Girls Being Girls

I'm always on the lookout for interesting illustrations that I can use for stitchery projects.  One good source is Behance, a site for professional artists to showcase their work.  Much of the artwork displayed is available for personal use with attribution under the Creative Commons Act, so the copyright issue doesn't affect me.   I had one lone white pillowcase just waiting for the needle, so I picked  a subset of some cute illustrations of ladies designed by Ana Varela.  These were  winners in a Stamp Design competition.  

I mostly just used back stitch in whatever colors I grabbed out of the DMC boxes.  I wasn't too concerned about getting a match.  Did a little frogging when my choices didn't work out so well.  I also did a touch of satin stitch and filler stitches where it seemed appropriate.   I wanted to get this post in before the end of the month, so I haven't totally woven in some of the threads on the back and they show through in the close-ups.   But that will be taken care of soon.

Love the coffee girl and her cat's eye glasses.  Quite the trendy business attire, no?

I used a chain stitch to make the earphone cables stand out a bit more on this one.  Her right hand came out really good, unlike the paws on some of the others.

This is girl at her desk, pretending to be engaged in an important business project, but really reading love letters.

The final one reminds me of a hippie.  I love the look of contentment as she reads from a favorite book before bedtime.

 With the exception of weaving in some ends, I'm done.  Love that these pillowcases require no extra finishing!  And this was a nice change from Prim projects.

Turkey Easel Stand-up and Carrot Pillowcase

I was looking for a simple, therapeutic design to stitch, and I really didn't care what I would be using it for.  I found the perfect design with this little turkey from the San-Man Originals Gift of Giving series from a few years ago.  Since it appears that the San-Man group will be shutting down at year end, this seemed like a nice piece for celebrating the Thanksgiving season as well as celebrating the many long years of San-Man fun.

I decided to use it as a learning piece as well.  I had never made a stand-up, flat-fold style finish so this was a good opportunity for a trial.  Vonna and Meari  each have a popular tutorial, but I have always found both of those tutes to be intimidating.  They are very complete, but both seemed like so many steps and so many possibilities for messing things up.   After extensive Googling, I managed to find a much simpler version that I thought I could handle.  Not sure if the results are as nice as I would get if I mastered the Vonna or Meari version, but the results were plenty good for my taste.

The tutorial appears to based on directions that come with those Secret Needle Night kits from the Silver Needle.  The tute is no longer available online as of 3-10-15.  I made it even simpler by using a glue stick for most of it.  I did sew the stitched front board to the fabric-covered back board as well as sewing on the twisted cord.  The easel is made with only one piece of board, not two, but it was sturdy enough.  I only added batting to the front piece.  And of course, I added a fork bow.   The fabric is a piece of 32-count HDF linen, another relic of the past.

I had a package of two white pillowcases from Aunt Martha's sitting around begging me to stitch on them.  I found this cute doodle at Bird in the Hand Primitives  to use for the first one.  The photo with the whole pillow case didn't turn out so good, but here is the stitching.  The design is about 4"h x 6" w, centered just above the hem.  These pillowcases are really long, so plenty of room for stitching.  I'm still trying to pick a design for the second one.

Finally, I made this condolence card with a sweet freebie from Manka Minta.  I don't think it is online any longer.  The card was for our dear friend Carol.

Sleeping with Polar Bears

I really wanted this post to be about a gift I made and sent to a blogging buddy, but that mailing seems to be hung up in the maze of international postal operations.  It's been three weeks since I sent the package.  At week four, I will blog about it in any case.  Keep your fingers crossed that this is not a permanent loss in the ether.

Meanwhile, I had a pillowcase sitting around that was begging to be decorated.  I adapted another of Helen Dardik's design from Orange You Lucky.

I just picked a pile of embroidery floss in different colors and started stitching.  I mostly used satin and  stem stitch, but I threw in some buttonhole wagon wheels and some lazy daisies for fun.  I had thought I would try out lots of different stitches, but I didn't seem to have the energy to do the research.  I'm very happy with him.  It's nice to have a security polar bear!

My Jazzercise instructor and one of my cousins have each had a new baby.  One  girl and one boy and all are doing well.  Stitchertunities!  Yea!  So my work is cut out for me now and indeed, my fabric is cut out as well!

Valentines and a Birthday Card

Just a few cards to show today.  I've been fighting off my intermittent headaches lately, so I stitch a bit only when I'm pain-free.  Luckily, I started these cards early so I had plenty of time to finish.  The first is a San-Man Originals design, taken from the February installment of a snowman of the month SAL from a couple of years ago.   I realized that if you are not a stitcher, you may not understand the incredible appeal of snowmen on everything.  Hopefully, by adding the words, I gave the snowman cupid a reason for being.  This one goes to a recuperating friend of mine.

