46

Online Workshop—Seasons in my Garden—Winter

Welcome to my studio. All the threads needed to complete Seasons in My Garden—Winter are listed on

the Supply List. To avoid a huge thread bill, I have tried to use the same thread colors from one design to

another. The thread colors listed in the Project Information Chart are the ones I actually used to make the

original. Some students like to use the exact color pallet while others like to strike out on their own.

Thread colors are just suggestions – make the finished product your own if you wish and choose your

own color pallet.

Supplies Needed for Winter

6" wooden, plastic or spring machine embroidery hoop

Workshop pattern

Scotch or removable tape

Ultra fine point Sharpie or Pigma pen

40 weight thread as noted in Supply List (see next page for specific colors)

(1) 10" x 10" piece of Superior 4X Dissolve or Super Solvy—clear water soluble stabilizer film

(1) 10" x 10" piece of OESD Aqua Mesh or Aqua Magic by Pfaff – a water soluble stabilizer backing

that looks and feels like fabric

(1) 10" x 10" piece of crème color Kona cotton for background fabric

Sewing machine with open toe free-motion foot

Basic sewing supplies

How to use the Project Information Chart for each design

Every online workshop will have a Project Information Chart to guide you through thread painting

each area of the design. This chart will be before the instructions and photos for each area of the

design to thread paint. The following is an example of a sample Project Information Chart.

For example, look at Thread #1 below under Dirt Around the Flowers

Design—the area you will thread paint

Thread Manufacturer—mfg.& thread color, either Isacord (I) or Superior (S) thread colors used* Thread color—general description of the thread colors to use

Stitch type—whether to use a straight or zigzag stitch

Width—width of the zigzag stitch to use to thread paint that part of the design

Figure # - the photo reference for that part of the design. Scrutinize these photos—there is a lot

of good stuff here.

*It is not necessary to use the exact colors I used. I have noted the colors I used as a reference and in

case someone wants to use the exact colors.

Dirt Around the Flowers

Thread # Design Thread mfg. Thread color Stitch type Stitch width Figure #

#1 Dirt color #1 I-0945 Medium brown Zigzag 2.0 mm Figure 1

Project Information Chart

47

Seasons in My Garden

Winter Video Snippets

Alright, you have created a small Spring garden and you didn‘t even get your hands dirty. How

cool is that? Three more seasons and you are done - of course, the remaining seasons would be

summer, fall and winter!!

There are some repetitive plants and thus hoop movements in the remaining 3 seasons so it

would be counterproductive to repeat videos you have already seen. So, in the PDF documents

for each of the remaining seasons the first line in the instructions will refer you to one of two

Video Notes:

1. The first notes you will see are in blue and refer you to a specific point in the Spring video

you have already viewed. Should you need a refresher, simply click on that point in the Spring

playlist for a review.

2. The second video notes in red refer you to a Video Snippet for the Winter season which fol-

lows. Here again all you have to do is view the video then later click on the playlist for a re-

fresher should you need it. I know this sounds a bit confusing right now, but I think once you

see the PDF documents, you will see what I am talking about.

So let‘s get going.

Winter Thread Colors These thread colors are specific to Seasons in my Garden—Winter

Brown/rust/tan Olive green Red/orange/yellow Gray

0945-medium brown 5944-med dark olive 1913-medium red 4073-dark gray

1252-light rust 5933-medium olive 1312-red/rust 0142-light gray

0776-dark taupe 5822-med light olive 0713-bright yellow

0873-light taupe 0232-light yellow olive 0821-dark gold

0853-medium tan 1430-medium coral

0870-pale tan

48

49

Online Workshop—Seasons in My Garden—Winter

Tracing & Hooping

See Tracing and Hooping in the Getting Ready for Online Workshops for instructions on how to trace and

hoop the design. This design fits completely in the center of a 6" hoop.

Thread # Design Thread mfg Thread color Stitch type Stitch width Figure #

#1 Dirt color #1 I-0945 Medium

brown

Zigzag 2.0 mm Figure 1

#2 Dirt color #2 I-1252 Light rust Zigzag 2.0 mm Figure 2

Figure 1

Figure 2

←Thread #1

←Thread #2

1. Please view Thread Painting—Stitches with

Attitude at www.nancyprince.com for explana-

tion of the differences between the straight and

zigzag stitch.

