Foil and Floche Count on Counted Work!

Hello all my lovely creatives! I know it has been a few weeks since I posted (I think?) but I want you all to know that I have been busy exploring and working on something secret that I will reveal to you when it gets posted. I can't wait!

So what have I been exploring? Well, how about working with foils and gilding flakes? Oh yes, I have been an admirer of foil for a long time and got to thinking about using it on one of my designs. Now I had a foil and the special glue for it, but when I tried to play with it, was dismayed that the glue was now a solid and not a liquid. I just got around this week to ordering some new stuff and got it in the post yesterday. Yeah! So now I am prepared to do battle with it! LOL!

 

 

 

All ready for gilding! Bring it on!

What is great about the foil and gilding flakes is that they can be used on fabric, and yes, paper too if you want to use that ground. You can use a little or a lot and they do come in a wonderful variety of colors to suit just about any project. I am looking for a somewhat subtle sprinkling of it on my fabric so it will be interesting to see if I can pull it off. Now something else that I ordered along with the necessary glues was a glue pen so if you want to write something on a project you can certainly do it with foil. In this case, "Foiled again!" is a good thing!

Fabulous Fibers - Floche -Not Just for Embroidery Anymore
When I first came across Floche I wasn't sure what it was really all about. It sounded like it was very similar to regular cotton floss so I was curious to see what the fuss was all about. I ordered a skein and that is all it took for me to fall head over heels for this fiber! Yes, it is more expensive, but if you want to bring true quality to your work, then the little extra is well worth the investment.

Look at how lovely Floche lays down and the
great coverage with two strands.



Here are the leaves on Ladybug Lake with that beautiful green
DMC Floche. Loved working with it!

My bag o' DMC Floche. This is definitely something to
use in counted stitch work. On my 14 count Aida it worked
like a champ. Such luscious colors too that coordinate with
the numbers of regular DMC Cotton Floss.

Floche is considered a luxury Egyptian stranded cotton floss that has five plies to a strand. It is pre-cut in lengths and ready to use. Now here is the thing about floche, when you look on a lot of sites they speak about using it for embroidery, not counted work, but I am here to tell you that you certainly can use it. It is a bit thicker than regular floss so your coverage is going to be better with fewer plies. I used floche on the leaves of Ladybug Lake and I loved working with it! It has all the attributes of silk (the sheen and softness) but without the extra cost. For me, it didn't twist up as much as regular floss either while stitching. Since this is a more delicate fiber, use shorter strands to keep it from fraying or getting fuzzy looking. Use a larger eyed tapestry needle too for less friction. Even though it doesn't come in as many colors as regular DMC floss, the array is good enough that you certainly can find a suitable color for what you are working on. I pretty much have every color and I intend to use them all! Don't be afraid to use this on your own counted thread project, I bet you will fall in love with it too.

Stitch Sampler Update
Since I have been working on this surprise secret, I haven't had time to work on the stitch sampler, although I am going to work on it this weekend. So next weekend I will have a new stitch for you.

Ladybug Lake
Likewise, since working on other things, this has not seen any recent action either. That will change next week too.

Stay tuned for more great stuff and remember to Keep Creating!

Thought Nugget:
"Colour is fun, colour is just plain gorgeous, a gourmet meal for the eye, the window of the soul.".
~Rachel Wolf