 9 years ago when he was 1 year old. He´s now 10. He´s a lovely bunny with a character. He loves fresh veggies and fruits. He is always a good boy, bringing us joy and being a good companion.”