Friday, March 12, 2010

How To Construct a Time Traveler's Machine


If you haven't read yesterday's comments about how to attach the door to the front of my Tardis, please go do so. There are a lot of great ideas folks contributed to the construction project!  You can find the Comments link at the bottom of each day's posting after the date. Just click on Comments and you can see what readers have said in reply to a posting.

I decided to use the wired stumpwork technique the Needleart Nut describes on her blog.  She's making leaves and flower petals and her fabric is different but the principle is the same.
http://needleartnut.blogspot.com/

The photo above is extra light so that you can see the wires poking out of the top and bottom edges of the separate door section.  I cut a length of size 28 beading wire that would allow a 2 inch tail on each end, bent it into a C shape, then attached it around the top, left side and bottom of the door with buttonhole stitch, using #12 cotton perle from DMC in the same blue as the cotton floss and #8 cotton perle I've used elsewhere.  If I manage it right, I can slip the door wires through the main canvas and secure them on the back side to have a door that opens.  But there is a long way to go before I get to that point and there are details like how to stitch the door handle, if a magnet will work to close the door, what to back the rear side of the door with, etc.  These are all problems we'll have to tackle but not today.


I should mention I left the #8 perle guidelines of the door in place and also buttonholed over them as well as the wire.  I want my door to have a raised edge.  I will have to outline the other door on the front the same way but there won't be wire there as the left side door doesn't open as Dr. Who #10 demonstrates above.

Last night I also covered some of the vertical outlines with 6 plies of my DMC cotton floss (#798) to make the edges of the Tardis.  The middle division line on the partly visible left side of the Tardis  is thinner than the two front corners of the Tardis.  I didn't use more cotton floss on the front corners--I just laid two more lines of #8 cotton perle there, then covered all the lines with six plies of my cotton floss.  You can see the three foundation threads on the right corner which isn't finished.  I realized that the foundation threads weren't quite straight last night and will have to pull them out again and start over.

Looks like if you have 5-6 inches of lines, it is smart to either tack them down or do them in sections so that they don't wiggle out of line.  I don't want to pull out and restitch the foundation lines in sections as those breaks might show when the DMC cotton floss covers them so I'll pull out the covering threads and then tack down the foundation perle cotton threads in a couple of places to make sure the right corner doesn't lean.

I'm also planning to buttonhole around the left door on the front.  Hopefully I can get all that done by tomorrow.  Buttonhole stitch takes a while if you want each stitch to be even.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

4 comments:

NCPat said...

Outstanding! See how easy it is to do stumpwork? BTW I should also say the buttonhole stitch is because it will hold the canvas in place when you cut it out. I would use a chiffon to back with as it is really light but will cover the stitches. Applauding here in the mountains!

The Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure said...

Chiffon? That's not a bad idea. Does it fray on the edges, Pat? I was thinking Ultrasuede as I knew it would not unravel at the sides but chiffon sounds better.

NCPat said...

No, not really. I press the piece with the fold to the inside and then whip stitch it in place. It is really light and also shiny so if it shows it will add to the ornament.

The Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure said...

Thanks, Pat. I do have some pale green chiffon here. I also might be able to find other colors at Joann's Fabrics. That sounds like something they might actually have.

I'll look into it as I am over near Joann's. Appreciate the tip!