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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One June Sock is Finished

I finished one sock

The yarn is Schoppel Zauberball.

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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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New Sock Start

I have started my June socks – I have skipped May.

The yarn is Schoppel Zauberball from Morris and Sons.

I am using 2.25mm Knit Pro Zings and I am going to do a vanilla sock (cuff down, heel flap and gusset).

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Sock Finish

Finished April Socks

I finished my April socks. It took me a while to get the hang of the cable pattern, but once I did, the knitting was quick.

The stitch pattern is a shifting rib from the Socktacular book (which is now ridiculously over-priced).

Usual construction – top down, heel flap and gusset. I used my 2.25 mm knit pro zings. And the yarn is from an indie dyer who doesn’t seem to dye yarn anymore.

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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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