This is the companion video to the one on spot lace. It shows how you can take your weaving further by using surface embroidery techniques. Easy to follow, easy to do but visually stunning!
embroidery
African Red Butterfly
I love the feeling of finishing a long term project – something challenging that has required a lot of time and care. I bought this Red African Butterfly kit from Trish Burr last year but other projects took over.
I made the commitment to finish and completed it last night. Phew! The technique used is thread painting and involved one piece embroidery floss at a time with a very fine needle.
I’m pretty pleased with how it came out, though I can obviously use a lot more practice with thread painting as it’s far from perfect.
Now, what to do with it? I’d like to put it in a nice frame, I spent too long working on it to put it to practical use.
Have you seen Trish Burr’s designs? There are a lot of beautiful pieces to choose from and the instructions are detailed. I would love to do more of her designs in the future.
Embroidered screen printed butterfly bag
During the year I was invited to partake in a collaboration – my first collaborative effort in fact!
Something I love about the handmade community is how skills and talents can be pooled to create something really awesome!
Margo from The Climbing Tree sent me a gorgeous linen piece with a screen printed butterfly from Thea & Sami with the idea that I could embroider it for a bag flap.
Margo used a Nicole Mallileu pattern to sew a gorgeous bag featuring the butterfly. I think the contrast is just beautiful!
Here is the completed piece before becoming a bag flap. I hand painted some segments and used a variety of embroidery stitches with silk, cotton, and swarovski crystals and beads.
The bag was snapped up by a very happy customer š
Margo makes all sorts of things including gorgeous children’s clothing, hats and bags. You can find her in the following places:
For beautiful screen printed fabrics and homewares:
And for bag and clothing patterns:
Sneak peek embroidery
I’m working on a new pattern.
It has lots of little stitches.
And lots of cuteness.
I’m almost done, so it will be available in my Etsy shop soon and there may even be a little giveaway!
Gosh I’ve missed stitching!
The cooler weather has me thinking about knitting as well, it might be a good time to try out Linda’s cat pattern – so cute!
Happy weekend and God bless you all š
Embroidered house print
I’ve had this little print on calico for ages and I’m not sure why it took me so long to have a go, I guess I haven’t really embroidered anything pre – printed before, so it seemed daunting.
I’ve been unwell the past couple of days and was looking for a project I could do in bed, so it seemed a perfect time to try this.
I’ve since decided that this is actually my dream house and I really should be living somewhere similar. Ah, well – one can dream, can’t one?
I didn’t plan and I just used what I had on hand. Some pretty silk ribbon, a little silk thread and plenty of good old fashioned DMC š
I love how it turned out and I think I’ll be looking for more pre printed panels, or if I get time I could attempt to draw my own from scratch, I’ve always had a real thing for drawing beautiful homes.
Now it just needs a nice frame, I’m thinking white and shabby?
From the print studio
Some experiments that turned out pretty well!
Hand dyed homespun with husband’s lino prints. Looks kinda oriental don’t you think? I like this one so much I’m going to make myself a bag with it š
Hand dyed cotton lawn with linocut prints. Pretty.
Not sure I like black prints on the blue here, but it was an experiment after all!
I finally finished this UFO. I did the Maisy in wool felt and embroidery over a year ago to go with the quilt and hadn’t gotten around to making it up into a cushion.
It always feels great to finish something you started.
My littlest girl loves having a matching cushion for her quilt!
It was easy to do too – just traced the picture from a Maisy picturebook, cut out all the separate pieces and traced them on to wool felt. Things like the stripes on the pants, whiskers and bicycle spokes were embroidered.
With my needle and thread treasury
I made an Etsy treasury of embroidery art, including some wonderful Australian artists.
You can take a closer look here.
With my needle and thread
House on a hill brooch
Warm colours
The weather has turned wintery in Melbourne today and what a perfect time for the postman to bring good tidings with warm colours!
All of these beautiful things were sent to me by Baukje as I was lucky enough to win her blog giveaway recently. There are some truly beautiful and very useful treasures in that parcel, thank you so much Baukje!
And another timely arrival on a day where I’ve largely been shut inside – my favourite embroidery magazine š
I spent some time warming my fingers by rolling a hank of Nell’s lovely wool into a ball in preparation for a little something.
I hope you find a happy craft to warm your fingers and your heart today. Until next time!
Working on….
Another Ottobre 301 finished as the cooler weather continues to approach. Aren’t Crafty Mamas fabrics just so gorgeous?! (And for those of you who tell me you can’t sew with knits I say “Oh yes you can!!“
I’m loving the embroidery that I’ve been working on at night. It’s a printed vintage piece that my Mum in Law gave me years ago. The reason I didn’t start it earlier is because it was partially worked already (with very beautiful but old threads). I couldn’t decide what to do.
Initially I tried matching the existing threads, but being of vintage era there was no hope of an accurate match. So I regretfully made the decision to remove the old threads, which came out easily.
I have no regrets now, as the vibrant colours I’m now using are looking so gorgeous and the piece is a joy to stitch.
Today I’ve been working in the laundry (it’s not what you think!!) dyeing some fabrics which I’ll share when they’re ready.
I’m really excited to have ordered some rolls (yes, rolls!) of silk ribbon from the U.S. as well as some new silk paints, so I eagerly await that parcel, I have lots and lots of plans.
I hope you have had a wonderfully blessed week!