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GOLDWORK
PLATE DESIGN
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Materials
used |
Plate Design |
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Goldwork
Sampler - Plate Design
Kits of Supplies
By
purchasing the supplies in a kit you will save money when compared
to purchasing the supplies separately as you will only purchase the
lengths of thread you require to complete the embroidery.
To
purchase supplies individually, click on the links in the list of Materials
and Tools at the top of the page, you will be
directed to the webpage where I sell the particular material. When
you have decided what you need you can place an order through my
order form or by emailing me direct. If you would like a kit
of supplies for the Goldwork Sampler (all four
designs on one piece of fabric), click
here!
Plate Design
Instruction Booklet (same instructions as above)
Plate Design Instruction Booklet $15.00 Canadian Dollars
Plate Design Kit Includes
Off
White Silk Noil Fabric 11 inch Square (27 1/2 cm Square) with the
Design Hand Drawn on
• Muslin
Backing Fabric
• Felt
with the Design Hand Drawn on for Padding
• 1 Spool
of Polyester Sewing Thread
• 1 Skein
of Red Au Ver A Soie Silk Thread
• No.
6 Smooth Purl
• Milliary
Wire
• Whipped
Plate
• No. 6
Broad Plate
• No.
1 Twist
• #14
Spangles
• 2 No.
10 Crewel Embroidery Needle
• 1 No.
18 Chenille Needle
TOOLS
AND SUPPLIES TO WORK THE PLATE DESIGN
Stainless Steel Tweezers with Precision Tips - Important Tool For Bending and Positioning Gold: $5.00 Canadian Dollars
Goldwork Pad 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch - To cut metal threads on: $2.50 Canadian Dollars
Beeswax - To wax and strengthen sewing thread: $1.50 Canadian Dollars
Goldwork/Snipping Scissors: $8.50 Canadian Dollars
9 Inch Stretcher Bar Frame and Thumb Tacks: $15.00 Canadian Dollars
View
the  Shopping
Cart
for mailing costs.
Materials
required
Materials
can be purchased individually by clicking on the links to see the
product information or by purchasing a kit of the Plate
Design or
the Goldwork
Sampler.
Fabric:
For all four designs you will need a piece of silk Noil 20 inch (50
cm) square. For the passing design alone you will need a piece of
silk Noil 11 inch (27.5 cm) square. You can substitute the silk Noil
with cotton velveteen fabric, silk Matka or any fabric that has a
closely woven pile and is fairly sturdy.
Backing
Fabric:
A piece of muslin fabric (100% cotton) to go behind the fabric for
added strength (same size as the silk fabric).
Felt:
Piece of yellow felt approximately 4 inch by 3 inch (10 cm by 8 cm)
for the center of the design and.
Thread: A
reel of yellow polyester sewing thread either Guttermans No. 850 or
Mettler No. 767 or match the gold to the closest yellow thread available.
Silk
Thread: 1
skein of red Au Ver A Soie, Soie D'alger No. 916 (3 meters is
required) to stitch the arms of the Plate Design. You can substitute
a different colour or different brand of silk thread such as Madeira
silk thread or the DMC floss.
Smooth
Purl:
8 inches (20 cm) of Gold 2% Smooth Purl No. 6 to work areas of the
Plate Design. You can substitute with Gilt Smooth Purl No. 6 or
Smooth Purl No. 8.
Milliary
Wire: 36
inches (39 cm) of Gilt Milliary Wire to outline the center and arms
of the plate design. You can substitute with Super Pearl Purl or
Pearl Purl No. 1
Whipped
Plate:
30 inches (75cm) of Whipped Plate to work areas of the Plate Design.
You can substitute with Gold 2% WM Broad Plate No. 6.
Broad
Plate:
30 inches (75cm) of Gold 2% Broad Plate No. 6 to work areas of the
Plate Design. You can substitute with Whipped Plate.
Twist:
3 1/2 yards (3 1/4 meters) of Gold 2% WM No. 1 Twist is used to
outline areas of plate and outline the inside of the Milliary outline
on the arms of the plate design. You can substitute with Gilt No. 1
Twist or No. 1 ½ Twist. You could also use No. 5 Smooth Passing.
Spangles
(Pailettes):
100 spangles (spangles are sequins) to sew on the design.
Tools
required
Tools
can
be purchased by clicking on the links to see the product information.
