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December 23, 2015

Thimblenest Thursday (well, Wednesday): Last-Minute Gift Card/Cash Holder



It seems to be a new Christmas tradition with me to need to pull together a creative way to give a gift card/cash at the last minute. I find myself in the same position this year and thought I'd share it with Feeling Stitchy readers, too!

These mittens can be left plain or embroidered/embellished in any number of ways: initials, random designs/embroidery stitches, Christmas motifs, etc. A holly motif is included with the mitten template.

MATERIALS


Most likely you'll have the materials that you need on hand. Here's what you need to gather:


  • 1 sheet of felt
  • freezer paper
  • embroidery thread
  • 4" length of ribbon
  • Mitten template
  • chalk or other fabric marking tool
  • scissors
  • ruler

TUTORIAL


Print the mitten template onto freezer paper. Cut out both mitten templates and iron onto the piece of felt. Be careful not to iron for too long--I'm not sure how well non-wool felt holds up to heat. Cut out the mitten piece that will be the back of the holder and remove the freezer paper. 


Trace around the front mitten piece. My rotary chalk marker was the only thing I had on hand that left a visible mark on the felt; unfortunately, it also snagged/scuffed the felt.


Mark stitching lines or other motifs on the front of the mitten. I used 4 lines, spaced 1/2" apart for the running stitches I made.



Embroider the motif or design. Then, cut out the mitten front around the outer edge.


Fold the ribbon in half and stitch in place at the inside middle top of the back mitten piece.


Align the top embroidered mitten piece over the back mitten piece. Hand or machine stitch the outside edges together, leaving the top (mitten cuff) edge open.


Insert your gift card or money and hang it on the Christmas tree!

December 18, 2015

Friday Instagram Finds on a Brief Hiatus



Hello! Friday Instagram Finds is going to take a break for a few weeks and come back Friday, January 8, 2016.

Remember to tag your stitchy photos on Instagram with #feelingstitchyig, and I'll see you again in 2016!

You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

December 15, 2015

Stitchy Snippets: Woolly Christmas Tree


This winter an unusual Christmas tree was on display at the Crafts for Christmas Show in Birmingham, England. The tree measures in at 25 feet tall and is entirely knitted, making it the biggest woolly tree in the world. Along side the breathtaking tree stood a winter wonderland with a fairy tale gingerbread house, snowman and Santa.


Alison Murray started making the tree some years ago, enlisting support from some 1000 knitters to complete the project. The idea behind the project was 'to encourage people to take up the craft of knitting and show that knitting can be fun' says Alison. Knitters from four to one hundred years old took part, sending their knitted squares from different corners of the world. The tree weighs a colossal 0.87 tons and has recently returned from an exhibition in Bangkok.


'The Christmas tree has 5,633 rectangles sewn on to it and I am proud to say it has already raised £17,000 for Great Ormond St Hospital, London.' - Alison Murray


December 11, 2015

Friday Instagram Finds No. 33 with Merriweather Council


Hello! I hope you've had a great week, and have a fantastic weekend coming up! Here in Chicagoland, the weather is unseasonably warm (it's supposed to hit over 60ยบ F this weekend!), and doesn't feel much like December.

Today I bring to you Danielle of Merriweather Council! Danielle is an embroidery powerhouse who has turned her passion of creating handmade items into helping other people be successful handmade entrepreneurs. She has an Etsy e-course that has been an invaluable tool to people around the world (including me), and an eBook packed with her wisdom. For the holiday season she busted out her needle and floss and stitched up what she's most famous for: initial necklaces and embroidering clever words and images onto fun fabric. As if that wasn't enough, Danielle is also one half of the podcast She Percolates, which offers up a fresh perspective on success that's targeted towards women.

Danielle posts the best pictures and images that are bright, fun, and cleverly styled. Take a look!

@merriweatherc

Image by @merriweatherc


Image by @merriweatherc


Image by @merriweatherc


Image by @merriweatherc

That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Danielle's work at @merriweatherc, and make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

December 9, 2015

December Craftster Hoopla Along



This month's Craftster Hoopla Along is Winter!


Do you love the snow? The holiday season? How about stitching by the fire? If all these things appeal to you then show your winter pride in Hoopla form! This month's theme is all about winter and the reason you love it or hate it. Are you stitching presents for the holiday season? Show those off too! 



Now for the details:
  • You have until December 31st to post your project and be eligible for the random drawing. 
  • Prize: 20.00 gift card to Amazon
  • Post your hoopla HERE


See past entries and join in the fun on Craftster.org. 


December 6, 2015

Patterns: Cherry Blossom Festival Sampler

Cherry Blossom Festival Sampler

Cherry Blossom Festival Sampler - very ably stitched by Jorie Slodki

Are you already tired of the winter months (if you're in the Northern Hemisphere)? Fed up of just stitching Christmas patterns? Then why not look forward to the spring with this Cherry Blossom Festival Sampler from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery? The sampler above was stitched by Jorie Slodki for a sushi loving friend, lucky friend!


December 4, 2015

Friday Instagram Finds No. 32 with Random Acts of Amy


Hello Dear Readers! Well, I goofed today and didn't have a post scheduled to go out early this morning so readers around the world would see Friday Instagram Finds first thing. I also hadn't contacted anyone to let them know I'd be featuring their Instagram account. I didn't want anyone to feel shafted, so I thought I'd let you know what I've been up to lately.

I have been making, making, making for the two holiday markets I'm in this year. Last night was the first, Rockford Handmade Market at the Prairie Street Brewhouse. It was so much fun! I got to see so many old friends (I'm from Rockford, but now live two hours away), and meet so many new people.

