The Sustainable Quilter Bridget O'Flaherty

Sustainable Textile Art by Bridget O'Flaherty

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Thread Painted Art

5 Essentials of Getting Started with Thread Painting

These are the 5 Essentials

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I have been asked many times what the tools are for getting started. I have written up a little guide for you to use. These are the top 5 things you need to get you going on the journey into thread painting.

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WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF THREAD PAINTING

Bridget O'Flaherty sewing

You may be someone who thinks you have no creative talent, or that you are not a skilled enough sewer, or that your machine can’t do it. And I am here to tell you – you can do this, you do not need design skills you do not need to be a master sewer, nor do you need a top-of-the-line machine, BUT you do need one that can do the basics. I’m going to take you through the process of setting up your machine and the equipment you need to start.[hr]

WHAT IS THREAD PAINTING?

Let’s define that first. It is called many things, freeform, free motion, free-hand embroidery, these can easily be confused with hand work and machine embroidery is now easily confused with digitized processes. I like to call it thread painting, because really it is like painting with your threads, as you layer multiple threads with your machine adding shades and colours to create an image. It’s an art and it’s very creative. Here is a quick demo.

[hr]

Janome Sewing machine

WHAT KIND OF MACHINE DO YOU NEED?

Most basic domestic machines can be set up to do thread painting. If you have a machine that hasn’t been looked at in many years or ever… this may be the time for a tune-up or even a new machine!

[hr]Step 1: Get your Machine Out, Test Drive it!

Older Singer Machine

Many older machines are difficult to adapt to thread painting. It may be a workhorse in the sewing department, but it may be an exercise in frustration for this type of work.

Does it turn on, does the light work? ( it may just need a bulb replacement)

If it doesn’t turn on you should have it looked at or it may be a great opportunity to buy that machine you have had your eye on! You should do your research, and know what your needs are. If you are still dabbling, maybe borrow one from a friend or family member.

Some great brands? There are a lot of options out there with varying prices.

Janome • Bernina • Brother • Singer • Husqvarna • Pfaff[hr]

Test it out: can you sew a straight stitch perfectly?

  • Check the tension
  • Change the needle
  • Clean the dust-out

Check out my video where I find a whole family of dust bunnies in my machine!

  • Give it a proper oiling
  • If you are not sure how to do these things, check the manual
  • Do you have the manual?
  • If not you may want to try and Google your make and model and find it!
  • You will look for how to troubleshoot any problems with tension and threading here[hr]

Step 2: Get out your Free Motion Foot

You MUST have a sewing foot that can do this!

Every sewing machine is slightly different. It is often called the free motion quilting foot, embroidery foot or darning foot. You need to be able to do this on your machine.

4 different kinds of free motion feet for a sewing machine

  • Many of today’s machines have the foot included in the box of feet.
  • You may have to purchase a universal free-form embroidery/quilting/darning foot depending on your make and model of machine.
  • Check with your local dealer if you are not sure if you have the right foot, you can even take your feet in to check! Have the make and model number of your machine so they can help you properly.
  • You may have luck researching and ordering online as well.[hr]

Step 3: Drop your feed dogs

feed dogs and sewing foot on a sewing machineFeed dogs grab your fabric – ideal when straight stitching and quilting, terrible when thread painting. You have to be able to disable the feed dogs somehow. Again it is machine specific.

  • Check your manual!
  • Sometimes you can use paper (tape it down) over them so they don’t catch the threads.[hr]

Step 4: Use Stabilizers – Interfacing – Pellon

tear away stabilizerMost projects that include thread painting will require some form of stabilizing to prevent puckering of the fabric when you layer the stitching. Again, lots of options here. You will usually need some kind of stabilizer depending on how dense your stitching is and how big your piece is. Generally speaking, you need something when working with lightweight cotton as the tension on the thread work will cause puckering without it. If you are using heavier weight fabrics, you may not need it depending on the stretch and “give” of the fabric. Experiment with what meets your needs for your projects on a small sample first.

FUSIBLE- NON WOVEN

These will be applied to the wrong side of the fabric background. This is usually the best option for most thread painting as it will not shift once in place and give stiffness to the surface you are working on.

