Any suggestions for transferring redwork patterns onto the fabric? I know there are a million ways, just wondering what works (or doesn't work) for you.Also, if your doing it on what fabric do you line the white fabric before you stitch or not. Once again I know there are million ways to do it, just wondering what you do!
24 comments from wonderful readers:
I use a light box to transfer my stitchery patterns and trace with a fine lead pencil. I place a piece of poly or cotton batting behind my fabric when stitching. I have had very good luck doing it this way. Good luck. I will check back to see what other suggestions you get. Happy New Year to you and yours.
I do the same as Pat but I don't put anything on the back of my material. Reading it online was the first time I ever heard anyone do it. These tips that everyone will post will be great to read.
There is a product called Whisper Weft or something like it (here in Australia). It's a fairly lightweight fabric and I use that behing mine. It's just enough to hide any threads. It's sold by the yard.
I use a light box which is otherwise known as a window in our house :o))) and then use a pigma pen to trace the designs - I also never add a back layer onto my stitcheries just stitch them in an embroidery hoop straight onto one thickness of cotton fabric (usually the reverse of WOW or COC)
I don't add to the back any fabric either. I just use a good quality muslin. If you loop through on the beginning and then just tuck you threads there isn't anything to hide. I use a mark be gone pen that washes out or a pigma pen in the color of the thread I am going to be stitching with. Bring it to Miss Mary's! What a great gift!
I bought this a year ago fall when I hurt my shoulder and my friend Kim took me on an outing to a wonderful shop just south of Seattle. I think they must have run it as a BOM at some time. It was put together into 4 kits and I could choose either red or blue. I chose red - and wouldn't you know it - when I got home I wished I'd chosen the blue. Two more of my Tangled Threads friends bought kits - theirs are from a shop in Bend - and one of them has actually started it. One of these days . . . .!
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was pretty crazy with two little ones running around.
I also use a light box and a brown pigma fine tipped pen. You can't see the lines at all. I have dark muslin for the backgrounds for this one. Saw it done at Primitive Gatherings... the dark looks really nice! So I don't know if I am going to back it with anything else. If I do, then I go get some cheapy muslin to go behind the good stuff! It works great. You don't even realize it is there after a stitch or two.
I have this pattern also - I've traced but haven't started to stitch yet. I am doing mine in blue and used a blue gel pen and a lightbox to trace. The pen matches my tread so if a little shows through it won't be obvious. I have tried backing stitcheries in a lightweight stabilizer (Sulky soft n sheer) and with cotton batting, but what I like the very best is white flannel - I buy it cheap at Walmart of Joanns and it is just the right thickness - somewhere between the stabilizer and the batting. It gives it a nice quilted look. Have fun with your new project!
Hi!
I think this is one of the questions where you can ask eight quilters and get ten different answers ;o)
I trace my stitcheries with a lightbox which my boyfriend made for me - before that I used to lay the fabric and pattern on my acrylic quilting table, with a pocket lamp underneath - I never could use windows because my arms immediately started to 'burn' & the fabric wouldn't stay in place.
I love my micron pigma pen, 0.05 in brown...it's just perfect.
Also, I use to iron light fusible interfacing behind my background so that I can secure the thread in the thin batiste & the thread on the back between different section of the same colours can't be seen.
I've often seen this gorgeous pattern - but still had to resist because there are so many other projects that still wait to be done ;o)
I hope your Christmas holidays were fabulous,
Julia
My friend,Donna, made this pattern and it is a GORGEOUS quilt. It's on my ever increasing "to do" list. I've started using a second piece of fabric or lightweight batting as lining too.
I usually do add a piece of lightweight fabric or even flannel to the back of mine, but I like it to have a folkarty look. If it's for a quilt though I wouldn't add the extra fabric.
For transferring I will use my lightbox or I've even taped my fabric and pattern to a window and traced that way with the sunlight coming in.
However another way that I like to use--especially if it's a detailed piece is to print it onto freezer paper using your printer. Print your pattern onto the SHINY side of the paper. Use the iron on transfer setting on your printer and it will automatically mirror image your pattern for you. Immediately after coming off the printer iron your new transfer to your fabric and voila! You have it all done and ready to stitch!
Cathy :)
I do like Pat in the first comment except I use muslin behind the stitchery.
