Fun Stuff!

Okay all my lovely creatives out there let's have some fun and fun this time means let's make some needle minders (or needle nannies if you prefer). Now I found this fabulous website called Stitched Modern and she had so much neat stuff it was hard to pick and choose while on budget. However, one of the things that really caught my eye were these button covers. Now I know these things have been around forever but I never really paid much attention to them figuring they would probably be too complicated for me to deal with but when I got to looking at them this time I realized what terrific needle minders they would make.

So let me explain. I am a pin cushion kind of gal, not surprising since I was raised with them. So when needle minders first showed up in the cross stitch shops I was eager to try them out. I got a couple but soon realized the magnets were not very strong considering the amount of tossing my projects get. So I went back to my pin cushions. Fast forward to now and they have come a long way. The magnets are improved and they come in a gazillion different shapes and sizes. I even know needle workers that collect them! For me, and maybe it's because I like things a bit more personalized, they just didn't ring my chimes. The button covers changed my mind. I thought about all the amazing fabrics that were out there and how much fun it would be to use them. So the first one I made was an experiment with the fabric I had on hand. It was Halloween bat fabric and I couldn't believe how easy it was to make and changed my mind about needle minders forever.

Here is what it took:
Dritz Button Covers in three different sizes.
Fabric scraps I got at the Wal-Mart paying about 0.99 each
Earth Magnets in various sizes in a tin from Amazon (Can't recall the price)

Following the instructions, I traced a round circle from the template on the back of the package. Then I cut a piece of cloth to the template size. Now there is a shank on the back of the top part of the cover. It is so easy to just push it down flush to get it out of the way. For the larger size I pulled the wire out. Next you just push the fabric onto the teeth that go around the top part, doing opposite sides first and then the remaining sides. They say you can use a pencil eraser but I just did it by hand. Once you have the fabric on and centered the way you want, you just push the back onto it. Then just glue your magnet on the back. Voila! A needle minder customized to your taste. I love this idea! Plus after you buy the covers and magnets, you can make several cheaper than sourcing them from retail. I realized that smaller patterns work best since these are buttons and not huge if you have a repeating pattern that is spaced significantly on the fabric. Just something to keep in mind.

Here are the different sized button covers, a nice variety.

Here are the backs with instructions and the templates.

Here is my first needle minder with the bat fabric I had on hand. Perfect for Halloween!

I got this tin of different sized Earth magnets since I didn't know what size I would actually need. These are incredibly strong and stick together hard so it takes some work to keep them apart! I used Gorilla Glue to fasten them to the cover.

There were lots of fabric samples to choose from but these caught me eye. Less than $1.00 each!

Here is the wire shank. It was easy to remove from the middle sized cover.

This is the shank wire after removal.

Just cut the material to the size of the template then push it onto the teeth of the top cap.

 

Here is the final product. Crayons always make me smile!



So here are the four finished needle minders. I can always make more if I get tired of these designs and use them for refrigerator magnets!

Okay, onward and upward. A few other things I purchased was a 3"x3" wooden square that is used to measure where to start on your fabric. Why is this great? If you are like me, you are used to starting somewhere in the middle of your fabric after you have folded it twice to determine the middle, hoping beyond hope that you folded it correctly and got the right size cloth. With this, you just put it up in the left corner of your cloth and start at the bottom right hand corner of your wooden square. You are starting your stitching where you are supposed to be, including your three inch margin for finishing it. Easy Peasy!

Decorative as well as functional, this thin wooden 3" guide is a real time saver.

Love the imaging!

It also has measurements for 1 inch and 2 inch borders you can easily mark on fabric through the holes. They were easier to see from the back side.

Now there were some others that I will share in a future post but we have to get to other business here.

StitchedModern.com
https://stitchedmodern.com/#

More Blithe Stitching (or BLT Stitching for Short)
Remember I mentioned this type of stitching in my previous post? Well I received the fiber I told you about and here it is:

The floss on the bottom is the one I am BLT stitching with. and the other two above it I am experimenting with for a design. I ordered them from Colour Complements on Etsy. She has all kinds of sizes and colors for any kind of needle art.

You can really see the beautiful colors after it was stretched out.

It's easy to keep track of what you're using with the information labels the fibers come with.

