Waste Canvas

Hi all,
I've come out of lurkdome to ask a question. I've never worked with waste
canvas before, but I bought some of it about a month ago. I cut
out a piece of blanket cloth for a bag I am making. Then I traced a design
outline on the waste canvas, laid it on the blanket cloth, and stitched my
design. However, when I was finished stitching, I tried to pick the waste
canvas out via tiny scissors & tweezers. But there was no way those canvas
threads would come out of there. The embroidery stitches I had put in were
holding the waste canvas in place. By the time I was done with it, I'd lost
10 lbs. in sweat alone and my little bag was ruined because some of the
embroidery stitches had caught on the canvas and been pulled out with the
canvas itself.

Is there a trick to using this waste canvas or did I just have my embroidery
stitches in too tight? Any help VERY MUCH appreciated!

Maureen

Maureen In Vancouver, B.C.

--
Maureen Miller
Http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...5909&members=1
http://www.shorei-kancanada.ca/

Oh, Maureen. What a wretched experience. Tia Mary graciously provided
me with an essay on how to use waste canvas. At the end of the article
it gives approaches to removing it once the embroidery is finished.
http://heritageshoppe.com/heritage/e...stecanvas.html

But all of that aside, it doesn't fix the current problem nor address
your anguish. I'm so sorry you had this difficulty. Are you able to
restitch some areas?

Were you stitching on blanketing (as in thick blanketing used often in
"Inspirations")? Isn't the recommendation to use netting to transfer
the design? I've never done it, but I've heard rave reviews for the
technique.

Dianne


Maureen In Vancouver, B.C. wrote:
Hi all,
I've come out of lurkdome to ask a question. I've never worked with waste
canvas before, but I bought some of it about a month ago. I cut
out a piece of blanket cloth for a bag I am making. Then I traced a design
outline on the waste canvas, laid it on the blanket cloth, and stitched my
design. However, when I was finished stitching, I tried to pick the waste
canvas out via tiny scissors & tweezers. But there was no way those canvas
threads would come out of there. The embroidery stitches I had put in were
holding the waste canvas in place. By the time I was done with it, I'd lost
10 lbs. in sweat alone and my little bag was ruined because some of the
embroidery stitches had caught on the canvas and been pulled out with the
canvas itself.

Is there a trick to using this waste canvas or did I just have my embroidery
stitches in too tight? Any help VERY MUCH appreciated!



--
Embroidery Discussions at http://www.heritageshoppe.com/forum

Maureen In Vancouver, B.C. wrote:
...... Is there a trick to using this waste canvas or did I just have my embroidery
stitches in too tight? Any help VERY MUCH appreciated!

Maureen


As Dianne posted, she has my "essay" on working with WC available at
her website. I did want to post two tips that are of *prime* importance
when working with Wc and can't be reiterated too often.
FIRST -- be careful not to pierce your WC threads with your
embroidery floss. Once you do that, the only way to remove the WC
threads is to cut them right up next to the stitch that is holding it to
the ground fabric.
SECOND -- it's easiest (IMNSHO) to completely wash and dry the
*finished* project before trying to remove the WC threads. Washing &
drying removes all of the sizing that stiffens the WC fabric and the
threads are just a lot easier to remove. A lot of instructions will
tell you to thoroughly wet the stitched design area and underlying WC
and then remove the threads while still wet. YUCKY, YUCKY, YUCKY -- LOL
-- this leaves you with a bunch of squishy sizing stuff sliming up your
WC threads and you still have to wash the piece once the threads have
been removed!! CiaoMeow ^;;^

PAX, Tia Mary