Exploring Embroidery

Something that I don't talk about very much on here are my other crafting adventures, probably because they are so slow! I always have one or two things on the go, from knitting, to crochet and embroidery, but not often do I have anything finished to show.

Recently I bought an embroidery sorting box... I doubt that's its real name.  I've had all of my embroidery threads in a little box all mixed up for quite a while, and they were starting to get knotted.

Ooh look at those lovely colours, I spent hours winding these on, it makes me very happy to see them all lined up in their rainbow. I used to spend hours sorting my felt tip pens like this, woe betide anyone who messed them up! Anyone out there have any idea how to use the pink windy thing in there? I think it's for winding on the threads, but it basically just fell off a lot or felt really loose.

When I went on holiday to Donegal, a couple of months ago now, I had an idea I would do some sort of craft, something small, and I love doing embroidery, so I took along all my bits and pieces. I came up with the below, it's still in construction, as with all embroideries these things take time.

Drawing this embroidery has really opened up something in me, I've been drawing on and off all summer, and have a few more ideas for embroideries in the pipeline. I'm also trying to develop my techniques so have started to collect new stitches, and ideas for new images on my pinterest board, take a look if you have an interest... Ha don't think I ever made the connection between interest and pinterest before.

I was hoping to knit a cardigan on that holiday, I've only ever attempted to knit something the size of a cardigan once, and I got bored halfway up a sleeve.... so wish me luck! I say 'was' and 'hoping', as the wool didn't arrive in time for the holiday, and it keeps being sent to the post office depot, and as I haven't been in home on the weekend for months I still haven't got the wool! I have finally now sent it to Mr.T's work so hopefully I'll finally get this summer cardie made... in time for winter ha ha. Sounds about right, have a great weekend!

Wedding Invitations

So it's been a bit wedding dress heavy over here in my last posts, so I thought I'd give you a break, and you can see me and Mr T's joint effort on the invitations. All of the drawn elements were done by my super talented husband (so weird to call him that still), you can see some of his drawing skills here. And all the embroidery/ fabric elements were me :-)

Hope you like them! We love them, I want to put them up all over the house. Maybe I'll have to settle for just the one.

The Night Circus

I very recently read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It was a fantastic read that I thoroughly recommend. It's so rich in fantastically imaginative imagery which I found very inspiring. This novel really demonstrates how a novel can depict intricate and expansive landscapes, which is one of my favourite aspects to a novel.

When sat in work, attempting to divert my mind from work based things, I couldn't help but draw a circus tent as I daydeamed about running away to the night circus and becoming a trapeze artist (not that this is physically or mentally possible), then I had to add a carousel... and a slide... and the pencil drawing is what I ended up with numerous meeting minutes later.

I then coloured it black and white as per the circus colour scheme, I love the strength of the black and white, I may make this into an embroidery in the future, perhaps on black fabric in white? Let me know what you think. Also,what doodles have you drawn that looking back, you're actually quite proud of?

Deborah

Embroidery bonanza

 

For my birthday this year, I received some beautiful vintage embroidery transfers from Mr T's mum. Having just started up properly with embroidery, I'm really exciting about practising some techniques, and finding some new ones to fill in the gaps in these lovely patterns. I've got four plain cotton pillow cases (I call them pillow cases but they're actually too big to be cushions and too small to be pillows) to decorate, and so I've chosen the following pattern:

 They are far too chintzy for Mr T's taste, but as usual I'm sure he'll suffer in silence. I'll try and include some dark red, and some navy, that should keep him happy.

So, in order to copy over the pattern, as I didnt want to damage the pattern anymore than necessary (some of the transfer is starting to peel away, leaving little black spots all over my desk.) I just laid the pattern under the top layer of cotton, and traced it over in my trusty wash away pen. And I ended up with this!

Those with good vision might spot the failure of a bird with a big cross through it on the right, I do want to add some birds/ bees around the flowers, but will try and find a better pattern elsewhere as the birds on this pattern look a little odd.

Having traced over the pattern very roughly I then filled in the detail freehand. I'm very happy with how it came out... but we'll just have to wait and see what kinds of stitches I might need. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Deborah