| I must confess that I am a 'fabricoholic' and I just
love velvet. I have used it a lot in my work and
want to encourage its use. I usually say I am an
embroiderer who makes quilts but I had done a
lot of dressmaking before straying into the more
decorative uses of fabric and stitch. Here I shall
describe the way I have used velvet in each of the
pieces illustrated and some of the things I have
learned along the way. Let me tempt you to have a
go - maybe you have an old item of velvet clothing
you can play with and often you can find sample
books of velvet that are not too heavy. I subscribe
to the idea that patchwork can be an economy art
and that we ought to recycle more fabric as the
early patchworkers did!
Museum Mosiac
Museum Mosaic Quilt 62 x 50in Completed 1991
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The reason I used velvet in this quilt is that it was
the only fabric I had in my stash in the colour of
rust. I had agreed to make a quilt to enter in the
Skopos challenge and when the challenge fabric
arrived the design was so fragmented that the only
thing I could think of was to make a mosaic. I had
taken some photographs of mosaic floors in the
Birmingham Museum. The scale was just right for a
quilt. It was well received in the Bath exhibition and
I was told that visitors wanted to touch the velvet
which had risen up like bubble wrap. I used manmade
dress velvet whereas the remainder of the quilt
was mostly furnishing fabric. The method I used to
appliqué it was to place a large piece of the fabric
face down on the table, cover with the background
fabric face down, and then place a paper drawing on
top before pinning and tacking. The next stage is to
stitch through the layers along the drawing then cut
back the velvet close to the stitching. All this was
done by ordinary machining. Moving to free
machining, I stitched circles to fill up the velvet petals
and worked extra rows of stitching around each circle
- I think that this is what made the velvet puff up.
Coral
This little piece was a long time in the making. It
started off as an experiment to use space-dyed fabric,
embellishing it with 'pattern darning' into the weave.
I had stitched an interesting texture, with minimal
colouring, on the background but got no further.
It had been 'in a pile of UFOs' for some time when I
decided that it needed a fabric 'frame'. I found some
of my space-dyed velvet and cut a small cardboard
template resembling waves. I tacked strips of the
velvet around the work and used the template to
stitch a fairly regular shape of waves all around. This
was free machining but it did not matter if the waves
differed slightly. After cutting away the surplus, I
couched one of my space-dyed threads to cover the
raw edges of the velvet. Repeating the process, using
a paler shade of the velvet and more thread.
Coral - Embroidered wall hanging 24 x 36in Completed 2000
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Gebbeh
From time to time, when I have a new idea for a technique, I go back
to my pictures of rugs from the Middle East for a design. Having
decided I wanted to make a quilt from velvet, I chose this simple
grid for the central field. I space dyed pieces of cotton velvet -
there are instructions for this right. Using a light wadding, I quilted
the pieces taking the opportunity to practise new ideas for free
machine quilting. I used different linear patterns but about the
same density of quilting throughout. I cut up the quilted velvet
into seven-inch squares and then arranged them in a rectangle,
grading the colours so that they melded into each other - a bit like
a colour wash. I stitched the squares using half-inch seams - of
course the quilted fabric is thick. (You will also find hints on
seaming velvet to velvet.) I followed the design of the rug border
and stitched the border to the grid of squares. I then treated this
as a quilt top and used more of the thin wadding to make the
quilt sandwich, with minimal quilting.
Balluch
The picture of the rug from which I took the design
that I used for this quilt had been one that I had
looked at many times over a period of eight years and
continuously rejected because, although I really liked
the horizontal rows of pattern, I could not think of a
good way to 'translate' the big flowers. I don't know
where the thought came from but I decided to try
bleaching the pattern out of strips of velvet. It worked
and you will find some hints about the process in the
'how to...' section. It worked so well I decided I could
use the technique for the rows of squares on point and
was fascinated to find that some of my navy coloured
velvet bleached to strong yellow and even a fawn
colour. I embellished the velvet with embroidery
before piecing the strips with a variety of other strips.