So I busted out one of my small hoops and just started stitching. Didn't matter where and it doesn't matter how big or small. I find this kind of randomization a true adventure and very relaxing. When was the last time you did something without expectations?

I have absolutely nothing I could use this with but I had to stitch with it because of it's lovely colors!
This is so relaxing to do because you really don't stress over a pattern or using different types of stitches. It is you, the needle, the fiber and the cloth. How much simpler can it get than that?! The lovely thing is you can take it with you wherever and start on it right away. It is surprising how much stitching you can get done in a short period of time when you aren't working from a pattern. It's kind of like doing a color study and if you decide you like it enough, you can still frame it and hang it! It's all good no matter what you decide. So grab that beautiful piece of fiber you have been hanging onto but no way to use it and get stitching the BLT way!

I have more fun stuff to share with you and will get that to you soon so stay tuned!

Thought Nugget:
"The principles of true art is not to portray, but to evoke."
~Jerzy Kosinski

Keep Creating!

An Intro to "Blithe" Stitching

Hello, Hello to all my lovely creatives out there! I know it has been a while since posting, but I plan on making up for it. First of all I want to talk about "mindful" stitching. Being in the moment when you are stitching. Now anyone that follows a pattern knows that you have to be mindful of what you are doing or else your work is going to be a disaster. Even if you don't follow a pattern you still have to stay on top of any free-style work as well. Now I don't care if you are making pottery or jewelry or the next Banksy art, sometimes don't you just want to make something for the sake of making without any preconceived notions of what it "should" be? I have been thinking about this for a long time. For me, I see these beautiful dyed fibers and think how much I would love to use them but don't have anything they would go with and sometimes I just want to stitch for the sake of stitching and not worrying about a pattern. I believe I have hit upon an answer!

Say hello to "Blithe" stitching! The formal definition for the word blithe follows:

blithe

[blīT͟H, blīTH]

 

ADJECTIVE

blither (comparative adjective) · blithest (superlative adjective)

showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper.

"a blithe disregard for the rules of the road"

synonyms:

heedless · uncaring · careless · casual · indifferent · thoughtless · unconcerned · unworried · untroubled · nonchalant · cool · blasé · devil-may-care · irresponsible

literary

happy or joyous.

• "a blithe seaside comedy"
  synonyms:

  happy · cheerful · cheery · lighthearted · jolly · merry · sunny · joyous · joyful · blissful · ecstatic · euphoric · elated · beatific · gladsome · mirthful · carefree ·

So I prefer the happy/joyous definition rather than the callous or improper one! LOL! To demonstrate, I have ordered a skein of hand dyed fiber that contains some of the most beautiful colors ever that I just had to stitch with (I will get a picture up as soon as it arrives). It will just be a square of some sort that I will determine as I stitch.  I plan on doing this while watching TV in the evenings because quite honestly, I'm just going to do cross stitches with it and won't have to pay any close attention to it. This is quite the opposite of when I am following a pattern and have to have a quiet atmosphere to concentrate. What is so great about this is that it is stitching for the sake of stitching and being creative without any structure. The reward is purely in the doing of it. Now this doesn't just include stitching, oh no! If you work with any media, try working without constraints. If you are a potter, throw some clay on the wheel and just play with it, if you are a woodworker cut and stack pieces of wood in a wonky way--no measuring, and if you paint, grab a color you love and just make brushstrokes on a canvas. This allows your inner child to celebrate creating without limits. You give your brain a rest and allow your soul free reign and isn't that just a lovely thing to do for you!
So grab your media and try it with a "blithe" take on it and I'm sure you will find yourself enjoying it in a whole different way!

Breaking News!

FIBER UPDATE!

Hello, Hello everyone out there in creativity land! I just want to let you know that I have some super exciting news from DMC. Yes, they have a new line coming out! It is Mouline Special Etoile, a beautiful new sparkly thread! It is a 6-strand divisible thread that will come in 35 scrumptious colors. It is 73% Cotton and 27% Lurex. It comes in 8m/8yd skeins. They will be releasing it to retailers in the next few weeks and it will be available on their website in October.

More fun fibers for all of us fun fiber artists! Thank you DMC, can't wait to get my hands on them!

More to follow soon. Keep Creating!

