Couching is a technique where anything goes... well almost!
This week's finished
TAST square -
- started like this -
A short length of embossed leatherette lace, couched and anchored with herringbone, embellished with seed beads.
Scraps Noro Kureyon wool couched with 3 strands of embroidery cotton.
A piece of novelty ribbon couched with 1/8" satin ribbon - the couched stitches are narrower than the ribbon, making it gather.
A piece of silk thread - metallic ribbon - metallic cord braid, couched down with herringbone in 3 strands of cotton.
Couching stitches - straight, cross, chain and cretan.
Taken from the top - i) lines of perle cotton laid flat, couched down with beaded straight stitches ii) jute braid blind couched with a single strand of matching cotton. the orange strand is plaited into the braid. the flower embellishmnents are couched down with a single strand of perle cotton. iii) two lines of 1/8" satin ribbon, couched down head-to-tails with fly stitch in fingering merino (dream in color smooshy).
The dragonfly - golden metallic thread and textured silk cording, couched down with single strands of cotton.
Lines of fuzzies couched down randomly with a single strand of cotton.
I know I have a few friends who pop in here to see my work, so I'd like to share a few learnings :
i) Break your Rules - there is no "don't" in art, especially in crazy quilting. For example - i have a self imposed rule that i will use only the stitch of the week, resorting to the "older" stitches only if it is an intrinsic part of the design.
i broke this rule when, after couching the lace bars, i stitched down the edges with herringbone. But it had to be done in the interests of sturdiness. And then the little seed beads clamoured so loudly to get in the act that i had to let them!
ii) Remember Context - A piece of stitching may look too plain or too ornate to your eyes, but place it next to something else, and it sings a different tune.
Case in point - the Kureyon lines are very nondescript - boring straight lines in a drab color, with no "standout" features. But I like the way they look with the other over the top bits.
iii) Innovate - be ready to use all the tricks in your book. When the novelty ribbon wouldnt pass through the fabric, i just tucked the ends under and sewed them down. Same with the fancy braid. The ends of the cording on the butterfly had to be tucked under the body and the head.
A wee dab of fevicol held the flower embellishments on to the exact spots i wanted them on until i was ready to stitch them down.
iv) More does not always have to be more - i wanted to experiment with couching and the different stitches, but i didnt want to spend up all my edges on it. Solution?? - the little blocks in yellow and orange.