Stitching Frustrations Out by Stitching Love

You may recall from a previous blog post of my frustrations at not being in the zone for embroidery, and in the past couple of weeks I've been endeavoring to knock that on a head. Enough, is enough. Despite whatever wibble I am in, embroidery/ stitching in general puts me in a happy place. And that, my friends is what we should do a lot more of. Feeling frustrated, do what you love, sod everything else. Unless it involves breaking the law....don't do that...stroke kittens instead.

Anyway, before I completely go off topic. I finally got over my not feeling able to come up with an embroidery project, a drawing/ concept if you will. Then I picked up the latest copy of 'The Simple Things' Magazine, the colouring in pages drew me in. Then, then I got this need to doodle and colour. I did and the above design came about. Simple. That's what I love most. 

I started working on it last week. Got the fabric all prepped, a linen mix if your wondering. It's got a bit of a slightly open weave, so to support it I placed a piece of light weight muslin behind (with a finer weave), I didn't herringbone it to the other fabric as you would do normally (properly). Sometimes, sometimes, it's okay to skip a step. Plus it's in an uber tight frame so I am not worried about it shifting about.

To get my started I roughly drew on the design, and roughly stitched various rows of running stitch in green threads round, and around on an oval shape. It not being dead on perfect was intentional,  somewhat out of my comfort zone...

I'll likely add more rows, but I wanted to try out ways of stitching the numerous leaves that will be dotting it, returned to the raised fishbone stitch, and satin for a starter for ten. Though I will probably look at lazy daisy and some other isolated stitches, just to give it some depth.

Happy with the leaves, I've moved onto starting the main bit of the project, stitching the lettering, I wanted to get this done before I put any more leaves, and long before I start the flowers. Rows, upon rows, of tiny split stitch in two colours, this is going to keep me quiet for a bit.

And its a perfect way for me to chill out on this rather glorious sunny, Sunday morning.

Set Sails for New Projects on the Horizon

A new year, and new projects.

I've started to find my embroidery mojo once more. 

And the result of this new found energy is the start of a new project. 

Originally was just going to be a play about, to work out how I was going to do certain areas of the design but is slowly becoming I think probably at the very least a finished example piece for a range of custom items. But we'll see...I am just going to go with the flow on this one, and at the rate I am going stitching it I am sure it will end up being complete next weekend. 

Short and Sweet Post

Today is just to lovely to be sat indoors, especially now that I just finished 'Today is a Good Day'. I'm so utterly thrilled with the final outcome that sitting out in the sun is my reward for some damned good work. 

So I am really not going to waffle on in this post, or talk about much beyond, have a look at the finished piece for yourself. I am so thankful to Hannah Dollery for allowing to use it and I can't wait to hang it up, well once I've decided how I am going to do it. 

Only thing left for me to say is I really want to stitch some more words, phrases anything really, and work more in the lush silk threads from Mulberry Silks.

And that's it...

Well one thing, next Honeycomb tutorial will be ready next weekend.

Promise that is the last thing!

Final bits to stitch

Today...I try not to waffle.

Hey look it's another Sunday! This means that it's time for a blog post, sure came round quickly. I'll ignore the fact that it will soon be Monday...

I'm going to skip a bit of my normal waffle because words are seemingly escaping me today. the weekend has been good and productive, and so let's get to the juicy bits and some photographs. Because as we know a picture tells a thousand tales or in this case what I've been stitching. Although I have to admit with the somewhat dull/overcast weather the photography isn't at it's best, even after a bit of photo editing.

So my personal project is coming a long nicely, I've finished the first section of trailing, 'Today', and now working on 'Good'. The lettering will be a combination of diagonal Satin, chain and trailing stitch. You can't really tell but the thread colour for the 'G' is in a hot coral pink, the padding is in a different shade because I'm not wasting the silk thread, in the coral, for the padding. I should use a matching colour for the padding but I'm resorting to using what I have to hand, and to be honest if stitched well enough your not going to see the padding.

Patchwork Bee

The other project that I've been working on is coming on rather nicely, it's the design for a new clock, and I'm rather enjoying the look of it. Here is a bit of a close up look at it. I wish I had some more of this flowery fabric but it's only a sample piece that came with a magazine from Japan. That said, I've seen the new Liberty Tana Lawn prints, and I've got my eye on a couple. Next month I'll treat myself to a couple of 1/2 metres, it will take me an age to get through, and it's been an equally long time since I purchased any new prints. 

And that's near enough everything I've been doing this weekend, aside from tidying up, shopping and doing bits and pieces on the internet.

Ah, before I shuffle off, there are a couple of UK Government petitions flying about here and enough to make me want to get on a soapbox here, beautifully crafted one, and say if your in the UK, and your a crafts person or know someone that is or love to buy from them then please sign this petition to get the government to change  its mind on reclassifying craft as non-creative. Seriously, where do they come up with these things.

Granted I'm sure there will be some that will wonder what's the point of worrying about it, people will forever call it crafts, because lord knows Handmade Manufacturing really rolls of the tongue.

Okay, I started out saying I wasn't going to waffle, and near enough ended on a rant. Oops.

Anyway, if you are in the UK click here - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49537 

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!

Stitching Sundays

Howd'y folks, yes I am back up and running in my temporary digs. And finally, finally stitching again. Gawd blimey, feels like an age since I picked up a needle, and I've wasted no time this weekend in getting through several things on my to do list whilst at the same time finding time to unwind.

SO what did I get up to, well after writing my list (gotta love writing lists), I cracked on with progressing my design for a competition by Survival Arts. I've been doodling over the past couple of weeks but hadn't got round to turning it into anything. This is a bit of a shot of what I've been doing, I am still a little iffy on it I think once I've finished the sample that I'll get a better feeling for it. I'm also mulling over another design which I'll work over the next weekend.

