Creation Station
Katey Green
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A Stitch In Time….
Stitching is ever popular for digitals layouts, so this month let’s have a go at creating some of our own stitches in Photoshop. I am using PSE4 as I know many people use Elements. This can also be done in other versions of Photoshop.
Stitches want to be realistic in size so open up a new transparent document say 300x300 pixels by 300ppi – basically a 1 inch square. I have created a blue viewing mat layer so you can see what I am doing as I am creating a white stitch, but you may not want to do that.
On a new layer and using your rectangular marquee tool from the Tool menu, create a long narrow rectangle about a quarter of an inch or. Fill this with white using the paint bucket.
Create a new layer. To add a rounded end to the rectangle, select your circular marquee tool and position it over one of the edges of the rectangle. If you hold down the CTRL key at the same time, you will get a perfect circle. Try to keep your circle the same height as the rectangle. When positioned so it overlaps the rectangle, fill with white from the paint bucket. Then hold the CTRL key and select both the rectangle and circle layers to highlight them. Right click and merge them together.
Now we need to create a rounded end for the other side. The easiest way is to duplicate the merged layer. Then go to the Image menu at the top of the screen and select Rotate and flip layer horizontal. Slide the duplicated layer out a little to see the rounded end overlapping. Merge both layers together. (You can also use the rounded rectangle in the Custom Shapes option if you prefer).
Now to change our stitch. Make sure you have black as your foreground colour. Go to the FILTER menu at the top of the screen and select Noise and then Add Noise with a value around 40 to 50 and apply. Then hold CTRL at the same time as clicking on the thumbnail of the layer to see the marching ants around your stitch. Go to the FILTER menu and select Blur and Motion Blur. I used a value of 8. This gives us the thread effect.
I renamed my layer to basic stitch, but now we need to add the “hole” effect. Create a new layer named left hole below your stitch. Choose one of the basic brushes supplied with Photoshop. I am using a small circular brush which fades at the edges. Set the size of the brush to suit the size of your rectangle. I then chose a mid grey foreground colour. Set your brush so that just the edge shows beneath your stitch and click. Create a layer named right hole and repeat at the other end of the stitch (or do this on the same layer if you wish).
Now holding CTRL select the basic stitch and both holes and right click. Link all the layers so that if you alter them or move them they ALL alter or move. Now by copying the right hole and basic stitch you can make a row of stitches.
You can play around and alter the stitches by different colours, sizes and so on, use the transform, distort or skew features to get slightly irregular stitches. Happy stitching…….
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