The Big Reveal!

 
Hello, Hello all my wonderful amazing creatives out there! So I have been talking about a secret project and I am now able to reveal it to you. I have been given the opportunity to do a monthly column for the Mr. X-Stitch website! YEAH!!! I am more than stoked about doing this and my first article has been published on it under the title "Confessions of a Cross Stitcher". The subtitle is "The Cross Stitch Bug". I hope you all will stop by the link below and take a look and follow me monthly!
https://www.mrxstitch.com/the-cross-stitch-bug/

I am thrilled to be able to let more people know about the multitude of possibilities there are with this awesome needle art! And yes, promoting it as an art too! So what does that mean for the blog? Nothing is going to change here. I am still working and playing with various elements of creativity to share here so that information will remain forthcoming to you, all my fabulous creatives.

I was also able to finally get a better camera, so hopefully the quality of my photos will be better from now on. The catch is that it is a lot more complicated and so I am going to have to go through the manual to make sure I am using it optimally and carefully since I don't plan on revisiting a purchase like this again and have to relearn an entirely new system. Why does better seem to always mean "more complicated" these days? Ugh.

So that is what is going on now. I have had to temporarily suspend stitching activities because my studio is now considered a disaster area after I pulled out a bunch of stuff and didn't put it back. Who wants to do that when you are in the middle of a treasure hunt?! I also can no longer ignore the rest of the house that I've neglected either and that means the rest of the week is scheduled to take care of it.

So I will be back on Friday for a progress update and hopefully some wonderful new pictures to share with you. So please take a look at my column on Mr. X Stitch and as always, Keep Creating!

This Post is for YOU!

Hello all my wonderful creatives out there! I hope you have all been busy creating on something! I am hoping to reveal my secret project soon, so that is still in the pipeline. I am also working on the stitch sampler and Ladybug Lake and hope to have an update for you on Monday.

What I really want to discuss today is YOU! Yes, you, all my amazing creatives out there whether you are young or old, male or female, this post is dedicated to you and here is why. I often think about people and the creative process, how they fit together and how they started in the first place. Whenever I see someone create, no matter the medium, training or experience, I just want to jump up and down for joy. You know why? Because it is hard to be creative, especially in this day and age.

Here in the U.S., art is not looked upon as work, it is pretty much relegated to a hobby or some other frivolous activity by most of the population. I still feel guilty when I work on my art despite a lifetime of working outside the home and now being retired. If you ask any artist that has worked laboriously on getting just the right photo or getting the same image on canvas as the one in their head if what they do is work, there would be a resounding, "You can bet your life it is!". Just because you love it doesn't mean it isn't work, you are simply putting your passion to work. As a matter of fact, there is usually a physicality with art. Look at the physical effort that goes into a sculpture, a woven tapestry or mixed media collage. I can't tell you the number of times my fingers have gone numb from them holding onto a little needle for extended hours. I can also attest to how bleary eyed you can get from redoing a pattern for the fifth time!

Science has pretty much thrown the arts under the bus. You are made to feel that if you are not a rootin-tootin computer whiz or have a PhD in a biomedical field, you pretty much are relegated to the jobs of fast food employee or grocery sacker. Okay, so I exaggerated a little bit. It doesn't matter if you hate math or you get nauseous just thinking about science and the Periodic Table, you better learn to love them or risk living out your days in an empty refrigerator box (okay another exaggeration, sorry, but you get the idea). As a country, we should be ashamed by the lack of coursework available in the arts and the lack of diversity in those it does offer. There are more pizza places in a five mile radius of my home than there are art supply stores in the whole of Oklahoma! No wonder we are becoming a nation of fat couch potatoes. Enough said.

So what does this mean for you my awesome creatives? It means pursue your passion of art and be proud about it. If you are a receptionist by day but passionate paper cutting artist the rest of the time, let people know that when they ask about what you do. Tell them, "I am a paper cutting artist when not at my day job as a receptionist." That gives your passion the priority by being mentioned first and let's people know that importance in doing so. Practice in front of a mirror if you want to feel more comfortable about it, because let's face it, we are taught that humility is good, bragging is bad. But all you are doing is letting people know about your art, which isn't bragging. If they ask about it, have a succinct description ready. "I make contemporary/traditional cut paper art for sale on Etsy, at Gallery So-and-So, Such-and-Such Boutique, my website, etc., etc., etc.. You fill in the blank. Be proud of what you do and don't hesitate to let others know. Open the door and if others are interested they will follow up with questions about price, how long you have been doing it, and many others.

