Converting Red-Colorwork to Appliqué

Converting Red-Colorwork to Appliqué

Taking a Colorwork machine embroidery design and creating an appliqué from it. Using Your Software

All software programs have the same commands but they may not look the same from program to program.
If you have edited any designs you are ready to do this as well.

Edit Point

The EDIT Point Tool will allow you to move the lines if you have not copied the design on line.

The ZOOM Tool will allow you to move in close to use the Edit Point Tool

The Outline Tool will allow you to draw along the outside of a line and that will be a foundation for your appliqué.

When outlining the separate sections of your colorwork make the thread different colors and place them in the color lineup before the outline of the original.  See positions 1 and 2.

The red line and the blue line will be the foundation stitch for appliqué pieces. After we have all the areas outlined we will create an exact copy for the over stitch on appliqué areas.

(Note that the line in red does not line up with the blue one.)


You can be very general with the outline and then spend the time on lining the lines up later.

I have taken the general line and moved it into position leaving the tip of the tail out so I can make it another fabric.

My software allows me to add a square just by clicking on the line.  Yours may require you to click on an add tool for this.

I use Sewing Order/Color to move the stitch order around so that it will stitch out right.

As you can see the lion is in the last position.  This is where you move it towards the beginning so that the appliqué can be stitched before the final outlines.

Take the red line and make it match up with the blue one.

The Order of Stitch out

The following slides show you in what order the stitches will be stitched out.

Sky

Grass

Ground

Tree trunks

Tree foliage

Lion body

Lion muzzle

Tail tip

The last appliqué will be the eyes before the original stitch out begins.

The appliqué stitch out


Silk Appliqué on Silk Pillow Bird

Deerskin Lion On Pillow

Original design purchased on Sew Swell Designs http://www.sewswell.com/ web page.

artwork by Sew Swell Designs

ginger.christmas@victorianbathdelights.com

"Red"  the modern Red Hat Lady pattern by Arley Berryhill

"Buffy"  The Whatever doll pattern by Judi Ward

"Verna"  same pattern as Buffy

"Helena",  Prince William, baby doll pattern by Judy Ward

Positioning the Legs for Doll making

Positioning the Leg for Doll Making

In this blog we will cover how to position the legs and sew them to the doll.

The materials we will need are as follows:

1- Doll pattern
2- Stuffing tools
3- Stuffing fibers
4- Quilting thread the color of body fabric.
5- Quilting needle
6- Curved needle ( I use a beading needle that is curved)
7- sewing machine

To begin with sew the legs as instructed on the pattern leaving the top curve open. Always back stitch at the beginning and end of your work this will make the stuffing more enjoyable.

Stuff the leg to just above the knee. Then pin where the top of the leg meets the hip.



If you are going to have one leg higher than the other you will need to pin it in that position at this time.



This both views of the positioning.



Turn your doll upside down at this point. This will make sewing the crotch easier. As you can see sewing the leg a small distance from the center will position them the right space apart.

Once you have this done turn body right side up.



Note the space between the legs. Now you sew the upper part of the leg to the body.


I fold back the leg to a V position and sew it to the body in the front. This will make the doll look more realistic.


Do the same on the back side this allows room for the added stuffing and a roundness of the back side.



This makes a nice shapely hip and back side for the doll. I am using Arley Berryhill's LeFemme doll.


I pin the leg into position before sewing it down this helps to keep the proper shape on the leg.



The back view.


I sew this point with a beading curved needle it is nice for getting into tight spots.





Now you will finish stuffing the legs and sew them up from the back.


Sewing on the arms id much the same way.

Making a wig for your baby doll from Fake fur

 

This is for those of you that make baby dolls or even art dolls.  The instructions will work on any doll and any fur with hair on it.  

To begin with you will need the doll head pattern.  I am using Judi Ward's "Prince William" pattern to make this wig from.

You can see that I have the face pattern piece and have taken a section from it from just above the brow and run it back to the back of the head.  I traced this onto freezer paper so that it will be the same size as the dolls head.

As you can see the piece fits the original doll head-face pattern.

Next I trace out a side piece the same size of the doll head. I  made a upside-down U shape over the ear as it was marked on the original patter.

I made this to fit the head for a short hair cut as this is a baby doll.  If you want adult hair bring it to the nape of the neck.

At this point I have cut the new pattern out of iron-on inner facing fabric and I ironed that to the fake fur.  This fur was hand dyed with Ritz liquid dye. ( red-yellow-tan )  Now it is cut out close to the weave of the fake fur.  Be careful to only cut the knit of the fabric and not the hair part.  When cutting the piece make sure that you mark the front of the face piece so that you can iron it to the fabric that has the length when cut extended past the knit.  The sides are cut with the ear considered the long side.  When cutting any knit the facing will avoid the problems of the stretch of the fabric.

Once the 3 pieces are cut out you begin pinning them together.  Always make sure all the fur is tucked in the seam.  I make the seam just under the original seam of the doll head so it cam be slipped onto the head when it is sewn.  I also mark the front of the piece this makes matching the right sides together to the center piece.

One side has a F in the front and the other has a B in the back of the head for the wig.

Now you are ready to sew it.  The shape of the wig is all in how you design it for each doll.

Have fun with your new doll wig.