Holiday Card Exchange for Carlene
We decided this year to do a “card” exchange amongst our members. Ann M. drew the partner names and I got Carlene’s name. I decided that since Carlene likes to weave, that I wanted to include some needle weaving on her card.
I wanted a wintery feeling so I chose this piece of nuno felt cut to 4″ x 6″. I can already see birch trees in the background so my go to trees this year were an easy decision for the design.
I used a stitch technique that is usually used in cut and drawn thread embroidery. Since my background was felt, I couldn’t cut the surface to get my base threads so I stitched them on the felt base. It’s a very simple stitch as you just take the thread and move over and under each time filling in the “woven bar”.
Here’s the first one completed. I used white perle cotton in different weights for all the trees. If you look closely, you can see that on this first tree, I was catching the wool fibers that were coming through on the silk surface of the nuno felt. I was a bit concerned with this but then when I looked again, the wool just adds in the “spots” on a birch tree.
I used some yarn to work out the tree placement before I went any further. I cut a piece of nuno felt to cover the bases of the background trees which I would stitch down after completing all the trees.
Then to continue on with the weaving. This isn’t a hard stitch but it’s a bit time consuming. I was able to hold the thread away from the surface to prevent catching the wool fibers but it really wasn’t necessary. Now I needed to add in the “spots” on the trees.
I could have stitched them on but I decided to use dark brown ink. You can see I cut down the foreground nuno piece a bit and then I stitched that in place.
Now to add some snow. I stitched random French knots over the trees and background.
And here it is matted as a “card”. I made it as a small frameable artwork instead of a card. I sent it off to Carlene in Canada and she received it quickly. I’m always hesitant about the mail service these days, but all was well! Happy Holidays Carlene!
27 thoughts on “Holiday Card Exchange for Carlene”
Ruth, that is just fantastic. You are right that the threads caught in the weaving looks like the markings on the bark – that was very clever of you!
The needle weaving, the way you’ve done it, is actually how such things are produced in stump work embroidery. Sometimes the woven bits are only attached at one end and wave around free (the loose end is held taut by a pin till the weaving is finished).
You’ll have to have a go at doing this in a larger scale, I’m sure it would sell at the gallery you use.
Ann
Thanks Ann! It wasn’t really clever of me to catch wool into the threads as weaving, just something that happened as I was stitching. Yes, we are studying stumpwork embroidery in my class so that was one of the reasons that I used this method. I have done a flower with the petals free using this method. I will have to consider larger scale.
Absolutely gorgeous, Ruth, it certainly is an artwork. Lucky Carlene!
Thanks Lindsay!
Fabulous! What a great stitch to make the trees and so suitable for Carlene. The background is perfect, the finishing touch of the ‘snow’ makes it so Christmassy and the white matt serves to enhance the picture.
Thanks Ladies! I am studying stumpwork embroidery in my class so my idea came from research and wanting to do needle weaving for Carlene. It does make great birch trees.
Like everyone has said, I’ll echo it, gorgeous, lucky Carlene.
Thanks Bernadette!
Superb and thoughtful. This card will definitely give joy. Some day, I will have to try nuno felting (but NOT this month).😊
Thanks, nuno felting is fun and you should definitely give it a try. But I can agree on not trying to do anything extra this month 😉
You lucky bean, Carlene! I love that card. Ruth, it’s marvellous!
Have I mentioned my birthday in January? Not related with anything at all 😀
Thanks Leonor, I do think that might have mentioned you had a birthday in January. I will have to keep that in mind when I have an “extra” card floating about 😉
Beautiful, nice explanation of the techniques you used as well.
Thanks Alana! It was fairly quick to make although the weaving takes a bit of time 😉
Gosh, your card is lovely Ruth. Gorgeous colours too. The snow is so very effective.
Thanks Marie! I started with a thinner thread for the snow but you couldn’t see the knots. So I upped my thread size and that worked better.
Ruth this is lovely. I especially like the change in the background…lower right corner making a different “plane”. Very very nice colors too. You are just getting better and better!!!!!
Deb
Thanks Deb! The different plane helps in the composition and hides the base of the trees that weren’t too pretty 🙂
That is divine Ruth. I absolutely love it. Even better that Carlene can frame it so that she can enjoy it all year round!
Helene
Thanks Helene, she already got a frame for it.
‘Fab-u-lus’
Just love the colours Ruth & you have given such life to the trees. The weaving & French knots are inspired.
Very jealous of Carlene’s wintry picture.
Thanks Antje, the weaving was a fun challenge.
You can’t beat a handmade card, especially one that doubles as a beautiful piece of art work. Lucky Carlene!
Thanks Karen, I love handmade cards, both making and receiving.
I love the picture and have framed it up. Thanks for explaining how it is done (though I confess I may have to look at some videos to properly understand the technique). My husband I are really enjoying the picture. Thanks so much.
Glad you like it! Needle weaving is a pretty simple technique but I am sure there will be a video online explaining the technique.