For the border, I found two colours of lightweight
needlecord. I appliquéd the triangles and machined
the zigzag design though strips of the two fabrics
before cutting one away and decorating the edge.
Lindisfarne Corners
While I was writing my book about using Celtic sources
for modern textiles I came across a heavily illustrated
page in the Lindisfarne Gospels. I was taken aback
by the way simple squares were used at the corners
and decided that I could use the technique I had
devised for Gebbeh. To strengthen the shapes I
applied some purchased braid over the seams.
But, these were for the corners and I had to find
something to go in the middle - a square knot
worked in shadow appliqué, was the solution.
Cushion with celtic triangle
Celtic Knot Cushion 20in square Completed 2005
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Celtic knots are a great favourite of mine and the
design for this one is a simple one - three repeats of
a shape. One of the things I love to do is to 'create'
a fabric by using a variety of machine embroidery
techniques, with a good variety of fabrics and threads,
piled on top of each other - overworked to such an
extent that it is hard to see which motifs I used. I call
this my 'over the top' (OTT) embroidery. It makes a
very firm fabric. For this cushion top I placed a piece
of dress velvet (amply big enough for the top
including the edge and turnings) face down and
smoothed it out. Next, face down again, with the OTT
fabric centrally placed, and over that a paper with the
design drawn on it. Using many safety pins, I
prepared it for the machining and stitched around the
design with a small stitch. I do not like to use a frame
with velvet but the firm, OTT fabric and the paper
help to hold the work safely. The technique is a form
of reverse appliqué so I needed to cut away the velvet
from within the shapes, close to the stitching to reveal
the heavily worked OTT fabric - also to cut away the
surplus OTT fabric from the reverse. I used a close
zigzag in a thread matching the velvet to neaten
edges. I emphasised the triangular shape by couching
a thread half an inch away form the cut shape. This
would work with a piece of firm furnishing fabric -
perhaps you could embellish it in some way.
The Bull from Burghead
This piece was too late to be included in my book.
Once again, I kept looking at the design while working
on ideas from Celtic sources, but was unable to come
up with a technique. The Pictish motif was found
carved in stone near Inverness and can now be seen in
the British Museum. Eventually, when the idea came
it was very simple. I quilted the line drawing onto a
spaced-dyed velvet remnant with some thin wadding.
The first stage was to stitch the design; I worked
through paper from the reverse, with the presser foot
on for accuracy. After the paper was removed I made
the usual quilt sandwich and using a darker thread for
a narrow close satin stitch, I quilted along the lines of
the design. The border is also a Pictish motif.
Bull from Burghead Quilted wall hanging 18 x 22in Completed 2005
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How to do...
Seams
The pile of the velvet often makes the two layers
of fabric creep in different directions. Do some
experiments first. Use any of the following ideas
alone or together:
- Use your even-feed (walking) foot
- Tack closely by hand
- Use a large stitch on your machine to tack
- Tack by machine using a thick thread underneath
and a loosened top tension. This makes a poor
stitch, that can be pulled out easily by pulling
on the bottom thread
- Plan your work so that seams join a piece of velvet
to a piece of non-velvet
Don't be mean with your seam allowance - I usually
say half an inch. Often the velvet frays but you might
be glad of a little extra fabric if the pile does creep
a fraction. You can trim it off when you are happy.
Remember that if you intend to quilt in the ditch, it
is easier if the turnings are pressed open and a little
extra seam allowance facilitates this.
Pile
Be aware of the pile. Stroke the velvet and you should
be able to distinguish three different directions:
- with the pile - along the warp of the fabric
- against the pile - along the warp of the fabric
- across the pile - along the weft of the fabric
The velvet catches the light differently according to
these directions.You can use these to your advantage
sometimes, for example one of my bags uses four
squares of needlecord cut on the bias so that the lines
make an X shape.
