Kathy Barrick: Also.....

8:13 PM | | Edit Post

Today was a stitching day for me. I'm working on a sampler I designed and am having a ton of trouble getting the colors worked out. Specifically, I'm working on a house, didn't like the color I had used and decided to rip it out.

In the process of ripping, I accidentally cut the linen. MAN. It was a very small cut, maybe a quarter of an inch, perfectly vertical in the design. So, rather than start over, I decided to try to fudge it. Here are the results:

This first shot was without a flash and extremely close. It's pouring down rain here today, so my light isn't good. But, I'm sure you can see my accident.

Below is a shot with the flash:

Lousy photo, but you can see my mistake clearly.

What would you do? Would you start over? Once I finish this house, the sampler is done. Of course! I've stitched every other part. I'm thinking I could fix the mistake in Photo Shop so no one would ever know by looking at the cover of the chart. Trunk shows could be an issue though.

Any advice?

Thanks!

12 comments:

Anvil Artifacts said...: How frustrating! Of course it's the last part to be done. If the back won't show, What I've done in that case, is working from the backside of the piece, fuse a small piece of raw silk over the cut, using a lightweight, stitchable, fusible fabric adhesive. Sorry can't think of the name right off the bat. The threads will still lay correctly and it will be strong enough to support the stitching. Hope this is helpful.; June 6, 2013 at 9:29 PM
Carmen Sutton said...: Kathy you could take a linen thread from the edge of your fabric and reweave that little section. I would take out the few stitches involved reweave and then restitch. Or you could leave the hole, stain it up and say its and antique!
3rd option would be to send it off to a trunk show and then when you get it back say "Gosh what did you do to my sampler" (Option 3 is just a joke). I can't wait to see the whole sampler!; June 6, 2013 at 9:35 PM
gloriahanaway said...: Put a charm over it or what Carmen said! The charm is faster! Good stitching!; June 6, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Unknown said...: What anvil said!!! That is one of my biggest fears when I rip!; June 7, 2013 at 8:51 AM
Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...: accidents happen, life goes on.
me? I would leave it alone.
how many of our beloved antique needleworks have hidden 'mistakes' that we don't know about...it's part of their history ~ that's what makes handwork so initeresting to me...that human hands, usually those of a child or young woman, worked that linen & thread ~ the ones I love the most have a more 'crude' look to them...dropped stitched, missing threads, and of course holes from age.
I bought one a while ago that had candle wax dripped on it. It is a beautiful sampler and I treasure it.
mistake? accident? call it what you will ~ but I would leave it alone...
can't wait to see your new works, my friend ~ and we're getting a date ready for our visit!
blessed be,
lori; June 7, 2013 at 9:11 AM
Jodi S said...: I second Lori's remarks. I would leave it go. I can't wait to see the finished pattern!; June 7, 2013 at 9:44 AM
marly said...: I do what Carmen suggested. But you have that area stitched so maybe weaving that small spot from the back? Or push it back together and use a fusible interfacing patch.; June 7, 2013 at 12:36 PM
Anonymous said...: I agree with Lori - it just adds to the aged look we try to achieve.; June 7, 2013 at 1:38 PM
Ginger said...: Kathy, I think for right now you have done what can be one. If it happens again, what you "might" want to try is faux weaving of threads. It takes a bit of time (probably because one would be kicking themselves in the rear end the entire time) but it might make the area "ok." You would need to carefully reweave some matching thread (flower thread type stuff)onto the back to give the area support, and then gently stitch the area. (Sort of like when you got the wrong threads in Hardanger.); June 10, 2013 at 1:48 PM
Robin Hager said...: I would leave it. It makes it look more "vintage"! I have had to fix one before, and no one ever noticed. I am a true perfectionist, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do! Can't wait to see it!; June 11, 2013 at 8:10 AM
Unknown said...: I would leave but anxious to see what you decided to fo with it.; June 21, 2013 at 9:10 AM
Unknown said...: That's why you have someone else do your model stitching......; June 26, 2013 at 9:25 AM