Wonderful Wednesday #76: Wild Olive Stitch Club

While doing some research on incorporating embroidery in English Paper Piecing, I found the perfect way to bring both together - Mollie Johanson of Wild Olive is doing a FREE Jam a Month Stitch Club this year using EPP!

Download the patterns

Mollie has already made the first 6 patterns available on her blog:
January: Orange Marmalade
February: Cherry Preserves
March: Raspberry Jam
April: Grapefruit Jam
May: Blueberry Jelly
June: Pineapple Marmalade

You can try your hand at embroidery and EPP using these patterns or there is also an option for cross-stitch too!

Mollie's Jam of the Month Quilt

This weekend I carefully cut out all the EPP shapes Mollie provided for the mini EPP quilt, so I could try to visualize the size and how it fits together:

Ok, I am almost convinced that I should try to make this mini quilt... but I admit I'm intimidated because I've never made a quilt before! But a small one does seem like a good way to start...

Fun with Half Hexagons

In the meantime, I started playing with half hexagons in a nice orange, to match my cute jam embroidery:

When you cut hexagons in half, there are so many possibilities for framing a central hexagon! The arrangement above is one way...

Here is another:

And here is yet another possibility!

Please note my edges don't exactly match up because I forgot to include the seam allowance in my half hexagons - if you cut your half hexagons properly, they should line up perfectly!

If Only Quilting Was Taught in School

I admit I had a hard time in geometry (they always said in school that you would either be good at geometry OR algebra but not both) algebra was a bit more my thing as it was more like writing sentences and learning a language.

As much as I love shapes and color, drawing them out in geometry and the very dry way they were discussed bored me to death. But sliding these colorful shapes around taught me more about angles and shapes than I ever learned as a child. Maybe basic quilting would be a good subject for school, as it teaches you so much more than how to make a blanket!

Ok, so I've really traveled far afield in this post - suffice it to say EPP has changed my perspective on quilting and handmade items, and I thoroughly recommend it!

If you're looking for an easy, free way to start with English paper piecing, Mollie's Jam a Month Stitch Club is perfect!

Friday Instagram Finds No. 84 with Chawne Kimber

Last Saturday I went to a workshop presented by the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild (which I'm a member of), that featured Chawne Kimber leading us in hand quilting. I'm not a quilter, but I want to be, and Chawne was the perfect person to get me started. Chawne is an artist who is well-known for her social justice minded quilts. It was fascinating to listen to the meanings of the various quilts she brought and get to touch them and feel the different textures. You can find Chawne on Instagram at @cauchycomplete and on her website at Cauchy Complete. Here are some of my favorite pictures from Chawne's Instagram.

The One for Eric is on exhibit at the Michigan State University Museum through summer. A group of students used it in performance art.

A photo posted by Completely Cauchy (@cauchycomplete) on Jan 17, 2017 at 5:27am PST

By the numbers: 22,176 stitches at 20 st/in, overall 5"x10", 10 colors, 28 tapestry, started: 9/30, finished: 11/19 (more photos on blog; link in profile)

A photo posted by Completely Cauchy (@cauchycomplete) on Nov 20, 2016 at 6:07am PST

A photo posted by Completely Cauchy (@cauchycomplete) on Nov 2, 2016 at 5:17am PDT

Slowly wanting to share more of this one.

A photo posted by Completely Cauchy (@cauchycomplete) on Jan 10, 2017 at 4:36am PST

And here's a bit of the start of the mini hand stitched quilt I started under Chawne's tutelage.

I'm taking a hand quilting class taught by @cauchycomplete for the @chicagomqg , & its fascinating! I got to meet @sonicstitches & @turtlesrs in person, plus make a new friend @emilybruzzini !! Quilting & embroidery go hand in hand, and both are so classic.

A photo posted by Amy Byrne (@randomactsofamy) on Jan 14, 2017 at 11:42am PST

Friday Instagram Finds No. 62 featuring Ruby Sew Oh

Happy Friday, stitchy fans! On today's Friday Instagram Finds we take a look at @rubysewoh and her Instagram account. Danielle creates beautiful hand embroidery on gorgeous, printed fabric. She also sews and is in the process of creating a gorgeous Liberty hexie quilt. Here are some of my favorites from her Instagram feed. Danielle used #feelingstitchyig, and I'm glad she did so I could discover her fun and creative work.

