Stitchy Snippets- Edgy Embroidery

Happy Halloween everyone. I hope you are all feeling spooked! :)

Take a look at this fantastic collection of decorative embroidered skulls and bones by Moonrise Whims. I love the combination of the dark and gruesome with colourful, floral motifs. Renee Rominger, the great mind behind Moonrise Whims, has also published a book full of designs called 'Edgy Embroidery'. You can find out more here.

(Editor's note: By the way, the link above is an Amazon Affiliate link - clicking through the link and buying is one way to support our volunteer reviews - we use funds in our Amazon account for new giveaways and reviews. Would you like us to review this book on Feeling Stitchy? Leave a note in the comments if so!)

Spooky Saturday!

Hi all - in this last Saturday before the big spooky day, I am re-sharing another gem from a past stitchalong! This Spooky Halloween pattern by Cathy Gaubert is a super adorable.

Here's a roundup of all the different ways this wonderful little pattern was stitched, for inspiration: http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2011/10/september-stitch-along-wrap-up.html.

Cathy's blog has since gone on hiatus, but she was happy to hear from us, and happy that her pattern has been shared and loved and stitched so many times. Thank you, Cathy!

I'd like to follow up with a special plea - do you see that sweet little pup in our sidebar? We are still raising money for Amy's sweet dog Sid, who is going through cancer treatment. If you have ever downloaded a free pattern from Feeling Stitchy, won a giveaway, or enjoyed a tutorial or article, we'd be so tickled if you contribute a little something to Amy's fund, no matter how small.

We'd love to let Amy know how important her voice has been here, and online. I know there are so many demands on your income and time, but just a dollar or two from many people adds up! Feeling Stitchy has always been free, we don't advertise, save for doing reviews and features of items we hope you'll like, and we're all volunteers. So please take a minute to support one of our wonderful volunteers, Amy!

Wonderful Wednesday #53: And Other Adventures

Now here's a lovely treat you could stitch up in time for Halloween - this simple and elegant Halloween Bat by And Other Adventures on Etsy! It really has a very graceful simplicity going on, and is classy and spooky. You cloud also reverse the image with white thread on a dark background, or maybe glow in the dark thread for a spooky door sign.

Freebie Friday: Kitsch Witch and Kitsch Witch, Too!

Right click and save or Download here

Over the years, we enjoyed having so many wonderful patterns designed as free patterns for our stitchalongs.

This adorable Kitsch Witch pattern was designed by Bridgeen Gillespie - among other things, Bridgeen has written for MrXStitch and Craftsy, as well as designing her own patterns over the years.

I had a lot of fun stitching the Kitsch Witch, using a lovely floss palette from Sublime Stitching called Parlour.

When I checked in with Bridgeen this month, to ask if I could re-share her lovely pattern, she responded by designing another free pattern for Feeling Stitchy!

So here's a new free pattern by Bridgeen, in honor of Halloweens past on Feeling Stitchy, called Kitsch Witch Too!

Kitsch Witch Too Pattern

Right click and save or Download here

Kitsch Witch Too Color Guide

Here's a complimentary color guide by Bridgeen, but she invites you to stitch up the Kitsch Witch in any combination of skin tone and color that you see fit!

Thank you so much Bridgeen!

Wonderful Wednesday #52: Satsuma Street

I am absolutely charmed by this witchy Halloween Cat Cross Stitch Pattern by Satsuma Street. And I apologize, because there's probably no way (unless you went on a total stitching bender) that you could have this done by Halloween. But you could just grab the pattern and be all set for next year!

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! :)

Free Halloween Sampler Pattern by Amy

Halloween Sampler by Amy Byrne a.k.a. Random Acts of Amy

Hello, Stitchers! Our regular Friday Instagram Finds author, Amy from Random Acts of Amy, is offering a free Halloween Sampler pattern over on her blog. This is her very first pattern and it is wonderfully detailed - with a full guide to colors, stitches, and number of strands to use. She'd love to see you stitch it up! Follow the link above to get the pattern.

MooshieStitch Monday: Halloween Ghosts Pattern

Halloween week is upon us and I have one more spooky project to share.

I have a pattern for you! It's a vampire ghost and a Frankenstein ghost.

