Arts and Designs
solo butterfly
Arts and Designs



Search for magnifier
Where am I :- Home

Submit Your Comments

Please enter your comments in the box below and then click the Submit Your Comment button and enter the anti-spam code when prompted. You can edit your comment subsequently. Comments which we regard as irrelevant may be removed without notice.

Goldwork embroidery is very dramatic and attractive. It can be used in more traditional designs for stylised pictures or by using the textures to give an abstract finish. Whatever you choose to do the gold enhances the work and produces a rich effect.

Goldwork can be used on any type of background material but if the background material is very fine, it is best to use a backing of cotton. Velvet can be quite hard to work on because of the difficulty in transferring the pattern and not all stitches are suitable. One way to get round this problem is to trace the design onto fine muslin, overlay it onto the velvet and work through both layers. When the piece is completed the muslin can be cut away close to the edge of the design.

Gold material is useful for covering large areas quickly. The raw edges can be hidden by laying heavy gold or by using satin stitch in finer gold or other thread. This is most suitable when the design calls for a flat area of colour.

Japanese Gold comes in various weights: Nos. 8, 9, 12 and 13, No 13 being the thickest. This is most suitable for laid work where the thread is not passed through the background, except at each end, but is fixed in place by other threads at intervals to hold the gold in place on the surface. This is called couching and the attaching threads can be laid regularly or in patterns to different effects. Clear or gold couching threads can be used if they are to be invisible or a similar or contrasting colours to the background fabric can be used. The spacing of the couching threads can also be varied to give the effect of shadows or surface decoration. This is known as Italian Shading.

Other materials can be used on the surface of the background fabric to pad out the area before couching and this can also be used to different effect.

Goldwork Couching - golden dragon ribs
String can be used at žinch (6mm) intervals to cover an area and then gold laid over at right angles. The couching thread can then be used to give different patterns by varying the spacing to give effects such as basket weave. In the illustration the couching stitches are used to give the effect of ribs on a dragon.

Felt can also be used for padding - to interesting effect. Use yellow felt cut to the outline required and then cut four others getting slightly smaller each time. Start with the smallest first and sew it to the centre of your shape with small stitches at right angles to the edge. Then attach the other layers in order of size in the same way. The gold thread is then couched over the raised area.

Other gold threads come in different textures and can also be couched. Finishes include Smooth Purl, Rough Purl, and Check Purl and each creates a different effect

Gold passing threads are available in various thicknesses. These can be used in the same way as embroidery cottons in the same stitches.

Silk or silk equivalent threads are also very effective in goldwork designs to add coloured detail. Beads or sequins are also frequently used.

It is worth experimenting on a small sample to try out the different techniques but goldwork should not be regarded as particularly difficult. Modern threads are reasonably easy to use and are becoming more readily available. Although gold (and silver) threads are more expensive than cottons, a little can go a long way and the effect is always worth the effort.

Comment
 
subdir=comment; advanced=false;

magnifier
Please wait ...

Arts and Designs

There are no items in your shopping cart.

You can add items with the Add to Cart button.

This window will close automatically in a few seconds.

Continue Shopping

You have already added this item to the shopping cart.
Please use the + control on the cart to increase the quantity.
Some items were already in the shopping cart.
Please use the + control on the cart to increase the quantity.
 (you must download some or all items of this order yourself) ?
 (you have chosen to download this order yourself) ?
 (this order will be mailed to you)
Change to Mail/Post
Click OK to remove this item or Cancel to keep it in the list
Click OK to empty your shopping cart or Cancel to keep it as it is
Sorry - your shopping cart is full so you can't add any more items.
We have only XITEMSINSTOCK in stock so some of your order may be despatched later.
Please contact us if you need more information.
We have only XABSITEMSINSTOCK available.
Please contact us if you need more information.
(incl. discount of XLINEDISCOUNT)
XTOTALDISCOUNT
You will now be redirected to PayPal's secure checkout page. This may take a few seconds to display.
You do not need to create a PayPal account to pay this way.
Please use your browser's bookmark button to add this page to your favourites.
You have selected one or more patterns that you must download yourself to your own computer.
IMPORTANT! Please read carefully the page that follows payment for the instructions on downloading (we will also send you an email).
Please click OK to confirm that you wish to proceed, or Cancel to return to the cart.
We regret this item is currently unavailable.
It is possible that someone else has recently purchased the last one.
Please select a delivery country before proceeding to checkout.
The shopping cart cannot be displayed - you may have an old version of cart software. Please refresh this page or shut down and restart your browser.
Important!Please click I am in Western Canada if you are in British Columbia, Alberta or The Yukon

Otherwise please click I'm Not in Western Canada.

Due to severe and persistent delays at the Vancouver Customs facility we have suspended deliveries to British Columbia, Alberta and The Yukon until a normal delivery service is resumed.

We are still shipping to the rest of Canada.

Dismiss

Due to technical problems with EU Customs systems, we have temporarily and with regret suspended sales to EU countries.

Please try again in a few days in case the problems have been resolved.

We apologise for any disappointment.

0.2
Your Shopping Cart ?
Arts and Designs
QtyItemTypeUnit
Price
Line
Price
Controls
X
 
 
Select Currency: ?
Select Delivery Country: ?
Proceed To Checkout

Your Purchase - Secure, Private and Fast

We offer a variety of secure payment methods for your safety and convenience:
  • Mastercard or Visa credit and debit cards
  • PayPal®, the world's leading on-line payment processor
  • Cheque Payment (£GBP only)
  • No-quibble money back guarantee
  • Telephone support in UK: 0207-100-3509
    in US/Canada: 206-886-0514
    International: (+)44-207-100-3509
Arts and Designs
  • "I have received my chart I ordered yesterday ,what excellent service 24 hour from placing order to receiving the chart. I will certainly use your company again and pass your name on to like minded friends. Thank you" - VB, Yorks., United Kingdom
  • "Dear Arts and Designs, Just a note of thanks and to let you know the cross stitch arrived yesterday (Thursday). It was very well packed and in perfect condition and thank you so much for your prompt despatch. Yours sincerely" - DS, QLD, Australia
  • "Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for the prompt manner in which you filled my order. I just ordered three more kits and I am sure this will not be my last order. Its refreshing to find a dealer that delivers exactly what is promised. Also the directions in the kit were very detailed and left nothing to guess work. Thanks again to my newly found friends across the pond." - MD, CA, United States

Happy Easter!

Please note that orders placed over the Easter period may be delayed by a day or two because of our carriers' Easter holidays.

Hide

Information & Resources

Show Prices in ...

x