  • If using a fusible and a pieced background, be sure you have pressed any seams in the right direction, this cannot be altered once you fused the interfacing and have sewn on them.
  • Choose a stiffness that suits the project. If it is a small embroidery, you may be able to use a lightweight stabilizer. I generally use very heavy weight

TEAR AND WASH AWAY

These are sometimes good options for embroidery as they tend to be the stiffest products. Often I am doing so much dense stitching that I never tear away much and it becomes part of the finished product. As I usually make wall art, this is not an issue.

  • If you are making something that requires washing (a garment for example) you may want to stay away from the tear away kind.

WOVEN INTERFACING

Be careful of a bias. Some stabilizers are woven and have a bias (stretch) to them. You can use these, just be cautious. Sometimes I will use 2 layers and lay them in opposite directions to reduce the stretch.

  • These come as fusible and non- fusible, once you have started your stitching they are fairly well secured so you may not need to go the extra mile with fusible.
  • I would usually use a hoop with these stabilizers.

Step 5: You Need A Hoop!

Generally, a hoop will be required when you are doing any embroidery.

small embroidery in a hoop

  • The type of hoop you use is a personal decision. Again, there are lots of options. I use a 6” spring loaded steel hoop as my favourite.
  • There are inexpensive wooden hoops with a screw, these can work in a pinch, but tend not to be very durable for this type of work.
  • Friction fit, spring hoops and French spring hoops are a good option.
  • Smaller hoops can be used for smaller projects, but you want to have enough room outside of the embroidery to move the fabric and access the edge of the embroidery.
  • For larger works, you have to move the hoop, so a larger hoop allows for more working space without moving as much.
  • Place the stabilizer and fabric over the outside hoop and place the interior hoop on top of the fabric. The fabric should be taught like a drum.

different types and sizes of Free motion embroidery hoops[hr]

What’s Next?

All you need is the desire and interest to try it out. Play around with stitching directions and textures to get comfortable moving the fabric and you are all set to try your first thread painting!

Head to my YouTube channel to see demos of techniques and tips for setting up your machine.

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Do you still want to learn more? You can take a class with me! I have in-person classes and online classes coming soon.

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Fibre Therapy and Mindfulness

 

Just a few weeks ago,

I had a friend come by my place and ask me to help her make her first quilt. She’s a nurse and has a fairly stressful job at times, so she wanted something that she could do to help her relax on off days.
She was a complete newbie, had never really even looked at quilt books, magazines or stepped foot in a quilt store. It was pretty exciting to help out someone like this, but I also realized that I had to be careful to let her be the one to decide the path she wanted to take.
There are so many options, applique, hand, machine, modern, traditional, etc., not mention the art side of textiles! So we talked about what she liked and what she imagined she would work on. She wanted to use the machine and my first thought was: great a quick quilt. Let’s pick a couple of fabrics from my stash, a pattern and we can crank this sucker out in a day.
But she had a different need in mind. She asked if she could come and look through my stash to find fabrics, and we settled on a fairly simple 25 patch block set with lattice. She wanted blue and white. After spending 3 hours playing with my fabric (I have a large stash of small pieces I inherited from my mother that I will never use – but that’s another story!) she ended up selecting more than 60 fabrics. “I just can’t give any of them up, I have a relationship with all of them now.”[hr]

It made me pause and realize how important this process is

We have tools that make things faster and easier. We even have pre-cut fabric, jellyrolls, and patterns to suit, kits that are ready to assemble and machines that sew without us with the touch of a button.
What is this doing for our connection to the craft? Historically, women have gravitated to textiles for practical reasons, but have also contributed to an art and expression that has been woven deeply into our cultures. I believe it’s why we still reach for needlecrafts and textiles. In quilting, there was often a story to the fabrics used – old clothes, a quilting bee, creating a legacy handed down through generations.
Today we are finding new ways to explore these crafts, but I think we need to pause.