A
pair of embroidery scissors.
A
Sharp Pair of Inexpensive Scissors: for
cutting gold threads which can dull the scissors blades. The blades
of the scissors need to be small and pointed for cutting precision.
Tweezers: A
pair of very fine tipped tweezers used to bend and hold the gold threads.
Tracing
Paper, Pounce and Pricker: Further
explanation in 'how to transfer a design'.
A
stretcher bar frame: The
frame is made up of wooden bars that are sold in pairs, with the end
of the bars having teeth so that you can slot the bars together. The
fabric is pinned onto the bars of the frame using thumb tacks. You
would require a 18" stretcher bar frame to work the whole
Goldwork sampler or a 10" stretcher bar frame to work the one design.
Thumb
tacks: To
pin fabric onto the stretcher bars.
No.
10 embroidery needle and No. 18 embroidery needle.
Bees
Wax:
To coat the polyester thread before sewing down the gold threads,
helps strengthen the thread so that the gold is less likely to shred
the thread.
Preparing
the piece for working
Assemble
the stretcher bar frame and lay the two pieces of fabric over top so
that the muslin fabric is underneath the silk fabric.
Pin
the two pieces of fabric together onto the stretcher bar frame using
thumb tacks. Pin one side and then the opposite side so that both
fabrics are pulled at the same tension and there are no wrinkles in
the backing fabric or the front fabric. Pin the remaining two sides,
the fabric should be drum tight, with no puckers or wrinkles. For
further instruction of placing the fabric into a stretcher bar frame
go to the following page of my website: Stretcher
Bar Frames
Transferring
the design onto the fabric
Prick
and pounce method:
Place a piece of good quality tracing
paper
over the 'Outline of the Passing Design' below and trace all
the lines onto the tracing paper using a pencil.
If
you want to do all four designs on one piece of fabric then print
the actual size picture of the following page: Sampler
Diagram
and trace all the lines onto the tracing paper using a pencil. Use
the horizontal and vertical lines on the diagram to help position the
design on the fabric but do not draw the lines onto the fabric. |
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Outline
of the Passing Design
Actual
Size
Using
a Pricker
or a No. 10 embroidery needle, stuck into an eraser, prick holes
along all the pencil lines of the design at 1/8th of an inch (3mm
intervals). Hold the pricked design up to the light to check that all
lines have been pricked.
Do
not prick the horizontal and vertical lines on the tracing paper
with all four designs.
Place
the pricked tracing paper onto the center of the fabric. With the
tracing with all four designs use the horizontal and vertical lines
that cross in the center of the design to help position the fabric.
If
you traced the above design and you think you may want to do all
four designs later, but you are not sure yet, you can place the
tracing paper in the top right hand corner of the fabric. The center
of the design should be 7 7/8 inches (20 ¼ cm) from the bottom
and 7 3/4 inches (19 ¾ cm) from the right side. You can then add
the other three designs to the fabric later on, or stop after the
Passing Design.
Transfer
the design onto the fabric by rubbing pounce
(charcoal ground up into a fine powder) over the pricked design.
Carefully lift away the tracing paper; you will be left with a dotted
outline of the design in pounce. Draw over the dotted outline with a
sharp HB pencil taking care not to rub the pounce into the fabric
with your hand. When the pounce dotted outline has been drawn over,
turn the frame over and knock the pounce off by smacking the back of
the fabric.
Working
the design
Starting
and finishing threads:
Start the thread with the knot on top of the work in an area that you
are about to work. Work two tiny stab stitches about the size of a
point of a needle in the design, cut the knot off sheer to the fabric
rather than stitching over the knot (see diagram below). To finish
the end of a thread, turn the embroidery over and weave your needle
and thread through the stitches at the back of the work.
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Starting a Thread |
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Plate
Design: Padding
Felt: Sections
of the Plate Design are padded with yellow
felt,
this is to raise the metal threads that will be sewn over top.
Yellow is used so that when the twist is sewn over top, if there are
any gaps between the rows of twist they will be less noticeable.
Refer the diagrams below for the exact location of the
felt and the number of layers used.
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Felt |
Felt Padding |
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Using
the pricked tracing paper of the design pounce the center area, the
triangle area, and for the 5 round areas onto the piece of yellow felt.
Draw
onto the center felt piece the four shapes using
a permanent fine tipped marker pen such as a Sanford Sharpie)
and draw the two triangle shapes onto the triangle felt piece.
