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October 31, 2016

MooshieStitch Monday: Plushwork (with pearl cotton)

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

My last few posts have shown the plushwork technique with tapestry wool and cotton floss. I wanted to keep experimenting with different flosses, so when a couple reader comments suggested pearl cotton, I decided to give it a try!

I chose an orange and green pearl cotton #5 and used the same template in my previous posts.


Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy


Layer 1: Orange

I have lots of spacing in between my stitches - but it is the first layer and I will be covering it up with more layers - so it doesn't need to be perfect!

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

Layer 2: Green

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

Layer 3: Orange

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

Layer 4: Green

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

Time to cut through the layers and remove the plastic template.

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

Here it is before "fluffing"..

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

... and after "fluffing".

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

I decided to trim the pearl cotton with my scissors to see if it would change the appearance.

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

Here it is after trimming with the scissors and fluffed.

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

I do like how the plushwork turned out with the pearl cotton, but I have decided the best results are when you use the tapestry wool.

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy


P.S. I saw a reader comment on the previous post asking how the plushwork does not fall apart when you cut it. Here is a photo of the back.

Plushwork with pearl cotton, a tutorial by Michelle for Mooshiestitch Monday on Feeling Stitchy

It is actually the surface satin stitch - where you will bring the thread up from the back right next to the previous stitch on the same side - there are only long threads going across on the front side of your work. (This plushwork tutorial explains it also)

Compare the results from my other posts:


Happy Halloween!!

October 29, 2016

Free "Vote" pattern - the winning design!

Close up

Well, it was a close race, but the readers have spoken and the winning design was this one - Design #3! I really had fun stitching this up, starting bright and early this morning.

As you can see, I am already done, so I can attest to what a quick stitch this pattern is!

Download on Flickr
Download on Google Drive

Here are all the colors I used - all DMC embroidery floss this time:
DMC floss colors for Vote embroidery


I hope you let your interpretation be as free as you like, and most of all, if you are in the US, I really hope you vote! This election season has been anything but pleasant, but our right to vote is something we haven't always had - it was a long, hard fight to get it, and I hope you continue that fight by voting.

Thanks to everyone who voted in our "election", and for all the feedback we've gotten on how you've found us. I hope you enjoy this free pattern!

October 28, 2016

Friday Instagram Finds No. 76 with Tracie Christine

Hello all! Floresita here, subbing in for Amy, with a look at the beautiful feed of TracieChristineArt. I've been fascinated by Tracie Christine's recent projects - a series of hoops with a lovely bright blue backing fabric.

I love the simplicity of her lines and the wonderful homey feel I get from looking in on these kitchen scenes. Something about them just reminds me of home. Her fiber art is gorgeous and certainly worth a follow.






If you'd like to be featured in Amy's Friday Instagram Finds, just tag your Instagram photos with #feelingstitchyig!

October 27, 2016

Update at the Polls!

I thought I'd do a little update for all of you before our voting closes tomorrow evening. Here are the results of our voting so far!

Design 1 Design 2 Design 3
Instagram 50 49 50
Facebook 5 3 8
Twitter 2 1 1
Blog 2 5 5
Total Votes 59 58 64


With 64 votes so far, it looks like Design #3 is in the lead! Voting will continue through 9 PM US CST tomorrow - if you'd like to vote here, visit the post and leave a comment with your favorite design.

Remember, I'll stitch up the winning design and make it available as a free pattern on Saturday, so be sure to vote for your favorite! :)

October 26, 2016

Wonderful Wednesday #24: Little Thimble Studios


Ok, I love Halloween, and I also love a quick project you can sandwich in between all of your bigger crafting projects - this Halloween PDF Pattern by Little Thimble Studios looks perfect for that!

By the way, there's a little poll on our blog right now, would you mind clicking over to see it? I'm just curious how you found us, in particular, how you found this post! As you may know Twitterfeed is going away, which is how we've been doing our auto-Twitter and Facebook posts. I'd like to know how you find us, and where you would like to see our posts. Thanks all! :)

October 25, 2016

Vote for a free "Vote" pattern!

Hi guys! As everyone in the U.S. heads to the polls this week and next, I thought I'd do a fun "Vote." :) I've drawn up 3 different designs - ok, so maybe only the lettering is different in each, but it's really hard for me to choose a font!

I'm collecting votes on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and here. Choose the "Vote" design you like the most, by casting your vote in the comment section.

I'll stitch up the winning design and offer the free pattern as a PDF here on the blog. Sound fun? Let's vote!

And your candidates are.....

Design #1:


Design #2

Design #3

Cast your vote in our comments by 9 PM US CST, October 28, 2016. This "vote" is open to everyone, including our overseas voters!

October 21, 2016

Friday Instagram Finds No. 75 with Snowbird Artworks


Hello my stitchy friends! Today we take a look at Zoe of the Instagram account @snowbird_artworks! Zoe creates lovely embroidery, cross stitch, and paintings. Her typography embroidery is beautifully stitched with bright colors. Her cross stitch snowflakes are delicate and gorgeous.

