I have started working on May’s poem.
I am using stem stitch. I am finding the thread (silk perlee) is unravelling.
Category Archives: Embroidery
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).
Filed under Embroidery, Inspiration
Tender Whispers – May
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.
Filed under Embroidery, Inspiration
Toadstool Embroidery
This term’s project is a three-dimensional thread-painted toadstool.
Something like this (image from here)
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.
Filed under Embroidery, Inspiration
Fried Egg Broach
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.
Filed under Bedazzle, Embroidery, Etsy, Inspiration, Purchases
Tender Whispers Supplies
Shipping was being a bit of a bug bear with the Tender Whispers group – for example, my April supplies didn’t arrive until the end of the month. To avoid that, Rebecca has sent us six months of supplies – such a nice parcel to get.
I have also ordered extra thread – depending upon my chosen quote I will probably run out.
Filed under Embroidery
Tender Whispers of the Heart – April
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 blessingHolding 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.
Filed under Embroidery, Inspiration
Home Sweet Home Update
I have 30 stitching projects and I have decided to pick a new one every week using a random number generator. This was the one that came up (number 17). I am feeling a bit over-whelmed.
I have switched to an embroidery needle (from a tapestry needle) to make piercing the thread while doing a pin stitch easier. My pin stitches kept pulling out.
Filed under Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch, Embroidery
English Paper Piecing Progress
I have been working on my hexagons (English Paper piecing) – it is very relaxing and doesn’t require anything special (magnification, hoop, etc.). I want to get to a piece that is 40cm by 30cm so I can make the Slow Stitched Huswif – from L’ucello. I already have the pattern. Once I have the base, I am going to embellish.
Originally I was using a guterman cotton thread to sew the hexagons together, but I have swapped to a aurafil 50wt cotton 2846, and it does seem to be a bit easier to make small stitches (less visible from the front).
Filed under Cricut, Embroidery, English Paper Piecing, Patchwork, Patterns, Quilting
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.
Filed under Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch, Embroidery, Inspiration, Purchases