The Hockey Applique Begins part 5

Well, I'm not sure if the thread work will be fun or not; it was really fun to design.  I think I may have created a monster with never ending applique and embroidery, in just about every color thread in the rainbow.  So where does one begin, when there are thousands of little pieces to be stitched?

Pick something easy to begin, it is important to get started. In the early stages of a project, sometimes the job appears to be overwhelming--like this one. After I have dealt with the initial hesitation, then I basically work from what appears to be on the bottom layer and work up to the top. This is because the ends of my starts and stops will be covered by another line of stitching on a segment that appears to be on top of it, and this secures any loose threads that need to be controlled. This bottom to top guideline, is the general rule, but of course I break it all the time! If I have blue thread in the machine, I'm not going to hop over and applique a red flower; I'm going to find something else blue to sew before I change my thread color again.

This is the back corner of the hockey bag. I've chosen to use a decorative stitch in variegated blue thread.

So I'm going to applique the hockey bag first with a beautiful blue variegated thread using some of the programmed stitches that my machine offers. The hockey bag is my starting point because it is underneath all the other objects in the picture.  I have chosen my favorite programmed stitch, and I use shiny thread with crisp tear-away stabilizer underneath. [This process will be covered in depth in my new booklet, Applique Ann's Way.]

Here is a sneak peek at the cover of my new booklet! Available in April.

Next I'll embroider the hockey sticks, covering them with thread.  This will be faster than appliqueing them and it will give them a wood grain look. Embroidery is done with a hoop, no stabilizer, and I move the hoop from side to side to completely cover the object. For detailed info see my book Coloring with Thread. 

A closeup of the embroidery with variegated beige thread, that gives a wood grain effect on the hockey stick.

 Now I realize the finely cut dandelions are curling up and starting to fray, so I'll embroider them next or they may just disappear. 

Dandelion detail in the lower left corner.  These too are embroidered.

So the applique and embroidery has just begun.  This is going to take me some time at the machine. Eventually this blog thread will be continued.  I have hours of decorative stitching ahead of me.

Ann Fahl