Halloween - Stitching the Wheel - Work in Progress

OK, 3 blogs in one day is outrageous, I know!  I've been under a lot of stress this weekend and so have been stitching a lot.  Plus I like to take breaks between doing homework by embroidering.  It takes longer, but I retain my sanity.  5 homework posts due yesterday. 5.  Aaaaack!  Here is the future Halloween decoration for my house.  I'm slightly farther along than this.  You can see the Transfer-eze stuck to the fabric.  Design by Urban Threads.

Big Ideas

My crafty friend, Fiona, suggested I use rice paper to print out patterns on.  I guess it is a lighter weight paper, but heavier than tracing paper.  I found some on Dick Blick and also found colored pencils and crayons.  That brings me to my next big idea.  I've been reading tutorials and discussions about doing shadings on light colored fabric with colored pencils or crayons and then ironing them so the colors blend well.  You need a hot iron on Cotton. After shading you then embroider.  Here is a beautiful one done with colored pencils by Sew Lovely Embroidery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sewlovely/4647711421/

Here is a tutorial at Urban Threads for using crayons to make adorable shaded pears: http://www.urbanthreads.com/pages?id=448

I want to try this shading some time.  I'm thinking of doing a pumpkin design for Halloween.  Haven't decided if I'll embroider it or embroider on paper.  I wonder if you could melt crayons into paper...