Category Archives: Inspiration

April 17, 2025 · 5:01 pm

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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Filed under Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch, Embroidery, Inspiration, Purchases

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April 11, 2025 · 1:59 pm

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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March 27, 2025 · 3:18 pm

Monthly Poems

Now that my name tag is out of the way, I can work on my monthly poems.

This is me transferring the poem onto my linen (it’s deadstock french tea towel linen).

I haven’t finished January or February yet, but my extra spools of silk have arrived.

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March 4, 2025 · 4:59 pm

Using my Cricut to print an embroidery design on fabric

I used my Cricut (Maker 3) to print (in washable marker) an embroidery pattern onto fabric.

I had the pattern as a pdf.

I used Inkscape to trace it and remove the background – I am a beginner with Inkscape. I am googling every time I try to do something.

Then I uploaded it to design space, and selected pen.

It worked really well – definitely something I will do again (maybe with a finer pen?)

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Filed under Cricut, Embroidery, Fabric Stash, Inspiration, Software

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March 2, 2025 · 1:00 pm

More Machine Embroidery 2

A5 Journal Cover – Front
Open

I used my embroidery machine to make a notebook cover. The design is from Designs by JuJu.

The design and the instructions were very good – I particularly like the pen pocket.

I used very thin batting (the same type I use for framing), and the cross-hatch quilting design. It takes three hoopings, but there is no attaching things to the underside of the hoop.

The fabric is Liberty (from Spotlight), and apart from the satin stitch, I used normal sewing thread.

I think I would prefer the elastic to go from the back to the front, rather than front to back. (The piece that holds the book closed.

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Filed under Digitizing, Fabric Stash, Inspiration, Machine Embroidery, Notebook Pencil Holder, Sewing Machine

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February 18, 2025 · 3:40 pm

Language of Love Start

Getting ready to start (Language of Love)
I am working on the ivy veins

The linen is beautiful (I wonder if I can get more?) and we are using Au ver à soie silk. I have re-instated my hoop stand (this one) and I am finding it is working well. I can position my magnifier in front of it and stitch two handed.

I can’t recommend Rebecca’s courses highly enough – she is a fabulous teacher.

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February 15, 2025 · 6:03 pm

Fabric Cutting with my Cricut

One of the things I wanted to be able to do with my Cricut was to cut fabric.

I ordered the rotary blade, read some blogs and had a go.

I used some of the shapes in design space, and did a basic cut. I wanted to test the process.

I starched the fabric and it worked really well. I thought it hadn’t cut at all, but as I pealed off the fabric, the shapes were left behind.

Now I have applique projects on my mind.

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Filed under Applique, Cricut, Fabric Stash, Inspiration

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February 3, 2025 · 4:57 pm

Tender Whispers from the Heart Progress

I have joined the Tender whispers from the Heart from Rebecca Devaney (Textile Tours of Paris). It combines literature (poetry), stitching, antique french linen and silk, how could I resist?

I was away when my parcel arrived, so I am a bit behind on January’s project.

My progress

The hoop is from the Samplers of Seduction box.

I have ordered more thread because I have heard from other students that one reel is not enough to do the full poem.

I am enjoying the process – writing on the fabric, etc. We used frixion markers so I hope it comes out.

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January 30, 2025 · 2:52 pm

Holiday Purchases

Holiday Purchases

I went on a holiday to Tasmania. And I always like to buy craft materials as souvenirs.

On my very first morning, I went for a run and came across the Salamanca Wool Shop, and I requested Tasmanian sock yarn – I bought the skein to the left from Wattlebird Yarn.

Next up I went to A Stitch in Time, where I bought the Sampler (exclusive to them) and the scissors. I have been wanting sharper scissors to make my pin stitches work better.

And then in Launceston, I went to Knit, Needles and Wool. This place was full of yarn and there was a group meeting at the back – it all was very welcoming. Once again, I looked for sock yarn from Tasmania, and found White Gum Wool – the one I have is 80% merino and 20% silk. I am very keen to start knitting with this one.

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Filed under Canvas Work, Cross Stitch, Cross Stitch, Embroidery, Inspiration, Knitting, Purchases, Sock Knitting

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January 18, 2025 · 11:27 am

Samplers of Seduction – The Language of Love

I preordered The Language of Love box from Textile Tours of Paris (Rebecca Devaney), and it arrived this week. It’s so beautiful (see above) I can’t wait to start the class.

I did the first Samplers of Seduction class, and really enjoyed the materials and Rebecca’s teaching style. I use the hoop and scissors from the box all of the time. Here’s the finished version.

I am also participating in the Whispers from the Heart course – I have nothing to show for that yet, still waiting for my parcel to arrive, but I have been thinking about poems and quotes, and of course I have bought two new books, Broderie – Audrey Demarre (beautiful, fabulous pictures and thick paper) and The Textile Reader – Jessica Hemmings.

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