Cut
out an additional felt piece for the triangle at the bottom of the
design and trim away 1/16th of an inch (2 mm) around the edge of the
felt. Place the smaller felt piece onto the triangle area on the
fabric and sew it down with a single strand of the yellow polyester
thread in the No. 10 embroidery needle. Sew the stitches from the
outside of the felt and down into the felt at a 90º angle to the
felt at ¼ of an inch (6 mm) intervals for a length of 1/8th of
an inch (3 mm) and anchoring each of the points of the felt shape
(see diagram sewing down felt).
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Sewing Down Felt |
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Cut
out the other felt pieces and place them onto the pencil line on the fabric.
Sew
down the larger triangle piece over the top of the smaller triangle piece.
Sew
down the center piece and the 5 round pieces.
The
half oval shape in the center area of the design has three extra
layers of felt which are sewn on top of the felt piece already
applied. Cut out one piece of felt the same size as the shape drawn
on the felt, one 1/16th of an inch (2 mm) smaller and another an
additional 1/16th of an inch (2 mm) smaller. Sew down the smallest
piece of felt onto the center half oval shape, then the middle size
and finally the largest size. It is important to sew the smallest
shape down first so that the edges of the smallest shape is covered
by the next larger shape and so on, in this way there is only one
felt edge to be couched over with the plate rather than three edges.
Draw on to the top layer of felt the shapes on which he plate will be
worked in permanent marker pen. Sew a piece of felt for the center of
the shape on top of the three layers of felt to raise the center
shape above the rest.
Milliary
Wire Outlines
The
center area, the triangle area and the s-arms of the Plate design
are outlined in approximately 36 inches (39 cm) of Gilt
Milliary Wire. You
can substitute with Super Pearl Purl or Pearl Purl No. 1. The
Milliary Wire consists of central core wire, with a coiling wire
around it.
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Milliary
Wire |
Sewing
down the Milliary Wire |
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Triangle
Area:
Cut the end of the Milliary wire so that it is neat. Sew several
stitches over the end of the wire fastening it securely at the point
on the left hand side of the felt shape using a single strand of
waxed sewing thread in a No. 10 embroidery needle. The end of the
Milliary Wire is not taken to the back of the work so it is important
to sew the end down neatly and securely so that the wire coil does
not unravel.
Sew
the Milliary wire down along the edge of the felt with a single
stitch every 1/8th of an inch (3 mm) interval, positioning the stitch
so that it is sewn over the center core at a 90 degree angle to edge
of the Milliary wire. You may have to turn the Milliary Wire when
couching it down so that the wire coiled around the center core is
facing out of the design rather than against the felt (see diagram above).
At
the points of the felt shape use a pair of tweezers to help turn the
Milliary wire. Sew the Milliary wire around the entire shape. At the
end cut the Milliary Wire sheer to the beginning and neatly couch
over the end so that is securely attached and meets with the
beginning of the Milliary Wire. If the ends look a little uneven you
can sew a spangle over where the two ends meet.
Center
Shape:
The edge the center felt area is outlined in the Millliary wire in
the same method as the triangle area beginning at the bottom point of
the felt piece.
S-Arms:
The
s-arms of the Plate design are outlined with the Milliary Wire in
the same method as the triangle area, begin sewing down the Milliary
wire at the bottom of the s-arm.
S-Arms:
Silk Shading
Long
and Short Stitch:
The red s-arms of the Plate Design are embroidered in red
Au Ver A Soie, Soie D'alger No. 916 in
the method of long and short stitch.
First
Row: The
first row of long and short stitch is worked at the top of the
s-arm. Beginning in the center of the section to be embroidered, a
long stitch is made for about 3/8 of an inch (10 mm) long. The stitch
is worked from the inside of the section and down next to the
Milliary Wire (see diagram 1. below). The second stitch is worked
next to the first for a length of ¼ of an inch (6 mm) long from
the inside of the section and down next to the Milliary Wire outline.
Another long stitch is worked for the same length as the first stitch
and then another short stitch is worked for the length of the second
stitch. This stitch process is repeated so that both sides of the
section are embroidered, working the stitches as close as possible to
the Milliary Wire outline (see diagram 2. below).
