Only Craft – Craft Blog and Store

September 7, 2009

Sewing Tips – Stitches

Filed under: sewing — Tags: , , , , , — @ 8:48 am

Star Stitch

Work straight stitches into a central point. Stitches can be the same or different lengths.

Shadow Work

Work a row of closed herringbone stitches from either the right side or the wrong side of the fabric.

Cross Stitch

Work one half of each cross stitch in a row, then return and complete the remaining half. Ensure the upper half of all stitches lies in the same  direction.

Trellis Stitch

Tack two pieces of fabric to paper, leaving space between them. Stitch fabric edges together.

Hem Stitch

Draw out a few threads. Bring out a working thread two threads down from the drawn threads. Take needle behind four threads then atound the same four threads, coming out two threads down.

Buttonhole Stitch Loop

Take two or three stitches as long as desired loop. Work buttonhole stitch over the threads without catching the fabric.

Wool Rose

Work a block of four satin stitches for rose centre. Work stem stitches around the centre block, curving them and keeping tension loose.

Bullion Stitch and Grub Rose

Bring the needle through the fabric from back to front at a desired point. Doing a small running stitch go down and back through the fabric and then come back up. Leave the needle in the fabric. Wind thread around needle point six to eight times. Pull needle through fabric and thread, keeping thread twists in place. Position twists and insert needle, arrange a group of bullion stitches to form a grub rose.

Happy Stitching :)

August 25, 2009

Hand Applique

Filed under: sewing,Uncategorized — Tags: , , , , , — @ 8:03 am

Hand applique produces a softer, slightly puffier look than machine applique, and it has a distinctly handmade look that makes sewing heirloom items even more special.

If you like you can add a layer of lightweight wading under the shape for a added softness or make it standout by adding iron on interfacing.

When sewing applique by hand a narrow seam allowance around the shape is tucked under before the shape is slipstitched in place on to your item.

Cutting the shape – Mark a 3mm seam allowance around your chosen shape, then cut out just beyond this line.

Prepare the shape – Stitch round the shape just outside the seamline using tiny running stitches. This reinforces the shape and helps to prevent fraying.

Trim the fabric – Trim your shape along the inner marked line. Cut small notches up to the stitched line on outer curves, and snip to the stitched line on inner curves. Clip across any outer corners and snip to the stitched line on any inside corners.

Tack the edges – Turn the raw edges under just at the stitched line so it can’t be seen. Press down the edges by hand and tack them down.

Attach the shape – Place your prepared shape onto the background fabric or item in its desired position.Tack into place with diagonal stitches across the centre of the shape. This will ensure your shape is sitting flat and smooth on its fabric background,. Using a thread that matches your shape slipstitch all the way around with tiny stitches.

Happy Sewing :)

August 20, 2009

Sewing Tips – Seams

Filed under: sewing — Tags: , , , , — @ 6:15 am

French and Fell Seams – These are both enclosed seams, which means that the raw edges are enclosed within the seam. This makes very strong and neat seams that are ideal for sheer fabrics, such as net curtains, as well as clothing that needs to with stand heavy wear, making it perfect for children’s clothes.

Both fell and French seams fall on the reverse of the fabric. With fell seams one stitching line is visible on the right, with French seams, no stitching line is visible.

French Seam

  1. Stitching the wrong sides… With wrong sides together, stitch a 1cm      (3/8 in)seam. Trim the seam to 3mm (1/8 in), then iron it.
  2. Completing the seam….Fold the right sides together so that the seam line is exactly on the fold. Iron. Stitch 6mm (1/4 in) from fold. Iron the seam to one side.
  1. Fell Seam Stitching the seam….With right sides together, stitch a 1.5cm (5/8 in) seam. Iron open and trim off half of one seam allowance.
  2. Enclosing the allowances……Fold the other seam allowance over the trimmed one, and tack it down so that the raw edge is enclosed. Stitch through all layers.

August 18, 2009

More Knitting Tips

Filed under: Knitting — Tags: , , , , — @ 4:20 am

Casting on using your thumb – Sufficient length of yarn must be left for casting on stitches – approximately 12.5cm for every 10 stitches of 4 ply on 2.75 needles.

Place point of needle beneath loop on thumb, drawing loop up slightly. Hold yarn in right hand ready to pass around point of needle. Wrap yarn around point of needle and draw through loop on thumb. Draw up stitch on needle, pull both ends of yarn firmly and repeat until sufficient stitches have been cast on.