The message here is to be proud of what your passion is and don't hide your light under a basket. What you do is real WORK! Own what you do and you will discover others will enjoy owning your work.

Keep Creating!

Couldn't Wait!

Hello all my wonderful creatives! I couldn't wait to let you know all about the gilding flakes I got to play with today, so this will be short and sweet.

So these are Cosmic Shimmer Gilding Flakes used with the Cosmic Shimmer Glue. These are soooo easy to use. I wanted an effect similar to aging to go along with one of my samples for this tryout. The supplies I had was a cup of water (because you don't want the glue to dry on your brush), a cheap stiff brush and paper towels. Be sure to do this on a piece of paper so any errant flakes can be collected and put back in the jar. All you have to do is put the glue on your project where you want the gilding to go. The glue becomes a bluish color when you first apply it so you can see where you put it. Wait until the glue dries. When it is dry it will be transparent and just tacky to the touch. Next, you sprinkle the gilding flakes on the fabric and press them on the fabric with your fingers or a the back of a plastic spoon if you don't want to get the glue on your fingers. After you remove the excess flakes, go over the fabric with a stiff brush. If you go over it lightly then you will have more of a gilding stay on, I wanted a more aged effect so I put more pressure to the brush.

Be warned that this is messy but still lots of fun. It works brilliantly and I couldn't have been happier with the results. Wherever the glue lands it will stick so be prepared to do cleanup as you go unless you want it to be gilded! And permanent! LOL! I got my supplies from Joggles.com but I'm sure there are other sources out there. She also has a video available showing you how to use it.

Here is my finished product:

I put a little more of the gilding on my sample than I should have but hey, it's a
sample so no harm, no foul.

So here is a bead and you can see how well the gilding sets it off.

I will have more this week so stay tuned!

Foil and Floche Count on Counted Work!

Hello all my lovely creatives! I know it has been a few weeks since I posted (I think?) but I want you all to know that I have been busy exploring and working on something secret that I will reveal to you when it gets posted. I can't wait!

So what have I been exploring? Well, how about working with foils and gilding flakes? Oh yes, I have been an admirer of foil for a long time and got to thinking about using it on one of my designs. Now I had a foil and the special glue for it, but when I tried to play with it, was dismayed that the glue was now a solid and not a liquid. I just got around this week to ordering some new stuff and got it in the post yesterday. Yeah! So now I am prepared to do battle with it! LOL!

 

 

 

All ready for gilding! Bring it on!

What is great about the foil and gilding flakes is that they can be used on fabric, and yes, paper too if you want to use that ground. You can use a little or a lot and they do come in a wonderful variety of colors to suit just about any project. I am looking for a somewhat subtle sprinkling of it on my fabric so it will be interesting to see if I can pull it off. Now something else that I ordered along with the necessary glues was a glue pen so if you want to write something on a project you can certainly do it with foil. In this case, "Foiled again!" is a good thing!

Fabulous Fibers - Floche -Not Just for Embroidery Anymore
When I first came across Floche I wasn't sure what it was really all about. It sounded like it was very similar to regular cotton floss so I was curious to see what the fuss was all about. I ordered a skein and that is all it took for me to fall head over heels for this fiber! Yes, it is more expensive, but if you want to bring true quality to your work, then the little extra is well worth the investment.

Look at how lovely Floche lays down and the
great coverage with two strands.



Here are the leaves on Ladybug Lake with that beautiful green
DMC Floche. Loved working with it!

My bag o' DMC Floche. This is definitely something to
use in counted stitch work. On my 14 count Aida it worked
like a champ. Such luscious colors too that coordinate with
the numbers of regular DMC Cotton Floss.

