Trailing, Trailing, Trailing...

...Rawhide!

It's been in my head all week that line, as I crack on with yet another craft project, Wonderland is on hold at the moment as the sudden urge to stitch on the commute to work has overtaken it for the time being. Will be back on it very soon!

So what's up this week...

• The closest I got to the eclipse was via the computer. I have to say, that the coverage was pretty good on the BBC website. 

• Taken to stitching on the train once more as I've got a project, yes I've started another one, that I can carry about with me. I am not going to go into too much detail on it but you can see a few sneaky shots, and I am sure you can at least gather that the alphabet is involved. Or it's a name with an interesting spelling...Oh, and yes it's trailing. Okay, can't help it! Threads, in case you were interested are DMC white for the core thread, and over the top I am presently using cotton hand-dyed threads by Zoe Acketts, and also one colour is using vintage silk floss, brand unknown.

• Got a little fidgety the other week, Sunday night wobbles, and so I found myself knocking up a little floating cloud with crystal raindrops, just to keep my hands busy. For once, the inspiration /mood board in my study/guest room came in handy. Wish I could tell you who to credit, but all I can say the instructions were in issue #32 of Mollie Makes, on page 62. That's it, as I ripped it out when I was having a clear out of old magazines. In those instructions they make it into a super cute mobile, but for me I just went for the one solitary cloud in uber wicked liberty print. Finally starting to cut into the Tana Lawn stash again.

• It's my birthday next week, and whilst I run about the Harry Potter Studios, like a loon, I've decided to offer 31% off everything in my Etsy store. Simply use the following discount code: 31ROCKS.

Hope everyone is having a fab March. 

Christmas, New Stock and a Vow to Buy Quality

It feels nice to be working on a blog post during the day and not at night as with my previous weekly musings. The sun is still shining and the sky is blue. Thus far it's been a rather productive week and a bit of a rallying one too. I'll get to the latter bit a little bit later because first I really, really want to show you what I've been working on this week. 

I'm utterly stoked with the way my new Christmas bee design has turned out. I made the decision quite early on that I wasn't going to do the same design as last year and I was prompted to get drawing again when I sold the very last Merry Bee. I had actually tweeted the design I came up with the other day and so this weekend I set about making the sample. Well, the sample turned out to be beyond my expectations and as such its' up for sale already, complete with a little pouch to store it in. I've been mulling over packaging lately and I thought about buying in a load of already made calico pouches and perhaps in due time I'll do that but till I've sourced ones I'm happy to pair with my own work I've opted to make my own. Now the one shown below is completely made by hand, and yes you can imagine it took a wee while to sew it which isn't practical but with a sewing machine I'll get the time way down. It also meant I could also use my massive stash of bakers twine and my wee custom made stamp. So all in all it's rather perfect.

Queen Bee Tree Decoration £15.00

The bee wasn't the only thing I've been working on. Last week you'll recall my mentioning playing about with the Paradise bird design again, this time making some rather swanky looking brooches. Well I think I can safely say I've cracked it. It took some attempts and alterations but I've finally got it to fit neatly and securely into the brooch setting. It will be made in other colours, peach, pale pink, lilac, turquoise, hot pink and mint...actually I might still play with the combo's but at least you get the idea. I've not listed this one for sale as of yet, but will be in due course. So keep an eye on the store!

So yes, it's been a rather busy weekend, amongst all that lot I also managed to fit in a trip to Farnham's Food Festival (spent a small fortune on yummy produce), finally settled on how I am going to make a blind for the study, massive clothes clear out and made a concious decision in regards to clothes buying habits. 

Now I know that's a weird thing to do, the latter that is, but this week I finally had enough of buying cheap clothing. What did it for me? A pair of boots, which I had ordered from New Look and realised you really do get what you pay for. Now, yes I know if you buy cheap you get cheap. I've know that, occasionally though you buy cheap and you can get good quality too but like many you get pulled into the need it now situation and forgo buying into investment pieces because it involves searching, saving up and waiting. Not to say I am not patient (mostly) but well it's easy just to find something that vaguely does the job, that might last the season and get rid. But I am feeling really uneasy about that lately. More so now I have my own place, and the whole buying bits for it, be it a lamp or the paint. Now part of me wants to rush out and fill the place completely with everything I need but that's both unrealistic financially but more importantly where's the fun in that? I've been on the hunt for a console table pretty much since I moved in but I'm not rushing to IKEA to get one. I'll wait till I find the right piece that could be several more months down the line but that's fine by me. 