2. Dirt—See Thread #1. Pull thread to top of sta-

bilizer. With design facing you move hoop right

to left to fill in dirt area, Figure 1. Thread paint

slightly into each plant area.

3. Notice in Figure 1 that Thread #1 thread paints

over bottom of the left, right and center base of

stems.

4. See Thread #2 and Figure 2. Repeat Step 2

thread painting in the 2nd thread color between

the stitches already in place. It isn‘t necessary to

totally fill in the dirt. You want just a suggestion

of dirt around the flowers.

Now who would have thought you would be playing

with dirt—takes me back to my childhood!!!

Dirt Around the Flowers

Project Information Chart

©2008 Nancy Prince

VIDEO NOTE: See Seasons in My Garden—Spring

Dirt Around the Flowers for video instructions to

thread paint the dirt.

50

Center Holly Stems, Leaves and Berries

1. Center Holly Stems & Leaves.—NOTE: Before be-

ginning any flowers or berries in this project, practice

the hoop rotations required to thread paint each flower

or cluster of berries. It is best to make any errors on a

practice piece and not the final one. See Figure 5 for

what the final flowers will look like—they are actually

just little blobs.

2. See Thread #3. Rotate hoop so stems are facing you.

Thread paint up the center stem pulling the hoop to-

wards you.

3. At the top make a small leaf (a very small oval) to the

left of the stem, Figure 3 and Diagram 1, come back to

the center and make another small leaf on the right side.

4. Continue pulling the hoop toward you until you reach

the 1st ―branching off‖ stem and repeat Step 3 to form

the branches and leaves. Come back to center stem.

5. Continue thread painting down the stem and repeat

Steps 2-5 until all Thread #3 stems and leaf colors are

complete. Notice that not all the stems and branches are

covered by Thread #3.

6. NOTE: Leaves and stems will infringe on other stems

and leaves. That is just what Mother Nature intended.

7. See Thread #4 and Figure 4. Repeat Steps 2-6 to com-

plete light olive stems and leaves, Figure 4.

8. Red Holly Berries—See Thread #5. Make very small

circles to thread paint the berries. The berries don‘t

have to be perfect; they just need to give a hint of a clus-

ter of berries, Figure 5.

9. To get from one clump of berries to the next raise the

needle, locate the next berry cluster and thread paint 2nd

group of berries. Remember to keep the berries in pro-

portion to the stems and leaves.

10. Repeat Steps 8-9 to thread paint all berries on all three

shrubs.

11. Cut connecting threads when they are in the way or

when berries are complete.

Figure 3

Figure 4

Diagram 1

Thread # Design Thread mfg. Thread color Stitch type Figure

#3 1st stem & leaf color I-5933 Medium olive Straight Figure 3 & Diagram 1

#4 2nd stem & leaf color I-5822 Medium light olive Straight Figure 4

#5 Red holly berries I-1913 Medium red Straight Figure 5

Thread #3 →

Thread #4 →

©2008 Nancy Prince

← Branching off stem

VIDEO NOTE: See Winter Snippets Center Holly Stems,

Leaves and Berries for video instructions to thread paint the

stems and red berries.

51

Right and Left Stems & Orange Flowers

Thread # Design Thread mfg. Thread color Stitch type Figure #

#6 Right & Left stems—1st

color

I-0776 Dark taupe Straight Figure 5

#7 R&L stems 2nd color I-0873 Light taupe Straight Figure 6

#8 R&L stems 3rd color I-0870 Pal tan Straight Figure 6

#9 Orange flowers I-1312 Red/rust Straight Figure 7 & Diagram 2

Figure 5

Figure 6

Diagram 2

1. Right & Left Stems—See Thread #6. Rotate hoop so

left stems are facing you. Locate first stem to thread

paint. See Figure 5 for possible locations for Thread #6.

2. NOTE: You don‘t have to thread paint the same stems I

did – select the stems want, just remember to make the

stems random colors and that there are 3 thread colors to

be thread paint so don‘t make any one color too heavy.

3. Start at the bottom of the stem and thread paint the stem

by pulling the hoop towards you. Stitch to the top. Then

reverse the direction and thread paint back to where you

started.

4. To get from one stem to another (in the dirt area) move

the hoop north to south (this stitch is a bit like a vertical

zigzag stitch) in very short stitches until you get to the 2nd

stem.

5. Repeat Steps 3-4 to thread paint all remaining Thread #6

stems on the left side. Repeat for the right side.

