Something from Nothing

I'm one of those people that doesn't like to throw any bit of my sewing leftovers in the bin. No matter how small the off-cut, how tiny the thread end, back it goes into the box. But now, I am vindicated!! I have found that they really are useful...

I've been doing my machine embroidery course for a while now and we are working more and more on our own projects, trying to use all the skills that the lovely Wendy has sweated to teach us. I am in a recycling groove, now that I have discovered that I can trap any old thing with the free machine technique.

Bits of old trims, felt, silk thread, sacking, even the frayed bits that get cut of the end of the fabric as you sew - it's all grist to my machine embroidering recycled mill!

I did a couple of things a while ago based on some Michael Miller fabric that I had left over which had birds and butterflies on it. Now there's no stopping me and I'm on about my 5th project all based around the same idea of reusing everything. 

On this picture I used some tiny  bits of chiffon and wool to make flowers and some bits of sacking made a nest and gave texture. Old leftover pieces of lace trim and upholstery edging all got trapped in the thread along with cut up bits of cotton and frayed ends from calico. The bird, butterfly and bunny are just cutouts from the Miller fabric, I trapped the edges and then outlined them.

I'm trying a bigger version now with a tree that I've sketched in and painted. I'm going to add text which I printed onto some linen for another project and was left over. It looks a bit sad at the moment but if I keep going I think it'll work if I keep adding texture. I've been overdosing on greens and browns, so this time I'm setting the challenge of filling in the sky...I'll post up a picture when I'm done.

Give it a go - it's very soothing to turn odds and sods into something new.