Christmas Countdown #21: Six Little Stitches

Simple but sweet, this Modern Snowflakes Patterns looks lovely - I love the red and blue color palette!

Review: Stitcharama Embroidery Transfers

Hello all, today I have the pleasure of doing a review of Stitcharama embroidery transfers, which you can find at www.stitcharama.com. They were kind enough to send me the embroidery transfer you see, so that I can try it out and report back to you with my findings.

Well, I suppose I can tell you the end at the beginning if you have no time to read this - I was very pleased with my results, and I do recommend them. But let me walk you through my process!

I started off with a regular flour sack tea towel and my transfer pattern. I did a quick read through of the instructions, and I wondered how well it would transfer. It looked just like a regular medium weight sheet of paper, and the lines didn't look particularly thick or dark.

I pinned the transfer into place and started ironing. After a few passes with a hot, dry iron, I pulled the transfer back to peek and I did indeed see some very faint lines appearing...

And after a few more passes with the iron I began to see darker lines appearing.

And voila! After working at the fainter lines for a bit, I was rewarded with a very nice transfer, and nice clean lines - not too thick or inky. I really like that the pattern is still clearly visible on the paper, which could be really handy if you wanted to re-trace the pattern to use it again.

I was curious to see if the ink had passed through the tea towel fabric, as the directions warned me it might, so I flipped over the fabric...

Indeed, I did see a very ghostly image on the back, but it did not transfer to my ironing board, which was nice.

In summary, I am really happy with the transfer, as I mentioned above. When purchasing a transfer pattern, you also receive a nice PDF with a finished image and stitch and color guide. I like how Stitcharama promotes the work of many artists through its patterns and credits them. Just FYI, this particular Kasia Jacquot pattern is no longer available.

But there are many lovely patterns and kits still up for grabs on the Stitcharama site (including some really cute Mollie Johanson patterns). Here are a few of the latest patterns that I think are adorable:

I wholeheartedly recommend the transfer option for your lighter colored fabrics, and the PDF pattern option if you'd like to do your own transfer method.

Thank you Stitcharama, for sharing this lovely pattern with us. For more on Stitcharama, you can follow them on Instagram @stitcharamacraft, or visit their site: www.stitcharama.com.

Find Kindness

Find Kindness pattern by Sarah K. Benning

I had a post planned and scheduled for today, but in light of all that has happened in the US as of this morning, it just didn't cover what I was feeling. I have re-scheduled that Wonderful Wednesday feature for next week, and my apologies to the wonderful artist I was featuring.

I am not going to lie, I am discouraged. I am deeply ashamed of the fact that white nationalists march in our country again. There is nothing good or right about their march, and I find nothing to support in their evil views. Their words and actions are truly evil, and I cannot believe we are here again, as if the pages of the history of our country have been flipped back, some 50 years, some 100 years, or more. I am ashamed and discouraged that all the progress we have made seems like it was reversed overnight.

So all I can do is one thing - and this pattern by Sarah K Benning puts it best for me: Find Kindness. Find Kindness in myself, and find kindness in the world.

Here's where I find kindness and hope: In the faces of all the clergy and religious leaders who were willing to risk their lives and safety to stand in the face of evil, and pray.

In the account of one of the witnesses who stood in their midst, they were spat on, insulted, and subjected to tear gas. Yet still they were present and did not lose hope. If they didn't lose hope, neither can I. I find hope in all of those who peacefully protested that day, willing to stand against evil, willing to give their very life to stand against evil.

My prayer for all of us today is that we find kindness, and when we do not find it in this world, that we put it there, ourselves, with God's help.

Wonderful Wednesday #41: Quarter Inch Mark

How lovely is this Forest Hill Embroidery Pattern in the Quarter Inch Mark shop on Etsy? I love the attention to detail and the lovely colors that have been used to create this pattern!

Look at the beautiful whitework embroidery on this knit bag, a pattern which is also included:

If you'd like to learn more about this pattern - visit this blog post by their creator, Chase: http://quarterinchmark.blogspot.com/2017/05/forest-hill-embroidery-pattern-knit-bag.html

For more on Chase, visit -
Instagram: @quarterinchmark (https://www.instagram.com/quarterinchmark/)
Twitter: @quarterinchmark (https://twitter.com/quarterinchmark)
http://quarterinchmark.blogspot.com/

Wonderful Wednesday #33: Mirka Döring

I was just floored by the beauty of this embroidery by artist Mirka Döring. The colors, the textures, the stitching - just perfect!