Next, I thought I would experiment with a little stitchery for card-making.  I love the work of Helen Dardik, an illustrator of colorful, whimsical pieces.  I seem to see her work everywhere.  The latest was on some Target gift cards.  I follow her blog, "Orange You Lucky", and when I was seeking inspiration for this Valentine, I searched around and found a cute older design she had that advertised a giveaway.  Click here to see it.   I just turned it into a "Cup of Love" design and I will send it to a family with whom I always exchange Valentine cards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, I made a birthday card for my brother.  I had sent him an ornament last December that had an owl on it. He remarked that he really liked owls and had a pillow with an owl design that he loved.  I can't believe I'm finding this out after all of these years!  So it gave me a reason to stitch that cute French Country owl from JBW.  I saw someone else use this goofy color scheme, and it appealed to me so I used the sincerest form of flattery and copied it! ;-)  The owl is done in DMC color variations.  I know it's not a traditional birthday design, but who gives a "hoot", right?

Halloween stuff & a finish for an oldie

After I finished that Hearty Craft quaker stocking ornament, I wondered if I could use the same process for an old Halloween ornament that I liked, but figured it was too difficult to get it to come out right.  The ornament is the Prairie Moon Spot Motif Shoe from the 2009 JCS Halloween ornament issue.  It was finished as a stuffed ornament in the magazine, but I wanted to go flat.  I also skipped the corded trim and went with an Antwerp Edging stitch.  It's like a standard buttonhole stitch, but has an extra little knot.  I wish I'd had black beads for the simulated buttons, but I just went with what I had.  Worked out pretty well I think, even with all the curves and angles.

Next I had the urge to do a little stitchery piece for Halloween. This is an adaptation of a rubber stamp design from Whipper Snapper designs.  I stitched it up on a piece of muslin and made it into a little pouch to hold some Halloween goodies.  Not exactly sure what will go inside or who will get the pouch.  It just looked like such a fun thing to make.

Finally, while I was searching for something in my totally unorganized stash, I discovered this piece I had stitched, probably 15-20 years ago.  I think it was in an old CS & CC magazine or maybe a Cross Quick issue.  I had cut the fabric too small and I couldn't frame it so I had just put it away.  When I discovered it, packed away for so long, I couldn't resist sewing it up into a little tool case.  Plenty of fabric for that.  This was too nice a design to keep hidden for so long.

Altoid Tin, Pillowcase, Graduation Card

I'm one of those many victims of the East Coast surprise storm.   Limited electricity so I have a few lights and working power outlets.  But no AC, no hot water,  and no refrigeration (good bye  to my yogurt collection - staple of my life).   It's played havoc with my head and I spent a lot of time sleeping yesterday.  This morning I went out for the first time since the storm and got some shelf stable, ready to eat,  food to keep me going til the power returns.  But in in my good moments yesterday, I did finish a couple of projects.

I was a little late to the party, but when I saw this adorable design for a Sal by Manka Minta, I just had a desire to stitch it up immediately.  Manka was nice enough to send me the little chart even though it was past the deadline.   I decided to use it for an Altoid tin top to give to a stitcher friend whose son is getting married soon.  As a scissors case, it seemed like a nice small favor to commemorate the occasion.  I just love how many different color variations that the stitchers used for this piece.  Here's the gallery of finishes on Pinterest.

My cousin just received his Master's Degree from Stanford and I expect to be going to a Taco party for him next weekend.  I wouldn't dare try to pick out a gift for him so I'll give him a check tucked into this card I made.  This a part of the "Reach for the Stars" design by Barbara Ana.

Finally, one my bucket list items was to embroider a pillowcase.  Not the same as bungee jumping or seeing the top of Machu Picchu, but I have more moderate goals.  I bought two inexpensive white pillowcases from Sublime Stitching to work with.  This design was the illustration used for the 2011 Collaborative Summer Library Project.  I just re-worked it to create a line drawing for embroidery.  I did modify the little girl's hair to be a bit wilder than the original.

Nook Tablet Cover - Little Women

I finally broke down and bought a Nook tablet. I had been so indecisive, poring over reviews and specs on all these little devices. The deciding factor was the gift card I had at Barnes and Noble left over from my last birthday. The tablet is a completely fun little thing. I love having access to the internet without having to fire up the laptop. It's a great accompaniment to my TV watching and stitching from an arm chair. I haven't actually read a book on it yet, but that will come.

The tablet gave me a perfect stitcher-tunity to make a little cover for it. Recently while browsing for the new Little Women tribute cross stitch design by the Primitive Hare, I came upon a captivating drawing by the illustration artist Richard Hogg. His drawing of Little Women is unrelated to the Louisa May Alcott version. His drawing is a set of fashion illustrations done in a stick figure style. It's amazing to me how he gets the point across and so many types of women in so few strokes of the pen.

 I couldn't resist turning this into a little stitchery piece to use on the Nook cover. There are so many blue and brown themed designs around lately, blueberry chocolate as it seems to be called, that I picked that color scheme too. I loved stitching this. I noticed all the details I missed by just looking at the original admiringly.

