"Craftswoman for all hands": interesting needlework

The constant use of technology at work, driving a car, the frantic pace of life make women need creative unusual hobbies that help to realize their fantasies, take a break from monotonous everyday life, and create personal gifts for loved ones. In addition to the usual sewing and embroidery, new types of needlework are becoming popular, which come to us from Eastern and Western cultures. With your own hands, you can decorate an old chest of drawers using decoupage technique or create exclusive soutache jewelry. Let's take a closer look at the most interesting areas of modern needlework.

Encaustic

This hobby will appeal to women who love to paint. Encaustic is a kind of painting, only the role of canvas and paints is played by glossy cardboard and wax crayons. This kind of painting existed in the ancient world, when painted with painted wax on polished boards. In the drawing process, an iron is used to melt the wax crayons. Specialists use special irons, but a regular model is also suitable for home drawing. iron with a smooth sole.

Encaustic can captivate children and adults alike. Toddlers will learn to distinguish shades, adult children will be able to express their emotions on paper. Getting started drawing, prepare a sheet of glossy cardboard, wax crayons of different shades. Heat the iron to a temperature at which the pencil will melt on the sole, but the wax should not boil. Next, you choose a pencil of the desired color, melt it and apply it to the cardboard in the right place. After hardening, the drawing will have a peculiar relief with saturated colors.

Hobby does not require significant material investments or complex adaptations. You can buy wax crayons and cardboard at any office supply store. The iron can be used in the simplest and oldest model, inherited from your grandmother. Or buy a small road model. It doesn't require a lot of space when painting, and your hands and tabletop will stay clean. When dry, drops of colored wax can be easily removed from any surface without leaving stains. It will take no more than an hour to create small paintings.

Decoupage

If you love antique-styled things, then decoupage is a hobby for you. This technique can be used to decorate antique furniture, caskets, cutting boards, trays and many other useful things. Unlike many types of needlework, decoupage represents the optimal balance of beauty and complexity of execution. The very technology of work resembles an applique, but the finished work is covered with a layer of varnish. After that, it looks like a painted one.

The applique is made of paper, it is convenient to use special three-layer napkins for decoupage. As a basis, you need to choose a monochromatic surface, not too dark in color. Otherwise, the picture may lose brightness and clarity. For work, you need to prepare:

• Item for decoration. It is better to start working in this technique on wooden surfaces, then you can use glass, ceramic, metal objects.
• Decorative napkins for decoupage. They can be purchased in kits at specialty stores or in packs at hardware stores.
• Medium sharp scissors with rounded tips.
• Flat brushes for paints and varnishes of different sizes, from 1 to 2 cm wide.
• Adhesive for gluing napkins for special purposes or based on PVA. If the volume of work is small, then you can use acrylic paint or varnish for gluing.
• Varnish for finishing work. Depending on your preference, you can use a glossy, matte or diamond-coated product. Special formulations are colorless and odorless.

Decorated items are varnished in several layers, which ensures the durability of the decoupage. Cracking varnishes and paints are used to give the effect of antiquity.

Soutache

Soutache threads are silky twisted bundles. Soutache jewelry is an amazingly beautiful thing. In combination with colored cabochons, crystals, beads, they can complement everyday and festive outfits. When making jewelry, the soutache thread fits into fancy patterns and is fixed with monofilament. Next, the element is sewn onto a leather or felt base. Brooches and hairpins, necklaces and headbands are decorated with soutache embroidery.

For soutache embroidery, you can use ready-made photos or come up with a sketch yourself. The technique requires certain embroidery skills. If you own the skills of bead embroidery, then it will be easy for you to make an ornament from a soutache. Keep in mind that the soutache cord is a very delicate material. If you make a clue, then it will be difficult to restore the appearance of the product.

Quilting

Quilting is a kind of patchwork technique.

Unlike patchwork, quilting creations have a front and back side, between which a synthetic winterizer is laid to add volume. In addition, a stitch is used, it makes the surface of the products wavy. The country of origin of this type of handicraft is America. This technique was used to create bedspreads, pillows, and furniture covers.

