Aprilsongstress @ the Shirt Factory on March 7th

I've signed up for another event! Aprilsongstress Designs will be on the 2nd floor of the Shirt Factory Arts & Healing Center in Glens Falls, NY for Beat the Winter Blues.

Mention what social media platform you follow me on & receive 20% on any in stock hand embroidered item, or 10% off a custom order.


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Embroidered portrait hoop art by Aprilsongstress

Redwork pillows by Aprilsongstress

Join the event on my Facebook page. I hope to see you there!


Happy Stitching!

Batman Imagined: Embroidered portrait for Batman Day

Did you know that Batman Day is July 23, 2014? Well, it is. & one of our local libraries decided to do something about it. Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls, NY has a bunch of cool events lined up for Wednesday. Checkout the schedule on their Facebook page HERE.

OK, so what does this have to do with me as an embroiderer? Glad you asked. The Folklife Center sponsored a Batman art contest called Batman Imagined. I decided to enter an embroidered portrait of a Batman character. I chose Batgirl (aka Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon's daughter) because 1.) she's a woman & 2.) she's a librarian (just like me on both counts).


My co-worker Dan thought this image would be great for an embroidered portrait. So, Using my typical method, I figured out the best lines & created my pattern.

Batgirl embroidery pattern

Next up, tracing the pattern with plain ole pencil onto white cotton muslin.

Tracing Batgirl onto white cotton muslin with pencil

Once the embroidery was complete, I tired a different technique for framing in the hoop. Using a 14" embroidery hoop, I backed the embroidery with purple felt & placed the entire fabric sandwich into the hoop. I like the effect much better than my previous method, however the felt is a bit thick. Maybe I will use flannel next time.

Finished portrait off to the show

Here is Batgirl, Superhero Librarian on display with some of the other artwork submitted to Batman Imagined in the Folklife Center Gallery of the Crandall Public Library. I went to check it out today with my daughter & a friend. Apparently, my piece is rather popular with the librarians!

Batgirl, Superhero Librarian in Batman Imagined exhibition

I didn't do it for the art contest. I did it to have one of my pieces on display in the exhibition. Awards will be handed out on Wednesday during Batman Day. I wish I could go, but I have to be a superhero librarian at my own library that night. (I'll let you know if I win anything..)

Happy Stitching!

No Art Show for Me... This Time

I'm kind of bummed neither of my pieces made it in to the art show, but I didn't really expect it. One was a redwork piece I had finished a while ago. It was based on a gift I made for my little sistar. You can see that post here.

Redwork of Zachary, Fiona, and Schuyler- 6" hoop

The other submission was a new piece I finished just in time to submit. I am really proud of how it turned out.

 I chose this selfie from when Fiona & I were working on her photo essay of the Champlain Canal.

Figuring out the pattern

 I wanted to do something a bit different, so I decided to put words in Fiona's sunglasses. Words to represent the things she thinks & dreams about. I thought of "art," "music," "star." Then I thought of "fame." I decided on "fame" & "art," because I thought that really summed up the struggle between creativity and the desire to be known for that creativity.

Adding words to the glasses

I played around with some different fonts & my handwriting. I asked for opinions on the "art" because I wasn't sure which one I liked better.

I decided against red, even though I was using the redwork style of embroidery that I love & favor. I wanted colors to represent Fiona. I chose black with just a bit of turquoise (DMC #3846) for the sunglasses. Then I framed it in a 10" hoop.

Tween Ambition by Tisha Dolton

Next time I try for an art show, I may have to spring for true framing & work on getting better images.

One Direction quilt project- Louis

The One Direction Quilt Project is advancing quite well...Today I am featuring Louis Tomlinson!

Louis singing

In consultation with my very opinionated daughter (I have no idea where she gets that from!), we chose this image of Louis (twitter: @Louis_Tomlinson).

Creating the pattern

I used the app Sketch Guru again, then using a pencil, I traced out the line drawing/ pattern directly on the bamboo/ cotton fabric.

Embroidery in process

Breaking out my trusty hoop & needle, I got to work (outline stitch, of course). Fiona chose DMC floss #334. You can see the finished block below.

Finished block

Louis named embroidered on a group block

Above is Louis' name that I wrote out directly onto the fabric. I say, make it more personal & use your own handwriting, or create your own font to use.

Below, I used a modified font for the random uppercase letters & my own handwriting for the rest. Fiona chose the lyrics to be featured based on some of her favorite songs.

Lyrics Louis sings from the 1D song Nobody Compares

Stay tuned... Next up: Liam!

Little Sistar present...

3 cousins circa 2005

This is based on a photograph I took of my nephews (brother's sons) & my daughter one Christmas at my brother's house. L-R Zachary (almost 6), Fiona (4.5), Schuyler (7). I usually just make a line drawing straight from the photograph, but in this case I had played with some software to create a coloring book type image. Don't ask me which one because I cannot remember, 7 years ago & all...

Below you can see I used my trusty light box & a #2 pencil to trace the image on 100% cotton- Kona. My little sistar has a rusty colored kitchen, so I used DMC Variations floss #69, my spring hoop & an I-have-no-idea-what-size needle. It was completed using only one stitch, outline.

Tracing image on Kona cotton

 

 

Embroidery in progress

The framing process

I put some Warm & Natural batting between the embroidered fabric and the mat board, then folded the fabric like an envelope using hot glue to secure the edges.

Below, I cut out a piece of acid free card stock (the kind used for scrap booking) & attached it to the outside of the frame using hot glue. I wrote a note on the back for my sistar using an acid free pen.

"TO: My amazingly talented little sistar! The best P.A.N.K.* my kid could ever have. Love Tisha (Ba-tricia) & Fiona 12/2012 aprilsongstress *Professional Aunt No Kids"

Backing with acid free paper

 The completed embroidery project ready for wrapping & shipping to Las Vegas, NV.

Project complete

P.S. She loved it!

Redwork grandkids for competition?

Another project I have been working on for awhile is to create redwork renditions of the grandkids for my mom. My grandiose idea involved me learning to sew and creating an entire queen-sized redwork quilt. Ha!

Well, I had 4 of the 5 blocks done, but never got around to the youngest grandson, until Mom got an email from some quilt guru saying she should submit a quilt or 2 for an upcoming competition.

Breaking out the photo I had chosen of my nephew Aidan's cute face I got to work.

outline on blown up scanned image

traced image on bleached muslin using light box & pencil

traced image on muslin compared to outline on paper

Once the image I wanted had been transferred onto fabric, I was ready to embroider. I used my favorite spring tension embroidery hoop, similar to the Darice hoop, & DMC floss #347.

back of project showing my stitches & spring tension hoop

project in progress using outline stitch

Stem stitch vs. outline stitch... check out this blog!



finished redwork square of my nephew Aidan



With all 5 redwork squares done, Mom can create her grandkids quilt. It won't be very big. She is making 8" or 9" Puss-in-the-Corner for the remainder of the blocks.

I'll keep you posted if it is chosen for competition!