Tutorial - Christmas Projects - CANDLE

Here are two different patterns for the candle.
You can click and pull the pattern over to your desk top and put it into your image program then
make it the size you wish. My candles are usually no larger than 5-6 inches tall and 3/4" wide.

I would not put the holly in until you are putting the
design together. Note: I used a blue fabric and attached it with 505 spray to a piece of timtex,
(a heavy web for making bowls). I then draw the design on the blue fabric and we are ready to thread paint. You can also use, other
colors for your candle -this candle can be used for other projects too.

You will need a medium to dark thread for the outside of the candle on both sides and a lighter color for the center, with a very light color for the drips. Here is how it will look.

Remember, we are just doing the candle. Using a narrow zig zag, with the dark thread, stitch up and down each side as well as behind the flame. Change your thread to medium blue and zig zag with a slightly larger stitch, up and down, working towards the center (you do not have the holly on the bottom, we will add it later. Once your candle is thread painted, take your light thread and fill in the little drips (grin) following the shape of the wax-
You will now do your flame. -- I usually use two colors, a yellow and an orange yellow. You can do the center with the orange and if it is too orange you can do a medium zig zag over the orange in yellow, and carry it out to the edge of the flame with a tighter zig zag-- doing it this way BLENDS
the two colors---
You don' t want to stitch ACROSS any part -- follow the shape. You will find that
it doesn't pucker at all when you are doing it on the timtex - that is why I do most of
my thread painted objects on the timtex. IF YOU can't find the timtex, you can
use fabric the color of your fabric and use a good stabilizer.

Once you have finished your candle (without the holly) do a medium zig zag all around the candle. Cut it out - and put it in a baggy (You will satin stitch it on your project later ) - once again, I make two or three or more -sometimes I take a day and make 4 or 5 candles and 4 or 5 pointsettiasso that I have them for my Christmas projects.

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HOLLY - Holly is very easy to do -- here is a good example of a holly branch - you can make individual leaves if you wish (I often do) -I make a small branch with lots of leaves for
the bottom of my candle on a good stabilizer -- I use green fabric for the leaves - It makes it easier to use the basic color of the project. - you thread paint the leaves very much like you thread painted the pointsettia - either fill the leaves in - making sure there are sharp points along the leaf with a vein up the center. Once you have your leaves done, take a red thread and thread paint small circles as shown in the first picture if you are doing a branch-
If you are doing holly for the base of the candle or with a pointsettia, you can either do the leaves or 3 or 4 leaves and berries together in groups and then cut them out, after doing a small zig zag around the leaves - when you are putting the candle and holly together, you use a medium satin stitch and attach the candle to the background -THEN add the holly at the base and satin stitch with a narrow zig zag after you have cut them out.
OR -do individual leaves - place them and once they are added to your project you then put your berries directly on the piece (this is easier I believe). This is a very easy project and so effective. Give it a try. I will be doing the 3rd part today or tomorrow which will cover the
pine cones and pine needles - see center of header table runner.

I also plan on showing you my working sketches for a table runner or table top showing two different ways of making the table runner. The possibilities are endless! Have fun ladies! Shirley