Floche is considered a luxury Egyptian stranded cotton floss that has five plies to a strand. It is pre-cut in lengths and ready to use. Now here is the thing about floche, when you look on a lot of sites they speak about using it for embroidery, not counted work, but I am here to tell you that you certainly can use it. It is a bit thicker than regular floss so your coverage is going to be better with fewer plies. I used floche on the leaves of Ladybug Lake and I loved working with it! It has all the attributes of silk (the sheen and softness) but without the extra cost. For me, it didn't twist up as much as regular floss either while stitching. Since this is a more delicate fiber, use shorter strands to keep it from fraying or getting fuzzy looking. Use a larger eyed tapestry needle too for less friction. Even though it doesn't come in as many colors as regular DMC floss, the array is good enough that you certainly can find a suitable color for what you are working on. I pretty much have every color and I intend to use them all! Don't be afraid to use this on your own counted thread project, I bet you will fall in love with it too.

Stitch Sampler Update
Since I have been working on this surprise secret, I haven't had time to work on the stitch sampler, although I am going to work on it this weekend. So next weekend I will have a new stitch for you.

Ladybug Lake
Likewise, since working on other things, this has not seen any recent action either. That will change next week too.

Stay tuned for more great stuff and remember to Keep Creating!

Thought Nugget:
"Colour is fun, colour is just plain gorgeous, a gourmet meal for the eye, the window of the soul.".
~Rachel Wolf

Tools, Fibers and Sketchbooks

Hello all my excellent creatives out there! We are in the middle of the Dog Days of Summer and the heat index is high enough to make me want to stay in and stich, especially since my eyes are now working in High Definition! LOL!

First of all let's discuss sketchbooks shall we? There is so much going on about them right now that I thought I would throw my two cents worth into the mix.

Common Sense Sketchbooks
Sketchbooks are wonderful tools to give you a place to play with your ideas. You can draw to your hearts content and play with any color combinations you like in them, all without benefit of anyone critiquing it. It is like a creative diary if you will, only more of a playground than a confessional. I have looked at a lot of sketchbook articles from various artists over the years, because I was searching for ideas as to how to make mine work. They were all very lovely and unique but just didn't fit me or how I work. When I have an idea I have a book I put them down in. The ideas have to come to me, I cannot sit in front of a blank page and then wish for something to draw. I have to start with a color scheme or design of some kind. When I go to my sketchbook (it's more like an idea book really) I am there to flesh out something I already have in mind. Is it neat and tidy? Absolutely not! I use pencil, ink pen, marker, or anything else I can get my hands on. The entries are random and do not follow any specific theme or construct. These are my ideas only and when it is time for me to utilize one of them I get a real sketchbook out and begin to plan the colors and what the design should look like. Then I look for the different media I want to use in it. Of course the last effort is to put it down as a pattern on graph paper in 14 count.

The message I want to get across is that a sketchbook, idea book or whatever you want to call it, is for your personal use and there shouldn't be any hang-ups about the way it looks. It doesn't have to look like something Leonardo de Vinci put together unless that is your preference. If you are not particularly happy with making yours look that way, then don't! You don't have to! Just because it doesn't look like something you've seen somewhere else, doesn't mean a thing except that it is your personal work and looks like it. Do your own thing when it comes to your ideas and your pursuit of them because that is where your satisfaction lies.




My very first sketchbook. I found it at a local drugstore and it
is just a regular spiral  bound lined notebook. It is quite full
now, these are a few of the pages I have left.



Here are a couple of sketches I did when I was trying to flesh out
ideas for the Pear Blossom Studio plaque. I just used an ink pen.



When I see something in a magazine that catches my eye, I like
to save it for inspiration later. Sometimes it's a color combination,
other times it could be the flow of a design. I try to note what I
liked about it so I don't lose time scratching my head over it later.



Here is just some doodling on a page. Again I just grabbed an ink
pen and started drawing. It's these kinds of doodles that ideas spring
from so don't be afraid to be messy in your sketchbook. This is your
happy place so you can mix it up any way you like.

Scissor Time
A funny thing about scissors, there are so many of them! Wow, you name it and there is a scissor in that design and color! Whew! I have to admit, I got overwhelmed by the variety of them at one point, and of course I had to have THE pair of stork scissors and then one that looked like a rooster (yes, I too was a victim of mass merchandising hysteria!), but I soon learned that a few good pair was all I really used. Now there are many that are true collectors of scissors made in the past and present and this discussion does not include them. This is strictly about scissors that you will actually use. First of all, you do not have to use the same scissors as anyone else, you decide what it is you need, my discussion is strictly for information.