6. See Thread #7 and Figure 6. Repeat Steps 3-5 to thread

paint 2nd thread color on left and right side.

7. See Thread #8 and Figure 6. Repeat Steps 3-5 to thread

paint 3rd thread color on left and right side.

8. Evaluate stems and touch up if necessary.

9. Orange Flowers—See Thread #9, Diagram 2 and Fig-

ure 7. Rotate the hoop so the stem is parallel to the table

edge (it is just easier to make the flower this way).

10. To form the flowers move the needle north then south no

more than 1/16" then back north, then south – you are

basically making your own little short zigzag stitch.

Thread paint right over the stem. Vary the length of

each flower so that all the flowers are not the same

length. See Diagram 2 for stitch suggestions. See Fig-

ure 9 for an up close view of finished flowers.

11. To get to the next flowers, raise the needle and move to

the next flower location. Repeat Steps 9-10 to thread

paint all remaining flowers up right and left side.

12. Cut connecting thread when the threads are in the way or

the design is complete..

Thread #6 →

Thread #7 &

#8 →

©2008 Nancy Prince

VIDEO NOTE: See Seasons in My Garden—Spring Right and

Left Stems for video instructions to thread paint the right and left

stems.

52

Foreground Rocks and Rock under Coral Cactus

Thread # Design Thread mfg. Thread color Stitch type Figure #

#10 Outline rocks I-4073 Dark gray Straight Figure 7

#11 Rock 1st fill I-0142 Light gray Straight Figure 7

#12 Rock 2nd fill I-0853 Medium tan Straight Figure 8

Figure 7

Figure 8

1. Rocks—For video specifics see Seasons in My Gar-

den—Spring the Rock section, frame #?????

2. See Thread #10. With straight stitch outline rocks in-

cluding interior inside rocks, Figure 7.

3. Repeat outline if it isn‘t dark enough. Outline all

rocks.

4. See Thread #11. With rocks facing you move hoop

right to left to lightly fill in foreground rocks and also

rock under coral cactus, Figure 7

5. NOTE: I have used a light colored fabric so some of

the crème background can show thorough. If you use

a colored background fabric, you might want to fill in

the rocks with Thread #11 and 12.

6. See Thread #12. With straight stitch fill lightly inside

area of rocks between stitches already in place, Figure

8.

↑ Thread #10 & 11

↑ Thread #12

©2008 Nancy Prince

Coral cactus →

VIDEO NOTE: See Seasons in My Garden—Spring Rocks

for video instructions to thread paint the rocks.

53

Christmas Cactus— Stems, Coral & Yellow Flowers

Thread # Design Thread mfg. Thread color Stitch type Figure

#13 Right & Left cactus leaves I-5933 Medium olive Straight Figure 9

#14 Coral Cactus flowers I-1430 Medium coral Straight Figure 10 &

Diagram 3

#15 Yellow Cactus flowers I-0713 Bright yellow Straight Figure 10 &

Diagram 3

Figure 9

Figure 10

Diagram 3

1. Cactus Leaves—NOTE: The leaves on the cactus have

been drawn as individual small leaves. If you can fill in

each small leaf with the straight stitch, then great. If these

leaves are too small for you, just concentrate on thread

painting the whole column of cactus leaves as a filled in

straight line.

2. See Thread #13 and Figure 9. Start with left Christmas

cactus leaves (coral flowers). Outline each leaf and fill in

the oval following the shape of the leaf. Since the leaves

are very small, this is very quick. If you are making a

solid line from the top of each leaf to the bottom, thread

paint to the bottom of the leaves and back up to the top,

filling in the center of leaves as you go.

3. Continue filling each leaf on the first column until you get

back to the top.

4. Repeat Steps 2-3 to complete left cactus stems.

5. Evaluate all the stems and if there are any large holes near

the top, make small ovals to fill in the holes.

6. Repeat Steps 1-5 to form the leaves on the right (yellow

flowers) cactus.

7. Coral Cactus Flowers—See Thread #14, Figure 10 and

Diagram 3. To make coral flowers, thread paint a hori-

zontal line about 1/8" long. At the right end of the line

make a short vertical south direction line, then back to the

horizontal line. Thread paint to the left a nano amount

and make another south vertical line. Then thread paint

back to the horizontal line. Then thread paint to the left

end of the horizontal line and make another south vertical

line—stitch is like a comb, Diagram 3.

