Crazy Projects

Here is  something I have been doing recently 
...just because...  

  
...and to see what would happen if... !

Here is basically how I have done it.

You need:

Thin card, thin foil, used sewing machine needle, machine embroidery thread (dark threads, or ones with a great contrast to the foil are best...metallic ones don't seem to show up very well.), and also a small piece of card and bits of foil to trial stitches on.

 
I put my finished pieces in a card.
  
Click on these photos to see more detail.


More ideas...Another thing I hope to try is 
the metallic plastic foil like tea bags and 
crisp packets have. I also have some of the 
bombonere (sp?) pieces that you put sweets
 in for weddings. I had picked up some silver
 and some gold mesh ones in Holland one time. 
I think they would be fun to incorporate, 
as you could either sew some needle work 
on them beforehand, or attach things like 
charms to them after you have sewn them on.

A bit about problems: 

--I am still trying to work out how to keep from making "tracks" in the foil with my presser foot. My machine doesn't have a presser foot tension adjustment...But it does have the programmed stitches I  wanted to use. The tracks do cut down on the shine and the play of light on the piece, especially if you embroider all the seams and the middles as well. If I come up with a good solution, I will let you know. If you try it and have a solution...Let ME know!

--If you make a hole (like from a piece of your design that is too dense), cut another piece of foil and make a sort of a patch, only trimmed to lay flat within the line of the stitches you did on the seam. Put stabilizer, or another piece of card or paper behind the hole, and try another motif. If you use the same motif, it might cause problems, as the section of card is already weak from the first holes. If you rub the edges of the new piece of foil, it should mold to the shape of the first piece enough to be unnoticeable.

1. Using a method like crazy quilting, lay pieces of thin foil of various colours down onto thin card, and sew over the overlapping edges of the foil with fancy machine stitches. It is probably a good plan to use stabilizer. I didn't, but there were a few mends I had to make as a result. The type of foil I used is like that which comes on Easter eggs or the wrapped chocolates that come in the little boxes of choc., or even Ferro Rochereo (sp) You can turn the FR ones over, to have a sort of white coloured foil.

IMPORTANT: You must choose open stitches, or you will cause a hole...especially any sort of satin stitch.

2. After covering the card, choose some larger designs from the machine and embroider the patches. These have to be open designs as well.

3. Take the section of your card with the aperture and lay it over your work. Move it around till you find a part you like. Turn both over, and put a bit of tape on the edge of the work to hold it to the card.

4. Turn back over, and sew a decorative stitch along the edge of the aperture. You can overlap, or not as you see fit.

5.Turn back over and trim the work up to that stitching. Cover the back of your work with the card flap, or with another piece of card or paper. If there are any sections in the trimmings that look good, you can trim them to a nice shape and sew them to the piece that covers the back of the work first. Maybe you can even cut a piece with fancy scissors to glue to the back of the card.
(Don't sew it, as you need to write inside.)

And there you are! Have fun.