Crayon tinting: a how-to-guide for embroiderers

Here’s a little guide to adding some extra “oomph to your stitcheries” from Lauren Brandy over at Pimp Stitch.

 You’ll need:

• design for stitching
• fabric (preferably a tight-weave cotton) larger than your image
• assorted coloured Crayola crayons (other brands may not work as well)
• extra fabric for padding
• iron
• embroidery floss
• needle
• embroidery hoop

Instructions:

• Pre-wash your fabric to remove sizing, plus the colour will adhere better to washed fabric. 
• Transfer your design to fabric, tracing with a pencil or using a transfer pen or carbon paper. Make sure your lines are well defined because they will determine the outlines for your colouring.  
• While some sites recommend fusing your fabric to a stabilizer or freezer paper to make colouring easier, Lauren chooses to add a few layers of fabric underneath as padding and puts them all in an embroidery hoop. The padding will also help to reduce any hard marks or streaks when it comes to colouring. She suggests that if you need a harder surface in order to colour, you could always put a solid object underneath and move it around to provide resistance as needed.
• Using gentle, one-way strokes, apply colour. Layer on colour until you are happy.
• When you're done colouring, take your fabric out of the hoop and sandwich it between two layers of paper, back side up. Iron with a warm iron. The paper will absorb the excess melted crayon, preventing your ironing board from getting all icky.  
• Once set and cool, put your coloured design back in the hoop and start stitching! It's recommended to hand wash embroideries with crayon tinting to keep the colours from fading. 

Helpful hints from the expert:

• When tracing your pattern onto the fabric, be sure to use a line that will be darker than your colouring so you'll be able to follow it when you're ready to stitch.
• Make sure to use crayons that have clean tips. You might, otherwise, end up with a splotch of green on a flesh-coloured leg.

While you’ll have to raid the kid’s school bag for some crayons, you sure to find all the fabric and thread you’ll need for this project and others at Fabric and Textile Warehouse. Give us a call on our Golden Number 0861 322 839 | 0861 FAB TEX to find out more about what’s in stock and on special. You can also take a peep at our ONLINE CATALOGUE when you click here.

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