If you are cutting out from one piece of fabric it
is worth chalking arrows on the reverse of the fabric
whilst you have it all in one piece. Even so, you may
need to stroke the fabric to decide which way the pile
runs. The strongest colour effect is against the grain
- as if you were stroking the cat the wrong way. Most
times, in patchwork this matter of pile direction is not
vital but you need to be aware of it.
Space-dyeing velvet
I save my dyeing for a day when I can work outside.
I dye cotton velvet and I usually overlock the raw
edges beforehand to reduce the amount of loose pile
that comes away. As regards a vessel, it really depends
on how much you need to dye! I have some old oven
trays that I generally use but I have resorted to using
a large sheet of thick polythene on the path. I use
Procion dyes which are the same as cold water Dylon.
Use the Dylon recipe to mix small quantities of the
dye. Three colours are enough because they blend to
make other colours. I wash the velvet in the washing
machine on a short programme (no soap) to make
sure it is thoroughly damp. Then having spread out
the damp velvet, I pour on the dye in a random way
and it works its magic. When the proper time has
elapsed, I rinse the velvet thoroughly under the cold
tap until the water is virtually clean then I wash the velvet in the washing machine, with soap this time,
and after a really good shake, I peg it on the line to
dry. When dry, I use a scrubbing brush to smooth out
the pile. Remember to wear your rubber gloves and
an apron. Washing soda can be used to fix the dye.
Bleaching
I use coloured cotton velvet, and before I start in
earnest, I cut off a small piece of the velvet to see if it
will discharge. I use household bleach - neat from the
bottle. It is best to work outside because of the fumes.
For the sample I just dribble a little bleach on the velvet
and wait to see what happens. Some fabric does not want
to part with its colour. With others, the colour that
results is a surprise - like the yellow and fawn that
appeared from the navy velvet in Balluch. If it does not
give a result I pin the trial to the remainder of the fabric
with a note that it is the unsuccessful bleach trial.
But let's be positive - if there is a good result from
the chosen velvet and I have overlocked the edges,
how do I make a pattern? I have various methods:
- Cut a stencil from the lid of a plastic ice cream carton
and dab the bleach on with sponge dipped in bleach
- Use the motif cut from such a stencil - place it on
the velvet and dab around it in a random way,
fading as you go further from the motif
- Dab through a piece of plastic mesh
- Use my Indian printing blocks - dipping them in
the bleach then stamping the velvet (I am careful
to wash them thoroughly afterwards)
Next, I wait for the bleach to do its work and as soon
as the effect I want is achieved I put the velvet under
the cold tap for a while. When I have done this for all
the velvet I intend to bleach, I wash it all in the
washing machine - no soap - and dry and finish it as
described for the space-dyed velvet. Some people
recommend using various chemicals for neutralising
the bleach but I am satisfied that this rinsing and
washing is adequate. Remember to wear your rubber
gloves and a waterproof apron.
Embroidering
I was an embroiderer before I came to quiltmaking
and one of my favourite samples was a piece of
orange coloured dress velvet that I machine
embroidered in a round frame. The round frame
dictated that it would need a circular mount and so
I tend to avoid using a frame for velvet now, so as to
keep my options open. I took a simple lily shape and
stitched its outline in straight stitch with the foot on
the machine for accuracy. Then, having changed to
free machining and with a wide zigzag stitch, I
flattened all the pile around the flower, going as far
as the hoop would let me. I used a variegated thread.
When the work was released from the frame the
flower stood proud of its surroundings and I tucked
in some scraps of filling, trapunto-wise behind the
flower. Try what the Americans call bobbin work and
couching by hand or machine. The bull is really just
embroidery, in that the close zigzag is more than a
quilting stitch.
Personally, I am delighted that these two loves
of mine - quiltmaking and embroidery seem to
be coming more closely entwined.
First published in Popular Patchwork Volume 14 Number 1 - January 2006
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