How do you deal with the edges of an embroidered piece? I'm using Lacy's Stiff Stuff and if I just fold back the edge then beads near the edge fold back too and the stiff stuff shows. Should I outline the edge in beads first?
I'm not very happy with my piece as it's too symmetrical and I don't like the white backing showing through even though I'm probably the only one who notices it. I'm thinking of starting over and either coloring the backing somehow or using fabric. But I don't want to use an embroidery hoop so would a heavy fusible interfacing work with fabric?
Maybe I need to get a book on this. Winging it doesn't seem to be working too well!
Any advice is most welcome and appreciated.
--Caren
www.beadedgarden.blogspot.com
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8 comments:
Caren, I know it's always good when you like your work, but in this case, it's all about learning and improving. So I'd encourage you to keep this first piece and let it be a beginning. For the next one, you could cut the fabric about 1/2 inch larger all around than the backing (which will be cut the size of your finished piece). Place the backing in the center of the fabric and pin in place. Fold the fabric borders over the edges of the backing and baste in place. Voila! No unsightly backing edges showing. Hope this helps. Robin A.
If the white bothers you on the edge of Lacy's, stiff felt or timtex it pretty easy to take a colored sharpie and color the edges so they blend better with your piece. Angie
You could do a picot edge or edge the sides with loops of beads. This can be an effect finish to a piece.
Timtex, or pellon can have fabric fused to it. Or you can paint it with lumiere or other fabric paints. You can even use koolaid to dye it.
I definitely agree with Robin, that it's the journey and not the end result so think of all the wonderful things you have learned already!!
Cheers, Denise
Caren, I use Robin's method. It really makes a nice edge, and I often do a blanket stitch to stitch the fabric down.
Caren Goodrich
Caren - you could consider doing a whip stitch around the stiff stuff. Bring your needle up from the bottom of the stiff stuff, put on 3-5 beads, the go over the top and back up through the bottom. Your beads should line up or go diagonally around the piece. Also, you could do a little fringe, like netting, and have the middle bead be a drop or something that you have in your work. I often use Sharpie's to color edges. I think people have offered some great ideas and hopefully you'll find one you like. But don't start all over! Step back from the piece for a few days and you may see it in a different light. Plus, it's the first one, and it will be fun to see how you develop. Yours, Susan
I don't care for the white background either, so I covered the timtex (or peltex) with a larger piece of fabric and fused it around the back edges...I have a photo of the backs of all the pieces on my blog, if you'd like to see.
Hi Caren! I like to bind the front piece to a backing layer in order to cover not only the raw edges, but also the thread ends and knots. There's a picture on my blog today of nothing but the edge of my first page. After I took the picture, I added 3 smaller beads between each of the edging beads you see there, picot style. That covered the threads and finished the whole thing :-)
http://www.bead-arts.com/bead-journal-projectwip/
Thank you all for the finishing ideas! Robin, you convinced me to keep going and finish this one. I'd like to use fabric with a backing for my next one. I'm visiting my mom in New Jersey right now (I live in Cincinnati, Ohio) to celebrate her 80th birthday! Perhaps there's a good fabric store nearby.
--Caren
www.beadedgarden.blogspot.com
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