review of crewel yarns

An online store called “Accomplishments Shop” gives a thorough review of 3 available crewel yarns. Great detail and critique of each. Ordering info. Accomplishments also offers a tutorial on transferring crewel designs.

Accomplishments Transferring Instructions for Crewel Embroidery

For these instructions you will need:

• “1. Tracing paper- preferable heavy weight. You can find this at Office Max.
• 2. A tracing pen- as shown in the picture. A knitting needle will also work.
• 3. Dressmaker’s carbon paper- This can be found at any fabric store.
• 4. Chalk markers or very fine felt tip pens- You can use the chalk pencils sold for quilting, but I find that this wears off quickly. And I never use water washable pens, as the lines can reappear if the chemicals are not completely washed out of the fabric.

…

• Step 1- Using a fine tip black marker and heavy tracing paper, trace the selected design from the book.
• Step 2- Cut the carbon so that it is larger than the design but smaller than the tracing paper. With the linen fabric on a hard smooth table surface, place the dressmaker’s carbon , carbon side down, on the right side of your linen fabric. Place the tracing paper, with design right-side-up, on top. The tracing paper may be pinned to the fabric, but do not put the pins through the carbon paper. Using the tracing pen, trace over the design on the tracing paper. Use sufficient pressure to get the design onto the linen.
• Step 3- Remove the tracing paper and carbon. The design should now be on the linen fabric, though there may be small gaps. Using the book as your guide, draw over the traced lines with a Zig pen. Here only slight pressure and very thin lines are necessary, as these lines will be permanent.”