I think the best scissors for what I do is the small curved scissors. This is one that I always have at every project. They are sharp and because they are curved, you don't have to worry as much about accidentally clipping your cloth along with your floss. I have used these for so many years I couldn't even tell you where I got them but I do know this style is sold in a lot of places. Happily they are still nice and sharp even after a lot of use and abuse.

The second pair I have but don't use as much anymore, are travel scissors. These are scissors that are approved to go on airlines so you won't have to hassle with it if you ever fly and want to get some stitching done. These are also handy because they have blunt tips and will be safe in a car or any other mode of transportation.

The last pair is one that I just recently purchased for cutting out applique pieces of felt for my granddaughter's Christmas stocking. I just needed a good pair of sharp scissors that would cut these tiny pieces out easily and these small Fiskars certainly filled the bill.



My go to pairs. You can see the stork and rooster on the left side.
In the middle from top down are my curved scissors, next my travel
scissors and the next two I didn't mention because I don't use them
that often. The one on the bottom is serrated and I use it for cutting
metallic threads. The one right above it has one side with a notch cut
out so you can easily get the scissors under a stitch and clip it. This
pair got dull pretty quickly so I kind of retired it for now. The pair
on the right are the new applique scissor made by Fiskars.

I do have other scissors and I keep them around in case I lose any of my "go to" scissors. It doesn't hurt to have a back-up. I could always bust out the stork or rooster if needed. So I have narrowed down the craziness of scissors for myself by utilizing three pairs as a first resource. It's easier to keep track of them and they do the job I need them for with great ease. Now that I have them, I can invest my money in fibers, beads, paints, or something other than another pair of scissors.

My Favorite Wool Fiber
I have to tell you that I enjoy using all the wonderful wools I have discussed here. Yes, they truly are all Wonderful! But I do have one that I fell in love with when I first tried it and it is my favorite. When I win the lottery (Ha!Ha!) I am going to buy it in every color. It is Caron Impressions. This is not 100% wool, but instead is 50% wool and 50% silk. What a lovely combination, the best of both worlds! It stitches like it was made for 14 count Aida and is so easy to use. These come in a gorgeous array of solid and variegated colors that are all hand dyed (not overdyed) and being hand dyed means that if you plan on laundering them you need to test them for colorfastness. It also means you need to be sure to order from the same dye lot if you are going to use a lot of any particular color fiber. Now these are a little pricier than the others but if you enjoy working with them, the price is easier to bear. The website is loaded with information about not only this but the other fibers they create so check it out and maybe give it a try if it strikes your fancy!

I loved the coverage and the ease of use of this truly fabulous
fiber. Whenever I found some locally, I snatched them up!

Here are some I grabbed. I have to tell you my color selection wasn't great, but
I loved the fiber and just got what I could lay my hands on.

 

http://caron-net.com/welcome.html

Hope you all have a fabulous rest of the week and weekend and I'll see you back here next week!
Don't forget to Keep Creating!

Thought Nugget:
"Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong."
~Ella Fitzgerald

Work I Have Done

I thought it nice if I shared some of my work with you. Certainly I have done more than this, however, since what I stitched in the past was meant for someone special, most of my work has been given away (I'm sure many of you creatives have done the same, it just goes with the territory). Here are some examples of work I have done with patterns not of my own design:

Made this for my daughter, I just loved the colors and message!

I made this one for me! I love sunflowers. As a matter of fact,
my studio is done up in sunflowers.

This was my take on the pattern below. Done up
with a Swarovski crystal heart, seed beads and bugle
beads in two sizes.

The pattern for the work above. Loved the pattern but customized
it to my taste and just had to have fun with beads too!

 Here are examples of work I have done with my original patterns:
 

This was the sampler using all the fibers discussed
on my blog. The pattern was available on the blog
for anyone interested in trying it out. Lots of
different fibers made this a lot of fun to stitch!

This actually started out as an experiment when I was first using
seed beads. I wanted to see how they would hold up on 14 count
Aida cloth. Years later, it looks exactly the same. The fabric has
not been stretched and the beads have maintained their beautiful
sparkle.

