Category Archives: Inspiration

Strawberry Needle Cushion

Once we had finished our toadstools, we needed a new project, but it needed to be quick (we only had two lessons left)

We made needle sharpening strawberries -the bottom two-thirds is filled with black emery powder.

My base fabric is a pink dupion silk (shot with green). I have used au ver á soie silk d’alger threads.

I wanted to practise my bullion knots, so I have made bullion knot flowers and the centres are french knots. I then used fern stitch to create the vine (I saw it in the book Foolproof Flower Embroidery )

Then I added seed beads, bugle beads and sequins.

I used my cricut machine to cut felt leaves for the top. And I found two metal (plastic) leaves for the top (I think they’re jewellery charms).

Better view of the top

I made the cord using a drill and pearl cotton (here’s a tutorial video)

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My Stitchery Box Has Arrived

My Summer Celebration box from the Stitchery arrived – I pre-ordered this months ago.

Even the packing tape is beautiful
Inside the packing box
Project Bag! I have never had one like this before.
The Box
Thread bed ontop
Look at all the DMC
Vilene and finishing supplies
Hoop, scissors and needles – everything you could possibly need.

There was also some Acufactum fabric, which, I think I will use for English Paper Piecing.

I am glad I ordered this. It was quite expensive (especially considering the state of the Australian dollar), but it gorgeous.

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Filed under Cross Stitch, Embroidery, English Paper Piecing, Inspiration, Purchases

May Poem (Embroidery)

May’s Poem

I have started working on May’s poem.

I am using stem stitch. I am finding the thread (silk perlee) is unravelling.

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Finished Toadstool

Finished Toadstool

I finished my toadstool!

The base is half a felt dryer ball wrapped in felt. On the felt I have added french knots and bullion knots -I thought they would look like fungi and slaters.

I found some ‘treasures’ in Kings Park – the nut and the leaves. I varnished them (I am hoping that this what will stop them decaying).

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Tender Whispers – May

May’s Theme is Nature

The theme for May is nature. I decided to use Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost. I first came across this poem in the book The Outsiders by S. E Hinton – it was an assigned text. I think we even watched the movie in class. This poem had quite the impact on me at the time (melodramatic 14 year old), and when I came across it the other day I thought I would like to embroider it.

I am experimenting with printable soluble stabiliser – it didn’t destroy my printer (so one concern is gone). Now it remains to be see how easily it comes off.

June’s theme is Family, but I haven’t thought about that yet.

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Toadstool Embroidery

This term’s project is a three-dimensional thread-painted toadstool.

Something like this (image from here)

©elliotsplayground

Here’s my attempt

The fabric base is cotton lawn. And I have stitched floristry wire (26 gauge) around the edge. I am using DMC cotton floss.

The plan is to put it in a cloche – this one from IKEA. And we will make the bottom look like a place a toadstool would grow (I have ordered moss from Temu).

My thread painting is not great, but I am a beginner.

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Fried Egg Broach

Fried Egg Broach – Hattie McGill Embroidery

I saw this broach here, and had to have it.

It came quickly (UK to Australia) and was beautifully packaged.

I do like a beautiful kit – probably very shallow of me. I have gotten a bit carried away this year and I have bought several kits (and I think The Schoolgirl Sewing Club has four projects), not to mention the SALs I joined digitally. I have enough to keep me busy for several lifetimes. I am doing a bit of a rotation, but I am not sure I have found the best approach yet.

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Tender Whispers of the Heart – April

April’s theme is Beauty

My supplies for April have arrived. There was quite a delay this month.

I have narrowed my poem choice to two possible stanzas

it all comes down to this:
In our imperfect world
we are meant to repair
and stitch together
what beauty there is, stitch it

with compassion and wire.
See how everything
we have made gathers
the light inside itself
and overflows? A blessing

Holding the Light – Stuart Kestenbaum

Or

But I study what is beautiful,
what is generous. I offer it my devotion.
Even in this moment writing this poem,
I stitch in the pauses and the stumblings –
these, too, are beautiful because they are true.
I stitch in the pure potential that steeps
in uncertainty. I stitch in silence. I stitch in hope.

Stitching it Together – Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

I am leaning towards the second one.

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School girl Sewing Club

My School Girl Sewing Club arrived today – from the Crewel Gobelin.

Brenda from Brenda and the Serial Starter – talked about this club last year and I was keen to participate, but it sells out fast! This year, I stalked the website from January. I chose the 40 count linen version.

As you can see above, it comes beautifully packaged. This one is Mary Lockhead Sampler by Sovereign Samplers.

I have so many projects on the go. I am not sure when I will get to this, but I am very keen to try the linen (Hogbristle Light by Fox & Rabbit). I need more hours in the day.

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The Ivy is Finished

I finished the ivy! I used 4 skeins of au ver à soie silk d’alger.

It’s Language of Love from Textile Tours of Paris.

I haven’t even finished lesson 1 yet.

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