(See earlier posts on the quilt for Marcel's kid if you're wondering
what sewing information is doing on the dog group. Or email me, and
I'll send you the details.)


I've gotten 3 questions about these techniques so I thought I'd answer
to the group.


Here's one way to do it. Look in the children's section of a bookstore
or toystore and buy a coloring book. Choose a pattern you like,
probably of a dog. If the size isn't right to fit in the 8", you might
have to go to the copy shop to have it enlarged or reduced to make it
fit. Rip out the page and tape it to the window. The idea is to get
light behind it. A lamp under a pane of glass would do the same thing,
but not all of us have that. Put your light blue, 100% cotton fabric on
top of the pattern and trace with a sharp pencil.


Now buy embroidery thread in the colors you'd like to use. You'll also
need a small hoop that holds the fabric flat and taut while you're
working on it and an embroidery needle. An embroidery needle is fairly
large and has a large eye which holds the fatter thread.


If you like, you can get a book of embroidery stitches. The advantage
is that you won't be reinventing the wheel and trying to learn all of
this from scratch. The disadvantage is that it might put you in mind of
having to get it "right" when really the idea is to get the colored
thread where you want it and in a way that it won't all unravel.
There's no wrong way to get the thread in the fabric so invent your own
stitches.


Challenge yourself as long as you're having fun. Do something easier
the moment you reach the frustration point.


--Lia