Freehand Machine Embroidery

I started trying freehand machine embroidery ages ago but hadn't gone back to it for a little while but then these last couple of weeks I'd felt a growing urge to try it again. I think I was feeling inspired after going through bags of my vintage textiles and the simultaneous need to draw. Once I'd given it a go again, only this time with a more ordered process I realised that I'm a bit in love with it!

My process involves lining a nice piece of fabric with interfacing, to make it more stable, and then sewing appliqué pieces from another piece of fabric, usually flowers on to the fabric for added colour and interest. Once that was done I used a pencil sketch, either of my own drawing or of a photo onto thin tracing paper and then with a freehand machine foot and the right stitch setting would 'draw' around the outline of the sketch. I'd then take the paper off, ripping it carefully to remove it from the stitches, and would carry on filling in the details and the rest of the drawing so that most of it really is freehand.

Here are some photos of the results, I think they turned out well, better than expected. I've started setting some of them on embroidery hoops for frames and selling them on Etsy. I intend to do a lot more and experiment with all kinds of designs. I'm genuinely feeling excited about this whole new way of working. It allows me to work with beautfil textiles, patterns and colour AND drawing, it really couldn't get much better in my world! I would highly recommend people give it a go.

Progress!

It seems to have taken me forever to get to the point where I had a few finished pieces that I was actually happy to put online for sale, and even then I wouldn't say I was particularly confident with them. What I've learnt though is that it is so true that you learn by doing more than anything else. I realised quickly that whatever I had planned in my mind about how things would work out with new projects, art, life, work etc were always going to be different from the practical application of any ideas I had in those areas. I think though that just getting over the initial anxiety and actually just making a start is sometimes the biggest hurdle. So today I have just listed two of my prints on Etsy for the first time. It might not seem like a big deal but in my head it was a mountain to climb. Anybody who makes art or creates things in some form or another is acquainted to some degree with that feeling of 'putting' yourself out there. Sometimes though, you just have to bite the bullet and do it!

I'm quite pleased with this particular piece. I did a pencil sketch then traced over it in graphics pen. I then scanned that into Photoshop where I added colour. I've found that I very much enjoy creating drawings with an eclectic mix of motifs, patterns and images, all inspired by my interests in nature, femininity, line and colour. This one uses motifs inspired by vintage chinese fabric patterns and I think it does have a slightly oriental feel. 

This was a fun project. It was just a doodle that turned into something I thought I could actually use. I did the original line drawing in ink then scanned it into Photoshop where I added colour and used some of my watercolour washes for backgrounds. I enjoyed it and I think it makes for a decorative print. I'm selling prints of it currently in my Etsy shop.