Are You Ready For 2013?

Don't you just love beautiful hand embroidered creations for your home? Or, do you love to give fun gifts that your crafty friends, mom, sister would enjoy making? Perhaps you like to gather together with like minded people, or want to learn a new craft?  Is 2013 a special year for someone....a new baby....a wedding....special anniversary?

Over the last couple of months I have been designing a new hand embroidery product. A Calendar!  I love Jacobean designs and I love beautiful calendars. I so enjoyed designing this piece and doing all of the embroidery.  I really looked forward to just sitting down in my comfy chair...a cup of tea...watching a movie or listening to a book and stitching. It was almost like a "calgon take me away" moment...lol (do you remember that?)

I have designed this calendar so that when the end of 2013 comes to a close the embroidery designs can be repurposed. You could make six different items from the pieces that you have already embroidered!  Certain sections can be turned into cuffs, a pillow that you could fill with lavender, the beginning of a wall quilt, a valentine heart brooch....the ideas are endless and I'm sure you will come up with plenty as well.

I have used basic stitches so that no one feels intimidated... back, straight, stem, blanket stitch and, of course, french knots. With the use of many different colors and basic stitches you can make this beautiful calendar.  And, if you have questions....

I will also be opening a flickr group so that we can share pictures...ideas....questions.  I plan to begin in one area of the calendar in June and each month work together, through the flickr group, so that everyone can get together and have their calendar ready by January 2013.  I produced this calendar early so that if you want to give it as a gift the recipient should be able to have it ready as well. Even though I am going to sell kits that will include all of the same embroidery thread, it doesn't mean that you have to use my color scheme.  I will also sell just the panels so that you can use the color scheme of your choice.  I can absolutely see this done in just black and white....I have some other ideas but I'll share them in the flickr group!

If there is at least 10 participants who finish and post their calendar I'll have a giveaway...  some of us need incentives...lol.  Visit my Etsy shop to purchase your calendar kit or panel.

Flower Garden Camisole

I haven't made a piece of clothing for many, many years.  As I was digging through all of my vintage textile collection I came to this lovely hand crocheted yoke.  It looks like dogwood flowers, but I'm not sure.  What do you think?  I wish I could crochet like this because I'd love to make another.  It looks like a very easy pattern and I may try it someday...adding it to my journal as I type, so I don't forget!

I began by putting this on my dress form and just looking at it for a few hours. At that point I wasn't sure if I wanted to keep the pink ribbon that runs through it.  As I was looking at it my eyes spotted a piece of pink linen that I saved from Goodwill a few years ago.  I've used small bits and pieces of this linen over time, but still had a large piece that would be just enough for this creation. Along one edge it had a border print and then a nice open print along the other edge.

Drafting a pattern is something that I haven't done in an even longer time. I began sketching what I wanted and then created the pattern from there.

Since I love embroidery I saw the perfect way to incorporate it into this design. I echoed the design on the linen onto a solid linen.

I attached this piece to the front, then sewed the yoke to the front.

On the back I wanted it to be open and summery romantic. So I opened up the back and then created tabs, added a bit of the vintage lace from the bottom front to each of these tabs.

At first it was kind of gaping under the arms and I didn't like that.  I pulled a thin sting elastic thread through the underarm and gave it a light gathering.

One of the things that I thought was very unique about this piece of vintage crochet is that there are buttons on the left shoulder to make it easier to take off and on.

It took me the entire day to create this top and I am so happy with how it turned out.

A Day in the Life of a Quilted Wall Hanging

The picture below is the fabric I designed to place my Queen Anne's Lace design.




The cutting of borders begins




Yes this is my work table in all of its mid process glory!


Piecing borders and trying out colors



Trying out the pieced border design...it changed a few times...


Final product as a table topper....or


a wall hanging!



This is the first quilt I've worked on in a very long time. It was fun to make and I LOVED getting all of my fabric out and playing. I also loved cutting a few branches from my sage bush to create the hanging rod. I left the branches wider then the quilt so it would create a natural look to the hanging.

An Embroidery Challenge...want to play?

I just added this home decor piece to my Etsy shop once again.

The fabric panel is my own design and incorporates an antique journal page that I've had for several years. The page always spoke to me and I've wandered back to it often trying to think of a way to use it in my work. With the advance of technology and fabric printing I was able to cost effectively turn it into fabric. The writing on this piece is beautiful calligraphy. I love the doodle of a leaf and the date.

