Ideas for using scrim

Call it what you will, Cotton Scrim (also known variously as Cotton Gauze or Muslin or Cheesecloth) is a lovely fibre with lots of uses. When I was working at the show, lots of people weren't sure how to use it, so I thought I'd share some ideas with you.

Sometimes it's as simple as gluing it to a mixed media piece : this is Cecile's (Unique Stitching) sample from the show

People use it for both wet felting and needle felting.
This is a felted flower also by Cecile.

Felted Flower Tutorial by Cecile Whatman HERE

You can see examples of both types of felting at Rosiepink - gorgeous green stitched in their lovely blog header and scroll through the posts to see more beautiful work.
You can use it with your embellishing machine.

The above detail is from a beautiful piece by Judy Scott-Kinross : click here for information about the whole piece.
Karen Ruane does beautiful contemporary embroidery with cream cotton scrim.
Here's a Beryl Taylor article combining tea bags with scrim behind (detail below)

By Beryl Taylor

Angie Hughes uses it in various textiles pieces

Angie Hughes :: Dream Sampler

and gives instruction in her book Stitch Cloth Paper and Paint

Take a look inside here via amazon

Check out this lovely Feathery Grasses piece inspired by that book.
I would like to try something similar, but I also just like it as a lovely textural/frayed fabric element to add into textile art.
Caroline Saxby does it so well : 

She'll be showing more of this piece soon on her blog.

and I really love this textural piece by Myfanwy Hart ::

A textile embellished collage using scrim, muslins and free machine embroidery. By Myfanwy Hart.

You may also know Ineke Berlyn's work

Journal quilt by Ineke Berlyn

I've used it in several places on my indian wall-hanging

Behind pieces as a frame

On the left glued as part of the background

and it's lovely as a lining - my friend made this delightful cone from a Ruth Rae pattern

Cone made by my friend Katherine

Here are some of my favourite cards I've made with scrim elements :

And here's some lovely tag art with generous scrim detail to finish
Hope you are inspired to use scrim.