December 19, 2022 · 2:44 pm

Samplers of Seduction – A Brief Dictionary of Stitches

Samplers of Seduction – Edition 1

My box from Rebecca Devaney of Textile Tours of Paris has arrived – it came very quickly. Unlike my kit from the Royal School of Needlework, which still hasn’t arrived.

I also have the online course, A Brief Dictionary of Stitches,

Items in the box and my progress

This is a beautiful kit, with silk threads, linen, hoop, scissors and needles all from European manufacturers.

Rebecca’s teaching style is fabulous. I thought I knew how to hoop my fabric, but no and now (as you can see in the above image), I can get my hoop drum tight.

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December 14, 2022 · 5:27 pm

New Project Bag

New Knitting Project Bag

I made a drawstring bag for my sock projects. The design is from Urban Threads. I stabilised it with calico, but I should have used something more sturdy as there is a bit of puckering.

I used instructions from Martha Stewart to make the bag.

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December 7, 2022 · 6:05 pm

Drawstring Bags – Machine Embroidery

Drawstring Gift Bags

I thought I was been cunning by making drawstring bags on my embroidery machine, but it wasn’t as smooth as I expected.

I used a design from Pixie Willow Patterns. The instructions were fabulous – very well written with lots of detail and images. And the design stitched out perfectly. I struggled to get the drawstrings through all of the layers, I did exactly as written in the instructions, but it was still tricky and time consuming. I will make them the old-fashioned way next time, but it was worth a go.

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November 27, 2022 · 4:30 pm

Gingerbread House Cross Stitch

Gingerbread House Progress

I was sorting through my embroidery box and I came across this unfinished project. I started it in late 2017.

I am unlikely to get if finished this year, but we will see how I go.

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November 12, 2022 · 3:19 pm

Book Binding

My books!

At my slow stitching course (it’s here), I have been learning how to bind books. It is part of my grand plan to make my fabric book.

The one on the top has two signatures and I have used cross stitch on the binding. The bottom one has 8 signatures and I have used french link binding. So far this is my preferred method. I like how the covers are separate from the spine.

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October 21, 2022 · 6:25 pm

Cinnamon Stars Progress

Progress

So a tiny amount of progress has happened.

I have bought a new hoop stand, this one (the Sonata seat frame)

So far it’s working well, I can attach my clip-on magnifier to my hoop, and everything is solid (not wobbly).

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October 19, 2022 · 3:25 pm

Blanket Progress

Progress on the blanket

I have been working on the blanket – the struggle is real. In the photo above I am adding stitches to start the penultimate rectangle, and then it’s borders. I have given myself a six month extension, which means I have nine months to get it finished.

The pattern is the Modern Daily Knitting Log Cabin Moderne, but I went off piste shall we say and now I am just making it up as I go along (to quote Strictly Ballroom, I am dancing my own steps at the pan pacs).

My slow stitching class starts again on Friday and like a naughty (or slack) school student I haven’t done any work on my piece, there’s still a couple of days, but I am unlikely to get much done.

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August 23, 2022 · 5:17 pm

Cross Stitch – Cinnamon Stars

Cinnamon Stars by Plum Street Samplers

I have returned to my stitching class; every friday I join some lovely ladies and stitch for three hours. It’s the only time in the week that I get to sit for any length of time.

I have plans to make a cloth, memory book; a page for everything that is special to me. I shall attach all my special trims and fabrics. I have bought a lovely hemp/silk fabric to use as the base.

However, that project is still in the planning and collecting resources stage, so I am working on my Cinnamon Stars cross stitch. I find the process very relaxing, almost meditative (I have to concentrate a bit too much for it to be meditative – all that counting).

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August 2, 2022 · 8:37 pm

Hand Embroidery 2

Hand Sampler

I have finished the first of my samplers, this is the flat stitches.

From top to bottom

  • running stitch
  • back stitch
  • whipped running stitch
  • split stitch
  • stem stitch
  • fern stitch

I have started the next sampler

Transferring the pattern

This one is the looped stitches, I’m currently working on chain stitch.

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July 14, 2022 · 3:53 pm

Hand Embroidery

Hand Embroidery Sampler

A number of years ago (it’s a bit embarrassing to remember how many) I subscribed to Craftsy for a year (before it became Bluprint and then Craftsy again). As part of my subscription, I got to keep certain classes forever, and one of the classes I chose to keep was Design it Stitch it Hand Embroidery. I finally decided to try it.

My base fabric is calico and I transferred the design using a window and a pigma micron pen, which I also bought years ago, when Juanita’s was an art store and not a bar. I am using DMC cotton floss, and I just picked 6 colours from my stash.

I am quite keen to learn some stitches and then create a piece, with different sections in different stitches, but nothing too formal or designed – like a doodle but in stitches.

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