Fondamenta Del Rio Marin, Venice

A New Embroidery

At last, I’ve found time to begin an embroidery I’ve been wanting to do since my October Blog. It’s taken from a sketch of Fondamenta del Rio Marin odel Garoti in Venice. As you will see, it still has quite a bit of work to be done on it. I thought I’d share it’s beginning stages.

Machining straight stitch around buildings and their windows.

Outlining using Straight Stitch

Firstly, I blocked the image with colours using Acrylic paint. Next, I used a neutral grey/brown coloured thread to outline the buildings and the windows with the straight stitch setting on my sewing machine. This helps me to secure the fabric stabliser on the back of the piece which was previously ironed on. I quite like the back of this piece, particularly the way the acrylic looks more like watercolour paint.

Sewing the window Detail

This stage is about creating the background for the main feature which is the bridge. I added the window borders with cream thread using the setting for Satin Stitch on my sewing machine.

Using Satin Stitch to create window borders.

Next, I added texture to the green window shutters with straight stitch and internal shadow to the arched windows with freestyle machine embroidery using a grey top thread and blue bobbin thread.

More shadow was added to the outside of window borders, columns, window and building ledges. This was done with a combination of straight stitch and freestyle machine embroidery.

Completing the Background

Slowly, the background is being completed by adding the balconies and their railings to the composition. The underside of the top balcony was given it’s shadow using freestyle machine embroidery. The scroll work inside the railings is still to be done. Once the work on the farthest building on the right hand side is completed, I will work forward to the bridge, river and the fencing nearest the viewer.

As I said in the introduction, there is still more work to be done on this piece. I’ll post the finished image on Facebook; Hungry Hector Textiles. Thank you for reading April’s Blog.