Saturday, December 8, 2007

Christmas cracker

This is a cracker I've made for JoWynn. In fact, you should go to her blog: her pictures are far better than mine :-)

The idea comes from Stitch, the magazine of the English embroiderers guild and I've enjoyed making it.

It is a net machine-embroidered on hydrosoluble:(Blogger refuses to load this picture)
  • You draw the shape of your cracker (the plane shape, I mean),
    You divide the shape in five parts, one for the top row, one to pass the top ribbon, one for the body, one for the bottom ribbon, one for the bottom row,
  • You draw grids within those parts (diamond grid for top, bottom and body), rectangular for ribbons,
  • Now, you set your machine for free embroidery, and you start by fixing a central motif, here a heart,
  • Then you go to the grids themselves. I've made them of two passes of straight stitches, covered by one pass in zig-zag.
    Very important: when the grid comes near the central motif, make sure the grid overlaps the motif, otherwise it will fall when you dissolve the hydrosoluble.
    For the same reason, don't leave any stitch uncover and make sure each stitch is connected to the others.
  • When your are finished, dissolve the hydrosoluble (if you leave a little bit, it'll act like starch) and let it dry.
  • Now embellish as you wish and close the grid into a tube, using invisible stiches.
  • Fill it like you want and finish by adding pretty ribbons.

JoWynn, I'm glad you liked it, and hope you will have fun with the threads and beads!

8 comments:

Lise said...

Absolutely beautiful!! I have to give it a try tomorrow - thank you for sharing the idea.
Lise
PS: How I wish I had a roundabout like yours to enjoy.....

Kim said...

It's lovely!

Cat said...

Very pretty! I've not heard of a Christmas cracker before. Sounds like a neat technique.
Smiles, Cat

allie aller said...

Magnifique!!!

Ruth said...

That is the best Christmas cracker I have ever seen.I'll have to remember the techique. Thanks for your comment on my blog about the framed bird cards.

Julie said...

Oh WOW...that is absolutely wonderful...hope you can make more in the future as well.

Anonymous said...

Hi Vero, thank you for commenting on my blog. Your Christmas cracker is beautiful, and thank you for the directions.

Conni said...

Vero, this is beautiful! And such a sweet gift-giving idea!