8. Raise needle and repeat Step 7 to thread paint remaining

coral Christmas cactus.

9. Yellow Cactus Flowers—See Thread #15, Figure 10 and

Diagram 10. Repeat Steps 7-8 to complete yellow cactus

flowers.

10. Cut connecting threads when they are in the way or the

section is complete.

↑ Thread #13

←Thread 14

©2008 Nancy Prince

Thread #9 →

VIDEO NOTE: See Winter Snippets Christmas Cactus—Stems,

Coral & Yellow Flowers for video instructions to thread paint

the leaves and flowers.

54

Sections 1-3 - Light Green Fan plants

Thread # Design Thread mfg. Thread color Stitch type Figure

#16 1st plant color I-0821 Dark gold Straight Figure 11

#17 2nd plant color I-0232 Light yellow olive Straight Figure 12

#18 3rd plant color I-0870 Pale tan Straight Figure 13

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

1. Sections 1-3 Light Green Fan Plant—See Master

drawing for section locations.

2. See Thread #16 and Figure 11. Rotate hoop so Sec-

tion 1 is facing you. See Figure 11 for illustration of

stitch direction. The stitch is like a fan—start the first

stitch at the dot in Section 1 and rotate the hoop coun-

terclockwise to about 9 o‘clock.

3. Then rotate the hoop back clockwise to the dot—don‘t

thread paint over the line you just thread painted.

Again rotate hoop counterclockwise to just right of the

first stitches. Rotate back to dot again.

4. Continue rotating the hoop until the stitches above the

center are straight up and down. Now rotate the hoop

clockwise in an arc to fill in lightly to the right side of

the previous stitch. Continue arcing the stitches until

you reach 3 o‘clock.

5. Raise needle and move to Section 2 and repeat Steps 2

-4 to complete Section 2.

6. Raise needle and move to Section 3 and repeat Steps 2

-4 to complete Section 1-C.

7. See Thread #17 and Figure 12. Repeat Steps 2-6. The

3rd stitches falling between the stitches already in

place.

8. See Thread #18 and Figure 13. Repeat Steps 2-7.

The 2nd stitches falling between the stitches already

in place.

9. Evaluate design and touch up as necessary.

↑ Thread 16

↑ Thread #17

←Thread #18

©2008 Nancy Prince

← Section

← Section 2

Section 3 →

VIDEO NOTE: See Seasons in My Garden—Spring Sections 2 & 4,

Light Olive Shrubs for video instructions to thread paint Sections 1-

3, light green fan plants.

55

Sections 4-6—Dark Green Fan Plant

Thread # Design Thread mfg. Thread color Stitch type Figure

#19 1st plant color I-0853 Medium tan Straight Figure 14 &

Diagram 4

#20 2nd plant color I-5933 Medium olive Straight Figure 15

#21 3rd plant color I-5944 Medium dark olive Straight Figure 16

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

1. Dark Green Fan Plant—See Master drawing for

section locations.

2. See Thread #19 and Figure 14. Sections 4 and 6

have one plant per section and Section 5 has 2 plants

in each section. Refer to the Master Pattern to locate

the dots for each section.

3. Locate Section 4. The stitch is like a fan – start the

stitch for Sections 4 and 6 at the center dot and arc

the hoop counterclockwise until the stitch reaches

about 6 o‘clock and overlaps the rock below, see

Figure 14 and Diagram 4.

4. Then rotate the hoop back in an arc clockwise to the

dot – don‘t thread paint over the line you just thread

painted . Again rotate hoop counterclockwise to just

right of the first stitches. Rotate back to dot again.

5. Continue rotating the hoop and stitching until the

stitches at the center are straight up and down. Now

rotate the hoop clockwise in an arc and thread paint

to the right of the previous stitch. Continue rotating

the hoop clockwise until you reach 6 o‘clock overlap-

ping the rocks below, Figure 14.

6. Repeat Steps 2-5 to thread paint Section 6.

7. Raise needle and move to Section 5. Repeat Steps 2-

5 to thread paint Section 5 remembering that there are

2 dots (plants) in this section. Stitches from 2nd

plant will infringe on stitches already in place from

plant 1

8. See Thread #20 and Figure 15. Repeat Steps 2-7 to

thread paint 2nd thread color for all 3 sections..

9. See Thread #21 and Figure 16. .Repeat Steps 2-7 to

thread paint 3rd thread color for all 3 sections.

