What is the most unusual material you have stitched on?

[shaidy]

I was wondering how far people experiment with their stitching - my sewing machine copes admirably with old drinks cans and plastics and I love stitching onto handmade paper, I am hoping you could share some inspirational moments with me. thanks :)

[sharonb]

I have stitched by hand on flywire net for screen doors, and shade cloth. It's very effective if not a little hard on your hands

[Myfanwy]

Dish cloths! Tea towels, polythene, flywire net is also a good support for flimsy fabrics. I've stitched on all of these by both hand and machine.

Myfanwy

[Myfanwy]

Oh, and I forgot about the potato sacks......

[Lorna]

How about recycled tea bags dyed then stitched into ......I also fuse stuff in between clear plastic then stitch..I have stitched into thin copper but never into drinks cans so I am going to try ........What machine have you got ? Lorna

[shaidy]

I have a Brother star 230E, a proper workhorse, bought to replace a Bernina (sigh)
If your using drinks cans, beer cans are better, bigger so they don't roll up so much!

[Hopscotch]

I've stitched heavy acetate with fibres in-between and then cut out shapes with a soldering iron, I've also used lumps of solder off the bathroom floor, as beads in an embroidery!

[Shelley]

Tomato puree tubes are good too (different brands are often a different colour inside) for hand & machine.

[The Ardent Thread]

Modern (late 20th century) Japanese obi. I'd almost rather sew leather than this stuff, but it make magically beautiful bags. My son and I found a 1955 Singer at a garage sale last summer and thanks to the old solid metal (NO PLASTIC!) Singer construction, that baby sews right through the toughest, thickest obi I've got.

[pam]

Hi Shaidy,
I have used baby wet wipes and also tumble drier sheets in my work and hobbies!
Also used Cd's.
They can be cut to shape like for example a heart shape. then painted, with a paint like Stewart Gill's then embossed with a medium next baked in an old toasting machine till soft and melted ( fused together)
With Baby wet wipes...wash the perfume out etc then dry, next make up some pva glue solution and paint on the wipes.
Allow to dry overnight. Then paint on them/cut out a shape/cut up fibres and scatter on the shape you have made.
Next step is to sprinkle embossing medium on the shape...then bake as above in toasting machine. ( take great care and use an object to remove the shape as gets very hot)
These lovely charms/shapes etc can be sewn through or used in jewelery making.

[Liz in Kansas]

Sounds very interesting, Pam. Do you have pictures posted anywhere?

[pam]

Hi Liz,
I dont know if I have any of these ''treasures'' left as I used for embroidery and beading necklaces.
I will take a look in my deep craft box lol! And see if I can find any to show.