ABC Bloom Stitchalong Needle Roll

When I saw that Rebecca of Dropcloth Samplers @dropcloth was hosting a summer stitchalong, I of course, was interested. Then when I saw that we'd be stitching over a layer of silk organza, and that the finished sampler would be made into a needle roll, I was definitely in. Silly me, I didn't actually know what a needle roll was - a storage case, typically made of fabric, that keeps various needles organized and protected by rolling it up. Once I learned that, I placed my order for a kit.

The kit included a printed ABC Bloom Sampler, along with:

• One hand printed piece of silk organza
• Bias tape
• 1 vintage button
• Pendleton wool felt

Sorry I didn't get a photo of all the components, but you'll get a peek at most of them in the finished piece.

Once again, I used a double-thickness of Wonderfil #8 perle cotton to stitch the sampler. It was nice to know that it didn't feel much different stitching with the added layer of organza. I had backed my sampler with SF101 as Rebecca suggested and the sampler sandwich was quite comfortable to stitch. My particular piece of organza didn't have much printing in the center, so I lost much of the design one my sampler was trimmed. Oh well.

Rebecca posted instructions to construct the needle roll, if you're interested. Let me tell you, it goes together quite quickly. I had the trimming, backing, and machine stitching of the binding done in under 30 minutes, which included my making of my own double-fold binding. I just wanted something a little different than what was in my kit.

I did take the time to hand stitch the binding onto the front with a blind stitch. Then I just had to sew the button and ribbon/cord that would wrap around the roll. Rebecca used more of the binding fabric for hers, but I wanted something a little different there too. I went looking to see what options I had on hand, and found the thread braid I'd recently purchased. 

I pulled six colors of thread from the braid, then braided them together. I thought it was quite perfect, and it was just the right length to wrap around my needle roll a couple of times and then securing around the button.

This project is one of my favorites that I've made from the many Dropcloth samplers I've stitched. So fun to have a finished project that I can put right to use.

Floral Stitches Year II - Daisies

With all the stitching I was doing for the Ode to Joy quilt back, I got a late start on July's Floral Stitches sampler. Here's what it looked like before any stitching was done, courtesy of Rebecca of Dropcloth Embroidery Samplers @dropcloth.

Used by permission.

But I've been working on it pretty steady the last couple of weeks, and now it's done!

Without realizing the stitches I made for the blue, lavender, and green circles had a name, I later found out they did - the Smyrna stitch. Basically it's a "cross on a plus," and is considered an embellished version of the cross stitch. Good to know! Otherwise, I did a lot of straight stitch on this one, as well as chain stitch and seed stitch. Kept it pretty simple, and I'm happy with the finish, number three of the series. On to number four.

Trying Out Embroidered Handwriting

Recently, I purchased Laura Hartrich's @laurahartrich on-demand class, Embroidered Handwriting, with a bit of an idea of how I'd be using what I learned. First off, though, I needed to do a little sample or test of the different style options, and see which I wanted to move forward with.

After trying all three styles - block text, backstitch text, and cursive text - I decided I was most comfortable with the backstitch method. (Pretty obvious, right?) So stay tuned, and we'll see if my idea pans out....

Oh Christmas Tree Advent Day 16

My first year with an Advent stitchery, I've really been enjoying stitching most evenings on my Oh Christmas Tree panel from Stitchdoodles. I've been using threads I had on hand - perle cotton, Aurifil 12wt and embroidery floss - in colors of my own choosing. Most have been similar to what was suggested, but I've used teal and magenta a few times, when they haven't been suggested at all. So yeah, I'm making it my own.

Here are some of my favorite trees I've stitched....

So I'll just continue on. We're over 2/3 done, with the end in sight!

Oh Christmas Tree Advent

Though I know I'll be a little jealous as I see folks opening and sharing their sewing-related advent calendars, I decided that I'd instead, join in an advent stitch-along, and chose the design by Stitchdoodles. 