While I was working on it I thought it might be fun to have a challenge. Let me know if you would be interested in participating. I will put the panel in my shop, without embroidery so that you can embroider your Queen Anne's Lace in the stitches and colors you prefer. Then embellish, turn it into a pillow, quilt, wall hanging...whatever you wish. I'll open a flickr group and we can post pictures...I'll find some people to judge the challenge too!

Now in comments, or by convo through my Etsy shop let me know if you would like to participate. If I get enough interest we'll move forward!

Fiesta Doodle Cuff

Hot pink, hot orange and yellow make for a festive summery cuff.

Doodles. I took them a step further...rather then drawing on paper, drawing with thread! I picked out some colors, some felt and sat down to a relaxing time of doodling. Mind freeing.

While embroidering I watched a movie. A good movie, but one that you shouldn't watch when you actually need to see. My Sisters Keeper is such a tear jerker that I was actually full-blown crying. When I cry my eyes stay blurry for a little while...so I did have to stop embroidering until I could see clearly again..

Under The Big Top

My newest porcelain buttons from Hodge Podge Arts! Can't wait to work on this design! Would someone give me a few more hours in my day?

Alchemy Meerkat in the Studio

Well, I think I get a day of rest...we are playing in the studio today!


Rose ordered more of those lovely porcelain buttons from Hodge Podge Arts, and look at the Wisteria Cuff she made from that first batch!


Oh this is enough color to make anyone happy!


I love this tropical ring....Rose said I might even get to take one of these rings with me, you won't believe all of the treasures I've collected along the way...once I get back home in England with Nifty...there will be a contest and I'll go to the lucky winner!

Modeling is such a tiring job...just need a short nap



Ohhh...Oh...what is this? look at all of this felted wool...so many drawers, so little time!

This would make a great place to nap as well....but can't rest now, we are designing a new cuff!



I think I'm in love...look at all of this embroidery thread...what color next?

I'm dizzy.....

Campbell's Soup and Embroidery ...M'm, M'm Good!

Grace G. Drayton (1877 - 1936) was the creator, illustrator of the Campbell's Soup Kids. It is also believed that she created a series of "kid" embroidery that was published by Ladies Home Journal in 1908. Originally these cute kids were used as marketing promotions on streetcars for the Joseph Campbell Company.

Illustrations were printed so that women could embroidery designs on a variety of household goods. Towels, tablecloths, napkins, pot holders... I imagine that a few of those pieces can still be found in antique shops or museum collections.

Here are a few examples of these cute kids! Don't they just make you smile and want to start humming...

"M'm, m'm good! M'm m'm good! That's what Campbell's soups are. M'm m'm good!"

The Girl Indie Blog Feature

What an exciting honor to be featured on this wonderful blog!





This blog features some awesome artists and designers. It's written by nine wonderful women who take the time out of their day to write about and feature "chick owned businesses." Go take a peek!

Queen Anne's Lace Fiber Necklace

Several people have suggested that I make necklaces based on my embroidery designs and this is my first attempt. I seem to be enamored with Queen Anne's Lace at the moment!

The necklace is 18" in length, so for many people it would fit like a choker. The pendant is approximately 2" x 2". It's very soft against the neckline. I used an old crochet technique that my mom taught me to make the "chain" tube. I added small crochet circles with glass bead embellishments and used buttons to attach the pendent. By using buttons and a neutral "chain" I have made this so that pendents can be interchanged. This necklace and my bracelets make a nice alternative to jewelry if you happen to have allergic reactions to metals.

You can find this necklace along with my bracelets and rings in my Etsy shop.

Wearable Art Queen Anne's Lace Wool Cuff

Did you know that Queen Anne's Lace (wild carrot) is actually a weed? I know...I know you are saying how can something so beautiful be a weed. And, did you know that if you find one with a red center, rather than just a dark center it is said to be very lucky? The red center is very rare and its significance is that Queen Anne, whilst doing needlework pricked her finger and a droplet of blood fell on this flower.

Whenever I come across Queen Anne's Lace, which is not often here in Arizona, I always search for a red center...guess what...I have never found one...have you?

My newest cuff is in honor of this weed (I'll always think of it as a flower).

Spiral Surprises and Puzzles

I created this cuff while enjoying the Thanksgiving Holiday. I had a completely different design in mind (you may see that one in the future), but I ended up with this intriguing puzzle cuff. While it appears simple, or may even appear non-existent, it isn't. I'm offering to anyone who would like to purchase this cuff the opportunity to receive a matching felt ring, if you can figure out the puzzle or pattern that is contained within.

Just send me a convo at Etsy when you are ready to purchase with your answer. By the way, the lining contains a surprise as well.

Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving --we also played in SNOW!