(Changing the date of this post from its original 1/22/2009 to today so that it moves up in my list since folks have been asking for this info rather a lot lately! Part 1: Prepping the fabric Irish Dance dress embroidery…nowadays there is no clear cut definition of what this should look [...]
Taoknitter Arts Online Store
To see what’s available for purchase, head on over to the webstore!
Taoknitter Arts: Irish Dance Dress Design & Embroidery
And as always, you can see what else is available by perusing the pics on Flickr: Taoknitter’s Flickr stream. If you see something you want, just email me!!
New Dress, etc…
Another new dress, this one made by Mary Jo Farr of Trefoil Designs.
I did the embroidery, fooling with the design to get what MJ wanted. This is one of my designs, a diagonal (obviously), based on TA-AD 1. I will get it up in the store soon, but as usual, if you want it sooner rather than later, email me.
I love doing these dress, MJ!! This is one of the prettiest we have done yet!
Also have the first ribbon bodice digitized. This can be either a stitch fill or an applique. I will get it in the store, but it is available sooner if you want it.
To be digitized: Susan Gowin
To be digitized: Susan Gowin, a set on Flickr.
I have put pics of new designs by Susan Gowin on Flickr. Most of these are not digitized yet, but if you see something you want, please just let me know and I will get it done! Email me at taoknitter@gmail.com.
Taoknitter Arts Designs: Susan Gowin
There are currently 2 design sets from Susan available on Taoknitter Arts: Irish Dance Dress Designs & Embroidery. Click anywhere below to get to a page of dress ideas. Please keep in mind that I am still available to help you create your dream dress in any way I can! More designs are on the way!
Taoknitter Arts Designs: Ann Donahue
There are currently 2 design sets from Ann Donahue available on Taoknitter Arts: Irish Dance Dress Designs & Embroidery. Click anywhere below to get to a page of dress ideas. Please keep in mind that I am still available to help you create your dream dress in any way I can! More designs are on the way!
Taoknitter Arts Designs: Terri Epperson, Majestic Dress Designs
Dressmaker & Embroiderer: Terri Epperson, Majestic Dress: Custom Irish Dance Dresses
Embroidery Designer & Digitizer: Me
Just wonderful, Terri!!
New things are happening!
Mar 13
Slowly but surely, yes, new things are happening. I decided last year that I needed to make Taoknitter Arts designs available for automatic purchase and download…and the site is up! Little did I realize what an extreme undertaking this was going to be! The sheer time involved in just getting designs ready, converted and then [...]
Custom Applique Patches
I have yet to meet a design that cannot be made into an applique!!! Many clients who inquire about them will end up sending the fabric for me to embroider directly on which is a bit cheaper than having me make the appliques, but some want the appliques so they can change their mind about placement if they want while others want the appliques first so they can design around them! There are times when placement of a separate applique is simply easier for some than lining up the fabric (like a skirt) in the hoop.
The slide show above shows some of the applique patches I have made for others as well as for my own work. I have also made patch files for other dressmakers that also come with directions for making and applying them.
So, whether you want patches made for you or want to make your own, it can be done. For more info, please write to me at taoknitter@gmail.com .
Satin Stitch Lattice Tutorial
Nov 27
This gallery contains 13 photos.
(The author of this post, Paddy Kelleher, has graciously allowed me to post this tutorial which is fantastic. Thank you, Paddy!) For this embroidery I consulted the talented Summerset. She uses a lot of lattice in her wearable art pieces so I asked for some advice, which she graciously provided. Lattice satin stitch all-over embroidery [...]
Reproduction Dress Finished!
Here is the reproduction of a hand embroidered dress that I was privileged to work on with Colleen Murphy and Kristine Baker. Colleen makes the most wonderful American Girl Irish dance dresses, and she asked me to digitize the embroidery from photos of the original, human-sized dress. Kristine Baker crocheted the collar, which Colleen says is a beautiful, perfect replica of the original.
And here is the owner of the original dress IN the dress (I am SOOO impressed) with the doll dress. I cannot stop looking at this pic!!
I have been researching the Book of Kells lately, and having now seen the sources of the images on the dress, I am in awe of the work the original embroiderer did. Spectacular!
Thank you so very much for letting me be a part of this, Colleen!!!
You can read more about the adventure here: Newest Endeavor and Reproduction Dress Test as well as on Colleen’s site, Murphy Dresses.
Embroidering on Cranky Velvet
Sep 14
A client sent me fabric to embroider. Velvet. I have not met a velvet I cannot embroider…until now. I have worked with a huge array of different stretch velvets, microfiber velvets, cotton velvets, very plush velvets, silk velvets (my least favorite for embroidering, let alone sewing no matter how beautiful it is), and the longest haired velvet [...]
Using Sticky-back Stabilizer
Jun 11
If you look online for tutorials involving sticky stabilizer, you are told to cut your length of the stabilizer and then put it, paper back and all, into the outside hoop. You are then told to score an area and pull off the paper to expose an area that you can adhere your fabric to. I [...]
Making Soft Appliques Patches
Jun 8
(There is some good background info here: Pursuing the Perfect Embroidery Stitch-out.) There are online tutorials that show how to use the water-soluble stuff called Badgemaster. I love the stuff for patches that can be washed. Patches for Irish dance dresses are very often made with fabrics that cannot be washed, so this is another approach. [...]
Waxed Paper!!!!
May 15
So there I was, working on some shawl patches for a client. Beautiful silk velvet…I would be happy in silk velvet sheets. I was using the sticky back stabilizer in my hoop because these are patches, so everything was prepped the way I always do, the topper was doubled, all was basted into place…and 20 [...]
