3D Cake with DMC Embellishment - part one

Hi Everybody... Robin here.

Happy New Year.  I am just amazed how quickly the time has passed. Ready for this New Year? Let's start off with my latest project.

Cake by Associated Talents • CD 1200
Embellishments with DMC Memory Thread

I had been asked to teach at TNNA in Phoenix for the DMC class: 3D Cake Embellishment with DMC Memory Thread. What an honor. I received the canvas (CD 1200) and DMC threads in the mail. What a cute canvas from Associated Talents; part of a scene from their Store Front Bakery canvas (FL712). This canvas design measures 4" W x 6.5" H and is on 14 mesh.  Sweet!

The canvas had already been stitched for the photo posted on the TNNA website, but I wanted to give my own spin to the design.

When I first saw this cake, I also saw a different background for it... I was seeing a "wall" and "floor", too. I studied all of my books and visioned the sweetest "wall paper" design adapted from Julia Snyder's Darn Fillings book. Her stitch is called Confetti Ribbons and is a darning pattern. My stitch is done as a satin stitch and I have called it Mirrored Confetti Ribbons. I like how the curls in the Wallpaper echo the curves on the Cake Stand. Thanks, Julia, for the awesome inspiration.

In my mind, I liked the idea, but I needed to test it out on the computer... just to make sure. Here is a screen shot of the Mirrored Confetti Ribbons. I was liking the look.

Then, I pondered the "floor" design. I was all over the place on that idea. At first, I tried to give it "real" perspective: larger floor pattern in the front and smaller in the back. Good in theory, but not the right idea for this deadline-ladened gal. As the clock was ticking, I shifted my focus and began stitching the Cake Tiers.

After I stitched the Middle Cake Tier, my Eureka moment for the Floor occurred. I had seen a stitch in Ruth Schmuff's Stitches CD Volume 1 which echoed the new Middle Cake Tier design. Her stitch is called Diagonal Stitch with Mosaic. I modified her stitch and now call it Diagonal Stitch with Herringbone Strap. Thanks, Ruth for your wonderful CDs/Books collections of stitches.

Again, I needed to test it out in the computer... just to make sure. Here is a screen shot of the Wallpaper and Floor. Love it. I even added the Wall Baseboard for separation. I was good to go... except... what threads to use?

In my thread kit from DMC, the Perle size 5 was awesome for the Cake. However, in order for the Cake to be the "star of the show"... the Wallpaper and Floor needed to lay back... to really be in the background.

DMC Perle size 8 800 and DMC Floss 800 were the perfect duo for my Wallpaper and Floor. I used the DMC Perle size 8 for the Wallpaper. Easy to use; no laying tool needed. I used 2 strands DMC Floss for the Diagonal Stitch component of the Floor. (Yes, use your laying tool when stitching the Floss.) I used the DMC Perle 8 for the Herringbone Strap component of the Floor. LOVE IT.

Next time I will show the Cake Embellishment ideas. I had so much fun. DMC Memory Thread is my new best friend. If your LNS is attending the TNNA Phoenix Market, ask them to take my class: Friday, 2PM-4PM, FT210. They will learn lots of DMC Memory Thread techniques to share with their customers.

Until then... Hugs, Robin