Being Mindful with the Craft

Mindful Fibre Art, Slow Craft, Slow Makers and Slow Textiles: these terms all represent a movement – a cultural narrative that really resonates with me.
This movement gives permission to take the time, celebrate details and revel in techniques that give you the opportunity to focus and relax while connecting your hands and mind to the moment. I have written about the concept of a fibreshed or the 100 Mile Fibre diet in another post.
There is an environmental component, recognition of where the materials come from, what the ecological impact is of these and making conscious choices along the way. There is also a social context, connecting with and creating a community around the traditional crafts. Now don’t get me wrong. I am all for technology, I am, after all a free motion machine embroiderer and quilter.
But it’s about slowing down and enjoying the process, appreciating the steps and having a connection with each and every part of what it takes to make these beautiful works of art. Part of the mindful textile movement is to create space to consider the rhythm of the process, slowing down, making conscious decisions to enjoy each fabric, each colour, each thread, each stitch. I think we can adopt the concept even with machine work, it’s more about being mindful, giving ourselves permission to appreciate the process and honour the tradition of the craft.

It feeds the soul, its fibre therapy and I need it.

Apparently, so did my friend.

Does anyone else need a little fibre therapy? I love to go into a fabric store just to look at the bolts of fabric all lined up in colour gradients, or take out some fabric and iron it – just to smell it…when I’ve had a rough day, it totally takes the edge off.

Cultivating Passion

Have you ever made a life-altering decision?Man looking out over water

Taking Chances

It’s terrifying, but maybe that’s how it works and I’ve finally done it. A few weeks ago I reached a turning point. Even though I have been working towards getting back to my creative side after 8 years off,  I had thought I would do it in a part-time way and once the money became dependable, then I would leave work and commit to full-time art. I thought this was a five-year plan.

I have had an incredibly stressful year in my family life. My mother has progressing Alzheimer’s, she is now in a wheelchair and does not really know her previous life. She is well cared for, but the emotional toll of watching her decline is actually much bigger then I could have known. My father spent 8 out of the last 9 months in the hospital – in and out of ICU- and finally stabilized, he has now moved to Long Term Care with his special medical needs, the upside though is that my parents are back together. Alongside all of this, my partner continues to have major health issues – dialysis every other day at home, and he was diagnosed with kidney cancer just before Christmas, one of his kidneys was removed in January. He has recovered reasonably well, but there is a constant worry and living with the unknowns and waiting for future test results can be stressful. Sometimes though, not knowing can be better than living with what doctors do know – often that’s just bad news.

I’ve also struggled with the bigger picture this year, with the horror of wars, the natural disasters and political changes around the globe. It seems to be an uncertain world now and it’s scared me a little.

Life is Too Short

With all of this, I came to two realizations. One- that life is short- I know this seems trite, of course, it is, but it is also true. It’s too short for me to continue to work on something that takes me away from my family, that forces me to make decisions that negatively impact my relationships. Don’t get me wrong, I liked my job, good cause, good people. But life is too short for me not to be cultivating my passion, there really is no better time to do it. Two- the world is a beautiful place, there are beautiful people and an amazing natural world we are privileged to witness. The beauty is getting buried and overlooked by our “busy” and “important” lives and overpowered by scenes of horror in the world. I want to shine a light on the beauty, offer to represent our natural world to help bring it into focus again and share the beauty I see.  This is something I need to be doing that all the time, not just on the weekend, or occasionally teaching. I need to be doing it every day.

Cultivating my Passion

I love quilting, I love fibre, I love nature, I love teaching, I love this planet. I’m taking the leap. I’m cultivating my passion. I quit my pay cheque job and I am taking the business of my art seriously. I know in my heart it is the right move. I’m terrified, excited and ready to dive into this. I have no idea where it will lead, but I also know I have to take this road.

I will be taking chances, making changes and trying new things. You can go to my YouTube channel ThreadPaintedArt to watch my recent application video for an upcoming Expedition Canada C3  that will sail around Canada from Coast to Coast to Coast. You can also sign up for my newsletter to keep up with my adventures. It’s going to be a year of changes and challenges!

Bridget O'Flaherty image

Identity Crisis: Branding

Branding in Business, it actually matters!

