by Sandra | January 18th, 2011
In order to wake up my applique, I have to think differently than most have in the past. Throw out the “matchy matchy” mantra and switch gears. For example, Leaf veins do not have to be green nor do they have to be a matchy color to the applique fabric. Have you looked at leaves in nature? Some rose leaves have red veins! Nature is the best teacher and never gets color wrong.
Add depth to your applique by switching up the color of the embroidery thread that you use to accentuate the applique. When I am out in the garden, I am always looking at the most intricate details of the flowers, leaves, etc., to learn how to imitate them with my applique and embroidery details. If I do not have an example of my botanical object readily available in situ, then I go to the Internet, book or magazine and study an image for ideas. Not only do I look for stitch possibilities, but also thread color possibilities.
Layering colors, as well as adding highlight and shadow with those colors, is what makes an image visually dimensional. One of the reasons I use sewing weight thread to add embroidery detail is, the fine scale is subtle and the eye blends the color and values to see depth in the image. Unless you are up close and specifically studying the embroidery, you do not focus on the individual embroidered elements. If I were to use a heavier weight embroidery thread, such as one strand of cotton floss for a leaf vein, it would be way to heavy visually at this scale and the eye would react as if it hit a brick wall.
With these leaves there are 3 colors used for the veins on each leaf. The darkest color is the central vein, the lightest green for a “highlight” that tricks the eye and makes it look like the central vein is slightly dimensional and a medium-light value of that central vein for the side veins that make them look finer.
Try to imagine a one color center vein and side veins as well as the absence of a highlight color. Now try to imagine this with a heavier cotton floss weight thread in one color for all.
A sensory brick wall is what happens when you get too matchy matchy with one basic color for all, or most of the embroidery detail. We need to rewire our brains to place as much thought in how we use embroidery on our applique as the fabrics we choose for that applique. It is not complicated stitches that makes my applique stand out, but rather, simple basic stitches incoporating more color that makes the difference.
If you haven’t noticed the thread of thought that goes into how I create my applique, it is–think differently and trust your eyes.
what a difference . You do have a good eye ! I love knowing all this info ! Thanks !!!
look in your mail or in your trash , I just might be there .
WOW!
Dear Sandra, Thank you so much for another wonderful lesson!
This is the exact reason I go to your blog first thing in the morning – every morning. I learn so much from you and your encouragement to trust my own eyes. Love it!
So beautiful, thank you for sharing the detail, I can hardly wait to see what you dream up next! Your artist brain is always working, and we are the lucky ones who get to see the magic come alive in fabric and thread.
Thanks Boop! I see your name in my email
Sara as always, you are most welcome and I am glad it was helpful.
Tammy, It really is about trusting your eyes and training your brain too look at everything differently. I am very humbled my blog is first on the morning reading list.
I meant to tell you to……
I just finished an interview for the Applique Society Newsletter so be looking for it.
Thanks Gini!
Thanks Denise, I love to share and make the “impossible” possible when it comes to making more interesting applique.
As always, wonderful tips. Like Tammi, Your blog is the first place I go to when I log into Safari. Wouldn’t you know I didn’t renew my membership for the Applique Society when it expired in December. Their interviews are always very good. “Well Done”
Sandra,
I’m doing a couple of applique BOMs this year and I’m planning to use embroidery to make the applique pop. Without you and your blog I would never have thought to do it. Thank you for your inspirational posts.
What month will your interview be in the newsletter?
Eileen,
I am so glad I ignited a spark in your imagination. You will find that once you start thinking about different possibilities, it will show in your quilts.
I just finished the interview last week and I am assuming it is the upcoming newsletter. They publish six a year and I am unsure which months it comes out.
I am not much of a help there am I?
Tammy? are you out there??? Could you enlighten and alert us??? pretty please?
Not in this month’s newsletter. Next one will be in March, so I will keep an eye out for it and blab when I see it.
Thanks Miss Tammy!
I recently bought your book and I’m very keen to purchase the naturalist patterns, do you have any plans to go international with them? I also thought you’d like to know that Ladybutton fabrics still had some of the text background fabric available.
Sandra, I know how busy you must be but I sure wish you’d post your thoughts more often. I check here every single day!
I used the fray check yesterday on some inside points and it worked like a charm! Thank you so much for this valuable info!!!
Sandra, I just returned from “Roads to CA” and saw your beautiful quilt again up close. However, I have a small complaint: “There was always such a crowd around your quilt …with cameras and comments of “How’s!” and “Aw’s!” Your ears should have been burning if you were not there to hear the wonderful comments in person. What workmanship and beauty. Again thank you for sharing your talent.
Pati,
You have no idea how much I appreciate hearing this! Thank you for telling me Tea with Miss D. was appreciated. I always place the feedback of my fellow quilters as the ultimate stamp of approval!
Hi Eileen,
I wish I could post more often. I tend to have less time when I have a deadline.
I am so glad the Fray Check worked for you as well. It used to be Fray Check (orange label) would leave stains when it dried. When it came out with the “blue label” it behaved better (not on silk though). I also found the area I used it on wasn’t as hard, but flexible which was an improvment as well.
My guess is it is more diluted than in the past, but for once it worked in our favor! LOL
This is just my opinion and not based in factual evidence, but I also think that the plastic of the freezer paper helps keep “leakage” or spreading corraled within the seam allowance and not into the applique area itself.
Hi Janet,
I am looking into the international buying options. To be honest, I am having a difficult time trying to find a chunk of time to sit down and figure out how to resolve those issues. It is the shipping costs that are holding me back at this time.