So going back to the clothing I've decided that not only a small wardrobe (not talking about the furniture) made up of pieces that are really well made and fit properly is the way to go. The first thing I'm saving up for is a pair of Grenson Chelsea Boots 'Jessie', aren't they just lush! I've just popped some bits on Ebay that I don't want any more and the money from that is going in the pot. Hopefully be able to afford by the next pay cheque. 

Then saving up for a new leather handbag....

So here is to saving and buying quality. 

Finished!

Another weekend of a bit of me time, things to do, people to see and projects to finish, whilst also whipping up batches of soup and moving furniture around.

Has anyone else noticed the change in the weather this weekend? Yes, I know a Brit talking about the weather, well nothing like sticking to a stereotype. I really noticed it this weekend, with the warm sun but a noticeable nip in the air with with the wind. Thus making you wish when your out that you brought a scarf with you. I have always loved the snuggly jumper, soup making, blanket days, more than any other time of year. Sure I was born in the spring but autumn and winter will always be my fave. Bring on the crispy leaves to tread on!

Anyway, enough of the weather...I've got something to show you!

I've finished my 'Tea Solves Everything' embroidery at long last! Yay, we all cry...well okay, perhaps just me. So pleased its finally complete. I need to get it framed but it's done, it's finished...its sitting in the hoop frame next to me. Okay, I need to get it mounted onto card but it's done!

Just starting the very last letter, I had to actually do this letter again, so this is attempt number two. I just couldn't get the flick under the 'v' right. So I unpicked, stitched 'e' and 's' and went back to it. Sometimes you have to give something a break before you come back to it.

Using a pin I was able to keep the core thread where I wanted it whilst I stitched up to it. 

And here it is complete! So, utterly thrilled with it.

I'm so pleased with the outcome, I just need to sort out some really high resolution shots and then I can play around with the idea of greeting cards. I'm mind is already onto stitching the next one, which I will start but in a few weeks time.

I've had to put my own projects on hold again, some of you might have seen some of my tweets lately, I've had a bit of an issue with post. My secret squirrel project finished pieces went missing in the post....and yes, to say I was distraught would be an understatement. I have, however, gotten over it. Someday it may show up, and in the meantime I am stitching it again, with a slight adaptation. Needless to say, posting it will cause me a bit of a stress but I am seriously contemplating DHL or Feedex. It's frustrating but at the end of the day it's really not the worst thing in the world, at the time it was but you have to move on. Tea and chocolate also helped, and wisdom from my best friend and mum.

I was about to sign off, but I must draw your attention to a competition being run by &Stitches blog rather aptly named for the time of year, 'Back to School'. It sounds like a really fantastic competition idea and there are some fab prizes up for grabs. Go and check it out.

Busy Times

Nearly getting to the end of my secret squirrel project, the stitching for it is done and only the paperwork remains. The fun side....

This does now mean that I can slowly begin to return to my own bits and pieces such as working on the tea solves everything piece which is so close to finishing. I think I can get it completed this coming weekend. Which will be cool.

Think I am a little bit too in love with the trailing, again...

I also have my application for the Farnham Maltings Christmas fair to finish and get in the post and I have to say I've already thought about the design for this year's Christmas decorations. I'm sorry! I hate to bring the word up as much as you do, although to be fair I've put it off for as long as I could. Don't hate me.

Almost the next newsletter time, now you will have to forgive me the next one won't be a big but I think you will like it as it will feature the free little embroidery design I promised you all.

One final mad panic, is the napkin I must stitch and get back to them on the 2nd September, I am sensing it's going to be mad dash on that one. Tea, will hopefully be my saviour for that one!

When things are a little less manic I will show you some progress shots of the studio, hopefully when I get some artwork on the wall. Just ordered a load of frames from Habitat which will help with that one.

Well I do like to be kept busy!

Slight blip and quietly stitching

Not so many photographs this week, I've been quietly working on my secret squirrel project and getting things sorted in the new place. Granted my unexpected problem that I hit on the very first day of my holidays this week was my computer dying again.

Needless to say I was not awfully impressed. And despite numerous attempts to get the damned thing to work again I came to the conclusion that I can't keep getting it repaired, and I am pretty certain it's the motherboard again which would be the third one. I don't like having to replace something if I think I can get it repaired but sometimes you have to weigh up the pros and cons on doing that. Even if the repair will always be cheaper than a new computer the very fact this is the third time its died, the potential loss of data (i've not yet attempted to access the hard drive) the agro of getting it repaired and the threat that it may well happen again was enough to make the decision that enough is enough.