Branding is such a challenge for artists. I have no idea of the number of times I have said ” I know I should really do this and I know it would be helpful” and then cringed at the thought of doing a branding exercise or anything to do with a business plan really and just left it on my “I’ll get around to that… never” list. I know on one hand that I need to take it seriously, but when I look at the questions that are asked, I think it is ridiculous, I know all of the answers and don’t need to waste my time writing them down.But I also realize that I have to give this process a chance, so I spent the last week doing a lot of research. I met with Branding and Logo Designer Auni Milne of Sumac Loft and ended up coming away from our meeting totally inspired and ready to dive into the homework she tasked me with!

Branding map for artistsWho Am I?

Auni sent me an” artist’s brief”. There were very specific questions like how do I identify with my art? Who is my client(s)? What do I hope they will take away from not only my art but how do they perceive me as an artist? These are all difficult questions that need to be asked. To my surprise, I was at a bit of a loss for words and it took me several days and a lot of consideration to come up with true and reflective answers.It was a real challenge to think about what my business means to me, what my goals are, who is my audience, who are my peers and my competition. Now that I have completed it, I can see how useful it is and that it actually applies to my business plan. Now Auni will take my answers and use her amazing design skills to come up with a brand that represents me and my art. I’m excited!

 I Just want to Create Art! 

I know how to create my art and I am desperate to get at it again. But, I promised myself that I would take the time I need to do this. I need to know that the intention of my art is being conveyed. Writing down my answers, actually thinking about the words I choose is ultimately really useful when bringing it back around to focusing on my art. When we give ourselves permission to step away from the task of creating art, we can gain insights of the bigger picture, it will translate through all of our decisions. I will apply these concepts back to each piece I do, each show I choose, each competition, each marketing piece.

Your Challenge

I challenge those of you who are embarking on a new business, creating a new piece or starting a new project to take an afternoon: research, brainstorm, write down all the thoughts you have, define your intentions. Ask yourself these questions and see where it takes you on your journey!

Competitions

Are they a good way to kickstart Inspiration?

Difficult Road Image

I’m embarking on a mission to get myself going in the quilt world again. I have had several false starts over the last couple of years and not without good reasons. But I really miss quilting. I miss the hum of the sewing machine, the quiet of the creative moments. I love the colours and the layers of threads that start to make sense after long hours of stitching. I miss it a lot. So I am looking to challenge myself.[hr]

I scanned the internet, found several quilt shows and competitions with deadlines that seem attainable with interesting themes and prestigious prizes. The question I have is;  does it make sense to put that kind of pressure on myself? After all of these years will I still be able to put a quilt together that is competition worthy? Will my work measure up to the current contenders of the quilt world? I have no way of knowing really.I know what I would say to anyone else having the same self-doubt. But it is harder to reflect that advice to myself. I think it is an age-old issue with artists.

After all this time, will they still like my work?

I have seen some amazing work come out of the Quilt National Exhibition and the Grand National Show, as well as even the local guild shows. There are some really talented quilters. The art element of the quilt has moved forward while I have been on my sabbatical. Categories I where I was turned down in 10 years ago are now open to the type of work I do, paths have been forged and acceptance is much more readily available to the contemporary art element of quilting. I know I have nothing to lose by trying and I’m hoping it’s not too much pressure. I’ll let you know in a month if I actually will make it happen!

 

 

Getting Started Again

Cleaning Up

Starting over again took a lot of groundwork. I began by cleaning out the years of storage and junk that had moved into my shop since I wasn’t sewing in it (8 years worth). It took many months to finally find the countertop and my sewing machines again. Last week I was able to sit down and work on a challenge piece for the Lanark County Quilter’s Guild meeting.[hr]
The theme was Log Cabin. I had started a thread painting years ago that I was not happy with. It had started to pucker in the middle and wasn’t progressing well so I set it aside. I also keep all of my leftover blocks from quilts that I make. I looked through my stash and found several blocks that worked really well with the colours I already had.

So I sat down and finished the centre thread painting, then worked with what I had and what I wanted to remove to build a border with my log cabin pieces. I used the border pieces in an offset and funky way, just like an old log cabin, every piece fits and has its own character. It was so great to think creatively again and I was thrilled with the final piece.

This work is available for sale currently on this site.