To see more of her stitching, visit her shop on Etsy and DaWanda and find her on Instagram.

If you'd like to try your hand at that stupendous flamingo, Mirka has a PDF pattern in her shop:

Christmas Countdown #12: Daisy Eyes Handmade

This Silent Night pattern by Daisy Eyes Handmade has so many beautiful touches. I love the variety of colors and stitches, and the wonderful vintage look.

Christmas Countdown #11: Hallodribums

Nothing says Christmas like this sweet UFO themed Christmas pattern in the Hallodribums Etsy shop! I love the simple, sketchy lines, and the sweetness of this little pattern. For you less traditional Christmas fans out there.

Christmas Countdown #5: NaNee Hand Embroidery

I adore this sweet Cozy Sweater pattern in NaNee Hand Embroidery's shop. It looks just perfect stitched on natural linen, doesn't it? And the nice traditional Christmas reds and greens are wonderful.

Stitchy Snippets - Bold and Beautiful

Here in London the nights are drawing in as a winter chill spreads through the city. It may no longer be sunbathing weather (although I'm not sure if we really even have that in our summer!) but it is perfect weather for stitching! Liz Payne's gloriously colourful embroidery has brightened our day and I hope you find it inspiring too.

Bold and bright patterns of colour and shape are integral to Liz Payne's work. Her work is densely textured with hand embroidery, beading and fringing, which all form additional pattern within her designs.

Commonly, Liz will start out by painting fabric and canvas which are next adorned with embroidery. Known widely for her art pieces, Liz also embellishes shoes and designs her own range of bespoke jewelry.

Liz talks about her work: 'I’m not shy of using colour in my work (sometimes every colour!). Using stitch I’m able to introduce a textural dimension to my work, drawing the viewers eye into and across the intricacy of the details.'

Take a look at her Etsy shop 'Flirting with Yellow' to see more of her work.

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.

Still the fiancé kerchiefs...

Olá! This week I'll be brief... Only to show you two more images of fiancé kerchiefs inspirations...

The first one is a framed fiancé kerchief. It is monochromatic what is not so usual... The same embroiderer from last week.  It is very common that these kerchiefs have some embroidered messages. A long time ago they were embroidered by girls that often did not know how to read or write...  But they were in love and still they wanted their beloved to know that... So it is very usual, and now a tradition, these kerchiefs being full of misspelled words (in Portuguese: erros ortográficos)... Sweetly naif... That's what happens with this kerchief... Nowadays being able to write with this naif mistakes is almost an art and this one is a very sweet example.

Embroidered by Maria Alice

In correct Portuguese it should be: Há-de a nossa amizade acabar quando esta pomba voar. Instead we read: Hade a nossa amizade acabar cando esta pomba boar...
In a very, very free translation and adaptation... "Will our friendship end when this dove fly" With some misspelled words... "Wil our friendship end wen this dove flie"... I confess I don't know the most "popular" English misspellings... I believe all languages have them :)

Work in Progress...

This other photo shows the work I have in hands... I've finished the patterns inspired by Portuguese Fiancé Kerchiefs that I was working on and they will be available soon... I'm happy with them. I had the help from a very talented friend!!! I used the motifs to decorate a child blouse. As soon as it is ready I'll show it again. I'll keep my promise!!

Flying from pottery to embroidery

Olá! When I started my project agulha não pica (needle does not prick), I decided that my embroidery patterns would be inspired by Portuguese culture, that they should have a "Portuguese soul". Soon I discovered that although the inspiration from Portuguese Regional embroideries would be endless it could be very challenging to bring some motifs from arts & crafts other than embroidery. One of those arts deep rooted in Portuguese tradition and culture is pottery, that you'll find from the North to the South of our country.

I bought this (and many other) pottery plate 20 years ago in Redondo, a beautiful small town in Alentejo, in the South of Portugal, renowned for its clay products and wine. It was made by an artisan, Adriano Martelo, that claimed to use ancestral techniques.

The richness of the work of the artisans from Redondo comes from the use of traditional patterns like floral motifs, portraits of the daily life from rural Alentejo region and reproductions of antique plates from the 17th century. Flower baskets, small cottages, birds, cork oak trees and shepherds deserve special attention.

pottery plate, my photo

I love this plate and decided to transform it into an embroidery pattern. I asked the help of a friend with better drawing skills and I was delighted with the final result of this pattern inspired by rural pottery.

Recently I used it to decorate a linen/cotton apron made in the region of Guimarães and embroidered it with cotton pearl size 8 from Limol, choosing the pastel colors box.

