Christmas is just around the corner and I needed two more gifts. I saw these pincushion jar lids and could not resist them! The embroidery is simple - I am not too good at it yet but I think they turned out lovely! Instead of using wool as a background as the pattern suggested, I used flannel so it would not be too difficult to close the lid once the work was done. Still, the lid does not close all the way but you can turn it once and keep treats safely inside. This is the second one I … [Read more...] about Wool embroidered lids
embroidery
Stitches from the Harvest
As I was walking Toby the dog yesterday I pondered on the fast passage of 2017 as we crunched the red, brown, orange, and yellow leaves beneath our feet. How can one be so happy with the natural display of colors and yet so startled by the pace of changing seasons? And so it is that I am now planning for Thanksgiving. I was looking forward to seeing my grandsons but it is likely they will not be visiting. My plans now revolve around a delicious dinner for the four of us and a craft project for … [Read more...] about Stitches from the Harvest
French/Brazilian Embroidery
Pattern by Le Petit Atelier. All photos were taken and are used with permission. Look at what I found at Quilt Market! These linen-backed embroidery designs have amazing details, use beautiful stitches, and reproduce everyday life moments so delightfully! The company, Le Petit Atelier, is located in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil. From left to right: Kimy, Kelly, and Muriel Dias. Muriel and her two daughters Kimy and Kelly create the designs, execute … [Read more...] about French/Brazilian Embroidery
Reading while hand sewing
I love hand work: embroidery, knitting, crocheting, hand sewing binding to quilts... It is relaxing and the final products make beautiful gifts. I made the pincushion above for a blog hop (click here to read about it). This is an embroidery project I made for Christmas a few winters ago (click here for details). My mind wanders as I take each stitch, the textures of the project make me feel good, and the colors cheer me up. I have another passion: reading. I read many books per year (my … [Read more...] about Reading while hand sewing
Wool Applique’ Gifts
I whipped up two coasters the other night as I am taking every opportunity I have to prepare Christmas gifts. I love them! It took me a couple of hours to make them. Most of that time was spent choosing scraps of wool and cutting the shapes. I transferred the shapes onto plastic templates, traced them on the wool with permanent marker, and cut them. Notice the texture of this pink background - it was recycled from a wool sweater! So were the orange, yellow, and purple pieces. I glued the … [Read more...] about Wool Applique’ Gifts
Santa Tea Towel
I have missed doing embroidery and am so happy I worked on this tea towel. It will adorn my kitchen at Christmas (at the rate we are going it will be in my kitchen very soon!). Flour sack, floss, and a bit of fabric for the binding and backing is all it took. The embroidery was done with DMC floss #347, a red which is not too bright. Its color actually matched the red on the binding, an unexpected bonus. I love the texture and durability of flour sacks. They are very popular in Brazil for … [Read more...] about Santa Tea Towel