I decided to use the pattern to make little hanging decorations for Halloween!

I traced the ghosts with a water soluble pen and stitched them up.

For the vampire, I added some "blood" on the teeth :)

Using my pinking shears, I cut the ghosts fabric and black felt into rectangles. 

Then, I attached the ghosts onto the felt rectangles with straight stitches around the edges and trimmed the felt down a bit - I thought the felt rectangles were a little too big...

I attached a piece of black ribbon with french knots onto the felt so I could hang them!

Up close!

If you don't want hanging decorations, you can stitch these ghosts however you like! 

I was thinking maybe stitched onto little fabric treat bags? 

Or stitched on a pillow case that will be used for trick-or-treating? 

(Or maybe I am the only one who used a pillow case as my candy bag for trick-or-treating as a kid?) 

Print the pattern, stitch up these ghosts, and share your photos on the Flickr Embroidery Group!

Happy Halloween!

Stitchy Snippets - Stumped

Lesley Turpin-Delport and Nikki Delport-Wepener

Stumpwork or raised embroidery fascinates me. The three dimensional aspect of this type of needlework perfectly demonstrates the versatility of embroidery. I've collated a few fantastic examples to show you today.

Firstly let's take a look at Mary Corbet's adorable pumpkin which is built from boullion knots. Mary has created a handy tutorial for this festive pattern. Her site is well worth a visit and full of helpful tutorials!

Mary Corbet

Cakes, biscuits and all manner of patisserie are currently popular themes for stumpwork.

Kaoru Sato

Kaoru Sato

Yacmii

Can you spot which match is embroidered?

Yacmii

Yacmii's shading work is incredibly realistic. These leaves and berries would make a beautiful autumnal table or wall decoration.

Yacmii

Have you found any great examples of stumpwork on your cyber travels?

MooshieStitch Monday: Embroidered Halloween Pumpkin Lollipop Covers

Last post I embroidered some Halloween ghost lollipop covers.

Up next: pumpkin lollipop covers!

What you need:
5" x 5" squares orange fabric
Black or yellow embroidery floss
Green ribbon
Lollipops (I used Tootsie Pops)
Basic supplies: hoop, scissors, pencil/transfer pen
Optional: coins (such as a penny or nickel)

1. Draw a pumpkin face on your orange fabric square.

2. Stitch the face with a satin stitch.

3. Remove the fabric from the hoop and grab your lollipops, ribbon, and coins!

4. Tie the fabric around the lollipop with the green ribbon.

If you want the pumpkins to stand up, include the coin when you tie the fabric around the pop - it will work as an anchor to stand up.

Up close....

I stitched up more pumpkins using yellow floss for the face, outlining it with black.

These do not have a coin inside and are just laying down.

I hope you try stitching these little pumpkin covers! If you do, be sure to post photos in the Flickr Embroidery Group.

MooshieStitch Monday: Embroidered Halloween Ghost Lollipop Covers

Is it too early to start with Halloween posts?

Well, I am going to anyways since it is my favorite holiday and I have probably the easiest Halloween embroidery project ever to show you....

I remember making these as a kid with Kleenex and markers - anyone else?!?

What You Need:
7.5" x 7.5" square white fabric
Black embroidery floss
Black or white ribbon
Lollipops (I used Tootsie Roll Pops)
Basic supplies: small hoop, scissors, pencil/transfer pen

1. Draw a ghost face on your fabric with a pencil or transfer pen. I went very basic with 3 ovals for eyes and a mouth - but get creative and choose whatever ghost face you like!

2. Stitch the eyes and mouth in satin stitch with black floss.

Don't know the satin stitch? Here is an easy tutorial to learn it!

First eye complete...

Second eye...

And mouth!

3. Remove the fabric from the hoop - grab a lollipop and a piece of ribbon or yarn!

I was so lazy that I didn't even bother to iron the hoop marks in my fabric - you don't really see them once you tie the ribbon around your ghost.

4. Tie the fabric around the lollipop with your ribbon - and you are done!

I used both black and white 1/4 inch ribbon.

On one of my ghosts I stitched the word "Boo!"

Really easy, right?? I hope you decide to make some ghosts for Halloween this year.

If you do, be sure to post your ghost photos in the Feeling Stitchy Flickr Group!