I have at least managed to give away the screen, so that's one less thing that needs scraping. The tower won't be for a long while yet.

There was another pro for getting a new computer as I opted for an all-in-one so that I don't have to try and figure out a solution as to where to store the tower. I purchased a few bits from IKEA, but stupidly didn't keep them in the boxes so I couldn't return them. The 'solutions' are currently under my desk. Shout if you interested in a tower unit holder (fix to a desk), a keyboard thingie and a cable rack then drop me a note. 

This thankfully is the last big purchase for a while which is a relief as frankly I think my bank accounts are weeping at the constant purchasing. Not as much as me.

Anyway, it's no biggy and things move on and as I am slightly head of myself for the secret squirrel project, and as I am in need of a break working on that I've managed to get back to my 'Tea Solves Everything' piece, what do you think? Not much left to do :D

The next thing will be once complete will be either writing a pattern or a kit for a similar or same version of it, and I'd like to produce some postcards of it. 

Tea Time!

It really sum up my weekend, when I found myself stitching tea, whilst drinking tea....

Text looks a little bumpy, but with a little bit of tweeking with a needle I've managed to give it a much smoother finish...

This is my last full weekend of stitching for what I think will be a fortnight, I have family commitments and I'm moving (finally) into my new flat. Life takes over, and all my lovely projects have to be packaged up safely and carefully, pending it's travels to Farnham. Then well hopefully I'll have my studio/room up and running in quick time. I kind of need to get it sorted quickly, as I have a commission which I will be accepting tomorrow to get done by the end of August. It's not a private commission but something for a magazine. I weighed up everything, and I thought what the hell, what's life without a little bit of pressure ;) 

This isn't of course my last blog for a while, I can still squeeze in time for that! And I have a newsletter to get written and out by the 1st August too. 

Life is a Big Puddle Jump In - Embroidery Complete

There is always a silver lining to feeling poorly, additional days at home. And being the sort that always has to be doing something I've been able to finish my latest quote/typography embroidery piece, 'Life is a Big Puddle Jump In'. This piece is yet to be mounted, that's the next bit to do. And once I've got that sorted I'll be taking some higher resolution images to allow me to turn the image into purchasable postcards and greetings cards. 

Today is...

a goo'd' day. 

Yes, it really is.

I am, really getting into the embroidery piece 'Today is a Good Day' (designer Hannah Dollery), it's taking a little while to get back into the habit of doing padded satin, but I am really loving it now. Like visiting an old friend.

So here is a super close up shot of the piece in progress. 

It will, and I really mean this, be finished this week. Whether that also means framing it I am not entirely sure, we'll see I have a super oval shaped ring frame which I think it would slot rather nicely into. But who knows...I am fickle when it comes to how I want to finish something off.

For those who aren't signed up to my newsletter, the latest copy went out on Monday, and you can now view it online. I recommend having a peek as I revealed what the latest 'Honeycomb' Tutorial piece was going to be covering. Go on, have a look, you know you want too...

See you at the weekend folks x

Today is a Good Day

Nothing like a Bank Holiday weekend to get recharged and raring to go once more. Admittedly it took until today to finally pull my finger out and get going but I felt as though I made up for lost time. Many projects were progressed, prepped and started...

One of the projects I prepped today, and started was one that I mentioned the other week (Stitching Sundays), which was turning a rather fab computer wall paper into a hand embroidered picture. I sought the permission of the designer Hannah Dollery who kindly said I could. Yesterday I started a bit of the prep work for it, playing around with how I was going to stitch the various typed of font and today was all about getting the fabric started. I was going to hold fire and start it over the next weekend but I was chomping at the bit to get started.

Starting of the trailing stitch, what I like to call Barber Shop Pole Stitch.
Using a combination of stranded cotton and silk thread

Doesn't take me long to get one letter complete

Where I am currently up to, the aim is to get the trailing completed by the end of the week...hopefully

It feels good to get back to doing a meaty project, and something that I get to chart its progress.

As for what else I worked on today, I prepped a few bits for a new prototype clock, I'll talk about that another day, when I've got a bit more to show. At the moment it's just a stack of tiny bits of fabric and some thread....but hopefully it will be a bit more than that soon enough. 

I also whizzed up a small embroidery, for the sheer hell of it mainly, not sure what I am going to do with it yet...any suggestions gratefully welcomed. It's just under an inch on the width, so it's teeny tiny. And you'll hopefully recognise it as being part of my branding. Some point I would love to stitch the full thing, on a bigger scale for stall sign or something...one day, but not at the moment.

That's it for now!

