From Plain to Stitchy in an Afternoon

[Avrienne]

With all the stitching I've been doing lately, I started looking around for embroidery blogs to follow for inspiration, and I hit paydirt!  I just love feeling stitchy and as soon as I saw the most recent post about the stitchalong for this month, I knew I had to jump on it.




It's not my best work, because I was so eager to start that I didn't use a stabilizer or even transfer the pattern--I just sat at my computer with the design image enlarged.  It only took me about an hour and a half from start to finish, and even though I ended up using colors outside my usual wardrobe palette, I just love it!

[moonshire]

I love feeling stitchy!  I saw that pattern and haven't created it myself but do love it.  You did a great job using their pattern and I love that its on clothing so it's something you can show off anywhere.  I am definitely inspired

[meganlorraine]

This is beautiful! I love the pattern and color choices. Even if you think it's messy, I think it is wonderful! Also... matches your hair which is also very cute

[teachart]

Oh my that is so cute! You did a fantastic job, I want it    Thank you for sharing!

[glasstapper]

This is really great, I love embroidery details!

[mlheran]

Beautiful! I love the colors, the placement, everything!

[NikkiZBM]

Very pretty.  And, I didn't know about that blog...thanks!

[kcartwright856]

Love the positioning! Your stitches are great, too!

[BeatnikChick]

Wonderful work, design, and colors... looks great.  Keep on stitching!

[imera]

I really love the design and the way you stitched it, and the few flaws is nice, it gives it a nice touch

[stitchencupboards]

What a cute idea! It's very chic, I love it!!

[Avrienne]

Thanks everybody!  I'm already pondering what other items of clothing I have that could use a little face-lift!  And of course, there's the thrift store...maybe I should get a small collection of plain items in different colors to be ready for the next few stitchalongs I run across?   

[kittykill]

It looks great! I love the placement.

[annoyinglittlegirl]

I really like this! So you used no stabiliser or anything, literally just sewed into the tshirt fabric? Did you have to be really careful that it didn't bunch or anything? I'd like to try embroidering on clothes but have never really known how to do it!

[Avrienne]

Yep, directly onto the fabric.  I did have to be very careful about my tension while stitching, but I never carried the thread more than an inch or so, and I deliberately chose a part of the shirt that doesn't suffer much stretch while worn.  I realize you can't see me from the front in this, but trust me, if I'd done the bust instead of the back, there would have been some issues 

Having done several projects on knits in the past without any stabilizer as well--then because I didn't even know it existed, this time because I'm impatient!--I can recommend (when possible) choosing fabrics on the firm side, without a large amount of stretch, and/or placing your design somewhere it likely won't get distorted.  On one shirt I covered up a stain near the collarbone with stitching that ended up extending from the shoulder seam down to the upper bust, and that's been fine.  On another, I cross-stitched a knot design on the center of a cap sleeve, but there at least I had waste canvas to help me keep things even.

Now that I know stabilizer is a thing that I could use, I'll certainly give it a try, but it is definitely possible to do without with a little forethought.

[I Sew Cute]

That's so lovely!