When I had a brick and mortar cross stitch shop nearby, I
discussed with the owner doing patterns for her as box-its (that's
what we call them here in Oklahoma) for each month of the year.
Here are two examples of it. I called them Windowsill Box-Its
because you could fit them nicely on even a narrow windowsill.
The plan was for them to be economical, using only a few colors
of floss and a very simple pattern that would work up quickly.
February of course was for Valentine's Day.

 

Here is a view of the back. I loved the colors since they were
so different from the regular pink and red of the holiday.

For March we absolutely had to showcase St. Patrick's Day
and a big 'ole shamrock.

A friend of mine asked me to make a pattern for her Facebook
Group page that she would release for her birthday. She loved
the colors turquoise and coral so those were the colors I used.
I also used a blending filament to add a little sparkle. Again,
this was a simple pattern using just a few colors on 14 count Aida.

Of course here is the current project, Ladybug Lake, that I have
discussed here on the blog. I used linen floss, silk floss, floche,
blending filament, fabric marker and beads will be added later.
 

 

So here is an example of what the beads may
look like when attached. Haven't decided on
a permanent placement of the ladybug beads
but there is still plenty of time for that to be made.

So right after Ladybug Lake I will be starting on Eastern Expressions. Paint, vintage brooch, and wonderful fibers will all be incorporated. And of course BEADS! A sneak peak:



I did win a second place ribbon at the Oklahoma State Fair when
I entered a piece I later gave away to a friend I worked with.
Wish I would have taken a picture of it before I did that. Ugh.

 

Last but not least is the pattern I designed for
my studio. I have yet to make it into a plaque for
the door but at least it is finished! Seed beads,
cotton floss and blending filament to back stitch
the lettering.
 

I hope you enjoyed these blasts from the past and present!

Let's Get Stitching!

Here in Oklahoma the weather is starting to really heat up, and from what I've seen, so is the rest of the country. There has been an uptick in the humidity which makes it even more miserable to be outside, however, most of the time we have some kind of breeze or wind that helps a lot in these temperatures. Enough of the weather and let's get down to stitching business shall we?

Book Find

First of all, I have been digging through the bookshelves and there is a book I want to let you know about. It is called Embroidered and Embellished by Christen Brown. Now this is an embroidery book, but there is absolutely no reason that those stitches cannot be used in cross stitch projects. As a matter of fact, because you already have a ready made grid in the Aida cloth, it would make it much easier to keep your stitches straight and spaced correctly. The really lovely thing about this book, besides everything it contains, is that Christen walks you through using ribbon, thread, floss, beads, and so much more. Here is the break down:
*Stitching Techniques and Terminology
*Fabrics, Trims, and Laces
*Embroidery Threads and Ribbons
*Beads and Embellishments
*Embroidering with Confidence
*Traditional Embroidery
*Silk Ribbon Embroidery
*Raised and Textured Embroidery
*Bead Embroidery

The instructions are actual photos of the stitch being done and they are very clearly explained so novice to expert will have no problem doing them. It's about 159 pages and illustrated throughout. I bought this book sight unseen so I really didn't know what I was getting into but when I got it and looked inside I knew I had discovered a real treasure. It is a true mixed media stitcher's delight, and I love going through it and thinking about all the possibilities for projects. Truly inspirational! Even if you do not want to go with mixed media, just the stitches for the embroidery are worth the price of the book, there are 85 of them.

Here is a link to it on Amazon and you can get a peek inside here too:
https://www.amazon.com/Embroidered-Embellished-Stitches-Step-Step/dp/1607056631

More Wonderful Wools
How do I love wool? Let me count the ways! Too many to count actually! It stitches beautifully, is very strong, gives that little bit of oomph to stitching since it is a thicker fiber. In my search for wool on Aida cloth, I discovered Fleur de Paris Bella Lusso. This is a 100% Merino Wool fiber that comes in 45 yard skeins. This is so soft too and is just a joy to work with and it comes in a nice variety of have to have beautiful colors, 154 of them. It is made in Italy and I looked for care instructions but could not find any. Since it is a wool though, I would not wash it. Again, be aware of other fibers you use with it since some are washable and others have to be dry cleaned. It is reasonably priced for 100% wool, Needle in a Haystack carries it for $3.00 a skein, which is where I have purchased mine.
Here is a link to that shop if you are interested:
http://www.needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/FDP_BellaLusso.html

