"Her embroidery was so finely stitched that her mother never feared to give her the gossamer fabrics, and with her to advise me quietly my stitches improved to the point where later my mother gave me grudging compliments." (Nerilka's Story p22)
This is a basic flat stitch, for which an embroidery frame is needed. When the stitches are in a straight row, they're repeated over the same number of threads. These must be parallel, and cannot overlap. On a canvas, satin stitch is usually worked over four threads to give a firm surface. Skill is required to produce the beautiful satiny effect, but this is a very versatile stitch. Stitches of varying length and shades produce the illusions of depth and distance. Satin stitch is also used in applique, and is best done with linen or sisal threads.
Quilts are much sought-after by the wealthy of Pern for their uniqueness, warmth and ability to cheer up a chamber with their colours and design. Various quilting patterns are unique to certain regions of Pern, although skilled weavers come up with their own.
The top fabric should be smooth and closely woven, such as fine and medium-weight cottons, linen and fine wool. A quilt pattern is more apparent on light-coloured fabrics. The backing should be the same as the top fabric if the backing is going to show. Otherwise it can be muslin or organdie. Cotton is excellent for batting, as is clean, carded sheep wool laid evenly, flannel, flannelette, old blankets, and domette, a wool and cotton mixture.
When quilting around designs on printed fabric, you must first baste the three layers together. Then start stitching at the innermost part of the design and work outwards, stitching along the edge of each shape. The little details must be worked at the end. When done, take each thread through to the wrong side and finish it off by working into the batting until the end is 'lost.'
When quilting on plain fabrics, you will need a paper pattern. This technique is suited to fine textures fabrics like pounded sisal, and looks particularly good on a simply designed garment, such as around the hem of a plain linen or sisal skirt, or to decorate a round collar. The stitching should be worked on the wrong side so the needle doesn't pull in the fabric, and to ensure that the back of the stitch (on the right side of the work) is perfect.
Stitching in white thread makes the pattern more destinctive. Scale, cable and wineglass patterns can be used, as well as hearts, flowers and other symbolic motifs. To mark the design on the fabric, draw around wooden or metal templates with a blunt needle (a sharp one may damage the surface of the fabric). The slight pressure exerted leaves a thin line in the cloth which is invisible once the quilting is completed. These marks also wear off when handled, so try to mark out as much as can be worked in one sitting.
A quilting frame is useful for very large items, or an embroidery hoop can be used. Another possibility is to quilt in sections or blocks, and then join them up later. This is referred to as 'lap quilting'.
Quilting with the running stitch is the easiest, but the back and chain stitches can also be used. Whatever you use, the stitch should be constant throughout the piece. Stitching through three layers isn't easy. Working stitches quickly comes with practice. Each stitch is worked in two movements. First, you take the thread from the top fabric through to the backing, and second, you return it to the top. All stitches should be as neat as possible. When running stitch is used, the stitches and the spaces between them should look the same on both sides of the work. With intricate patterns, it's best to use several needles, working a short distance along each line of the design to ensure the work is completely smooth. The edges of a quilt can be bound with a matching bias strip.
Patches can be of many shapes and sizes. The hexagon is the simplest to turn under and join neatly. The triangle and the diamond are almost as popular for patchwork as the hexagon. There are two basic kinds of triangle, the pyramid and the long triangle. The pyramid has a short base line and the two other sides equal, whether the same length or longer than the base line. The long triangle has its base line longer than the two equal sides. There are two basic variations on the diamond shape, the lozenge and the long diamond. The lozenge shape is made up of two equilaterial triangles, whereas a long diamond is the shape of two tall pyramid triangles put together. The octagon is another shape. It has eight equal sides and all its angles equal. Rectangles and pentagons can also be used.
Colour, texture and design are all important in the creation of good patchwork fabric. The colours and tones of the fabrics must be chosen carefully. If colour contrasts are wrong, the pattern will be indistinct. Groups of patches in a strong colour can look extremely dramatic and will stand out far more than single patches or patterned patches of the same colour. Some colours will be affected by others next to them. By using different colours and tones and varying the proportions used, a wide variety of effects can be achieved.
Colours close on the spectrum can make very pleasing designs. Or, some designs are worked in only two colours, one light and one dark. Mixing textures is a good way of adding interest to a simple design or colour scheme. Beginners in patchwork do best to limit themselves to just a few colours, as it is not easy to bring order and design when using many. It is tempting to use lots of printed fabrics together, but this can result in a confused look.
Many good patchwork designs are based on the careful planning of a pattern in relation to a background. The background is usually made up of patches in a neutral, or linking, colour used between the groups of patches which form the pattern. But patchwork can happily be combined with applique and groups of patches can be appliqued to a background fabric.
There are numerous ways of joining shapes to form exciting geometric designs. The rosette is a good basic design. It is made up of seven hexagons. A second row of hexagons in another tone or colour can be added to make a double rosette, and yet another row of patches makes a triple rosette. Hexagons can also be used to make border decorations and motifs for items such as valances or bedspreads. Ocean waves is a traditional border design.
Streak of lightning is a zig-zig pattern made from pyramids. Dog's tooth is a design using pyramids side by side, one upside-down, the next right side up, etc. Cotton reels is made with long triangles, sewn together to make squares. The whirlwind design involves arranging long triangles of two different colours in such a way that a windmill shape is created. The basket design is created by making triangles into separate basket shapes and then applique-ing them to a plain background, adding a matching base and handle to each one. The box design is made with lozenges, sewing the diamonds in groups of three to create a three-dimensional effect. The six-point star is also made from the lozenge shape, and the eight-point star from the long diamond shape.
There are also many exiting ways in which different shapes can be combined to create unusual effects. For example, squares added to octagons can create an attractive continuous fabric, whereas the pentagon is impossible to use alone.
Make each patch by pinning the shape template to the wrong side of the fabric patch. Fold over the turnings and baste. Remove the pin and join. Triangles and diamonds are slightly more difficult to handle than hexagons because the sharp points are more tricky to cope with. Cut triangular patches with one edge on the straight of grain. When cutting diamonds, make sure that either two sides or the axes are on the straight of grain.
As you make the patches, lay them out on a flat surface, preferably a soft board into which pins can be stuck. Use the patches like the pieces of a jigsaw, shifting and changing their positions until a good pattern emerges. Stick pins through the patches to hold them in place. A wrongly placed patch can mar the whole design, although it may not be obvious until quite a large section of the work has been completed. When joining diamond patches to make a star, it is a good idea to work the seams in toward the central point.
Patchwork can also be quilted. There are two reasons for working quilting on a patchwork fabric. Firstly, quilting a fabric adds warmth. Secondly, quilting throws the design of the patchwork into relief. One of the traditional methods of quilting patchwork is to outline the patchwork patterns with small running stitches worked in two movements. It is quite feasible to work small pieces in the hand working from the centre outward. Large quilts are best worked in a frame.