Archive for December, 2007

Creative use of gesso

Another one of my christmass presents was a pot of gesso. I have seen some people online prime their embroideries with gesso and then paint on them wit varying techniques. I decided to use acrylic paints because I have some experience with them. I used my tast sample of pekinese stitch and thorn stitch. . I’m not sure if I’ll leave this one as is or work on it some more. This is just a tryout piece that doesn’t mean anything, but I’m sure I’m going to use this technique for more serious stuff when the opportunity arrises.

creative use of gesso

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my first heat gun experiment

OK, here I am showing my first test of the heat gun. It was kunin felt stitched with wire and gift wrapping band. The heated piece is half the size of the unheated. I like the colour changes and holes. But I know I eill have to practice this art a lot before my results will be more impressing. I just want to share the process with you, maybe it inspires someone. the pictures are not very good, they were taken in the garden on christmass eve.

another test unheated

another test heated

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heat gun!

Yes, I got such a toy for christmass, and a book about how to use it. I had put it on the wish list after I saw a cheap one in a local . Si I bought kunin felf and some other plastic stuff for christmass. I was a bit terrified when I read the book and it said use a heat tool with 350 watt, because mine has 2000 watt, but it works just fine. The one I’m showing here is my second trial, the pictures of the fist are still inside my brother’s digicam.

the stuff on the left hand side and at the bottom of the right hand side is christmass present wrapping band, the other pink stuff is cheap plastic knitting yarn. I sprinkled some plastic beads on top before melting, but that didn’t go well because most of them got blown away. All this is going to need some practice.

test unheated

now this is the result after some melting. It is about half the size of the untreated piece.

test heated

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Merry holidays!

I hope you all have a great time! I certainly have. I had a nice celebration with the family and got loads of new toys. More about that in the next few days. But let me boast a bit, too. these are the socks I knit for christmass (of course a pair of the blue and lilac adult socks, but they didn’t really fit in one pic). I also knitted two hats, for my brother and my nephew, but I have yet to prepare the pictures of these. All those people explicitly asked for knitted stuff to wear, or I wouldn’t have given them useful things for christmass. I have a few free days now, so expect to read more from me soon!

Enjoy yourselves!

christmass socks

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New and old challenges

I’m sorry, there are still no updates on my embroidery, because I haven’t done any. There’s a lot going on in my life right now, maybe I’ll be able to tell you more in a few days or weeks, so I’m busy. Also, christmass and a few birthdays are looming, and everybody has knitted stuff on their wishlist. Stangely, no one ever wants something really creative for christmass. So I’m knitting until my fingers get sore, just like every year. Of course, I cannot really show these before christmass, so this place will be a bit empty until then.

Sharon Bogon, who was running the tast challenge, will launch another challenge on January first, which again will last one year. it is called the Take it Further Challenge and will be about design rather than about the stitches themselves . I have already signed up, and hope that everything will have calmed down a bit for me by then, so that I can participate in a meaningful way. The fact that it is a monthly challenge will surely make it easier.

Sharon has already posted a list of participants, it is here . As far as I know you can still sign up for it. I hope to read something from many of my readers and other tast participants next year. Of course you can take part if you haven’t been taking part in tast.

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