 I saw this tutorial on Pinterest and a finish for the Kindle on the Sampler Girl's Blog and it looked pretty basic so I used that one. It came out a bit snug -- the batting really contributed to the bulk. If I make another I'll increase the size. But for now, it works to protect my new baby.

Valentine Stitching

I love Valentine's Day and I always like to do some 'heart' stitching for the season. My first item is a card I made after being sick for a week and not doing much of anything. I had some computer problems and now that I'm back up, I can't seem to find the freebie that I used to stitch this design. It was the final thing I printed on my old computer from a collection of tree designs in monochrome with no specified colors. Maybe someone else will recognize it. I used a variety of pinks in no particular order on a scrap of hand-dyed Aida from Sassy's. The sequins are all different colors, but I think they don't show up too well on the photo. I felt like a kid in grade school arts and crafts making this up on Sunday morning.



My friend Jane did a double enabling trick on me for the next pieces. First, she introduced me to Raspberry Rabbits and the free heart of the month stitchery patterns that were offered on this site in 2011. I had been asking fellow blogging embroiderers how they transfer designs to fabric, and Jane told me about an inexpensive mini-light table, only 6" x 9", mostly designed for card-makers to use for embossing. I found one on overstock.com and took a chance that it would work out. Turns out to be perfect for smaller designs. I used each of my four favorite hearts as the centerpiece on a quilted coaster. Each of them has been received by a fellow stitcher at this point. It was good practice for me to make them.

One for Nia:


One for Annette:



One for Wendy:


One for Michelle:



I also sent Michelle a little manicure scissors to use for frogging a few stitches. The curved tips are perfect for this. I made a little pouch to hold it with a pretty crocheted motif as embellishment.




Finally, I was so charmed by the little triangular thread-catchers I had seen on so many blogs that I just had to try making one. Myra made tons of them as gifts so I figured maybe they were a quick project if she had time to make so many. I found the tute here. Easy to make, but hard to make perfect. I had to sew the sides by hand since my machine balked at going through 8 layers of fabric! Maybe there is a trick to this that I missed. Anyway, it's kind of cute sitting on the arm of my stitching chair and it continues my Valentine's theme.

Sisters with Brutus the Cat

I got in the mood to do a little more stitchery. It's hard to find patterns to my liking. I don't like the old-fashioned, vintage designs. And I didn't want anything too modern and funky either. I do like the kind of whimsical designs that I see on a number of Australian sites. Maybe this style has become more trendy in Australia. I finally decided on a block from the Red Brolly Catalicious quilt. I used the suggested colors, but I did mostly stem stitch. There are a few other stitch changes and slight modifications due to my poor tracing of the original design. Now I just have to figure out what to do with this piece. I haven't been in the mood for really finishing anything, so it may just wait a while.

Valentine Stitchery and a Red Hat

Seems like everything old is new again. I've seen so many people doing what they call 'stitchery' lately. It's what I used to just call embroidery. I learned to do it in the third grade when my teacher, the marvelous Mrs. M., gave a tea towel to each student with a stamped design of fruit or flowers. Each one was different. She taught us all to embroider the design, and I don't ever remember a word that would imply this was only an activity for girls. In fact the best work was done by some of the boys in the class. My towel was stamped with cherries. This turned out to be one of the more difficult ones because the round cherries required very tiny stitches, and I never really understood that at the time. So my work was not all that great, but my Mom used that dish towel for years until it was too worn to be of any further use.

Today I see many cute whimsical designs that are just so appealing, often incorporated in patchwork quilts. In anticipation of trying this again, I bought a piece of muslin and a washable transfer embroidery pen. I was kind of nervous about my ability to transfer a design properly, but it worked out great. The muslin is almost see-through in the right light so tracing is pretty easy. And the pen markings come out easily with water if there are any mistakes. I found this snowman design here on Elin's blog. It's the perfect size for a trial and great for Valentine's Day or even the December holidays. I chose to use a stem stitch over the outline stitch or back stitch, but I'm not really sure why. The results aren't perfect (just like the tea towel!), but I think this little door hanger is pretty cute. I sent it to a stitcher who I think is in need of a bit of cheering up.




The last time I was at the craft store I saw this really pretty-colored yarn that reminded me of DMC 115, the old variegated red. It was Caron's Simply Soft Paints yarn, and I bought a skein to see how I would like knitting with acrylic these days since I hadn't done that for a long time. I made this hat after seeing it done in such pretty yarn on Karen's blog. It's the free pattern on Ravelry called "Magenta Cabled Hat". I had never knitted a hat in the round, but with my new found ability to use DPNS, I thought I'd give it a try. I changed the teeny 2 stitch cable to a mock cable (knit the second stitch and leave on the needle, knit the first and drop both stitches). And I added the extra knit rows that Karen did as well. I'm actually quite happy with the result. Don't know how it will hold up over time, but it feels soft and warm when I wear it. The first photo is not great, but does show the color well. Its in darker reds, not like the subsequent pictures.