The main one for quilting, as a rule, is a plain canvas, on which a beautiful pattern of colored patches is laid out. If the planned pattern is very complex, then it is first drawn on paper, then transferred with a pencil to the fabric. Next, a stitch is performed manually or on a typewriter. If it is made from the wrong side, then the product will be more voluminous. The seamy side of the product is not decorated. To create things using the quilting technique, you will need initial sewing skills, pieces of multi-colored fabrics for applique and plain fabrics for the base, synthetic winterizer, multi-colored threads, sewing accessories. It is unlikely that the first creation in the quilting technique will turn out to be perfect, but with training, you can create unique things for any interior, which can become a good source of income.

Scrapbooking

The term scrapbooking comes from 2 English words: bоok - book and scrаp - clipping. Needlework consists in making personal albums, creating collages, and decorating photographs. The hobby will especially captivate romantic young ladies who love to put their heart and soul into gifts and cute things for themselves.

The main creations in scrapbooking are:

• Postcards are the simplest crafts. They usually start to create with them. Various decorative elements are glued to the paper base: paper cuttings, feathers, beads, felt decor, polymer clay. The card is decorated with verses corresponding to the event. In this technique, an envelope for money can be made. These postcards are stored for years, they contain a lot of warmth and care.
• Albums for family or personal photos. They can be thematic: the first year of the baby, school years, graduation. As a gift for a guest from another city, you can make an album about the sights of your native land. The grandmother will be pleased with the album about her beloved pet.

Everything you need for creativity can be purchased at a specialized store. There is a large selection of scrapbooking papers, templates, stencils, diagrams and sketches. Custom-made decor can be printed independently on a color printer.

Carving

The carving technique came to us from the culture of the Ancient East. Cutting vegetables and fruits was used to decorate holiday dishes and everyday serving.

It will take a lot of time to learn the basic techniques of carving. There are special courses, video tutorials, master classes in teaching technology.

Shape cutting is performed with special carving knives. Some craftswomen use surgical instruments that have the necessary sharpness and thin blades. Any raw and boiled vegetables, fruits, berries are suitable for decoration. Chefs learn basic decorating techniques. Cut vegetables can be stored for several days, there are even special contests for carving masters.

At home, carving can be a fun activity for the whole family. Chrysanthemums from Chinese cabbage, flowers from tomatoes with cucumber leaves or whole pictures on watermelons will decorate your festive table.

Felting

The technique of felting wool, called felting, allows you to create various things: handbags, scarves, hats, jewelry, figurines of animals and birds, talismans... Created from natural wool, they will be soft and warm.

There are two felting techniques: dry and wet. If you plan to create a panel using a dry technique, then you need to put a sponge made of foam rubber under the felt sheet, and then the desired pattern is drawn with the help of needles. Small-diameter needles are used to obtain fine patterns; thick needles are used for coarse patterns.

Felting does not require large material costs, the cost of a set of needles and wool is low. It is not difficult to master the basic techniques, further creativity depends on imagination.

Topiary

The hobby of creating topiary has been at its peak for the past 3 years. Every woman who is fond of needlework has made at least one "tree of happiness", as topiary is also called. Decorative trees are made from various pieces of fabric and lace, floral organza, sisal, artificial flowers, leaves, cones, shells. It can be made from almost any material, depending on the purpose and style of the interior of the room that it will decorate. For the kitchen or study, coffee topiary is made, which have a stylish appearance and an indescribable aroma.

The basis for the crown of the topiary is a ball made of plastic or foam, a stick for the trunk can be cut in the nearest park. For planting trees, use small ceramic, plastic pots, glass vases, mugs, pots.

It is not difficult to make a topiary, on the basis of a fabric, sisal is attached with a hot gun. Topiary is fixed in a pot with a gypsum mixture. Even children will like this hobby, they will be able to realize their imagination and develop finger motor skills. Sale of custom-made topiary, brings good income... Such a gift will replace a traditional bouquet for any occasion and will not wither for many years.

