Solar Flare Mug Rugs

I am slipping behind with Samelia's Mum's 52 Week Scrap Challenge. Nevertheless I am really pleased with my version of Sunny Mug Rugs from Week 8.

Once again I have slightly gone my own way. I have written before about my difficulty learning free motion machine sewing. I so love the results (other peoples' I mean), but it is clearly quite a skill, that I have not yet mastered. 

I also think I find it hard because not only have I not mastered the technique, but it also goes against my natural instinct, which is to have everything neat and tidy, even stitches, and no raw edges. Ok, I admit it, I'm probably a bit repressed.

I decided to make a set of four mug rugs, and partly because of the amount of material and wadding I had, to make them a bit smaller than Samelia's mums. I did intend to sew the points of the sun, and started with my centre circles, using a really bright fabric which used to be a lovely wrap-around skirt, but unfortunately I have expanded and it no longer wraps around me. 

As you can see my stitching went completely messy. But at least I do know why. My rugs were too small to fit in the embroidery ring, and I have not been able find a darning foot that fits my sewing machine. I was a bit distraught, and tempted to throw them in the bin, but then hubby said that they actually did look very sun-like - just like the solar flares that you see in photographs. So I decided to just go with it, and added some even more eratic edging. They didn't seem to need points, but I did hand sew some little twinkly gold stars.

And then I could let my inner repressed sewer, who likes everything to be neat, tidy and in boxes, express herself by sewing on different coloured binding. 

Time for a nice cup of tea I think, with a cheese and chive muffin.

 

Monarch Butterfly - Machine Embroidery

All summer I have been intending to have a go at machine embroidery, as I see such lovely things on other people's blogs. But things (or little people) always seemed to get in the way. Also I had the idea that I would have to buy a special foot for my machine, and I thought this might be difficult, as my machine is not very modern. 

Finally have managed to get my act together. I found the manual for my sewing machine, which directed me to this magic little switch at the back, which I had never noticed, which lowers the feeders. It said I could embroider with no foot at all!!! Bit scarey.  I managed to find my embroidery ring, which I knew I owned but just couldn't find.

So here is my first attempt. It has taken me all afternoon, but I have to say I am a bit pleased with it (I know that sounds smug). I thought I would try a subject I am familiar with, but something organic so it wouldn't matter if it was a bit wobbly. 

At first the whole thing was a bit scarey, with my needle swinging around rather wildly. I have also probably used a whole reel of black thread. After a bit I realized that it was actually easier if I got a bit of speed up. I started off using the embroidery ring, but by the end found the whole business of getting it under the needle a bit of a pain, so I abandoned it for all the fine lines.

I had got a book out of the library on machine embroidery, but soon realized it was much too advanced for me. If anyone could recommend a fairly basic book on techniques, I would really appreciate it. I have lots of ideas for projects, but still need to learn a bit. I really wanted much bigger black areas on the tips of the butterfly's wings, but couldn't make my stitch any wider. Perhaps I should have used more applique, or found a way to fill those areas in. I did the little spots by hand, as I do like a bit of hand sewing, especially french knots. 

But now I have to think what to do with my monarch butterfly, which is just on a small square of hessian. I think the best thing may be to incorporate it into a cushion. Any ideas?