Bonnets & Crinoline

Well, Linda at Chloe's Place has shared with us even more beautiful vintage embroidery from Gina's collection. Gina has her own blog too titled, Patra's Place. These are gorgeous Crinoline ladies! Please take a peek if you have the time!

I went through my house and my photos because I've stitched alot of Crinoline and Bonnet ladies from my collection of vintage iron-on transfers but unfortunately, I've only come up with 4 pieces to share. Maybe there are more photos still on the film in my regular camera. Anyway, onto my projects!



This is my most recent Bonnet Lady. I stitched the design on some hand dyed muslin that I did over the Winter. It's a gift for Christmas and it's already sewn into a pillow so I had a bit of a challenge getting it on the scanner! The stitching stands out more in person than it looks here. I'm really pleased with how it came out.



This is a small design, I believe from my mom's collection of Workbasket transers which she recently gave to me. The coloring is called "Crayon Tinting". I'll share more about that technique down the road a bit. I think this is my favorite so far!



I did this one about 2 years ago. Don't remember where the transfer is from but again, it's crayon tinted and sewn into a pillow. Yes, I'm particularly fond of gingham! I think that's why I'm so taken with Chicken Scratch!



Last but not least, another Bonnet Lady from my mom's collection of Workbasket transfers and again, crayon tinted. I did the lazy daisy stitches on the dress with varigated threads and I just love how it looks! I used glass seed beads for centers. This design is a doorknocker (pillow that hangs on the doorknob) and it hangs here in my office.

Speaking of varigated threads, over the years, many stitchers have asked me what these are used for and how to use them. Well, this type of embroidery is what they were created for! I love stitching with them! And they're nice to use because they are colorfast!

I use a washout blue pen to trace my designs onto fabric. After stitching, the piece has to be rinced to remove the tracing marks. Unfortunately, many of today's gorgeous overdyed threads are not colorfast and should not get wet. Which is ashame because they would be beautiful used for this purpose. The only alternative would be to carefully mark your pattern with thin lines and be sure that your stitching covers them. Still, you may run into another problem while trying to press out the wrinkles and hoop marks after stitching. I've found that steam is the only way and that too will make the threads bleed. I have used them, but it takes being careful when tracing as well as with ironing and of course, they can't be used on items that need occasional washing.