Honeycomb Tutorial Time: Eyelet Polka Part 2 - Stitching

Welcome to part two of 'Eyelet Polka'. By now you would have gathered together your materials, and selected your colour palatte. If you've only just stumbled across this blog post, then click here to read part one.

Ready? Let's get cracking.

Eyelet Polka

In this first tutorial we are going to look at eyelets. I’m going to show you four ways of doing them, and they will get ever so slightly more difficult.

Additional material you’ll need: 

• a light weight fabric with either with a print or plain block colour; this will be showing through your eyelets so you might to compliment the three colours you select to do the eyelets in. For my example I’ve used Liberty Tana Lawn.

PREP STAGE:

Yummy colours

• Click here to download the template. Print it at 100% in black and white.
• Pick three colours out of your palette, I chose DMC 725,899,955

• Cut a piece of the calico, I’m using a 6” frame so I’ve cut out a piece that’s about 25cm square in size.
• Transfer the template onto the fabric, you may find that you can see the template through the fabric, but if you can’t use a lightbox or your window. Now draw on the eyelets, use dots at the centre to mark number 1, and circles for 2-4, but don’t draw the hexagon outline or the actual numbers.
• Get the fabric in your frame, make sure it’s taut. Nothing worse than working on saggy fabric.
• Select your three colours from your palette.

EYELET ONE

• The first eyelets that your going to do are indicated on your fabric as dots.
• To secure your thread do a couple of tiny stitches near to the dot. Now come up through the fabric a couple of millimetres from the dot, then take the needle down through it.

• When you come up through the fabric to start your next stitch you will be slightly pulling on the thread to ease open the hole where the dot used to be. Keep your stitches around the hole neat and even in length as you can as you go round. It will end up looking like a star burst.

Backside of fabric - Running needle under stitches

• To finish off our eyelet take your thread to the back, and slide your needle under the stitches a couple of times, then cut the end off. Be careful not to cut your sewing!

• You may find that the hole of the eyelet isn't really visible, simply use a slightly thicker needle or your stiletto to open it up, it also helps to smooth the inside of the eyelet. Repeat for the other two dots, changing the colour of your thread for each one.

EYELET 2

• Start as before, but before you over-sew the edge to start your eyelet you will need to do a running stitch around the circle that you’ve drawn.

• Pierce the centre of the eyelet with a stiletto, or if you don’t have one use a large needle. You can use the point of your scissors but I don’t recommend it for this eyelet type as you will risk cutting the fabric. Wiggle the stiletto/needle to make the hole a little more pronounced.

• Back to your discarded thread, now you will over-sew the edge of the hole, as before by bringing your needle up a little way from the running stitch and then down through the hole you already made.

• Work around the hole, keeping your stitches as even possible. This takes a bit of practice, which is why you do this type three times.
• Finish off your thread as you did with the first eyelet, at the back, and smooth the eyelet with your large needle or stiletto. Repeat two more times.

EYELET 3

• This is the same as eyelet 2, except you will be adding some padding. Stitch round the circle in running stitch, as before. Then working outwards; stitch a single row of chain stitch. Then finish off that thread so you can start the over sewing with a clean thread.

• Work the eyelet exactly the same as the previous eyelet (steps 2-5).

• REPEAT two more times.

EYELET 4

• This is the very last eyelet you need to do, and because it’s a little tricky I am only going to make you do it once. So pick your very favourite colour out of three to work with.
• Work a running stitch around the eyelet, as done for eyelet 2 and 3.
• Cut the centre of the eyelet both vertically (up and down) and horizontally (left to right) cutting from the middle. This is why you need to have a wickedly sharp pair of scissors. If you’re a bit worried about this, you can make a hole in the middle of your eyelet, with your needle to start yourself off.
• Fold back the excess fabric and bring the needle up ready for over sewing just beyond the running stitch, you might find you can use it as a chance to stitch through one of the flaps keeping it in place.

• Take the needle down into the hole and repeat all around the eyelet. Again, keep your stitches close together and even in length.
• When finished, turn to the back of the work and cut any excess fabric that might be showing.

Back of work, trimming the excess fabric

Completed, front.

Top Tip:

If you find that you’ve got gaps between your stitches, don’t panic, simply thread up your needle again, turn to the back of the fabric and slide it through some of the stitches.Bring the needle up through stitches to the front, and work your way round again, filling in the gaps. Take it slowly, and use your needle to guide the thread round the hole to help achieve a smooth finish.

