Or, the benefits of actually reading your needlework library once in a while…
While working on the overhaul of the studio last week (I’ll post pictures in progress later – it’s actually coming along!) I was going through the bookshelves and happened to actually open and glance through one of my Erica Wilson books (realizing that I now have three different titles!). Anyway. In the midst of this wonderful old book (Needleplay) I found… instructions for transferring large designs for wallhangings. It’s a method I have never seen anyplace else, and it worked like a charm!
The gist of it is, use a permanent marker to trace your pattern onto net or tulle fabric (I used petticoat net, because the holes are bigger and the design was VERY large). Then lay or pin the net to the fabric, and trace the design again. I used the micron graphic pen, because micron ink doesn’t seem to bleed or fade when it gets wet…
It worked like a charm on the test pattern (which if it works will become the cafe curtain for the bathroom where the shower curtain lives. The extra lines you see in the flower are there because I tried to trace it using a window/light box first and failed miserably, despite the fact that you CAN see through the fabric, it just wasn’t working for me. The design transferred beautifully using the net, and I will use it for the shower curtain! Hurrah for no tracing, AND no prick and pouncing!!!
Note: Because the net is nylon, while the sharpie that I used to trace the original design onto IT doesn’t bleed, the micron pen came off the net and onto my hands while I was tracing onto the fabric. I soon learned to use a piece of scrap paper over already traced areas to avoid this. (Old calligraphy trick.)
Now that’s an interesting idea… Definitely worth a try on bigger designs!