NOTE: Evaluate the entire design and touch up any areas that

might need a bit of tweaking.

↑ Thread #19

↑ Thread #20

←Thread #21

©2008 Nancy Prince Diagram 5

Multiple

Diagram 5

Single

← Section 6

Section 4→ ← Section 5

VIDEO NOTE: See Seasons in My Garden—Spring Sections

2 & 4, Light Olive Shrubs for video instructions to thread

paint Sections 4-6, dark green fan plants. The only difference

is that these plants are upside down. The technique is the

same.

56

1. Remove the project from the hoop.

2. Cut away the top and bottom stabilizers to within 1/2" of the design. Be cautious—don‘t cut into the

fabric.

3. Run cold water (check with the manufacturer‘s recommendations for water temperature for your

brand of stabilizer) over the design. As the water breaks the stabilizer down, it turns the stabilizer

into ―goo‖.

4. Continue rinsing the design under running water until all the ―goo‖ is gone from the front and back.

5. Take some soap (bar or hand) and rub it into the design on the front and back. The soap will help to

break down the stabilizer trapped inside the stitches.

6. Place the project into a sink of cold water and let soak for about an hour.

7. Rub the top and back of the design between your thumb and forefinger. If your fingers are tacky, the

project needs to soak longer. Change the water and continue soaking until there is no more tackiness

and the stabilizer is out.

8. Leaving any residue in the design will leave it stiff so try and get the all of the stabilizer out.

9. For the last soak, put some fabric softener into clean water and soak for another 30 minutes.

10. Blot and allow to air dry. Press the design from the back to press out any wrinkles.

11. The Clover triangle iron works great to press out the wrinkles near the edge of the thread.

12. Use a pressing cloth over the thread if you want to press from the top. Don‘t press right on the

thread.

Thanks so much for spending time with me today. I hope you have fun thread painting your project. As

a reminder—remember thread painting can be addictive. Ask me how I know that? Until we meet again,

have fun thread painting.

Removing the Stabilizer from Fabric

© Copyright 2008 Nancy Prince. All Rights Reserved. Written permission is required to copy and/or distribute copies

of these instructions or patterns, whether or not you profit from it. Photocopying, digitizing and all other copying to

―share‖ these instructions or patterns is strictly prohibited by law. Thank you for respecting the designer‘s copyright.

Website: www.nancyprince.com * email: Nancy@nancyprince.com.

©2008 Nancy Prince

Congratulations!! You have completed Seasons in My Garden—Winter. The stabilizer can be washed away

now or you can wait until all four projects are complete. The written instructions are below. Complete

video instructions for Removing the Stabilizer are listed last in the Play List.

57

Seasons in My Garden—Winter

Congratulations you are done!!! Use the photo above as a quilting reference. The fabric was ac-

cented before quilting with Tsukineko inks. I used an ink pad, color Cosmic Copper for around

the dirt and Aegean Blue for accenting around the sky. I used a 1/2‖ shader brush to apply the ink.

©2008 Nancy Prince

58

Congratulations!! You are finished!!!

Some suggestions for completing the top.

Add borders, backing and binding to make a small quilt perhaps for your guild‘s silent auction or as a

gift for a special friend.

Add a mat and frame the design.

Make a special label for a special quilt

Make a postcard for a friend

Tea towels or towels—how cute would that be

Or wait for the other three Seasons in my Garden (summer, fall and winter ) online workshop to arrive.

Hopefully after this little project, you will be as addicted to thread painting as I am. My goal is that each

of you are happy with the online workshop and are anxious to give another one a try. Please do not

hesitate to contact me if you have any comments—either positive or negative. If there is something

‗broken‘ with the workshop and no one tells me, I can‘t fix it. So don‘t be bashful if you have something

to say. Let me hear from you

As a side note, I use two methods to thread paint, one of which you learned today—the direct method. I

also use another method where the designs are created ―off‖ the quilt, cleaned up and stitched to the quilt

top once the quilt is quilted. This method will be showcased in a future workshop.

I would also love to hear your thoughts on what you would like to see offered for upcoming workshops.

Would you like:

Printing on fabric

A landscape project—snow scenes, fall scenes, spring scenes, summer scenes

A project that has its own custom printed fabric

Continuing projects

Projects with people or animals

Portraits

Large flowers

Thread sketching

Quilting a Landscape Quilt