AUGUST
Tip of the Month
Ella Thorn did a fantastic demonstration on how she uses alternative techniques in her hooked rugs. She did a demo on standing wool techniques, including quillies, using the guile tool, sewing standing wool onto pattern backing, shirring and ruching.
In her Americana eagle rug Ella used standing wool with various quillies, shirring, applique and needle felting. Ella's inspiration for her alternative techniques all started with the book "Coil, Folds, Twists, and Turns by Tracy Jamar. Ella was impressed with this book for the mere fact Tracy was "teaching" the techniques with guided instructions and photographs to follow along.
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In the photos shown below, Ella is demonstrating how to make a quilly with a guile tool she purchased from Susie Simmons Basket Treasures. The tool has approximately a 2" circular base with 2 flat nails placed close together but just enough of a gap for wool noodles to fit snug. She aligned two colors of wool noodles approximately the same width but two different lengths, then she placed the ends in between the two nails and began spinning the tool to wind the noodles. When she reached the end of the noodles, Ella placed a pin through the quilly to keep its shape before she gently removed it from the tool. She encouraged us not to make the quilly any larger than the circular base or the quilly could get twisted or distorted.
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The next step Ella threaded a needle and stitched 4-6 "spokes" from the outside of the quilly, through the center and out the other side to maintain and secure the quilly's shape. "Now it's time to decide where you want to add a quilly and hand-stitch it to your rug." Ella reassured us that any visible stitches would be hidden once you hooked around the quilly's circumference.
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Shirring * Ruching * Felting * Chenille Yarn
If you take a closer look at the eagle's wings, Ella used a shirring technique to create a raised, wrinkled texture. She suggested to use a piece of wool about 2" wide, fold it in half and sew a running stitch in a straight line closer to the top of the fold rather than the middle. Hold the end of the wool strip in one hand and pull the thread to gather it with the other hand. A second method Ella showed us was to sew a running stitch in a zig-zag pattern to create a different look. Refer to the photos below.
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As for the eagle's body, Ella hooked her loops a little higher than the background loops, then snipped them. This area wasn't sculpted like a Waldo burrow technique, but closer to a proddy effect which projects yet another texture in her piece.
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Zig Zag-Shirring
Geometric-Shirring
Corded-Shirring
Running Stitch Ruching
Zig Zag Ruching
What is the difference between SHIRRING and RUCHING?
Shirring is a decorative gathering of fabric created by sewing parallel rows of stitching, often with elastic thread, to create a stretchy and textured effect. When shirring a piece of wool, it has to be folded in half (doubled over) with the raw edges touching and hand-stitched with needle and thread. Select whether you want to sew a straight running stitch, zig zag, curved or geometric pattern, etc. along either the bottom, middle or closer to the fold, then gather and tie a knot to secure it.
Ruching (pronounced "rooshing") is a French sewing term which means to gather, ruffle or pleat in a repeating pattern. This also involves using a needle and thread to create a textured, ripple effect to add volume and/or shape to your rug design, BUT this technique only uses a single layer of wool.
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Ella needle felted the olive branch and hooked a vibrant, red, chenille yarn within the coat of arms.
Quillies and shirring technique to create a flower.