Based in Gloucester, UK, I went ahead and ordered the printed 100% ivory cotton fabric panel, which came backed with a calico fabric stabilizer. Each day, directions will be released for stitching one particular tree. 

I'm going to use my own thread stash, so I'll figure that out as we go. I'm thinking mostly greens and teals, and maybe a variety of threads - perle cotton, Aurifil 12wt and embroidery floss. But then again, we'll just see.

I did stitch tree #1 right on schedule using Aurifil 12wt for the tree and floss for the trunk. I'll be back periodically with status updates!

All the Windows

When I first saw the Windows Embroidery Sampler at Snuggly Monkey, I was in need of a new stitchery project, and was excited to try something new to me by a new designer, Colette Moscrop. Screen printed on 100% linen, the sampler was pretty big - 19.5" x 13.5". As the description said, "This windows design is perfect for embroidery and makes a great starting point for a modern sampler." IE. I'd have to come up with my own stitching plan.

It wasn't until I was a few windows in that I decided to try as many different embroidery stitches as I could. At first, I didn't really anticipate using 67(!) different stitches/stitch variations, but that's exactly what happened. I stitched a bunch I knew by heart, then moved on to referencing embroidery books in my own collection, as well as online sources. At some point, I began keeping track of what I was stitching, just for fun.

All along, I was using a double thickness of Aurifil 12wt in a limited selections of colors. On each window, I also outlined it, either on the inside or out, with a backstitch. I looked back, and it took me about two months of evening stitching to finish filling all the windows. I'm not quite sure what this sampler will become from here, but I sure do love it. I learned so many new embroidery stitches! Here's a highlight of just some of them.

Floral Stitches VII

This month's floral stitches sampler arrived the night before we were to fly out of town for a long weekend. I immediately deemed it the perfect handwork project to take with me, and I actually spent most of the first leg of our trip stitching on it.

Once I was home, obviously I might as well finish it up before getting back to my larger Windows project. It took just a few evenings before it was done. I think this dandelion was one of the quicker of the floral samples, less detailed, and due to my choice of palette, more subtle than most. But it was the perfect project for this moment in time.

Floral Stitches VI

It's hard to believe this is the SIXTH floral stitches sampler I've done. You may remember at the start, that I signed up for just six of the 12 months offered. Well, I extended that, so I'll be stitching the entire collection. I've just enjoyed them too much to stop now!

Besides echo stitching inside the flower petals, I really enjoyed doing some wrapped backstitch in some of the 'rainbows.' Finally, I added a definite ringed border to the design with a backstitch and chain stitch combo. For each of the three main colors - red, green, and blue - I again used Rebecca's tip of rotating through three shades of each color. I think that's been my go-to method ever since I heard her mention it.

And just for fun, here's a pic of the backside... could be neater, could be worse. It's not something I think about much!

Windows Embroidery Sampler

A new handwork project is always exciting, and since this one will probably take me a while, I thought I'd mark the beginning of it with a post. It's the white windows on 100% linen embroidery sampler by Colette Moscrop @colettemoscrop, which I purchased from Snuggly Monkey @snugglymonkey. A hand screen printed fabric panel, it measures 13.5" x 20.5".

I backed it with Essex linen in natural, and hand-basted it.

Due to the nature of this piece, I have to decide how to stitch it! I'm using Aurifil 12wt, and just deciding on stitches as I go. So far, I'm really enjoying it, and love stitching on the 100% linen.

Spring Fling

The second I caught a glimpse of Dropcloth's Spring Fling sampler, I wanted to stitch it. And it proved to be such an enjoyable one! I used double-thickness #8 perle cotton for this one, and my only regret is not doing the butterflies in satin stitch. BUT since that's not really my favorite to execute, I chose to just enjoy the process. For some reason, I especially liked stitching all the greenery. And those round purple seed pods. And all those Xs that weren't even a part of the pattern. 

