Mixed Media Exploration

So every once in a while, I get an idea to add paint to some of my embroidery. My March 2021 Mini Collection features pieces where I first applied acrylic craft paint to my fabric and then started to embroider. It wasn't a very complicated process, but I did learn a couple of useful tricks. 

First, paint thickness. Applying the paint more thinly allowed the fabric to maintain a stiffness that was easier to put my needle and thread through when it came time to stitch. In instances where I wanted to apply more layers of paint, it was still helpful to apply the layers thinly, even if I was applying more of them. 

Second, paint dry-time. It was a lot easier to stitch if my paint was just dry enough, rather than overly dry. As the paint settled into the fabric, it had a tendency to harden it even more. So this experiment worked best when I painted, kept an eye on it, and as soon as it was dry, started stitching. This is not to say that you can't still stitch several days later, but it took a little more elbow grease at that point.