Category: Embroidery

Middle Ages

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Oh no, I’m not talking about myself, I don’t quite fit in that category yet. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway.

 

I found this book in the charity shop for £1 and just had to buy it. I studied Medieval English language and literature and love everything about the Middle Ages. Furthermore, I enjoy a little embroidery from time to time and some of the projects are quick and very cute.

My main reason for buying it, though, was that I could see some lovely quilt blocks in the making; the spectacles case above, for example, or the heraldic roll below.

I have absolutely no time to even think about another project but I just couldn’t leave the book. I suppose it will be popped on my long list of future projects.

Categories: Blogtoberfest, Embroidery1 Comment

Hoop!

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Many moons ago I embroidered a little bunny rabbit called Hester designed by the lovely Jo Avery from Bearpaw. She then stayed  in the hoop I used while embroidering her. The hoop was a bit big but when I saw Nicole from Follow the White Bunny’s little tutorial on how she frames her embroideries in hoops I decided to give it a go. Far too impatient to go and buy a smaller hoop I used the one I had.

Sorry for the dark photo. It was taken at night seconds before I took Hester out of the hoop.

Poor Hester looked a bit lost. So off I trundled and bought a smaller hoop. This afternoon I re-hooped (is there such a word?) Hester and am so pleased with the result. Now all I need is a little nail to hang her on the wall of my sewing room.

And the back:

Categories: Blogtoberfest, EmbroideryLeave a comment

A Rescue and a Finish

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What do you do when your daughter’s favourite Barbie loses a leg? You turn her into a mermaid, of course.

I used some red organza leftover from the days when I made theatre costumes at uni. It has a beautiful golden sheen, perfect for making a fish tail.

First I layered the organza with some sew in interfacing and sewed a scallop pattern all over it to mimic scales. I didn’t do a great job but I don’t believe Little Miss Bossy-Boots minds. Then I cut out a mermaid tail shape (is there such a word in the English language?), added a heart shaped fin, sewed it together and turned it right side out. Next I removed the Barbie’s second leg and attached a pipe cleaner to the Barbie to ensure the tail could be moved into different poses. Then I put the pipe cleaner into the tail and added a little wadding to fill out the tail. My last step was to pull the tail over the Barbie’s bottom and hot-glue the tail to the Barbie’s body. Hey presto, a mermaid.

 

In other news Hester, the gorgeous Woodland Portrait by Jo Avery from Bearpaw, is finished!

I wish I’d had a darker blue floss for the name as it is rather difficult to read but it’s not the end of the world. Also, I don’t think this Hester is going to be alone for long, my friend Julie looooves rabbits so one might just make its way to Switzerland…

Categories: Embroidery, Kid Projects4 Comments

Hester

eli

When I was preparing for the Fat Quarterly Retreat I saw something on Flickr that made my heart do little summersaults: Hester.

Image source

Hester was one of the swap items that Jo from Bearpaw was bringing to the retreat and I was totally smitten with her (that’s Hester not Jo, although Jo is very nice too). Don’t get me wrong, I loved the others embroideries Jo had made too but Hester made my heart flutter.

I told Jo about my love for Hester and she said that she might turn her and the other woodland creatures in the gang into a pattern. Fast forward to yesterday when I got a Tweet from Jo telling me that Hester was now a pattern and could be purchased here. Quick as a flash I bought the pattern (I love pdf) got Little Miss Bossy-Boots fed, watered and into bed and started stitching.

 

This is how far I got before I had to go to bed. I don’t have the same colours Jo used but I couldn’t wait and just rummaged through my fairly sparse box of embroidery floss. So far I’m really happy with it and am looking forward to this evening when I will hopefully finish her.

Do you like Jo’s Woodland Critters? Then go and check out this wonderful blog for a chance to win one of the patterns and some perle cotton.

 

PS I also bought the pattern for the Sampler Tree and already have something in mind for it. I do have to go and buy some embroidery floss first, though.

Categories: Embroidery5 Comments

Hello Blog

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Elisabeth: “Hello, Blog, how are you?”

Blog: “Lonely.”

Elisabeth: “I know I haven’t been around much, but then I haven’t been crafting much either. My mum was here for her birthday last week which means I didn’t do much (except baking and eating cakes. Oh yes, cakes, as in baking three and eating two!). I’d like to show you a couple of things now, though.”

Blog: “Great! What would you like to show me then?”

Elisabeth: “First, I want to show you a gift I got from my sister Kristine. She crocheted this lovely bag and showed it to me on Skype. When I said how cute I thought it was she gave it to me. Fabulous, isn’t it? Sadly I don’t get to use it much as Little Miss Bossy-Boots has taken it and is using it all the time.”

Blog: “That bag is lovely! What else did you want to show me?”

Elisabeth: “I suddenly had the urge to do some embroidery. The bird was inspired by a drawing I did for Little Miss Bossy-Boots. I’m not sure what I’m going to make with these two embroideries but I’m sure I’ll think of something at some stage.”

Blog: “Cute. How about turning one of them into a Kindle cover?”

Elisabeth: “Good idea, Blog, I’ll see if I can find some fabrics to go with the bird. The last thing I want to show is a really fabulous book.

You know how much I like Fat Quarterly, don’t you? I mean, I’m going to their Retreat in London, I go on and on about Katy Jones (bit of crush there?!)….. When I heard that they were writing a book I knew I was going to buy it and yesterday it arrived. I love it. Last year I bought some fat quarters and yardage of Echo by Lotta Jansdotter and I’ve been looking for a pattern to turn it into a quilt ever since. Well, I’ve found it.

This is my all time favourite block. I’m sure nobody who knows me is surprised by the fact that I’ve fallen for a block that’s called Castle Wall (for those who don’t know me: I studied Medieval English Language and Literature) and it’s by John Q. Adams, aka Quilt Dad.

Blog: ” I can see why you like Castle Wall. I’m sure it’ll look lovely in Echo.”

Elisabeth: “I can’t wait to start but I have to finish some work stuff first. At least I have a project to take to the Sewing Retreat. Although how much sewing I will be doing I’m not sure but more about that later. See you very soon, my dear Blog!”

Categories: Crochet, Embroidery, Fat Quarterly Sewing Retreat, MusingsLeave a comment