Question about Solvy

Anyone have any experience with this stuff?

Quite a while back, I read this fascinating article about taking silk fibers and scattering them between two layers of Solvy, then stitching wildly over them with decorative thread. Rinse away the Solvy and, voila!, you have this wonderful lacy thing.

I finally dragged all of the supplies out last night, and had enormous difficulty with the Solvy. It dragged under the presser foot, so that everything tended to be stuck and bunched. Then I got the bright idea to sandwich everything between two layers of tissue paper because, after all, tissue paper is very light and will just dissolve away--right? Wrong. Although the sewing part went fabulously, the end result can serve as little more than a lesson in what NOT to do.

I'm really hoping you'll have a hint to offer that won't involve using an embroidery hoop. I hate the stop-start-stop that comes with constantly having to move the hoop. If it matters, I think I bought the lightest-weight Solvy.

Nurse Ratched (remove "cuckoo" from address to reply) We'll all get back to normal if we put our nation first, But the trouble with "normal" is, it always gets worse. ~Bruce Cockburn

Reply to
Nurse Ratched
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How about that paper piecing paper that dissolves in water? Even just on the top where the solvy drags on the presser foot. Or, maybe a teflon foot would work. SueS

Reply to
Shstringfellow

I've seen Martha Pullen (Sew Beautiful, PBS) press Solvy (dry iron, low temp) to hold it steady. Haven't tried it, I really hate scrubbing the iron and envision a real mess. And there might be a problem in your sewing area with humidity. Solvy is eager to dissolve at every opportunity. You may have to use a hoop. Yes, it's a nuisance to move but you'll get quicker at it or resolved to just bear it. The biggest hoop your SM will tolerate helps a little. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

We did it with Super Solvy - a slightly heavier version of Solvy.

We laid a length of Super Solvy down on the counter, spread a bunch of Adornaments decorative threads lengthwise and widthwise, more or less, then laid a length of Super Solvy on top.

I suppose we must have pin basted it - I don't remember.

Then we lowered the feed dogs and free-motion quilted the sandwich together.

The binding was a piece of satiny fabric. I don't remember if we put the binding on before or after we took the solvy off.

It took a bunch of soaking and rinsing to get all the solvy out - we had to soak, rinse, and dry it 3 or 4 times.

The result was pretty cool - mostly black with a wide binding. I want to do a white one (in my spare time).

-- Teresa in Colorado snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net

Reply to
Teresa in Colorado

Same for me. I have used Super Solvy but I also use a hoop. If necessary, I have used more than one layer of Solvy. Also, I put binding before removing the Solvy. I don't see why you couldn't layer the Super Solvy and the regular Solvy if needed. CiaoMeow >^;;^< .

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their WHISKERS!! Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!

Reply to
Tia Mary-remove nekoluvr to re

If you don't mind the slight change of color & brightness, try a piece of tulle over the top & bottom. Different colors of tulle give different end colors. Anna Belle in Palm Bay

Reply to
wheelsdown

I'm so used to it, I didn't even think about that! Not only that, but with Henri moving through last night, we were up to about 93%.

Nurse Ratched (remove "cuckoo" from address to reply) We'll all get back to normal if we put our nation first, But the trouble with "normal" is, it always gets worse. ~Bruce Cockburn

Reply to
Nurse Ratched

I think I'll try that. I bought this stuff blind, based upon the article, and I had no idea what it would be like.

Nurse Ratched (remove "cuckoo" from address to reply) We'll all get back to normal if we put our nation first, But the trouble with "normal" is, it always gets worse. ~Bruce Cockburn

Reply to
Nurse Ratched

That--or organza--was actually next on my list of experiements anyway. The silk fibers I'm using are very deep jewel tones, so I think they can withstand a little muting by the tulle.