 

 

 

The Stitch Sampler
So here is the first of many stitch samples. This took more time than I wanted to spend on it simply because I did the three different variations on the reversible cross stitch and in the future will only be doing one a week. I can see where it does look neater on the back when stitched this way but this is not my cup of tea. I try to keep my back as neat as possible but some designs are going to be all over the place and it will show on the reverse no matter what you do. Here is my take away from doing these stitches:
1.) Let's talk the back first. Yes, the back does have a more interesting and neater look, however, these were just sample stitches going in a straight line back and forth and realistically if done on a pattern with lots of color changes with a variety of places, I think you could go absolutely mental in trying to accommodate any three of these. You are actually doing two jobs by trying to make the front and back both look good. When working over two you get to see the difference of the stitch on the back, however, if you are working over one square, then the design is not that noticeable if at all. Tucking the tail of your thread under the stitches in the back pretty much ruins any lovely effect you may be looking for and especially on #3 it was hard to ensure that the tail was secure with the open blocks.

2.) Now for the front. Numbers one and three look like cross stitches. Number two looks like a decorative stitch. So if you want the cross stitch look then you have to go with number one or three. A problem I ran across in doing this is transitioning to the second row and making it look like the first row on the backside. After a couple of frustrating attempts, I then just flipped the fabric and stitched it upside down and I got the match. Going from row to row on the front it made it look the same, however, you can see where it looks a little hinky on the back. There is probably an easier way to do this but I was getting frustrated and just wanted to get on with it. If I had a lot of time to play with it I could figure it out but currently it wasn't worth the time for just a sample. More floss will also be used in doing these since you are adding an extra stitch to any of the three, plus the extra time it takes to do them. I had to absolutely keep my attention on them since there was the extra stitch involved which would not be a problem if you did these a lot.

3.) What I discovered is that an extra stitch over a leg of a cross stitch really isn't apparent to the naked eye. That was a revelation. Next, these stitches are not going anywhere when they are each anchored with an extra stitch. This information could come in handy for some future work. The down side of that is that it is not easy to pull them out either when a mistake is made. So it is a trade off. Also, I did like the way stitch number two looked on the front, but again, you would have to stitch it over two in order to really see it and I have a feeling there may be a comparable looking stitch in the upcoming pages of the book.

4.) Conclusion. Actually, I'm glad I tried these stitches because I always was curious about them. I was actually going to try the reversible stitch from Jane Greenoff's book, "The Cross Stitch Bible", which looks the same on the front and the back, but that would have taken even more time and floss and I wasn't keen to lose more of either. I have made a notation on the sample in reference to it though just in case it is needed in the future. This was good practice for the upcoming stitches and I daresay these would be handy for anyone that is concerned with the look of their work on the back as well as the front such as table linens, baby bibs, afghans, bookmarks, etc.. Try them and see how you like them!

Here is the completed front of the first stitch sample for the book.
I have included how many strands used, over how many, the floss
color and page number in the book it can be found, all pertinent
information that could come in handy in the future. Remember,
"It is better to have and not need than to need and not have!", at
least in this particular instance.

Here is the back side. Different but is it truly better? That is for
the individual to decide.

This is a photo of when I had to flip the Aida upside down in order
to do the second row to make it look like the first on the back. These
stitches were a lot of work to be sure.

 Artist Spotlight
Alighiero Fabrizio Boetti, aka Alighiero e Boetti (December 16, 1940 - February 24, 1994)
This artist led a very interesting life and his road to becoming an artist proved it. He had two works that were embroidered and they are just magnificent and imaginative. Here is his story on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alighiero_Boetti I salute Mr. Boetti for being a man doing fiber arts, especially at a time when stitching was so associated with women's work. He showed that stitching is an equal opportunity art, available to all.

Here is a link to pictures of his work:
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=alighiero+boetti&qpvt=Alighiero+Boetti&FORM=IARRSM

Very sad that he died of a brain tumor in Rome at 53, it would have been fabulous to see how far he would have gone with his fiber work.

Until next week here is another thought nugget:
 "Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics."
~Victor Pinchuk