The inspiration for this delicate stole came from a piece of Carrickfergus lace
by Chris Hammacott
photos by Ian Cole

What you need

• Silk crêpe de Chine stole 45 x 180 cm
• Dupont steam-fix dyes, 50 ml each: Marine, Fuchsia
• 1 m cold-water dissolvable fabric
• Scraps of metallic fabric
• Dark blue machine thread
• Bright pink variegated machine thread
• Mixed beads, pewter and iridescent
• Kitchen roll
• 2 pipettes
• Microwave dish with lid
• Microwave
• Spring hoop for machine embroidery
• Sewing machine, with spring needle or darning foot
• Polystyrene tiles or packaging
• Basic sewing kit
• Auto fade pen

Preparation

Painting the stole

CAUTION: When working with the dye, wear rubber gloves and an apron at all times, and protect work surfaces with plastic and/or several layers of newspaper.

1. Wet the stole thoroughly with cold water.
2. Twist the stole lightly and lay it in a coil in the microwave.
3. Using a pipette, squirt the Marine dye all over the stole, adding the occasional squirt of Fuchsia. Wearing rubber gloves, turn the stole over and repeat on the other side. When the whole stole is covered, knead the dye in, using your fingers.
4. Place a sheet of kitchen roll over the stole and put the lid loosely in place. Put the dish into the microwave on full power for 4 minutes.
5. Remove from the microwave, taking care as it will be hot.
6. Rinse the stole in cold water until the water runs clear. Finally, wash in water to which a spot of washing-up liquid has been added and rinse in clear water once again.
7. Iron with a hot iron while still damp.

If you do not want to use the steam-fix dyes, use silk paints instead and follow the instructions that come with the product.

What you do

1. Cut two pieces of dissolvable fabric big enough to fit in the embroidery hoop. Lay one piece on the outer hoop and scatter tiny snippets of metallic fabric on top. Place the second piece of dissolvable fabric on top of the first and secure the sandwich with the metal inner ring.
2. Position the hoop over the design and trace the outline onto the dissolvable fabric using the auto fade pen. Rotate the hoop and trace another motif, as shown (figure 1).

Figure 1

3. Prepare your sewing machine for free embroidery by lowering the feed teeth and putting the spring needle or darning foot in place.
4. Work the motifs separately. Use a medium zigzag and with the dark blue thread on top and on the bobbin, stitch over all lines, trapping the snippets of fabric as you stitch. Work the zigzag stitching over each design line several times to build up a good, dense line. Select straight stitch and stitch over all zigzag stitches, and also run lines across the petal shapes, ensuring that the stitching interconnects (see figure 2).

Figure 2

5. Change the top reel to the pink variegated thread to zigzag over the inner petals and highlight as desired. Repeat on the second motif.
6. Remove from hoop and cut away excess fabric, separating the two shapes.
7. Bated-breath time! Pin each shape to a piece of polystyrene, ensuring that each petal is secure. Hold under gently running cold water until all dissolvable fabric has been removed. Leave pinned out until dry (normally overnight). Once the shapes are dry, remove from the polystyrene.
8. Repeat until you have six dissolved shapes.

To finish

1. Position three shapes along each end of your stole and pin in place.
2. With feed teeth up and standard foot in place, select a medium zigzag stitch.
3. Using dark blue thread and zigzag stitch, attach the stitched motifs to the stole.
4. Using the blue thread and a fine needle, apply beads as suggested in figure 3.

Figure 3

Suggestions

• Choose colours to complement your wardrobe.
• Use a single stitched motif to embellish an evening bag or create a hair accessory.
• Add more or fewer beads, as required
• Create your own motif. Pieces of lace or lace-making patterns are a good source of inspiration.