Tip Jar Thursdays! No. 15 - Drawing With Thread

notyourkinddear:

THIS JUST MADE ME ALL SORTS OF EXCITED!!!

arthousecoop:

Hey Sketchbookers, 
Sara here! Caitlin is getting ready for the AMLP tour date in Toronto, so for Tip Jar Thursday, I am going to talk about (what else?) stitching in your Sketchbooks!

We have some really amazing sketchbooks in the collection with beautiful line work made with a sewing machine. Many artists in the project replace their pages with fabric, and bind or sew it them back together. You can even sew right onto the paper in your book.

The key to doing this type of stitching with a sewing machine is a having the right machine foot. You can buy a free-motion embroidery/darning foot at almost any sewing or craft store.

Here are some materials you may want to have:
-free-motion sewing machine foot
-Non-woven, tear-away stabilizer (if sewing on thin fabric)
-an embroidery hoop (if sewing on fabric)
-your sketchbook! 

If using a thin piece of fabric, fasten an embroidery hoop around it (and the stabilizer if you are using that) and streatch it tight so that you won’t have puckering. Once you have the free motion foot on your machine, hop the foot over the back of the hoop and position your fabric where you want to start sewing (remember to lower your presser foot). If you are using thick or multiple layers of fabric, you won’t need the hoop.

If you are sewing right onto paper, make sure you have a small size needle so that the holes in the paper won’t be too noticeable, unless thats what your going for!


 Once you get the hang of sewing with a free-motion embroidery foot, it’s really easy and fun. You can play with your thread colors and even layer different papers or fabrics on top of each other. 

Here are just a few of the amazing books in the 2011 collection that used free-motion stitching.

Cindy Green, Mahopack, NY
This is Not a Sketchbook 

Joanne Donn, Miami, FL
Jackets, Blankets, and Sheets 

Arlee Barr, Calgary, AB, Canada
Figuring You Out

Rachel Coulter, Chicago, IL
Dirigibles and submersibles

Happy Stitching!

i used to handsew into paintings all the time.  my friend and i made a pact that while we were together we would never glue or tape paper, only sew. 

(via poemsofthedead-deactivated20120)