Blue Print for Disaster? VIII

So far, so good. . .I am using a simple small tight-ish running stitch. I am considering a satin stitch on some of the buds or leaves - random.

I like embroidery because it's very similar to drawing/painting. You can pick color, direction, light, shadow, character, focus. . .

Blue Print for Disaster? VII

Now all you have left to screw up is the actual embroidery! hahaha!

Blue Print for Disaster? VI

If you iron carefully, you get what you see in the pic above.

Save the transfer paper. You should get another transfer or two out of it!

Blue Print for Disaster? V

Carefully, pin or baste the transfer ink-side down to the center of the fabric.

The actual iron-transfer made me a little nervous. That paper needs to stay pretty stable and the iron must be HOT. (Dry hot tho - I used the wool setting).

Blue Print for Disaster? IV

Once you have your "crease compass" you can place the transfer. In this pic, the scissors are pointing to "center." I tried to center the transfer from this point.

Blue Print for Disaster? III

Once the towels are dry, you need to iron. And iron. And iron.

Once the towel is uniformly wrinkle-free, you need to put more wrinkles in it!

You can press folds into the towel. They can help to get the iron-transfer centered.

For these simple tea towels, I folded the towel in half making sure the little "hang loop" was at the top of the fold. I pressed firmly with a hot but dry iron.

I then folded in half horizontally again. I did this because I wanted the pattern to be fully visible if the towel was folded in half over a towel bar, etc. I pressed this crease.

And then I folded the towel again. This time creating a vertical fold. Ironed the crease.

I took pics of each step. If you need help deciphering my instructions, please comment and I'll post the pics.

Blue Print for Disaster? II

I committed to doing this correctly. I want to make a gift for someone. I want to show my 93 year-old Grandmother I actually WAS paying attention when she showed me how to embroider a few years ago. (Although I'm going home this weekend and will need a re-fresher on the french knot).

So I prepped the vintage-looking tea towels I purchased by hand washing them in watered-down laundry soap. I rinsed thoroughly and put in the dryer without any fabric softener/sheets (They will make your towels less absorbent).

Meanwhile, I very carefully cut out my desired designs. . .

Blue Print for Disaster?

When I went to JoAnnes the other evening for a few supplies for the flower pins, I "somehow" ended up in the embroidery aisle. That's when my Husband C, spotted these!!!! Iron-on transfers and vintage dish towels!!

My heart skipped a beat!

I was grabbing envelopes full of transfers left and right.

C: "Let's try to exercise a little restraint."
d: "Ok. I just need to find some Krazy Glue. Get me out of here!" (moving cart away)
C: "But you didn't let go of any of those envelopes you're holding. . ."
d: "Ah hahahahahahaha!!! (AS IF!) I didn't pick up any more envelopes did I?"
C: Defeated sigh

So what I came away with are all these awesome iron on transfers (that are re-use able several times). You can iron them onto anything and embroider over.

This is RIGHT up my alley!