Patchwork

The technique is a kind of sewing in which products are sewn from colorful patches. The result is a creation with new colors and decorative patterns. All shreds are sewn by hand or on a sewing machine, while the seams are located from the inside out.

Most often, this technique is used to make blankets and bedspreads, covers for pillows and chairs, and tablecloths. You can choose the right combination of colors using special computer programs, or using a color wheel. Precise cutting is performed with a special wheel cutter, laying out the fabric on the lining mat. Craftsmen use special metal templates with slots.

Various types of fabric are used in sewing: cotton, linen, silk, woolen. Viscose cloth slips, therefore it is used less often, it is obligatory to starch. If the patchwork product is planned to be used in everyday life, then the fabrics are washed before sewing to prevent further shrinkage. When cutting, it is important to take into account the direction of the share thread, the collection begins with smaller elements. The hobby is suitable for creative people, it will allow you to use all the scraps left after sewing clothes.

Sweet design

The creation of sweets is called sweet design. Most often, bouquets of sweets and baskets with sweets are made. For girls, dolls with candy skirts will be a wonderful gift. Such a bouquet can be presented to your beloved on March 8 or to your grandmother for her birthday.

To create a composition, use any candy, corrugated paper, sticks for stems, multi-colored films for decorating a bouquet, scotch tape, ribbons. First, the candies are attached with tape to a stick-stem, then they are wrapped in layers of cut corrugated paper. The result is a variety of flowers: delicate tulips, lush roses, bright lilies. The number of flowers in the bouquet can be chosen at your discretion. The shelf life of such a gift is not very long, it is not recommended to keep it warm.

Pergamano

The art of creating decorative elements from tracing paper or parchment using the embossing and perforating technique is called pargamano. Creativity came to us from the Middle Ages. In the modern world, it has become popular thanks to a resident of Holland, Martha Ospina, who created an international academy for teaching the pergamano technique.

For work you will need:

• grained paper, thick waxed tracing paper;
• mats for perforation and embossing, in the absence of special mats, they are replaced with a mouse mat;
• dots - devices with metal balls at the ends, which are used to burn out patterns;
• pencil sticks with needles, which are used to obtain perforations;
• small scissors with fine tips, tweezers;
• non-marking paper glue, scotch tape;
• transparent ruler;
• a board with stencils or a diagram.

If you did not manage to purchase special tools, then they can be replaced with knitting needles and crochet hooks, a ballpoint pen covered with writing, manicure dots. In the course of work, the tracing paper is attached to the stencil. Then the drawing is burned out and pierced through the holes in the stencil. The finished element is cut out and used to decorate postcards, gift boxes and other handmade items.

Amigurumi

The art of knitting or crocheting small soft animals and creatures similar to people is called amigurumi. Needlework came to us from Japan, where even children are fond of similar knitting. The animals have a cute appearance, a large spherical head on the body in the form of a cylinder, small limbs.

To knit amigurumi, you need to use a hook that is thinner than the width of the thread. The canvas will turn out to be dense, the padding will not come out. You need to knit a toy in parts, then they are going to be assembled. A spiral technique is used, the loops are added and decreased in the right places, there are no seams. If the toy is planned to be movable, then the parts are connected on a hinged basis.

It is better to start knitting with acrylic threads; experienced craftsmen can use any yarn. It is recommended to assemble the toy as the parts are knitted, it is easier to adjust the proportions. The animal is stuffed with synthetic filler: padding polyester, holofiber, padding polyester. The density of the stuffing ensures the stability of the toy; tweezers, toothpicks, knitting needles are used for thin parts. You can decorate the toy with beads, ribbons, beads, flowers. Do-it-yourself cute animals will not leave anyone indifferent.

There are many varieties of needlework. We have described only some of the directions. It is very important to create, it allows you to relieve stress, develop comprehensively and create unique things with your own hands.