Casting on with two needles – Make a loop and hold it on left hand needle. Place point of right-hand needle from left to right through loop on left-hand needle. Holding yarn in right hand, wrap yarn clockwise around point of right hand needle and draw yarn through loop on left hand needle, thus forming a second loop. Place this loop on left hand needle. There are now 2 stitches on left hand needle.

Place point of right hand needle between the two stitches on left hand needle. Wrap yarn around point of right hand needle and draw a loop between the two stitches on left hand needle. Place this loop on left hand needle. Repeat until you have cast on the number of stitches you require. Make sure you always put the needle between 2 stitches nearest the point of left hand needle.

Going great, keep going. Happy knitting :)

August 17, 2009

Knitting Stitches and Tips

Filed under: Knitting — Tags: , , , , , — @ 5:58 am

Garter or Knit Stitch - This is done by using any number of stitches and knitting every row. Both sides of the fabric look the same and each ridge represents two rows.

Stocking Stitch – This is achieved by knitting one row and purling one row. This produces a fabric which is smooth on one side and ridged on the other.

Moss Stitch - Moss stitch is usually worked over an uneven number of stitches. A moss stitch row follows k1, (p1, k1), repeated throughout.

Ribbing – Ribbing is usually worked over an even number of stitches k1, p1, repeated throughout. There are several variations in ribbing such as k2, p2 or k5, p5 – cast on a multiple of stitches repeated to the end.

Casting On -Making a Loop – An even cast on is important for a good finish. Don’t cast on too tightly or the edge will break when wearing. Never knit into the back of the cast on stitches. To cast on wrap yarn around first and second fingers of left hand. Place point of needle under the front loop and draw back loop through. Withdraw fingers from loop and draw loop up on needle. Working with length of yarn in left hand, pass this around left thumb.

Casting on can also be done using your thumb or using two needles these will be looked at in another post.

Have Fun & Happy Knitting :)


August 16, 2009

Knitting – Basic Stitches

Filed under: Knitting — Tags: , , , , , — @ 6:43 am

How to Hold the Needles

Keep stitches on the left hand needle close to the point and hold the needle with hand over the needle.Hold the right hand needle as you would a pencil, with the hand under the  needle. The yarn should come over the first finger of the right hand, under the second, over the third and under the forth. The yarn should flow easily through the fingers, but also be held firmly enough to  help maintain an even tension.

The Knit Stitch

Also known as plain stitch. Hold the needle containing the cast on stitches in the left hand. Holding the yarn at the back of the right hand needle, insert the right hand needle from left to right through the first loop.

Wrap the yarn clockwise round the point of the right hand needle , draw a new loop through and retaining this loop on the right hand needle, slip the first loop off the left hand needle.

The Purl Stitch

Hold the needles as for knit stitch but hold the yarn at the front of the right hand needle. Insert the right hand needle from right to left through the first loop, wrap the yarn around the point of the right hand needle, draw a loop through stitch on to right hand needle and slip stitch off left hand needle.

July 13, 2009

Crochet – Know How

Filed under: Knitting — Tags: , , , , , , — @ 3:45 am

Holding The Work

All crochet stitches are based on the principle of drawing one hoop through another. The hook is held in the right hand. Left-handed people may find they can learn to crochet using their right hand.

  • Begin by making a slip loop at the end of the yarn.
  • Hold the hook in the right hand like a pencil. Put the hook through the loop and pull the yarn tight.
  • Wind the yarn round the little finger of the left hand across the palm and behind the forefinger.
  • Hold the loop at its base, close to the hook between the thumb and forefinger.

The Stitches

  • Chain – Take the hook under the yarn and then from the back over the top, hook the yarn and pull it through the hoop. This is described as ‘yarn round hook’. This makes one chain. Repeat moving your hold up the work as you go.
  • Foundation Chain – Crochet usually begins with a length of chain into which the first row of stitches is worked, this is called the foundation chain. The hook is inserted into the centre of the last chain stitch, there will be two threads above the hook and one below.
  • Turning Chain – Because crochet stitches are worked from the top down, chain are used to take the yarn up to the top of the work at the beginning of each row. These are called turning chain.  The turning chain acts as the first stitch of the row.

Practice these stitches for a while, some more stitches will be introduced tomorrow. :)

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