have a question regarding Blackwork. How do you embroider on a cuff? If you make a chemise and want to do blackwork on a cuff whats the best wa y to do it? Lynn
Embroidering a cuff depends on what kind of cuff you are doing. As we were talking about Blackwork I presume you are talking about counted patterns. I measure the wrist and add an inch. Then I decide how wide I want the cuff, usually about 2 ". I draw this with a pencil on linen, careful to follow the line of the thread of the linen. If it is hard to see, I draw a thread, measure 2" then draw another thread. This way I know it is straight. I count the pattern and divide be the number of threads. If the design is 10 spaces high, for example, and I want to fill 1" which is say 49 threads I round it off to 5 threads per stitch. It will come out slightly larger than 1", but works. This is ONLY for ADVANCED embroiders. However, for a beginner, I would say use the waste canvas you can get at most hobby stores. They are much easier to work with. You baste them over the area as a guide. Work the design. You can also do a sleeve without a cuff this way. I then cut out the cuff and proceed as usual. For a collar I do the same, draw in pencil, embroider, then cut out. I work then on scrap linen and run water soluable (school glue) around the edges so it doesn't unravel. For a sleeve without a cuff, I finish the sleeve first if there is it is large enough. If not, I at least sew down far enough to make sure the design matches up. -- Aspasia Moonwind _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