I've also started work on the second hive tutorial, as recently announced in my first newsletter the next tutorial focuses on 'Stem Stitch'. Not my utter favourite stitch to do but it is a useful one. Snazzy Stem will be uploaded over the Bank Holiday weekend.

I've also been inspired to work on a new piece just for me, something to adorn my soon to be wonderful craft room (yep, the purchase is still going through). I came cross a few back a site that had some rather great computer wallpapers on a site called Design Love Fest (scroll down for one called Today is a Good Day) and I was so taken by it that I found myself thinking that I could probably turn it into an embroidery. Now, I could have easily taken the design, worked it and hung it up and no one would any the wiser...but that frankly doesn't sit well with me. 

So I contacted the designer Hannah Dollery this very afternoon, and got a very speedy response back granting me permission to do it. I can't wait to work on it, it's the process  and the challenge of translating a design/drawing/illustration which hadn't intended to be stitched into an embroidered piece that I adore so much. I also love selecting the stitches, picking the colour palette, working out the order of stitching etc. So thank you so much Hannah, for making my day!

And now folks, time to get back to some more stitching!

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.

Great Oaks from Little Acorns Grow

As the saying goes. 

The little acorn in this case was a design I came up with based on Art Nouveau style, so very organic but with a sense of flair to it. I came up with a repeat pattern which enabled me to mirror it. The design was for a coat collar. A very special commission for a very special lady. It was an utter pleasure coming up with the design and subsequently stitching it. It gave me an opportunity to work on some very wonderful luxury cashmere fabric and to work in pure silk threads. 

I can't wait to see it attached to the coat, and when I do there will be more photographs! 

Following the completion of the collar, I was able to crack on with the second part of the commission which was to create a set of matching buttons. Which I completed last weekend. 

I chose to use the acorns on the collar, rather than try and create mini versions of the leaves. It also gave me more of excuse to do more of the very tactile acorn caps, which I should have added was a combination of hand dyed wool thread with a strand of silk thread, the stitch used was French Knots. 

It was rather tricky to get the fabric round the button blanks!

With the commission complete, I return once more to my own work, and whilst I have been a little lax on this side of things, I am slowly getting back up to full speed!

Back Stitching and THE Quilt

It's the end of my hiatus where it comes to working on new things for this year. After the numerous weeks of saying/teasing what I might be doing for new lines. I've finally pulled my finger out and got down to some stitching. Rather great to get back into it again, though I have to admit I am not 100% on the quality of work this week or the design I have started to play about with.

In progress, I used silk thread for this sample. Chain Stitch, and padded Satin.

Two things I am looking at for inspiration at the moment is Heraldry and Cartography, which has prompted me to do a lot of doodling lately. Last night I was playing around with the Luther Rose, how I would want to work and colours, if any. I am a bit mixed on it to be honest. I think the reason why I am not too sure on it is that I have worked the sample on the calico so it does nothing for it. I'll whip up a silk one later, and see how it goes. 

You might wonder why the heck I didn't just work it on the silk to begin with, well mainly because I don't want to waste the remaining silk stash I have, and secondly I'll admit I can be a bit of a muppet. I also just realised looking at the second sample (at the bottom right) I missed out the cross in the middle. 

*rolls eyes* 

Ah well, anyway, might as well show you the progress of the long talked about quilt. The last post where I showed photographs of it's progress was back in 2011. The rest of the time was a mix of me promising to finish it. Oh, how I laugh. Well in December I made a push to finish it, I put the bias binding on, and carried on with the hand quilting. The Quilt is still on my sofa, just behind me, I've had it there because it's been making me do a spot of hand stitching of an evening, just an hour at a time. Rather cathartic. I am going to put it out there that I might actually complete at the end of the month. Okay, I have put it out there...I will finish it. There I said it.

You can slap my wrist if I don't.

The reason for wanting to finish it is so its ready for the new place, because fingers crossed I'll be out of my flat by March. Oh gawd, I hope so. Be the best birthday present ever.

On Wednesday, I'll give you a catch up on the Photo a day challenge that I decided to get involved with. So far, so good.

Right time to crack on with some stitching, spot of lunch first.

Oh before I go, I've been pinning some cracking recipes on Pinterest. Click here, and prepare to drool.

Powering through

As I had hoped this week I  managed to finish several projects and on Saturday not only did I managed to photograph them but list them too.

So what did I get up too?

Well I created one more of the delightful Paradise Bird hand embroidered peter pan collars, and rephotographed the ones I had made a few weeks back. I am much happier with the outcomes, the images are crisper and brighter:

They just look so cool grouped together!

Lovely triplets!

But it doesn't stop there, I also finally mounted up the Paradise Bird hoop art, and it's looking rather snazzy in the variegated blue thread. I love this linen fabric it's light weight and wonderful to stitch on. 

I think I am getting better at photographing my work, and editing in Photoshop.

It doesn't finish there, I worked on another piece this week. It was another Peter Pan Collar, but a different design to the birds. Following on from the Honey & Bee Clock, I created a sweet little design incorporating tiny little buzzing bees. Like with the other collars, this is reversible so you can show off the bees or you can show off the monochrome flowers. 

I love stitching bees in the way I mastered some years ago, just works perfectly, you might notice that it's a slightly different way to the bees on the clock.  The bees are linked up on either side of the collar, by running stitch around the edge of the collar.

Phew...

*insert deep breath*

I hope you like the photographs. I have one more to share with you, call it a first sneak peek at the pattern I am working on....

Hope you like what you see.

If your interested in the collars or the hoop art then click here.