Life is a Big Puddle continues on

My latest embroidered quote is coming along rather well if I do say so myself. I hadn't quite planned on getting as far as I have done this weekend but evidently my stitching fingers had other ideas. No sooner had I started the second word yesterday morning, was I whizzing along to start the sixth word this Sunday...and now nearly half way through that one. 

It has got me thinking in what capacity I could sell them. This particular piece is for me, as was the last one. But I could consider turning images into postcards or greeting cards, to turning a smaller quote into a kit. I have another two designs in the pipeline, and  I think there might be some scope with making them as a kit or a pattern design. Thoughts welcomed. Anyway, for me its something to ponder over on the way too and from work, in between reading Hannibal. I think the TV programme has gotten under my skin, no pun intended, and I've been making my way through the Thomas Harris books, currently reading Red Dragon. 

Note to self I must also start penning my next newsletter (this was the last one), and finally pick a replacement linen fabric, my stash has taken a battering over the last couple of months and I've not found a fabric I like to replace it. I've been to countless stores, ordered samples left and right, and yet still not found one that's anything like what I had. So heed this warning folks, if you like a fabric don't skimp on how much you get (if you can) because later down the line you'll kick yourself for not being an extra meter or two. Darn it. Lesson learned.

My quest will continue on, as will my quest to finish wrapping and tidying up my thread stash, only half way through the stranded cottons, still have all the specialist threads to go?! It will drive me even more loopy, than I am already. 

So what is everyone else up to? Are you working on one of my free tutorials, or like me attempting to finish projects for yourself or organising your thread stash?

More Lettering: Life & Tana Lawn

It appears, in addition to my love for tea, bees and Liberty Tana Lawn, I have a growing fondness for stitching lettering. It's all I appear to be doodling these days, either random quotes I like or things I've come up with. Where or how far this takes me I don't rightly know, but I am liking this momentary diversion. Because, I am still not any further to completing the purchase on my first home. It's turning into a comedy at how long it's taking. That grumble aside, at least this limbo time is affording me a change in pace.

So what bunch of words have I chosen to work on at the moment, well it's something that's been muddling about in my noggin, 'Life is a Big Puddle, Jump In'. Words, that I don't often follow but one that I am paying a bit more attention too.

I've drawn out the design, chosen to use an assortment of different font styles, and colours. Really into the whole using the entire rainbow at the moment. Hey, the grey days have to be banished somehow!

Design, scaled up a smidgeon. My hedgehog pin cushion doesn't look impressed.

Currently working on the top row of letters 'LIFE', chosen to do balloon type letters in fruity colours. The string from each of the letters will link down to the second row. I will point out that working this in long and short stitch, has reminded me how rusty I am at doing it, taken me to 'f' to get back into the swing of it, and to get a smooth finish. 

Ah,....Lif...sweet...Lif.

I shall keep you all in the loop on it's progress, the aim of the coming week is to get the the first two rows complete, and to start the third row, which spells out 'BIG'. And when I am not working on that I will be planning what to do with my new stash of Liberty fabrics. I've gone on a bit of a spree to liven up the stash of Tana Lawn I already have. Some of my funky coloured ones are starting to run out so it was high time and a good excuse to buy more. It's been a combination of Ebay purchases and taking advantage of the summer sale at Liberty's in London. 2 metres for just under £25, I'll have some of that thank you very much. It will take me a long time, years even, to get through it all. 

Look at them, they are just so darn cheerful and lush! 

Before I dive off to make a cuppa and to take a break form the computer, you can see my entries for the 'Survival Arts - Bee Competition. Head over to their pinterest account to see the wonderful entries thus far, and my own (look out for Laura Mason) http://pinterest.com/survivalarts/brave-bees-art-competition/

Honeycomb Tutorial Time: French Knots and Crosses

Welcome to the third installment in the Honeycomb tutorial series. In this next patch we will be covering the classic filler stitch, the humble French Knot.

I thought I would ease you into another basic stitch before I hit you with a trickier one in the next patch. I like to be nice.

Additional Items:

- Download the pattern, click here

- You will need 3 colours from your colour palette, I've chosen DMC 598, 725 and 907

- Needles - I would recommend slightly longer needles, like a number 7 embroidery, I've even been known to use darning needles. Basically anything that isn't a quilting, or between size, as it helps when it comes to wrapping the thread round the needle

- If your fabric/calico is quite thin, like mine, I recommend ironing light weight vilene on the back of the fabric. Draw on your design first if you don't have a light box as the vilene can impede being able to see the pattern. Don't forget when your drawing the design not to draw the outside line! 

Now to begin:

- With the design drawn on and the fabric nice and tight in your frame. If you need a recap, then do have a look at the first tutorial to get you on the right track. Now I am going to simply talk you through how to do a French knot, then show you some different things you can do with a French Knot to get different effects. So read the instructions first and then have a go.

Step 1: 

Bring the needle up through the fabric where you need the knot to go, and wrap the thread around the needle, the average amount to do this is 2, but you can go tiny at 1 or huge up to 5 (even bigger if your feeling daring). 

Step 2:

Keeping hold of the thread, bring the needle down close to where you brought the needle up.

Step 3:

Keep hold of the thread, as you pull the needle down through the fabric until nearly all the thread is through to the back, then let go. Then pull the rest of the thread through to the back, you should have a nice neat knot on the surface of the fabric. 

Now don't panic if the first knot you do looks messy. If your filling in an area, just stitch your next couple of knots really, close to the messy one to hide it. Don't waste your time unpicking it! Even I still make the odd messy one.

In the diagram below I've explained how many wraps and strands used for the pattern. Just to explain, though I am sure you've worked it out, strands refers to the number of threads you are working with, and wraps is the number of times to wrap the thread round the needle. 

In a couple of places, I mention mix, now this is where I have taken two colours, and used a strand of each colour. It gives a more speckled effect when stitched. There is nothing to stop you from using a mix effect throughout the entire pattern.

The crosses are a combination of long stitches and back stitch. Feel free to change the crosses into lines of French Knots.

Now to finish this honeycomb piece off, you have two options, you can do reverse applique as shown in the Eyelet Polka tutorial, or you can do a version of English Paper Piecing, which is a quilting technique as shown in Snazzy Stem. 

Once you have completed yours, I would love to see what combination of colours you use, and if you've been crazy enough to turn all the shapes into French Knots, come to Flickr to share your work or drop me a comment.