The design on Spring Fling measured about 6.5" across, so quite a bit larger than the Floral Stitches series, and I liked that. I also had fun building the palette as I went. 

All in all, I'm really happy with it, but kind of sad that it's finished. Thankfully I have this month's Floral Stitches sampler at the ready to turn to.

Floral Stitches I

Not normally one for subscription projects, I couldn't resist when I saw Rebecca @dropcloth of Dropcloth Samplers post about her new Floral Stitches subscription. The monthly floral designs are small - each flower 4" across - but I've been missing stitching the samplers, and I thought they might be a fun little project each month, heading into summer.

I signed up for six months, and we'll see from there. I have a couple of ideas of how to use the finished samplers, but that's a ways off. At any rate, I backed my first little sampler with Essex, hooped, and started stitching. 

No longer an Aurifil Artisan, I reverted back to a double-thickness of size 8 WonderFil perle cotton for this series. Not that I don't honestly love the Aurifil 12wt for embroidery - I definitely do! But I knew Rebecca uses mostly the perle, and I have a wider color selection in the perle. Plus, it's a change of pace. Both stitch beautifully with a wonderful result.

This little sampler actually took longer than I expected. Though the design is small, filling in certain areas was time-consuming. I may eventually go back and stitch that tiny scallop.... I tried twice, but didn't like how it looked, and removed my stitching. In the end, I just couldn't decide what to do quite yet, and I didn't want to cover it up. So for now at least, I'm leaving it as is. Next up in the Floral Stitches series is the unstitched sampler shown below. But first, I have a larger Dropcloth design I want to stitch, so I'll be back to share them both as they're completed.

Pencil

After finishing my most recent Dropcloth sampler, Log Cabin, I happily started right in on a new one from Rebecca Ringquist @dropcloth, Pencil.

Once again, I used exclusively 12wt threads from Aurifil. Honestly, I had no problem using perle cotton for these samplers in years past, but considering my current partnership with Aurifil as an Aurifil Artisan, I really wanted to give the 12wt threads a fair chance, and I enjoy working with them so much. The colors are rich, the threads a bit silky, and they stitch beautifully. Using a double-thickness gives me great coverage.

So I actually purchased two of the Pencil samplers, with our grandgirls in mind. And as I was about to start in on the first one, the five-year-old happened to be over, so I got out my growing collection of 12wt thread colors, and asked her to choose what she thought would be nice.

She immediately suggested a 'galaxy theme,' which by no coincidence, I'm sure, was the theme of her recent birthday cake. So I'm not quite sure what about this range says 'galaxy' to her, but I went with it.

The colors she chose were 2430 [Antique Rose], 2535 [Magenta], 2479 [Medium Orchid], 2530 [Medium Orchid], 2520 [Violet], 4020 [Fuchsia], 2725 [Light Wedgewood], 2250 [Red], 2145 [Yellow Orange]. It was really enjoyable to mix stitches as I stitched along, and I tried to use a good variety of them - back stitch, straight stitch, stem stitch, chain stitch, coral stitch, and wrapped back stitch.

Once the bodies of the pencils were stitched, I had to make some decisions about the other components. The erasers were done in both 5021 [Light Gray] and 2430 [Antique Rose] with an accent of 4020 [Fuchsia] on one eraser. The ferrules were all stitched in 2615 [Aluminum]; the wood in 2314 [Beige]; and all the leads matching the pencil bodies. Additional stitches on these parts included couching, French knots, satin stitch, and plus stitch. 

Oh, and I did go back at the very end and do some wrapped stitching on the yellow orange pencil with 2120 [Canary], only because grandgirl really liked that color, but I talked her out of it because I thought it might get lost on the golden background fabric. Whatever, it makes me feel better that I found a way to include that color too.

So Rebecca's original idea with the Pencil sampler was to make them into pencil pouches, and I fully intend to do that.... after I stitch the second sampler.