Using carbon paper to transfer the pattern, my photo

Transferred pattern, my photo

Patel colors, my photo

Embroidering... My photo

Embroidered bird from Alentejo, my photo.

And here you have how a beautiful bird flew from pottery to embroidery... 

Do you have a special embroidery pattern's story, too? Share it with us...

New Embroidery with Vintage Patterns - June Stitch Along - RoundUp

Hi, everyone!  Just reporting for my monthly stitch-along round-up post!  Each month in the New Embroidery with Vintage Patterns group on Flickr, we have a stitch along.  This month there were two themes:  (1) "One pattern, many stitchers" and (2) Stitcher's Choice.

(1)  "One pattern, many stitchers"  After a casual discussion in our NEwVP group, many people thought it would be fun if we all stitched up the same vintage embroidery pattern.  We thought it would be neat to see the similarities and differences in our floss colors and stitch choices.  Prior the start date of our June stitch-along, I chose about a dozen patterns from Hoop Love that I felt were "summery."  The majority decided this was the pattern they all wanted to stitch together.  This darling, sailing kitty is shared by Flickr member, just-a-mere -- thank you!  It is Vogart #102, Gay Kittens and Puppies for Everyday Use.

from Flickr member, oneplaidaunt
photo replaced on 7-23-2012, stitchy spelling corrected

from Flickr member, experimentl

A mini quilt stitched up by our group's founder, Mom Walds Place

Close up of lovely hand-quilting details

from flickr member, happyluludaze

(2)"Stitcher's choice" For those who weren't smitten with the kitten, this theme was added so participants could choose any vintage embroidery pattern they wanted to. It may sound fun to be able to stitch up anything you want, but with the overwhelming amount of vintage patterns to choose from, it can be an overwhelming decision to just pick one!

This was my contribution to the June SAL, this is from Vogart #7125, Animated Fruit for Kitchen Towels

from Flickr member, giddy99 this part of a DOW (day-of-the-week) vintage pattern set that has been identified as "design 2068" (not sure of the company who made this pattern.)


And Flickr member, loves stitching, has been busy this month! The potato-man is a vintage McCalls pattern, Vegetables of the Nations.


from loves stitches, vintage McCalls pattern, Vegetables of the Nation


from loves stitching, this cute poodle coming back from a trip to the grocery store is from a vintage Vogart pattern, specific pattern number and name not known.

I invite y'all to come by and join our group New Embroidery with Vintage Patterns group on Flickr. In addition to the photos added to our group's photo pool each month for our stitch alongs, there are many other stitcheries (not related to any stitch along) added to the photo pool frequently -- people just have that itch to stitch!

And don't forget about our SUMMER OF VINTAGE STITCHY LOVE CONTEST! There is still plenty of time to enter -- the deadline isn't until July 20. It's going to be tons of fun and there are tons of prizes! Read all about the contest here.

Handicraft for Girls: Doll's Quilt Pt. 2

Hullo! We are now on to the second embroidery pattern from the Handicraft for Girls book. For those who want to catch up and make this doll quilt, check out Part 1. 

Download the PDF.

It does not state in the book which cultures these costumes are from, and since it is a school instruction book I presume that the patterns were reflective of the other lessons. Thus, they probably did not feel the need to elaborate. Maybe it's that vagueness that makes old books written in the language of their time so romantic and mysterious for some of us :-) 

Have a happy stitchy week up ahead!  

Handicraft for Girls: Children in Native Costume Doll's Quilt Pt. 1

Hullo! Our next project is from the book Handicraft for Girls by Idabelle McGlauflin, published in 1910.

In Chapter 2 of the book, an embroidery pattern of 4 children in native costume are provided and to be used in the different exercises.

Each design is embroidered with running stitches on a 6" x 8" piece of unbleached muslin. Now, it says to use "colored thread No. 50", and once again I have no idea what color that will be so enlightenment is welcome of course.

When done with the designs, we will continue to make the elective exercise which is a doll's quilt:

To attach the designs together, it states that they are to be "overhanded together" by turning a quarter-inch fold on the long side of both pieces and basting the folded pieces together and overhand.

The stitch is not shown in the book, only described so I went to look for an illustration and found this from ChestofBooks.com. It is the overhand stitch as described and illustrated in School of Needlework. A Course Study in Sewing designed for use in Schools:

Should you wish to make this too, a pattern will be provided after each part every Monday. We will begin this week with Child in Native Costume No. 1:

Download the PDF.

Have a lovely week ahead everyone and keep on stitching!

Part 2.