BERNINA Corporate Blog -
A textile bowl using decorative and free motion stitch.
Bernina B720
Textile bowl on my Bernina B720
Having been operating my Bernina B720 for a couple of months now I am beginning to play with the possibilities she offers me.
I am a free motion textile artist mainly using straight and zig-zag stitch. Now I have my new machine I like to play with what it has to offer and how this can be incorporated into my free motion textile art work.
I am sharing with you a project that you can make or just enjoy the process and it was an experiment for me in combining techniques on water soluble fabrics. This is a pictorial project with instructions.
The finished textile bowl has many decorative uses .
Materials for a textile bowl
- Water soluble stabilizer
- Sticky sided water soluble stabilizer
- yarn, thread, fibres
- Rayon machine embroidery threads
- Fabric stiffner
- Quilting Foot #29
- Straight stitch
- Stitch patterns 738 and 742
Define the size of your textile bowl
Mark around the size of your bowl directly onto water soluble stabilizer.
Measure from the center of the bowl to the outer edge or lip. Then mark this distance form the center of your original circle.
You now have the size of your stitch area.
Creating a base
Lay your decorative fibres and yarns on the surface of the water soluble stabilizer. Then place a similar sized sticky backed water soluble stabilizer on the top of to hold all the fibres in place ready for sewing.
My first layer of stitching I use stitch number 738. It is important when working in this lace technique that your stitches interlock, so the stitch holds its shape after disolving the stabilizer. You might want to test this first before you make your bowl.
Sew a spiral pattern with your decorative stitch, starting from the center of your bowl.
After the first layer of stiching, place the circle of water soluble stabilizer over the original bowl and shape it by making tucks/darts to create the 3-dimentional shape of the bowl. You can also do some hand stitches if you want to avoid using pins.
Shaping the textile bowl
I cut shaping darts out of the water soluble stabilizer and place some sticky sided water soluble stabilizer behind the cut outs, bringing the cut edges back togehter again.
Using my Quilting Foot #29 I stitch a circular pattern to interlock all the stitches you can see this pattern in the green thread. I have left the sewing machine set to decorative stitch mode 738 to be used in a free motion technique which gives it a lovely wiggly line.
Again I place the stitched water soluble stabilizer over the bowl for snug shaping and use darts to hold the shape firm. This time I do not cut the dart shapes.
Finishing the textile bowl
I secure the edge of the bowl with a circular motion stitching very close together and then run stitch lines through the decorative stitch and body of the bowl.
To prepare your bowl for shaping after washing out the stabilizer, take the original blow and a work board, and cover them in plastic kitchen wrap.
Wash out the water soluble stabilizer in warm water until just about all or all the sticky feel has gone.
Place the wet lace work over the bowl and shape.
When satisfied of the shape, paste a fabric stiffer over the lace work. I used watered down PVA glue. 
You can see in this closeup the decorative stitches and how they add a wonderful texture to the completed bowl.
Once the bowl was dry and I had played around with a few ideas, I added some gold rub to the edge and hand stitched french knots using hand dyed threads and some sari ribbon ties.
A textile art bowl to keep or gift
With a candle for a beautiful light.
I am in love with the flickering light pattern on the table from the dancing flame. To be save, do not add a candle into this bowl without a protective glass.
The finished textile bowl has many decorative uses. Here I added the bowl which served as a base and added flowers. Get creative and make your own version!
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