Nurse Ratched (remove "cuckoo" from address to reply) We'll all get back to normal if we put our nation first, But the trouble with "normal" is, it always gets worse. ~Bruce Cockburn

Reply to
Nurse Ratched

You didn't say how big a piece, you want to work on. If you only have the thinnest Solvy sheets, then you will need more to stabilize the work area. Solvy sheets can be pressed with a 'dry' iron to fuse them together while you do your stitching. Ideally, a hoop would enable you use single sheets of Solvy for this technique, working one area at a time before moving on to the next - I have a 10" machine embroidery hoop which is big enough to not have to make frequent shifts of work area using free motion stitches. Without a hoop, you will need a thicker Solvy base to start the technique (2 sheets of Solvy) a layer of your silk threads, layer of Solvy, layer of more silk threads, layer of Solvy. Press the whole with a dry iron especially around the edges to help seal the Solvy layers - sew a sepentine grid to hold all the layers together (if you are going to free motion sew the piece) or a straight line grid (if you are going to use a regular stitch. Use a looser tension and a longer stitch length to make the grid. Remember that you need to have enough stitches in place when you think you are finished to hold the piece together when the Solvy is removed. If a hole appears anytime in the Solvy, it can be patched by sewing a piece of Solvy over the hole and continuing as before. The more decorative sewing that you do over the Solvy - there is less of it open to cause sticking to the machine bed. Use the same decorative thread in the bobbin as is used in the needle and have fun. Jennifer in Ottawa

---------- Sat, Sep 6, 2003, 12:20pm (EDT+4) From: snipped-for-privacy@aol.comcuckoo (Nurse=A0Ratched) Anyone have any experience with this stuff? Quite a while back, I read this fascinating article about taking silk fibers and scattering them between two layers of Solvy, then stitching wildly over them with decorative thread. Rinse away the Solvy and, voila!, you have this wonderful lacy thing. I finally dragged all of the supplies out last night, and had enormous difficulty with the Solvy. It dragged under the presser foot, so that everything tended to be stuck and bunched. Then I got the bright idea to sandwich everything between two layers of tissue paper because, after all, tissue paper is very light and will just dissolve away--right? Wrong. Although the sewing part went fabulously, the end result can serve as little more than a lesson in what NOT to do. I'm really hoping you'll have a hint to offer that won't involve using an embroidery hoop. I hate the stop-start-stop that comes with constantly having to move the hoop. If it matters, I think I bought the lightest-weight Solvy. Nurse Ratched (remove "cuckoo" from address to reply) We'll all get back to normal if we put our nation first, But the trouble with "normal" is, it always gets worse. ~Bruce Cockburn

Reply to
Jennifer Hepworth

Question about Solvy I've been reading about a teflon foot for the sewing machine. Wonder if it would do away with the drag on the Solvy*? Might be worth a try, if you plan to do many projects. Cea

Reply to
sewingbythecea

This sounds so cool that I have to try it. Do you use silk threads because they're prettier, or would cotton work too?

--Lia

Reply to
Julia Altshuler

My Bernina has a teflon foot. I can't tell that it makes any difference but this is a very damp place. It might be great in a drier climate. I use it when sewing weird stuff such as heavy plastic totes or oil cloth; that's when I need all the help I can get. Polly

Question about Solvy

I've been reading about a teflon foot for the sewing machine. Wonder if it would do away with the drag on the Solvy*? Might be worth a try, if you plan to do many projects. Cea

Reply to
Polly Esther

Hi Lia, I have a cabinet full of Mettler cotton embroidery thread, so most of my projects include that thread. The tree was one growing on a farm where I lived with my parents. Legend had it that the Indians bent it to grow leaning to indicate safe water. There was a fresh water spring under the tree. The piece ended up on a family quilt with lots of "stuff" from my parents and brothers and sons.

Anna Belle in Palm Bay

Reply to
wheelsdown

How about a roller foot? or were you trying to FM?

Reply to
Kate Dicey

Reply to
Butterfly

Thanks Butterfly, been here all along, just reading and not posting.

Wanted to comment on your chemo turbans, they are the best. Thankfully I don't need them anymore and they are doing second duty from the American Cancer Society Office. I turned them in and they turned them over to someone else. Wish we didn't have to do that!!

Anna Belle

Reply to
wheelsdown

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