Skitch Lab

Hand Embroidery inspired by Fantasy & Nature

[skitch-lab]

Hello there!

I thought I'd introduce you to this new Tumblr page dedicated to my personal project and latest obsession: embroidery! I only picked it up about a year and a half ago, as a bit of a fun challenge for myself (I'm not exactly known for my manual dexterity 😅).

Those who know me can tell you that drawing has always been my primary hobby. No doubts. This natural inclination led me to my current job as a full-time Graphic Designer for an Italian automotive company. However, my work isn't as creative as it might seem, so I'm always looking for ways to let loose…my head is literally a factory of ideas!

I've found that embroidery is the art form that allows me to express myself the most while also providing me with precious moments of relax. I can go on stitching for hours listening to good music, standing at my strictly messy little table!

The embroidery technique that has captivated me the most from the very beginning is thread painting. I find it incredible how you can recreate such realistic shades with just a needle and thread. I think this is the ideal technique for anyone who wants to achieve a painterly effect with their embroidery. I personally love using silk threads with this technique, they create such a luminous and delicate effect!

But there are other techniques that I'm experimenting with that really fascinate me....just to name a few: cross stitch, canvas work, blackwork....

I'm excited to share my embroidery journey with you all, from very beginner projects to more intermediate works! I'll also be sharing some of my favorite embroidery supplies, tips and curiosities along the way.

So grab your needle and thread, and let's get stitching!

[blackwallmancer]

I made a bananasaurus and twitter went kinda apeshit for it in a way that freaked me out a little lot, so I didn't think to post it here until now.

Pattern is by EmeraldRoseCrochet on etsy if you wanna make your own <3

[skitch-lab]

Love this!😂💛

[flowercrown-bard]

Inspired by @lacnunga 's adorable dragon embroidery

[plushandhandmade]

Gatto vampiro cuscino.

Per portalo a casa vostra, lo potete acquistare qui. (Pezzo unico, per ora)

Fatto interamente a mano da me @plushandhandmade

Per altre info, on privato.😉

Gatto Vampiro cuscino - Spizzina art's Ko-fi Shop

Pupazzo gatto cuscino vampiro Condizione: Ottimo - poco usato e ben conservato. Descrizione: Questo peluche è fatto a mano con questi mate

[skitch-lab]

SO CUTE!!!😻

[skitch-lab]

An interesting Challenge: freestyle Blackwork Lady Faun 🌿

Blackwork embroidery, with its elegant and bold outlines, has a rich history dating back to Tudor England. Today, I'm taking you on the journey of creating a freestyle blackwork embroidery featuring a lovely Lady Faun I designed myself!

From Sketch to Stitch

My design process began in Procreate, a well-known app for illustrators and designers. On Procreate I sketched my Fantasy character and drew lineart but I also simulated my stitches to better plan out the ideal blackwork pattern and study light and shadow areas (watch the video below!)

Since I wasn't yet comfortable with counted thread techniques, I opted for freestyle blackwork. This technique gave me the freedom I needed, especially because I planned to use thread painting for the eyes (which required a cotton/linen fabric).

Scales & Shadows: Building Texture

To bring a touch of Fantasy to the design, I chose a simple fly stitch to create a pattern resembling dragon scales. To create shadow effects, I got creative! I used two methods simultaneously:

Varying thread thickness: thickening the lines from 4 strands for the darkest areas to 1 strand for the highlights.

Seed Stitch accents: adding texture and depth with tiny seed stitches in bright areas.

Embroidering, finally 😅

The actual stitching process involved several stages: the initial outer lineart (4 strands), followed by progressively finer inner lines,and finally, the definition of shaded areas with my alternated fly/seed stitch pattern. Ah! Of course I used black thread, n° 310 DMC cotton mouliné ✌🏻

Challenges & Triumphs

This project wasn't without its hurdles! Maintaining precision with freestyle blackwork, especially on a larger format, was a test. Constantly changing thread thickness also added a layer of complexity. However, the end result was a successful experiment with great visual impact! The fly/seed stitch pattern proved to be easy to execute with freestyle and offered a beautiful textural element. Absolutely love the ink/pen sketching effect (with a touch of colour 😛).

In the end, my freestyle blackwork with alternated fly/seed stitches is a fun and versatile technique for beginners and experienced stitchers alike 😉

What do you think about this piece?🖤

[skitch-lab]

Thread Painting: Embroidery as Fine Art

Have you ever seen an embroidery so realistic it looks like a painting? That's the magic of thread painting, also known as silk shading or needle painting. So many names, one stitch, know as long-and-short stitch. But let’s dive into the world of this beautiful art form!