While you're on Instagram checking out Danielle's work at @rubysewoh 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 at @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

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

@rubysewoh

Thanks @handmadehotspot for the lovely comments! Xx ・・・ @rubysewoh isn't your typical embroidery hoop shop. Her designs are unique and so pretty! This leaf is hand drawn, screen printed and embroidered all by @rubysewoh ❤️❤️❤️. WOW! Make sure to check her out and give her a follow! . . . #embroidery #bebold #hoop #hoopart #embroideryart #embroideryhoop #marketing #ladyboss  #etsyseller #etsy #shopsmall #sale #smile #forsale #likeforlike #entrepreneur #goodvibes #handcrafted #womeninbusiness #girlboss #shop #shopping #motivated #mompreneur #instabossmob #photography #fashionstatement #igseller

A photo posted by Embroidery hoop art & more! (@rubysewoh) on Jun 30, 2016 at 10:41pm PDT

Believe 🦄💫 Eva's going for more tests tomorrow - hopefully it's all good news!

A photo posted by Embroidery hoop art & more! (@rubysewoh) on Jun 28, 2016 at 2:05am PDT

Road tripping down south & working on a Liberty hexie quilt! 💕

A photo posted by Embroidery hoop art & more! (@rubysewoh) on Jul 8, 2016 at 4:22am PDT

#beYOUtiful 💁🏻💕

A photo posted by Embroidery hoop art & more! (@rubysewoh) on Apr 30, 2016 at 10:07pm PDT

Friday Instagram Finds No. 34 with Tubaville

Hello Feeling Stitchy readers! Friday Instagram Finds is back! I hope that you had a pleasant holiday season, and are ready for a fabulous 2016.

Today's feature is Torina with the Instagram handle @tubaville. Torina creates beautiful cross stitch pieces and gorgeous quilts. The detail in her cross stitch is so lovely! And her quilting is wonderful. I've started English paper piecing, so it's nice to see such beautiful work to be inspired by. I came across her work because she tagged some of her pictures with #feelingstitchyig. Take a look at Torina's beautiful work!

@tubaville

Image by @tubaville

Image by @tubaville

Image by @tubaville

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 Torina's work at @tubaville, 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!

Friday Instagram Finds No. 20 with Itty Bitty Bunnies

It's Friday, hooray! I've had a heck of a week with my son turning 26 years old, our 4th wedding anniversary, my cat being diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, and my Great, Great Aunt Dorothy passing away at the age of 101 year and six months old! The chaos isn't over yet because tomorrow I'm a vendor at a big market in my hometown {info at the end}.

Let's get on to Friday Instagram Finds with Sarah of @ittybittybunnies! Sarah is a hand embroidery artist who creates lovely work that features pretty florals and text. Her Instagram feed is filled with her embroidery, gorgeous flowers, her adorable sons, and her vintage finds. Let's take a look!

@ittybittybunnies

Oh. My. Goodness! Take a look at the detail on this gorgeous bouquet of flowers!! The shading effects that Sarah has used are so beautiful, and the layering of floss to create depth and dimension is truly artistic. I cannot wait until she reveals the full photo!

Image by Itty Bitty Bunnies

While I am definitely a summer person, I can almost get excited for autumn after spotting Sarah's pretty embroidered leaf. As in the bouquet of flowers above, Sarah's use of thread painting using a variety of floss colors to add subtleties of shading make this leaf so much prettier than it would be if it was in the more traditional outlining embroidery. I also like how she hooped it so the leaf looks like it's falling.

Image by Itty Bitty Bunnies

I do this all the time, and I highly recommend that everyone read past their bedtime at least once a week :)

Image by Itty Bitty Bunnies

I'm pretty certain Sarah used a vintage quilt as the outer ring of this Home Sweet Home hoop. This hoop has such a vintage and cottage-style vibe, and all of the colors are so pretty together. 

Image by Itty Bitty Bunnies

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 Sarah's work at @ittybittybunnies, 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!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tomorrow I'll be a vendor at Urban Farmgirl's Main Street Market at Midway Village in Rockford, IL, and I hope you'll stop by and see me if you're in the area! If you do stop by, please make sure you let me know you're a Feeling Stitchy reader :)