New stitches can be found by accident. Mistakes can sometimes lead to a wonderful realization or improvement.
Discovering New Stitches by Mistake
The Tension was Off.
Tension is the balance between the top threads and the bottome threads on a sewing machine.A while back my 20 year old Huskavarna Lily was acting up. Out of the blue, the tension would change as I was sewing. The action pulled the bobbin thread through to the front (top) of the fabric. As annoying as this was, I liked the way the stitches looked. I was discovering new stitches quite by accident. Could I repeat the success of this stitch ?
Let me confess, that I am not a person who often uses all of the stitches that are available on my machine. I usually use the zigzag stitch and one or two decorative stitches. I decided to fool around. How could I could use this “accidental stitch ” to my advantage? I wanted to discover new stitches by mistake. Would it be a way to add interest to my art quilts?
Changing the Tension
I changed the tension to 8 or 9 high on my machine. with a black thread in the bobbin. The top thread I used matched the white or beige color of my fabric. At the time, I was doing Native American inspired quilts. Moreover,I felt the black dots on the top somehow seemed to work for me. The maximum contrast drew my attention. I also adjusted the stitch length and width to make them as large as possible for maximum visibility. The results were pleasing.
In conclusion,errors can turn into serendipitous wonders if we keep our minds open to them. In the future, I should be more adventuous to change the tension and adjust more of my machines stitches.
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2020/01/creating-movement-in-abstract-art-quilts/
https://annbaldwinmayartquilts.com/2021/02/the-making-of-an-abstract-quilt/