The art of creating tapestries dates back several centuries. They decorated the estates of wealthy nobles, and the masters involved in the creation of tapestries were valued and exalted. After all, not everyone is able to create a real masterpiece on fabric from threads. Now the fashion for this type of art is returning, and it is clear why. But not everyone knows what a tapestry is.
We understand the terminology
Tapestry or, in other words, tapestry is one of many types of decorative and applied art, presented in the form of a single-sided lint-free carpet, hand-woven using cross-weaving with multi-colored woolen, silk or linen threads. Now many are interested in how to make a tapestry with their own hands. But you should immediately understand - this is a difficult matter and requires patience, perseverance and methodology. Not every person will be able to sit for hours interlacing threads, many cast this type of art, but in vain.
Interesting Facts
Tapestry paintings have been appreciated since ancient times. They decorated the interiors in the homes of nobles, nobles and noble persons. Tapestries were highly valued at any time, even now when technology is crowding out manual labor. People interested in this kind of art know that behind each canvas there are technical difficulties, because such paintings or carpets are quite expensive. Many craftsmen, having become interested in this type of art, having understood it and learning how to create beautiful things, managed to build a whole business for it, which is constantly developing and quite successfully.
When did tapestries appear in Russia?
The first studio to create such non-woven masterpieces appeared during the reign of Peter the Great. It was the end of the 17th century. Russian masterpieces were especially appreciated in the world, because real masters created portraits with images of the royal nobility, statesmen, nobles. The first tapestries became the decoration of the royal palaces. The paintings were very beautiful and exquisite, they amazed with accuracy and craftsmanship.
Can tapestries be made without special skills?
Today, tapestries can be safely equated with real works of art that amaze with originality and complement any interior. They harmoniously fit into any style of the room. With great desire, you can create a tapestry with your own hands. Step by step for beginners, the article provides a brief instruction. In addition, there are lots of patterns and interesting options that will help you with this.
In addition, you will find educational photographs and similar descriptions of the carpet or painting technique, so you will not have any difficulties. Yes, a couple of centuries ago it was impossible to do this, but progress has brought virtually every home the Internet, which means you can learn anything. The main thing is to make as much effort as possible.
What types of tapestries exist?
You can create a tapestry with your own hands, but first you need to find out what types of tapestries exist. Now they are simply called carpets created in different techniques, which in some cases are fundamentally different from traditional ones:
- Smooth type or flat. Works are created in traditional technology.
- Layered. Various weaving techniques, embroidery, relief and so on are applied in practice.
- Textured or embossed. This is a traditional technique. However, some parts of the work are distinguished by large and more convex stitches, which create the relief of the fabric.
- Volumetric and spatial. This is not so much a picture as a design that is an original element in the interior.
- Non woven type. These are paintings created from fabric and using techniques such as applique, knitting, iso threads, embroidery, nitkography and so on.
What can be made of tapestries?
You can create carpets, paintings, various products, for example, bags. Sewing a tapestry bag with your own hands is not as easy as it might seem at first glance. You will need to think over the shape, find patterns, carefully sew everything, think through the jewelry to the smallest detail, so that in the end you get a high-quality, unique and beautiful thing.
If you decide to do such an unusual kind of creativity, it doesn’t matter for business or for the soul, then know that gradually you will develop your own style of work, personal tricks and techniques will appear that will affect your work and the products will become unique. In other words, something will appear that will attract even more buyers, and the cost of work will only increase. Therefore, it is not worth the masters to use ready-made schemes from the Internet. It’s better to come up with your own stories because this business is completely creative.
Simple tapestry technique
Now you can start creating your own non-woven tapestry. Creating a product is not too difficult. You only need to show a little patience, add a little skills and follow the work technique exactly, and you will succeed.
The easiest way to create a tapestry with your own hands for beginners is to use a tapestry or, in other words, a semi-cross stitch. As a basis, you can use a dense canvas, and for embroidery you can use a mouline thread, silk thread, wool, or even half-woolen thread of fine torsion.
The threads will be folded into several folds so that the stitches completely overlap the warp. You can pick up a picture absolutely any. The main thing is to put it gently on the tapestry, and everything will turn out beautifully and accurately. First, the selected painting or ornament will need to be put on paper in a cage, or you can buy a finished drawing in needlework stores or download.
A sophisticated technique to create a masterpiece
The loop embroidery technique is considered more complicated than a semi-cross stitch. To create a tapestry using this technique, you will need to take a hollow needle with a handle, a dense fabric that resembles a burlap or a rough cloth, half-woolen, acrylic or woolen threads.
If you want to create a work of small diameter, then as a basis you can use linen fabric and silk threads. The main requirement put forward to the threads - they must have a good twist, and only in this way your work will turn out bright and expressive.
A characteristic feature of the tapestry technique
A distinctive feature of this technique is the special interweaving of colored threads, and to give expressiveness, brightness and volume to the work, it will be necessary to use threads of different colors, thickness and shades during operation. If you get the hang of it, then you can create a blanket from a tapestry with your own hands or any other beautiful things.
