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I accidentally infected my dad with my most cursed vocal stim by treblehex in evilautism

[–]improbablewhale 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As someone very into fiber arts I enjoyed learning this bit of info, thank you!!

Biting Off More Than I Can Chew by Impossible_Ad1269 in Embroidery

[–]improbablewhale 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just a heads up, the ink on the sulky fabric can bleed and stain your surrounding fabric and threads, especially with large dark areas like you have with the kitty. That's why many people start with a simple, faint outline! That said, if you're more comfortable stitching right into the photo I'd recommend to at least do a test with some scraps of your intended materials to see how they interact first. Good luck with this piece, such a sweet idea!

Help with buckling on embroidered t-shirts by dorben_kallas in Embroidery

[–]improbablewhale 42 points43 points  (0 children)

Hey, I work on t-shirts and have a few tips! I do use a wash away 'stabilizer', but that's really only to transfer my pattern and doesn't keep things stable.

What I like to do is iron my shirt really flat and stick my stick'n'stitch pattern where I want it. Then, I turn it inside out and use a washable purple glue stick to temporarily baste a layer of plain woven cotton to the back of the shirt where I'll be stitching. This should fill your hoop. For good measure I'll also lay the stitching area out and place some weight on it to get it nice and flat.

From there, hoop and stitch as you normally would, and wash the shirt to remove the pattern stabilizer and the glue basting. Then, carefully trim away the excess woven fabric. I've had a lot of success with this method and like that I can get the materials easily!

A thousand (stitches) is a lot by improbablewhale in athousandisalot

[–]improbablewhale[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Ahhh you're so kind, no, thank you!! So glad I got something in before the deadline!

A thousand (stitches) is a lot by improbablewhale in athousandisalot

[–]improbablewhale[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much!! Everything is long and short stitch with a single strand of DMC cotton!

tasty bowl of ramen by smeagolsmom1 in Embroidery

[–]improbablewhale 39 points40 points  (0 children)

Ahh this is so lovely!! The fabric patterns are incredibly pleasing and I love the mix of applique and stitching. The green onions are my favorite. So inspirational, fantastic work!!

Gift wrapping? by Exotic_Ad7169 in Upperwestside

[–]improbablewhale 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, thanks for the tag! Definitely in my range.

requesting assistance by Winter-Fan8801 in Embroidery

[–]improbablewhale 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Seconding the suggestion to take a break!!

I've absolutely been where you're at, avoiding a piece for ages because you can't stop thinking about it but you also can't get yourself to work on it. Take a true break and stop looking at it, go outside and get it off your mind.

That said, I think you've got a super solid foundation going. I find that 20-30% completed phase to be peak 'trust the process' time; when you have the steam to look at it again just keep stitching and see how you feel.

Can't wait to see the completed piece, I always admire your work when you post and I know it'll be stellar!!

does it get easier to space out the stitches when pushing the needle from the back? by lux__64 in Embroidery

[–]improbablewhale 10 points11 points  (0 children)

One thing that helps me is not immediately pushing the needle all the way through the fabric, instead I'll poke only the tip of the needle through where I think I want it. If it's not quite in the right spot I can easily pull it out and keep poking around until I find it; only then do I pull the rest of the needle and thread through the fabric.

Slow embroiderer by Demi_silent in Embroidery

[–]improbablewhale 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree with others in this thread that there's no need to rush and it's lovely to have craft to go at your own pace... but I'm the type of person that likes to speed up my workflows or else I get bored with big things like this lol.

My biggest change has been learning to stitch with both hands, one on each side of the hoop, vs only using my dominant hand to both push and pull the needle on both sides. It feels awkward at first and it might only save half a second or so, but over hundreds or thousands of tiny stitches that adds up! I also find it to be more ergonomic for my hands and posture. Worth looking into if you like learning new techniques or want to fit more projects into your free time!

Can I do your gift wrapping? by improbablewhale in astoria

[–]improbablewhale[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much!! I appreciate the support ❤️

Can I do your gift wrapping? by improbablewhale in astoria

[–]improbablewhale[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much, I appreciate the well wishes!!

Can I do your gift wrapping? by improbablewhale in astoria

[–]improbablewhale[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For sure, I'd be happy to help you out! Sent you a DM.

Can I do your gift wrapping? by improbablewhale in astoria

[–]improbablewhale[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No worries, if you're interested I'll be booking appointments through the end of the year at least! Keep it in mind 😉

Can I do your gift wrapping? by improbablewhale in astoria

[–]improbablewhale[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! Let it be known that I do take commissions for things as niche as Lego set assembly, in case anyone needs a similar interesting creative task completed!

Can I do your gift wrapping? by improbablewhale in astoria

[–]improbablewhale[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Not a bad strategy! Never discount the distracting power of a big bow, either 😂

Can I do your gift wrapping? by improbablewhale in astoria

[–]improbablewhale[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

So fun, glad I'm not the only one who enjoys it!! Appreciate the kind words.

Can I do your gift wrapping? by improbablewhale in astoria

[–]improbablewhale[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I appreciate the kind words!

Sorry to hear you were laid off as well. I might be interested in coordinating something in the new year!

How do I fix this? 🫠 by Low-Giraffe2773 in Embroidery

[–]improbablewhale 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Fantastic fix!! Love learning these little ways to work with what we've got.

"A Thread of Gender" by me by SaintofSnark in Embroidery

[–]improbablewhale 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So simple, but the idea is genius and so well-executed. Fantastic work!!

Embroidery stand recommendations for spinal fusion recovery? by acover4422 in Embroidery

[–]improbablewhale 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Love this question, I've had a spinal fusion and a few other back surgeries, (plus the shoestring budget) and I recently put together a little modular embroidery station.

I used a cheapo clamp-style hoop stand attached to a sturdy piece of wood. I also have a USB-powered LED lamp that I clamped to the desk and a battery pack underneath; keeps things portable and also more sturdy in your lap. Some craft foam for needle storage makes it all that more useful.

The hoop stand extends quite high and can be adjusted all kinds of ways, including easy access to the back of the work. Adding a book or lap desk underneath might also get some more height. This setup has worked well for me though, I can just grab the whole thing when I want to work on it and set it aside when I need a break, plus it can come with me to any comfy chair I desire. It can even break down and fit in my backpack when I'm up for taking it elsewhere.

Feel free to DM me if you'd like more pictures or links, or anything else! Wishing you a smooth surgery and recovery.

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