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1. Long and
Short Stitch |
2. First Row |
3. Second Row |
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Second
Row and all Consecutive rows:
The second row and all consecutive rows are worked in the following
method. Bring the first stitch up in the center of the section, this
time bring the needle up underneath the long stitch in the first row
about 1/16th of an inch from the end of the stitch and split the
stitch. Take the needle down into the fabric about 3/8th of an inch
(10 mm) in the center.
The
next stitch is brought up through the short stitch of the first row
about 1/16th of an inch from the end of the stitch and is taken down
for the same length as the previous stitch but is taken down lower in
the fabric so that the end is off set from the first stitch.
Angle
the stitches so that they follow the s-shape (see diagram 3. above).
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4. Long and
Short Stitch |
5. First Row |
6. Long and
Short Stitch |
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The
third stitch will be worked in the same method as the first stitch
and the fourth stitch will be worked in the same method as the second
stitch. This stitch process is continued to the edge of the section.
You will notice that this time all the stitches are the same length
but alternate in position (see diagram 4. above).
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7. Long and
Short Stitch |
8. Long and
Short Stitch |
Long and Short Stitch |
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It
is important to split the stitch in the first row with the needle as
this will ensure that the long and short stitches will blend nicely.
If there are any gaps go back and fill them in before working the
next row. The stitches should follow the s-shape of the arm, it may
be necessary around the tight curve at the top and the bottom of the
arm to work the stitches smaller to enable the stitches to follow the
curve. See diagrams 5. 6. 7. and 8. for the angle of the stitches
around the curve of the arm.
Plate
Design: Plate Areas
Various
areas of the Plate Design are worked in Gold
2% WM No. 6 Broad Plate
and Whipped
Plate.
See
Plate Areas diagram below, for locations of the plate.
Broad
Plate
The
center shape (half oval) of the center area and the two triangle
shapes on the triangle area are worked in with approximately 30
inches (75cm) of Gold
2% WM No. 6 Broad Plate .
You
can substitute with Whipped Plate.
Center
Shape: Thread
up a single stand of the yellow sewing thread into the needle for
about 40 inches (100 cm) double up the thread so that the fold of the
thread is in the eye of the needle. Wax the thread this will give the
thread a smooth surface which helps prevent the thread shredding on
the plate. The plate is laid by folding the plate horizontally (back
and fourth) across the shape, beginning at the bottom of the shape at
the point. It is important to begin sewing the plate down at the
narrowest end or at the point as the plate is impossible to fold back
and forth from a wide end to a narrow end.
Lay
the plate horizontally along the bottom point of the shape. Sew a
stitch over the plate on the edge of the shape (see diagrams of the
first stitch below). Fold the plate back across the stitch just made
so that the plate is laying in the opposite direction. Sew a stitch
over the plate on the opposite edge of the shape so that the plate is
secure (see diagram of second stitch below) and then fold the plate
back over the stitch, laying the plate back across the shape in the
opposite direction again. You will have to slightly angle the plate
so that it is being folded up the shape rather than just going back
over the same spot, ensuring that there are no gaps between the rows
of laid plate and that the securing stitches are not visible.
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First Stitch |
First Stitch |
Second Stitch |
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Continue
sewing a stitch over the plate at the edge of the shape and folding
the plate back across the shape working up to the top of the shape
(see working back and forth diagrams). At the top of the shape cut
the plate leaving 1/8th of an inch (3 mm) extra at the end, fold the
end under and sew a stitch in the fold of the plate to anchor the
plate at the edge of the shape (see diagram sewing down the end of
the plate below).
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Working Back
and Forth |
Working Back
and Forth |
Sewing Down the End |
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Center
Area: Whipped Plate
Center
Area:
The two triangle shapes and the top narrow shape on the center area
are worked in approximately 30 inches (75cm) of Whipped
Plate.
You
can substitute with Gold 2% WM Broad Plate No. 6.
Triangle
Shapes:
Begin the triangle shapes on the side points, sewing down the whipped
plate for each shape at the point of the shape. Sew down the plate in
the same method as the center shape this time folding the plate
vertically (up and down) the shape (see diagrams below).
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Broad and
Whipped Plate |
First Stitch |
First stitch |
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Second
Stitch |
Working
Back and Forth |
Sewing
Down the End |
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Narrow
Shape:
Begin the narrow shape at the top of the shape folding the whipped
plate horizontally (back and forth) to the bottom of the shape.