The process of creating tapestry paintings is laborious and requires patience. However, it is very interesting and exciting. A tapestry can be a wonderful gift or decoration for relatives and friends.
Tapestry stitch
To create a tapestry with your own hands, you should first learn more about the tapestry seam technique . It’s easy to embroider, and even beginner needlewomen agree with this. The front side of the stitch will be virtually identical to the semicircular stitch. After all, the presented seam consists of oblique stitches.
When choosing a scheme for your future work, keep in mind that when creating a tapestry with your own hands, the canvas should not have any spaces, and it should be completely covered with threads.
For a tapestry seam, it is best to use a shallow canvas with a small hole diameter, or buy a canvas with a uniform weave. The best material for embroidery of paintings is stramin - this is a special dense and rigid type of material for needlework. It is ideal for making a tapestry with your own hands.
Which fabric to tapestry?
It is best to take light-colored matter. After all, the color of the base will not be part of the background, and it will not be noticeable between the stitches. Also, do not forget that embroidery will be carried out from the wrong side of the fabric, so the image should be transferred in a mirror image. The front surface of the picture will be located on the back of the subframe.
Getting ready for work
You can create a simple tapestry with your own hands. For beginners, you should take ready-made templates. It is not difficult if you follow the instructions and prepare all the necessary materials in advance:
- a frame, subframe or hoop of different diameters;
- a needle for embroidery with a loop;
- glue;
- stapler and scissors;
- threads of different thicknesses and colors;
- fabric for embroidery.
If you have all this, then fine - start creating your tapestry. Select the image you want to transfer to the fabric. Transfer the image or drawing onto the fabric with a thin marker, you can use a pencil or even carbon paper. If you have a complex picture, it is best to use a grid that you first divide into squares. Draw the same number of squares on the fabric in the same scale ratio.
Believe me, it’s easier to transfer an image placed in one square than to transfer an image overnight. If the drawing is very complex, then you can copy only individual lines. You will have to embroider in small squares. If you made a frame for a tapestry with your own hands and a subframe, then you will need to place the picture 4-5 centimeters further from the inner perimeter of the subframe or hoop, otherwise you can simply break the tip of the needle on a wooden base.
The fabric before work needs to be pulled on the hoop or on the stretcher. However, do this so that the embroidery does not warp or sag. In the process, you will need to tirelessly ensure that the fabric does not sag and the canvas tension does not loosen.
Getting started with embroidery
First, you need to thread the thread into a special needle, which allows you to create loops when piercing the fabric. You won’t get such an effect from an ordinary tool. After all, the main difference of the device is that the needle is built immediately into the pen body or, in other words, into the needle holder.
Insert the thread into the eye of the needle, and the tail - towards the slot, after the tip, thanks to a thin wire folded in half, or insert a thin needle into the hole that is placed on the tip of the needle. Set the length you need. After all, the size of the loop obtained depends on this. You will need to hold the needle strictly perpendicular to the embroidered pattern, and you need to move the pointed part forward step by step, while leaving stitches two meters long.
The needle cut sets the direction of the stitches. Tool advancement can be carried out in any direction. However, the main thing is to always make sure that the thread remains behind the needle. During the execution of the work, there is no need to support the thread, but the main thing is not to raise it too high above the fabric and do not create strong tension, otherwise the loops may open.
A needle should pierce every second hole on the fabric. If you use thick threads and do not want to have tubercles on the fabric, then stick the needle into the third or fourth hole in the fabric.
Always leave the thread behind the handle. Also ensure that no nodules form during operation. The needle is inserted into the material to the level of the foot, then it will be necessary to carefully extend the needle until its tip appears over the material, step back three millimeters and re-insert the needle into the canvas. You will see that a loop has formed on the surface, but it cannot be tightened. So, step by step, you can create a tapestry.
Create a tapestry bag
Is it possible to sew a bag from a tapestry? Of course. The main thing again is to persevere in this difficult matter. To sew a tapestry bag with your own hands, you need patterns. After all, this will be the future form of your product.
The first thing that needs to be done is to think over the drawing in advance, apply its strokes to the base with chalk, soap, or make a sketch on paper. Instead of threads, you can use yarn or just take thin strips of multi-colored fabric, if you have one. You can also use any thread you like.
Do-it-yourself tapestry bag patterns are basic. It can be created from ordinary cardboard. You will also need to make a foam layer. Just cut two parts: one from cardboard, and the second from foam. Glue them together, and after already sew the blank with a cloth.
Sew a small piece of fabric of a different shade into the middle part of the part. It can be excellent in texture. On two sides, prick decorative needles and pull the threads. You got a home-made loom. Then everything is simple: thread yarn and threads through the threads in a checkerboard pattern, put the threads evenly and do not pull them tightly. You will get a tapestry and you can remove it from an impromptu loom. Glue the non-woven fabric to the other side and iron it. Tapestry you can now sew on your bag.