Sunday, January 24, 2010

Feeling Spacey

Greetings Earthlings~
Hope you're all doing well and moving productively into this still-new year! So, I had so much fun doing that Star Wars embroidery for Sean at Christmas that I went back for seconds to try a something new I'd seen over in the tutorials section of Urban Threads. I wanted to try this technique for a while, and I finally had the time to do something just for kicks. What a nice change after the warp speed Christmas crafting rush of December.

Here we go...

Revisiting Mr. Fett... Mr. Boba Fett. First I found a picture I liked, and then traced it onto paper, which I then hung in my kitchen window (a good source of backlight for tracing) and traced onto fabric with a disappearing ink pen. Easy peasy.

Next, I colored him in using plain ol' Crayola crayons. Small strokes in same direction (more or less). After that, I pressed him within an inch of his life between two sheets of paper (to absorb the excess crayon wax) with a VERY hot iron, this sets the color into the fabric. Weird, the heat made the blue disappearing ink go pea-green. Hm. Whatevs. Moving right along.

Now the fun part, embroidery! I think the backstitch is my worst stitch, I just can't seem to keep the stitch lengths even, and I feel like it's a pretty unforgiving stitch because they're all right there on the top of your fabric and they need to look identical. To me, uneven stitches give a piece a wonky look. So, figuring that I could use the practice, I did this whole dude in backstitch. It wasn't so bad. And besides, practice makes perfect, right? I think I'll be practicing the rest of my life... oofa.

So basically you just outline the drawing in colors that coordinate with your image. I love this. The possibilities are endless! I think I'd like to do a Darth Maul too (he's SO creepy!)... Sean likes bad guys.


Here's Boba all stitched up.


I don't know what he's going to be yet... me might just go into a frame... I'm open to suggestions, here's the actual size of fabric I've got to work with. What do you guys think?



Speaking of space objects or space bounty hunters, as it were, anyone care to make an identification of this weird looking thing??

My mom's neighbor gave it to her, they grow these in their garden. What the heck is it?? They told her it was broccoli, but they don't speak very good English. Now, I dunno about you all, but I've been eating broccoli my whole life, and this ain't broccoli. Is it space broccoli? This is some weird shit veg! Sean and I are both too chicken to eat it. I've always said I never met a vegtable I didn't like, but uh... I think I've met my match.

It's actually very beautiful in a strange, otherworldly kind of way, the whole thing grows in a spiral, and each bumpy spiral is covered in smaller bumpy spirals, into infinity... bizzaro.

It's BIG too, way bigger than say, a blowing ball or a human head. I just went and measured, it's 25" in circumference. Heavy also, I'd say 4-5 pounds. I think it's an alien pod that's going to burst open any minute and little creepies are going to come wriggling out... {shuddering} I'm going to have Sean weigh down the lid of the yard & garden cart tonight. Gah! I just gave myself the heebie-jeebies!

So... can anyone tell me what it is? Anyone? I'll be waiting... paitently... in a staring contest with a space vegtable.

Over & out.
Lisa

6 comments:

Beedeebabee said...

Hi Sweetie! First, your embroidery dude is really good, and so are your back stitches. You are way to hard on yourself Lisa, you're a really great stitcher...and you go for all the hard stuff too!!! ....and BING!!!! I got the answer! Your alien broccoli IS broccoli! It's called "Pagoda Flower" and it's in the broccoli/cauliflower family. Steam for ten minutes and it will turn a beautiful jade green...I'm not that smart, I just googled broccoli and looked for a matching picture! hee hee hee! Have a great night Sweetie, and no more heebie jeebies because there are no aliens that are going to be popping out! I bet Sean is disappointed! Hugs, Paulette

Angela McRae said...

I loved reading about the way you do your embroidery technique, and ... I am grateful to Paulette for identifying the space alien broccoli! It's beautiful!

SewAmy said...

love our Boba Fett.

parTea lady said...

That was an interesting technique for the embroidery - it looks great. What a funky looking veggie, but I might give it a try - maybe its a nutritional powerhouse. :-)

Giggly said...

Yes! It is Broccoli! Isn't that funny?? I just learned that on an episode of Good Eats. :)

I love the Boba Fett embroidery! I saw it in the Phat Quarter group....I think that's where I saw it. :) Lovely blog BTW, thanks for stopping by mine!

Lisa said...

Boba looks great! I really like that technique. How do you wash it? If it's not washable I'd totally frame it. If it's washable maybe you could add it with several others like patches on a hoodie. I saw one on a little boy at the school I work at. He told me his aunt made it specially for him. Kind of a cool idea if you ask me.

What an interesting veggie indeed! :)