Zoe's Instagram account is @snowbird_artworks, and you can also find more in her Etsy shop. Take a look at some pictures from her feed, and if you read to the end, find out how you can participate in #ThankStitching.

A photo posted by Zoe Hattersley (@snowbird_artworks) on


A photo posted by Zoe Hattersley (@snowbird_artworks) on


A photo posted by Zoe Hattersley (@snowbird_artworks) on


A photo posted by Zoe Hattersley (@snowbird_artworks) on


Late last October I had the idea for guest posts in November with a thankful theme. Fast forward to this year, and I remembered in time to get the ball rolling, and I call it #ThankStitching! You can read more about it here on my blog. You don't have to fill out the form on the original blog post. If you're interested in participating simply:

Email me at randomactsofamy {at} gmail.com one nice picture that represents why you are thankful for your particular needle art. Include your first and last names, Instagram name, and a paragraph about why you are thankful for your particular needleart, and what it means to you. I'd prefer that you sent this last bit of info attached as a rich text file (.rtf), but a Word or Google document works, too, as well as typing the text within the email. I know we all have different levels of comfort using technology :)

Oh! Also, just to be certain, if you'd like a specific date for your post to go live, include that. :) And feel free to discretely watermark your photos with your name.


October 19, 2016

Wonderful Wednesday #23: Cozy Blue


"Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can" - this is pretty much my mantra in every crafty project I undertake, and the Start Embroidery Kit in Cozy Blue's shop on Etsy.

Cozy Blue needs no introduction here - we have featured Liz's beautiful designs numerous times - and I highly recommend a visit to her shop for some embroidery inspiration.

October 18, 2016

Stitchy Snippets - Embroidered Sentiments


Take a tour through these beautiful illustrations by Australian based artist Laura McKellar. Her passion for different artistic mediums is evident in her work, which includes photography, textiles, fashion and graphic design. Laura's stunning textile pieces are initially worked and edited on the computer often incorporating photography then digitally printed onto fabric to be further embellished with hand embroidery. Her colourful palette is sure to brighten any chilly, Fall morning. Find out more about her work here.




October 14, 2016

Friday Instagram Finds No. 74 with Heather Everitt


Hello Stitchy Friends! Our readers Down Under are enjoying the end of Spring and beginning of Summer while here in the Midwestern United States where I live, we are moving into fall. We've had chilly weather in the mornings so far, and the temps have stayed pretty moderate otherwise - thank goodness!

Today we're featuring Heather Everitt Embroidery. Heather creates AMAZING pieces of art!! I am blown away by the butterflies she creates. Prepare to be WOW-ed! You can find Heather on Instagram, her website, her blogand shop.











October 12, 2016

Wonderful Wednesday #22: Lolli and Grace


Today, I couldn't resist featuring this lovely Hand and Heart PDF pattern by Lolli and Grace, who has a wonderful Etsy shop that Amy has featured here before.

There's such a lovely and intricate simplicity to this design - I adore the colors she's chosen, and it would work so well in many different schemes!

October 7, 2016

Friday Instagram Finds No. 73 with Seaside Fox Artwork


Happy Friday, Stitchy Friends! Don't you just love the pumpkins that Seaside Fox Artwork created?! I adore the primitive Americana look of this pumpkin trio. Jennifer has such pretty stitching, and the fabrics she chose have a lovely textured look. As you'll see in the selection of pictures below, Jennifer is an accomplished embroiderer who uses neat and tidy stitches to create her artwork.

You can check out Jennifer's Instagram feed @seasidefoxartwork, and she has an Etsy shop, too



A photo posted by Jennifer (@seasidefoxartwork) on







October 5, 2016

Wonderful Wednesday #21: Celandine Design


What lovely colors and textures are in this Hattie the June Beetle Embroidery Kit! I like that the kit offers two options - as a "basic kit" with floss, beads, fabric, needles and hoop, and a "fancy kit" with lovely stork embroidery scissors, felt for finishing, and silk ribbon for hanging - delightful!

All the designs in the Celandine Design shop are based on original watercolor art, which are printed in color onto the fabric. I like that you can choose exactly how much you'd like to embellish the design - very lovely!


October 4, 2016

Stitchy Snippets - Thread is A Thought


Cos Ahmet's art practice combines woven tapestry, collage, printmaking and sculpture. I find his tapestry collages to have an ethereal quality that is mesmerising. In Ahmet's words 'The constant thread in the works becomes my words, thoughts, a path of ideas'.


The human body is a constant reference in his work, Ahmet chooses to explore themes of the self, sexuality, identity and the human form.


Through the medium of textiles he creates metaphors for the human form such as: ‘thread as the thought’, ‘warp as the skeleton’, ‘weft as flesh or skin’, and ‘weave’ as the soul. Cos Ahmet explains: 'These ‘gestures’ take on their own symbolism and appearance, but are implicit presences, traces or imprints of identity and self.'


You can see more of his work, which will be exhibited under the title Thread is A Thought at the upcoming Knitting and Stitching Shows in the U.K. and Ireland this Fall.