A week from tomorrow, on Saturday, December 12th I'm in the first annual Sugarplum Market at North Main Studios. Between my full time day job at the Library, and this market coming up, I am going to be super busy stitching nights and this weekend away for the foreseeable future! Here are some of my pictures from Instagram.

@randomactsofamy

This is me at Rockford Handmade Market last night. Image by: @randomactsofamy


This is my Black Friday haul - 300 skeins of DMC floss! Image by @randomactsofamy

This is one of the larger ornaments (4") I made this year. Image by @randomactsofamy

Snowflake ornaments on navy linen fabric with vintage bugle bead accents. Image by @randomactsofamy

That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

December 1, 2015

Magna Carta (An Embroidery)


British artist, Cornelia Parker has produced a 13 metre-long embroidery of the Magna Carta Wikipedia page to celebrate the document's 800th anniversary.


“I love the idea of taking something digital and making it into an analogue, hand-crafted thing” says Cornelia Parker. Due to the evolving nature of Wikipedia the artist chose last year's version of the page as a basis for her work, fixing this version in a tangible form.


This epic embroidery incorporates contributions from over 200 people. The majority of the text was stitched by prisoners which was lead by the social enterprise Fine Cell Work. Hand & Lock, the Royal School of Needlework and the British Embroiderers' Guild were also major contributors.


Many other individuals were invited to embroider a few words including judges, lawyers, civil rights campaigners, members of parliament, artists and musicians. “I thought carefully about the words they should stitch. For instance, Baroness Warsi, Eliza Manningham-Buller, Julian Assange and numerous prisoners have all stitched the word ‘freedom’, but all have different relationships to it.”


“I wanted the embroidery to raise questions about where we are now with the principles laid down in the Magna Carta, and about the challenges to all kinds of freedoms that we face in the digital age. Like a Wikipedia article, this embroidery is multi-authored and full of many different voices. ”

The work is currently on tour across the UK.


November 29, 2015

Patterns: Felt Farm Set

Felt Farm Set Hand Sewing Patterns
Felt farm set by the Little Softie Shoppe

It's not too late to make this lovely handmade gift for a little person in your life (says she who hasn't done half her Christmas crafting yet). This felt farm set by the Little Softie Shoppe is very cute and I think would be very well appreciated.

November 27, 2015

Friday Instagram Finds No. 31 with Maya Frost


How are you doing today? Here in the United States, it's the day after Thanksgiving, and is known as Black Friday, a day that retailers big and small offer up sales in order to get into the "black" (as opposed to being "in the red"). It's also a day to graze on the leftovers from Thanksgiving.

@frost.maya

I have a special treat for you today by introducing you to Maya Frost. Maya is an ex-pat from Portland, Oregon, USA who now lives in Mexico. You can see the influences of Mexico in her work, most especially in the vibrant colors she uses.

Maya uses unique and different materials in her embroidery. Yes, in the first picture, Frida Kahlo is stitched on a tortilla with hair of beans - how clever!! IN the other pictures, Maya uses pieces of brown paper, canvas, and pieces of clear plastic in which to stitch on. She uses paint and floss together to create vibrant and unique pieces of art.


Image by @frost.maya

Image by @frost.maya (On canvas)

Image by @frost.maya (On a brown paper scrap)

Image by @frost.maya (On a clear plastic remnant)

Image by @frost.maya (On canvas)


That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Maya's work at @frost.maya, and make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos like Maya did with #feelingstitchyig!

November 23, 2015

MooshieStitch Monday: Needle Weaving Plaid

plaid embroidery



In my ongoing quest to find different needle weaving tips and techniques, I came across a post by the amazing Mary Corbet on the Common Thread blog.

In this post, Mary shares tips on how to add texture and patterns to your needle weaving. What caught my eye was the technique to create a plaid-like pattern.

So, I decided to give it a try by needle weaving a red plaid - because it's the fall season and red plaid reminds me of cozy flannel shirts.


plaid embroidery


For my plaid pattern, I stitched 2 rows red, 1 row black, 1 row white, and repeat.

DMC Floss used:
  • Red #817
  • Black #310
  • White ECRU

I chose a circle because originally I was going to put the finished work in a small round frame I have for an ornament (more on that later). So I traced the frame - which is a 3 inch diameter circle.






Here are the finished vertical stitches (warp threads).


needle weaving plaid


Now time to weave my horizontal stitches (weft threads).


plaid embroidery


plaid embroidery


I weaved over and under each vertical stitch - but I wasn't perfect. I sometimes missed a row or weaved over/under two rows by accident. But it doesn't seem too noticeable...


plaid embroidery


needle weaving plaid


What do you think? Does it look plaid to you!?!

I didn't like how it looked in the round ornament frame - it didn't quite fit right either - so I think I will keep it in a small hoop.


needle weaving plaid embroidery


plaid embroidery needle weaving


needle weaving plaid



Overall, I like how the plaid pattern looks. This is my first needle weaving using multiple colors and I will definitely keep experimenting.

Seriously, check out this needle weaving post by Mary Corbet to see her step-by-step tutorial and her awesome needle weaving sampler.

See you next time!



November 22, 2015

Patterns: new designs from Kelly Fletcher Needlework




Designs from Kelly Fletcher Needlework

Kelly has some lovely new designs out; Wild Ferns, Wild Grass and Wild Pods, I think they would look great stitched up and displayed together on canvases on a wall, they look like they would be very calming. You can find these designs and more here.