Embroidered Postcards 2021
Thank you very much to Deb for leading us on how to make embroidered postcards. The links here: Embroidered Postcard Instructions contains Deb’s detailed instructions. This programme will run from February through to May.
Like the Embroidered Boxes programme, some of the members have experience in making postcards. However, there are several of our members who have limited, or non-existent, experience. Below are pictures of completed postcards, along with stories from the creators.
I did a lot of needle felting of pieces of felt, fabric and wool together, then I used straight stitches to anchor the buildings and to create movement in the water, plus to anchor the grasses. The grass stems are straight stitch with either french knots or bullion stitches to indicate the seeds. French knots and bullion knots were used to create the pebbles on the ground, although they may not be very visible due to the colours used. I wanted to keep them subtle so they didn’t compete with the grasses, but add texture and depth. Some of the longest grasses have a straight stitch across the stem to hold them in place. More straight stitch was used to create the far shoreline, to add shadow to the rocks, to seat the rocks into the water, as well as to add shadow at the base of the land rocks. Stab stitches were used to create shape and texture in the large rocks. I zig-zagged around the outside.
I combined this challenge with a colour challenge for another group. Chose 6 colours (though I cheated and used variegated Valdani) from the picture and then did it on faded denim.
The backing is just cotton fused to the embroidered denim so it’s not very rigid. It’s called “All you can see is the sea”, as the blue sea rather predominates.