On Aug 13, 2005, at 16:34, Miriam wrote:
"moving patterns to the tulle....when this is ready you have to
remove the paper and instead you should loosely fasten a white canvas
so that you can see the pencil marks more easily."
Question - if you have to move your needle down through the tulle and
pick up your thread, where do you attach the canvas too without
disturbing the embroidery process.
Another question, did any of you work the lace on a regular embroidery
hoop attached to a stand?
I took my workshop a week before Denver, and it was a day shorter, but
I guess it still qualifies me :)
Question 2: frame
In our class we all used the specially made frames, consisting of 4
pieces like the ones pictured in her book (p.9), assembled as in the
photo on p.10. The directions for attaching and tightening (p.12)...
Well... Um... Are not perfect :)
The square stretchers (the horizontal ones) have slots going in both
directions - that allows for rolling the fabric as needed to keep it
stretched lengthwise. The fabric was permanently attached to those
(with staples) but I wonder if having more slots, and pinning the
fabric might not add to the versatility of the frame, allowing it to be
narrowed as well as shortened.
The shortening is done via the slats (vertical stretchers), which have
holes drilled into both ends, on diagonal. Each end of each slat has 18
holes drilled: / / / / / / (where each / has 3 holes; one at each end
and one in the middle of the /). You then have two (or four) pieces of
fabric, which will be used for stretching the net widthwise. Those
pieces are not attached permanently; they're pinned.
One line of holes (one next to the other: oooo ) in the net goes from
one vertical stretcher to the other - it's the horizontal line. The
vertical line: o-o-o-o (sorry, can't represent it vertically; imagine
it moved by 90degrees) is the one which connects the two horizontal
stretchers.
Mark the centre of the fabric on the horizontal (slotted) stretchers,
find the centre of the net you want to attach, then baste a vertical
guideline straight down the net, following the holes. Baste two more
vertical guidelines, one each side of the net.
Note: Once the central guideline is in place, you're likely to notice
that the net is askew: it hadn't ben cut at a 90degree angle to the
horizontal (ooooo) line of holes. Basting in the two side guidelines
helps you true it. But, for goodness sake, make sure you start basting
ca 1cm away from the *narrower* "half".... :)
Pin the net to the fabric of the horizontal (slotted) stretcher,
matching the centres of the net and the fabric. Backstitch the net to
the fabric, following the horizontal line of holes. The seam should be
about 1cm (3/8") away from the cut end of the net. Repeat for the other
horizontal stretcher.
Following the side-of-net guidelines, pin the net to the remaining
pieces of fabric, making sure that the horizontal and the vertical
pieces of fabric *touch*, but do not overlap (ditto if you have two
vertical pieces each side instead of just one; those two pieces should
touch, not overlap. Don't ask me why <g>). Backstitch the net to the
fabric. If your side fabric is longer than the net, attach it to the
net only as far as needed to abut the horizontal piece of fabric.
You now have the net permanently attached to sturdy fabric, and can
start stretching it.
First, lengthwise:
Roll the fabric onto the horizontal (slotted) stretchers until almost
none of the fabric is exposed, and the net is fairly tight. Slide the
vertical (slats with holes) stretchers into the slots of the horizontal
ones. Keep the horizontal stretchers in position by inserting cotter
pins into the holes in the slats (the row and the position of the holes
within the row shold match at both sides). Keep repositioning the
cotter pins until the net is tight as a drum lengthwise.
Tighten widthwise:
Wrap the fabric, with the net backstitched to it, over the side slats
and pin. The central guideline should be dead straight and parallel to
both slats. The net should be tight as a drum in both directions - you
may have to keep stretching and re-pinning until you get the desired
effect.
Now, Question 1, much simpler, and follows from #2 :)
If you've used white or off-white fabric for mounting the net (as we
were told to do), and your side pieces are fairly wide (as ours were),
then you'll have "extra", hanging down from the vertical slats, beyond
where it's pinned. Once you've transferred your pattern to the net
(whether with the blue disappearing ink or the hard pencil), pin it to
the net - slightly above and at an angle to the pattern - so that it
provides a background, but at a slight remove. Cover your lap with a
dark (and solid colour! <g>) piece of cloth (or wear a dark skirt or
trousers), and you're set. The white fabric isn't *directly* underneath
the pattern, and it is pinned to the net *at one point only* (I suppose
I could have said so at the beginning and spare everyone a long
description, but you know me <g>). So it gives enough of a backdrop for
you to *see* the lines drawn on the net, but doesn't block the access
of your under-the-frame hand to the hook. Once in a while, if that's
not enough, you may bring the corner up, closer to the net for a
particular stitch to show up better but, in general, it's plenty.
What Greet calls "counted Liers", which doesn't require a fre-moving
line drawn on the net, you don't need the white background (obviously
<g>); what you need is a cartoon which allows you to check that you've
turned where you were supposed to and into the correct hole...
--
Tamara P Duvall http://t-n-lace.net/
Lexington, Virginia, USA (Formerly of Warsaw, Poland)
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