Now sit back and admire your handy work, you've completed the embroidery for the Eyelet Polka. Don't forget to show of your work on my flickr group, I'll be setting up a thread should you have any queries or questions, but by all means you can leave comments  here if your stuck.

But, you’re not done yet you need finish the shape off by doing wrong side applique. Come back this Easter weekend for the final part!

All Scream for Ice Cream

Ice Cream Bow Embroidered Collar

Made the full most of the weekend to not only wizz up another collar, the second design in the Ice Cream collection but I also made a clock in the third out of the three designs! Can't say that's not productive. Also fit in breakfast out with my mum, let's hear it for french toast, bacon and syrup, and got my haircut. Still have time left over.

I am making the most of having a weekend like this, as I am predicting in April they are going to be pretty non-existent. Reason being I've given notice on my flat, and I have until the 25th April to get move out, hopefully into the new place, if not it will be stowing my worldly possessions away and moving back home. Scary notion.

Till that point I am trying not to get too stressed out and enjoying my time embroidering and thinking about the future. And thinking about this has prompted me to book a ticket for The Startup Showcase at Somset House next Saturday. It was a spare of the moment booking and I also pinged off emails to Farnham Maltings to find out more about their creative fairs and shows. And byjove there is a lot to get involved with. I can't wait to knuckle down, but I have to be patient and concentrate on one thing at at time. But yep, I have itchy feet and fingers to get going.

In the meantime, let me show off some pictures of the latest items:

Ice Cream Bow Collar - Ickle bows in silk thread

Ice Cream Bunting - Silk embroidered wall clock

All items can be purchased in my Etsy store. If your in the UK, you can enjoy free shipping until the end of March, just use the following code during check out FREEMARCH13. 

Spring is here - Let's Polka

So on Monday, Blighty was treated to a day of brilliant sunshine. It felt to me, and others, that spring had finally sprung.

It was fantastic timing too as I had booked a day off from the day job to spend the day with my best mate crafting, drinking tea, chatting and eating plenty of cake.

Of course, no day could start without a decent breakfast and this put us on the path to a fantastic day looking colour. We toddled around for a bit in town which meant I was able to pick up some thread, and as these things happen I also ended up buying fabric. Yes, the sun had done a marvelous effect on my mood and colour palette. There was also a brief stop in Farrow& Ball for paint and wallpaper charts. I love their colours even if my bank account doesn't.

The remainder of the day was naturally spent looking at the colour swatches and playing with the various threads I had picked up earlier that morning. We flitted between looking at ideas for the soon to be new flat (yes, getting there slowly) and new project ideas. The sun pouring into the livingroom, whilst making the room hot, certainly aided our colour picking abilities.

Aren't they smashing colours, the three spools at the bottom are the silks threads I purchased at the beginning of the year, the skeins above at the ones purchased on Monday, just your standard DMC cottons.

With the colours chosen for the new project ideas picked out on Monday, it meant I was able to get on with one of them today. Now, originally I had planned on using the DMC threads to stitch the projects but I was nudged into using the silk threads, so I ended up doing just that, except so not to waste the limited amount of silk thread I had I used the cotton as the padding for the satin dots. It was pure fate that the colours picked up on Monday matched the silk.

Work in progress - seeing dots.

This is the first of three new spring/summer collar designs, and the first one made up is Ice-Cream Polka. Every time I look at it I just want to smile, and then poke the satin dots (I haven't...yet). I backed it in the new purchased cotton fabric too. Using my previous collar pattern means this design is fully reversible. And look it features my logo as the fabric label.

Dots...lots of dots

Now, all I need to do is crack on with the other two designs! Ice-cream polka will be available to purchase from my Etsy store.

Return of the Bees

Nice to get back to stitching my bees once more. 

I stitched the ring in the centre of the clock last week, as its going to be used for my next mirror design, but it's kind of two for the price of one as it's also for my next clock. 

Actually this clock...

Ring of Bees Hand Embroidered Wall Clock

Size: 13 (w) x 13 (h) x 2.5 (d) cm - 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 1 inches (approx)

Materials: Cotton threads, linen, card, wooden hoop, and a quartz clock mechanism.

More bees on the horizon though, I need to work on the pouches for the mirrors, well once I have ordered the actually mirrors. I also got a bit sidetracked this afternoon I made a tiny bee brooch, whether or not I'll actually make more of them I am not entirely sure but I might gauge your opinions on it...

It's a tiny gold bee, which was stitched in gold check purl, over stitched with stranded cotton, on the back of the brooch it's backed with Liberty Tana Lawn fabric. It's just under 2.5cm in diameter.

What do you think?