My tools: Homemade light box, Pigma Pen - comes in different colours and thicknesses. I used red #1 for this. Practice tracing lightly - you do not need a heavy line. Because this whole stitchery is in white I used a cotton lining basted on after tracing to keep from moving around. worked great! I did this this last spring. I wouldn't use batting for this - but have used it on pillow and smaller projects.
Using lining totally depends on thickness or original fabric and colour. Because this is all white with red thread - use lining. you don't want threads showing behind.
I have this pattern but I'm doing it in blue and white. I have 7 blocks done. They go quick! I use a light box and a light blue pigma pen. I also back my piece with a piece of light batting so the thread doesn't show through from the back. If the batting is light enough, it works fine.
Hi, I'm new to your blog - saw it on Bonnie Hunter's sidebar and I am so glad she updated it to show a sneak peak of the most recent posts of those people... b/c that is waht made me click on yours!!! :)
I saw a pattern similar to this one posted last week on the HGTV board - it was called Winter Wonderland with snowmen and the boarder was he same as your pattern...
oh I am wnating to learn red work too - and santa brought me a light box. he shopped in Hobby obbya nd joanns and about passed out at their pricces.. so went home and then waited for an email with a 50%off to use.. adn then ordered it online from Joanns when they had a save 10% additional to entire order and also he used his 50% off any item... ;) :) :) I haven't used it yet, but think it will work perfectly!
thanks for posting about htis nad I am looking forward to reading all the above comments nad also revisiting your blog. I wish there was a blog all about red work how tos...?
Happy Weekend and love from Texas! ~bonnie
When I was at spring market there were 2 designers from Australia, sorry I have forgotten their names. They did a lot of applique and stitcheries and it was grand. We asked what they used to transfer the designs. They use graphite paper and a stylet. I have since purchased these products. Have not had opportunity to use them, but they are here when needed! My friend has used this technique since our trip and she said it worked beautifully.
I have made the project you are about to embark upon. It really was fun and a work of beauty when done.
Hi Dawn, I use a lightbox and wash away blue fineliner. I just about always line my fabric, with really thin iron on wadding usually-hides So many sins and as I hat being too fanatically tidy on the back it works for me!
This will look gorgeous! Tracey
I use the lightbox and very fine pigma pen. I have used a gel pen with good results but make sure you let the ink/gel set a few minutes before you start working on it...I smugged one.
Love the pattern!
I suggest you use a light box and a brown pigmapen. Then you don't need to wash the blue one out. The pigma has a really thin tip, and is perfect to use. The patter'n you're using is fabulous! A friend of mine did it in blue. It turned out so lovely! Good luck to you:-)
I'll be back to visit you, I really like your blog:-)
Light box
Super fine RED pigma pen..for red work, other colors for others.
Very light fusible interfacing on back to hide some of the knots.
Sorry have to type very short answers! *s*
I use a thin batting with one sticking side which can be ironed to the fabric.
I take cotton, muslin, linnen.......just what is needed.
I iron the batting to the fabric.
That stabilisise and nothing can buckle.
I use a lightbox and washaway pencil. (The blue one.)
There are some great ideas here! I'm going to try flannel and also the freezer paper printing iron-on - both very new ideas to me. For years I didn't put anything behind the fabric I was stitching on and generally don't carry threads from one area to another anyway, but....sometimes you have scattered french knots or other legitimate reason to carry threads and I've decided that the stitching just plain looks better with something behind - I've mostly used either the same fabric or a cheaper muslin behind. The idea of using batting is new to me and one that I'm about to try - 'cause it would surely give you a neat quilty look.
Show us your quilt when you're done - this is a wonderful pattern.
Hi
I love that redwork pattern.. I use a lightbox to transfer designs.. but I have used transfer pencil (but you have to get a mirror image photocopy done first otherwise everything is back to front when you iron it on).. on the back, I use pellon, or whisperweft.. they are a very lightweight batting I guess.. they are made by Freudenberg who have a website if you want a sticky beak at what they look like.. I have used interfacing, but you can still see threads from behind..
other than that, use osnaburg to stitch with, its thread count is high enough and the fabric is coarse enough not to see through!
Happy New Year to you..
Lissa
Australia
where is gonna be HOT HOT HOT today
I use a lightbox, as well but when the pattern is huge I use my sliding glass door in our bedroom. LOL Works for me! And, I use a fine mechanical pencil although earlier this week I purchased a Sewline Fabric Pencil. "Clean, clear lines, easily erased" - going to trace something today.
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