Machine Embroidery Reta (V.3) – Black

 

Black machine embroidered Italian Reta

Back in 2014 I made a Reta – a netted headdress in the style of 1480s Florence paintings. I didn’t do it as a knotted net, but rather couched trim onto a wash-away stabilizer base, and then dissolved the base. While I DO have a knotted version in my work-in-progress pile, once I started working on the embroidery machine at the Maker Space I attend, I started to think about creating a Reta in the style of embroidered lace – stitching directly onto wash-away stabilizer to create what’s known as Free Standing Lace (FSL).

I started off with a version in yellow/gold, which you can read about here… But honestly… I didn’t love it. The fact that I had to go over the design with machine stitching I think really changed the look of it, and I wasn’t fond of the yellow-and-black either, at least not up close.

I decided to do ANOTHER version, this time in all black.

Machine Embroidered Plague Mask

Free standing lace (almost) plague doctor mask

After stitching up a few other embroidery projects, I found myself on the Instagram page of mask-maker Phant0masy, who makes amazing fantastical creatures largely using machine embroidery and jewelry making techniques. I was totally in awe of the idea of creating a structural, 3D object using machine embroidery, so went about trying to create something for myself.

Golden Machine Embroidery Reta (Italian Renaissance headdress)

Back in 2014 I made a Reta – a netted headdress in the style of 1480s Florence paintings. I didn’t do it as a knotted net, but rather couched trim onto a wash-away stabilizer base, and then dissolved the base. While I DO have a knotted version in my work-in-progress pile, once I started working on the embroidery machine at the Maker Space I attend, I started to think about creating a Reta in the style of embroidered lace – stitching directly onto wash-away stabilizer to create what’s known as Free Standing Lace (FSL).

Baroque Skull Embroidery

Embroidered Baroque Skull

A while ago while posting some of my gothic-inspired machine embroidery designs on my Instagram account, a friend mentioned that she had bought a design for a “baroque skull” but wasn’t sure if it was sized correctly for her machine/hoop.

The idea of “Baroque skull” just kept rattling around in my brain, until I couldn’t help myself but head to Illustrator and come up with a design of my own. She later showed me the design she bought (it’s gorgeous!) but I also love my own, so I digitized it using the Brother PE Design software and got ready to stitch.

I think she wants to put hers on the back of a jacket (so cool!) but I just did a test on some black cotton for the time being – to see  how I liked the design….

Club logo patches

Embroidered club / event patches

A little while ago I made one P3 club patch for myself, and then proceeded to make a few different patches for friends and the clubs or events that they run as well.  I still have some to give away, so not everything is linked, but the original P3 patch is here.

Well, another friend came and asked if I’d make patches for their event as well, RMKC. We talked about their logo, and how they’d like it interpreted… and they wanted – RAINBOW!

I was game, and went out and bought rainbow thread while I was picking up more black embroidery thread for the machine as well.