Triangle
shapes:
The two triangle shapes on the triangle area are each worked
separately. Begin sewing down the plate for each shape at the point
of the shape. Sew down the plate in the same method as the center
shape this time folding the plate vertically (up and down) the shape
(see diagrams above).
Plate
Design: Twist
Twist:
3 1/2 yards (3 1/4 meters) of Gold
2% WM No. 1 Twist is
used to cover the felt areas around the plate on the triangle area,
center area and in-between the Milliary outline and the silk floss on
the s-arms. You can substitute with Gilt No. 1 Twist or No. 1 ½
Twist. You could also use No. 5 Smooth Passing.
Working
the areas around the plate:
Sew the Twist around the plate shapes so that all the felt is
covered, plan the best route by laying the twist around the areas
before hand, try to avoid starting and finishing the ends to often.
Leave
a 1 inch (2 ½ cm) end hanging from the starting point, using a
single stand of the waxed yellow polyester sewing thread in a No. 10
embroidery needle sew down the gold cord at 1/8th of an inch (3mm)
intervals (see sewing down twist diagram). Sew each stitch at an
angle so that the stitch disappears in the twist of the gold, give
the gold a little twist if the sewing thread is showing to hide the
thread then go onto the next stitch. When there is no more felt to be
covered in the area leave a 1 inch (2 ½ cm) end hanging (see
sewing down the twist diagram below).
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Twist Around
the Plate |
Sewing Down the Twist |
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Take
all the ends to the back of the work (called plunging) by threading
the ends into the No.18 embroidery needle and taking the ends to the
back of the work and then over sew the ends to the stitches at the
back of the work (see plunging ends and sewing down ends diagrams below).
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Taking an End
to the Back of the Work |
Sewing Ends to
the Stitches at the Back of the Work |
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If
there are gaps where the twist does not meet exactly, you can cover
the gap using a spangle and smooth chip as explained in spangle
circles instructions following.
S-Arm
Inside Outline: The
inside of the s-arm against the Milliary Wire is outlined with one
row of the twist covering any gaps between the Milliary Wire and the
Red Silk Floss. Begin sewing down the twist at any position on the
inside of the Milliary wire leaving a one inch end. Sew the cord down
around the arm, when you reach the beginning take both ends to the
back of the work and over sew the cord ends to the stitches at the
back of the work.
Spangles
Circles and S-Arm Decoration
The
round felt areas and the center of the s-arms are decorated with
spangles sewn in place with a Gold
2% WM No. 6 Smooth Purl chip
(bead).
Round
Spangle Area:
Each round area has approximately 11 spangles.
Thread
up a 40 inch (100 cm) length of waxed sewing thread into the needle
so that the fold of the thread is in the eye of the needle. Bring the
needle up on the edge of the round felt piece, thread a spangle and a
3/16 inch (5 mm) long smooth chip onto the needle, slide the spangle
and chip down the thread so that they are level with the felt, put
the needle back down through the hole of the spangle (see diagrams
sewing down a spangle below).
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Round Spangle Areas |
Sewing Down a Spangle |
Controlling
Curve of a Chip |
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Sewing
Down a Spangle |
Controlling
Curve of a Chip |
Sewing
Down a Spangle |
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Using
a Mellore or a pair of fine tweezers, place the pointed end of the
tool half way along the smooth chip, gently pull the thread back
through the spangle, curving the chip around the tool to form a loop
(see diagrams controlling curve of a ship above).
Bring
the needle up in place for the next spangle on the edge of the felt,
the next spangle should slightly overlap the first spangle so that
there is no gap in-between the spangles. Sew down the next spangle
with a smooth purl chip in the same method as the first, the second
spange should slightly overlap the first spangle (see diagrams
above). Continue sewing down the spangles around the edge
(approximately 7) and then fill in the center (approximately 3).
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Sewing Down a Spangle |
Controlling
Curve of a Chip |
Round Spangle Area |
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S-Arm
Spangles:
There are approximately 18 spangles sewn down the center of the
s-arm. Position the spangles using pins and then sew down the
spangles in the same method as the round spangle shapes using a small
smooth purl chip (see diagrams below).
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Left Arm |
Sewing Down Spangle |
Controlling
Curve of a Chip |
Right Arm |
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For
Instructions for each of the individual designs please click on the
following links:
Passing
Design | Heart
Design | Fleur
De Lys | Plate
Design |