Pills of History

Thread painting has roots that stretch back centuries: examples of long-and-short stitch were found in Coptic cemeteries in Egypt, date back as far as the 5th century BC.

In England, thread painting was first used in Opus Anglicanum embroidery, a technique used in Medieval period. In Asia, particularly in China, silk shading flourished 5.000-6.000 years ago, producing stunning pieces that often told stories or depicted nature in its most vibrant form. By the 17th century, an increase in trading by the East Indian Company made silks more available and silk shading started to appear in other types of embroidery, like Jacobean crewelwork.

The Art of the Blend

This technique never fails to impress. Its photographic quality makes the subject matter instantly jump onto at you. The thread painting’s secret lies in the subtle shifts of color. Embroiderers use long-and-short stitch, but vary its length and direction to create smooth gradations. Choosing the right colors and strategically placing stitches is key to building dimension and lifelike details.

Your Thread Painting Toolkit:

Fabric: choose something that won't stretch, cotton or linen are great options.

Threads: you can start out using a typical DMC Mouliné embroidery thread, but generally, you should use a single strand thread (the Mouliné has six strands).Using a range of light, medium, and dark shades within a color family allows for smooth blending.

Needle: the thickness will depend on the thread and fabric you choose. I usually use size 10 with a single thread.

Embroidery hoop: there are different hoops and structures to hold your fabric in place while you embroider.

Embroidery scissors

Pattern (Optional): many thread painters use their own designs, but there are also patterns available for beginners.

Ready to Pick Up Your Needle?

Thread painting is a beautiful and rewarding art form. While it takes practice to achieve photorealism, the basic techniques are surprisingly approachable.

So why not give it a try? You might be surprised at what you can create with just a needle and thread!

[clove-pinks]

U.S. Government-issued sailor's trousers, hand-embroidered and made c. 1840. These were worn by saiIor Henry Vincent Gerrodette on special occasions during the Mexican-American War.

I would love to see more details of the embroidery, but the image in the Smithsonian online collections is small and low quality.

[skitch-lab]

Moon Elf-Priestess 🌙 Embroidered in silver shades

I'm obsessed with how this piece turned out! I embroidered it last summer and my goal was to simulate a pencil sketch by using different shades of grey threads.

I created an original character: an elf-priestess with a pixie haircut and two stunning earrings with moon phases. I love to add nature-inspired elements in my work so I added two twigs on either side of the figure and a few decorative water drops at the top.

Inspiration & Design

The idea for this piece came from my fascination with Fantasy and Mythology. I wanted to capture the ethereal beauty combined with firmness of an elf-priestess connected to the moon's magic.

To create the design, I started with a sketch in Procreate. This digital sketching tool is perfect for embroidery design process because it allows you to study the shadows and lights, define the lineart and also simulate the final effect with coloured threads 🤩I used a limited palette of greys to achieve pencil effect and a dreamlike quality.

Transferring artwork

Before stitching, I transferred my design onto my fabric (calico cotton, medium weight) using carbon paper. I usually just draw the main lines and then add the details with a pencil.

Thread Painting 🪡 stitching my sketch

Once I had my design, it was time to transform it into an embroidery piece! This is where thread painting came in. Using this technique, I meticulously built up layers of different greys to create a smooth, sketch effect. It’s a great way to achieve realistic shading and depth in embroidery 😊

What do you think? Would you like to see more celestial-themed embroidery in the future?

[skitch-lab]

Butterfly patch creation journey 🦋Inspired by Emily Ferris' Domestika course, I delved into an exploration of contrasting warm and cool hues. Initially, I incorporated black felt on the reverse for added thickness, but later opted to remove it 😉

[pinkyplushiemaker]

My Sunday project. I adore this man. I had a lot of fun making him. He needed soooo much embroidery.

[skitch-lab]

Love this so much! 🧡😃

[cherry-waffles]

Moisturize me

[skitch-lab]

😂💙

[irishbirdyneedleworks]

‘One Batch, Two Batch, Penny and Dime”

After weeks of French knots, Frank Castle is finally DONE!

My reference photo was from a sketch for a calendar cover from the 70s… Marvel museum exhibits are very useful for reference photos!

I would also like to mention as soon as they announced Jon Bernthal’s return to the character I about lost my mind. His portrayal of that character has so much meaning to me and they couldn’t have picked a better a person for the job. He does that character right.

[skitch-lab]

🔥

[skitch-lab]

An intriguing mix of painting and embroidery 🙂 I decorated this cotton pouch for a dear friend and it was one of my first embroidery piece! I used DMC cotton threads and various basic stitches, including stem stitch, satin stitch, and many more 🪡

- April 2023 -