NOTE OF THE DAY:

June 2015

Considering starting the blog back up ?

Tuesday 9 November 2010

CALL TO ACTION - Quotes Needed for Embroidered Quilt

Now Yes yes... i am still working on the camera case and i made some progress tonight while i was watching my lectures on neurogenic shock. BUT.

I have been toying with an idea to embroider a quilt for a long time... Now i don't want to do an entire quilt (stupid idea and i KNOW i would never finish it...) but i have been considering creating a "footer" panel and then using a nice fabric for the rest. Just a small single bed quilt about the same size as my pink butterfly quilt i made last year. You can just see the pink quilt in the back ground of this post. [CLICK].

The post mentioned above was also about making this quilt. you can see the footer i have there is very very complicated and will take a lot of time. I want to make a 'stitch sampler' that i can turn into a quilt. So i had a brainwave tonight after having a look at Needle N Thread.

Why not Write a quote on the fabric and use different stitches and then have little drawings around it???
Mary did a fantastic example on her "Quick Brown Fox" sampler.

I NEED A QUOTE!!
 A Quilt Quote...

This should be fun.
Everyone can send me a message with their FAVORITE QUOTE of all time. I am thinking more literary quotes here, NOT biblical quotes if that is ok... However i wont mind.

I'm quite sure that you will all come up with things that are better than mine. (here are a couple i got while on the phone and from friends earlier...)

EDIT: I have found the quote!!!! please keep sending me quotes (yes even the ones that i got via email because you were toooo embarrassed...)

Here is the quote:

Confucius say:  
"Man who want pretty nurse, must be patient."
 

(Note i am a nursing student and my fiance is just starting med school)


"It is a truth universally acknowledged that every good man must be in want of a wife..." :-)

" To be, or not to be..."

"I think therefore i am"

"The pen is mightier than the sword"


" He who lives by the sword dies by the sword"


"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer"


"All power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely"


"A picture is worth a thousand words"


"carpe Diem"


"Someday your prince charming will come. Mine just took a wrong turn, got lost, and is too stubborn to ask for directions."

"To err is human, to forgive divine."

"Early to bed and early to rise, Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."


"Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."




http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/quote.htm

http://network.associationofvirtualworlds.com/profiles/blogs/my-favorite-quotes-of-all-time 




anyway any ideas appreciated :-)


Then i need to figure out HOW to do the quilt design... the stitches will be the easy part methinks!!!

Embroidery example from my grandma

Here is just a little example of an embroidery piece that my grandma did as a child... very cute... just had to take a picture.

Flower embroidery on silk ground
It is a tiny piece only about 6cm across

Monday 8 November 2010

Medieval Scene Embroidery and Dealing with Cheap Pearl Cotton

Right so here is the completed side one of the little cammera case!
Yes i know i should have been studying, but i was litening to lectures on the computer while embroidering. I just stopped the video when i need to jot down notes... It was great it took my mind of the borning lecture that normally makes me cringe.. :-)
Medieval Embroidered Scene: Side One Finished
Close up of Medieval Embroidered Scene: Side One
Medieval Embroidered Scene: Side Two - Prior to starting

Side Two: Different Cotton and Different Stitch
 I am playing with the threads on the other side... This is a very very very cheap Pearl cotton. I got it in bulk

Cheap Pearl Cotton

Here is the cheap pearl cotton i got. [ see this post for the pictures of the cotton] While i was happy with it for doing the tassels for the pouch, i wasn't expecting to be able to embroider with it. It looked too poor a quality.

However i spend about and hour to prepare the thread and so far i have been very happy.
  1. Remove all the sticky sticky sticky labels (1/2 hour)
  2. Open up and cut in to the lengths. Fortunately i just chopped it as it comes in a workable length (5 mins)
  3. Washed in warm soapy water
  4. Washed again in hair conditioner (yes strange) to make it feel nice
  5. Hung unceremoniously over my lamp in my room to dry.
  6. Started embroidery.
I am quite happy with the way it is working. No breaks only one slight tangle and quite workable (compared to some i have tried) it doesn't have quite the 'sheen' of some but it was quite nice. 

I purchased it of EBAY in a bulk lot from a supplier in England (although probably India). It was very cheap.

We shall see how it goes

Embroidery Update

Still studying for these exams... but here is my current progress on my little embroidery project of a medieval hunting scene.

Embroidery nearly finished
Not long to go on this side!

Tuesday 2 November 2010

Doodle Stitching Embroidery

 [WATCH THIS SPACE FOR UPDATES ON THIS TOPIC] - I'm still researching :-)

If you have a link to a doodle stitch project that you are doing send me the link and i will put it in here...i promise :-)

Have just been noticing around and about the embroidery 'type' called Doodle Stitching. I know it has been around but i have only just heard the name recently.

Its the ability to do whatever you like with the thread. Sounds very exciting to me. I have seen a lot done on Felt. Lots of bright colours. Beautiful boarders. I just love its applications into the crazy quilting
side to. Not that i ever have time for that! Anyway i shall be updating this post with Stitches and other interesting stuff.

I have compiled a list of links on the topic:
BLOGS:
 Blog: You Go Girl - She has a great little lazy daisy chain that i want to try!! [Click here for doodle stitch section]
 Feeling Stitchy - One of my favorite all time craft blogs - check it out
Little dear Tracks (how to transfer pattern to felt)
Transferring to Felt - A great Tutorial by the awesome Future Girl blog!
Shawlk - Just because i love it :-) i love the crazy quiliting application of doodle stitching
Mary Corbet's Needle N Thread - Possibly my most loved piece so far just for shear creativity

PATTERNS:
Needlecrafter 
Free Patterns [once again a link to Needle N Thread] excellent collection i have used many times
I used this one on a little pencil case[click here to see the little case]

I actually get a lot of my images for stitching from colouring books!! its great. Nice thick black lines, throw away pages!! awesome plenty you can buy i got a couple of pages from this one from a friend who uses them for quilt embroidery.Not as easy as some to transfer from, but some great designs to give you some ideas about that type of embroidery. The Paisley designs work quite well with doodle stitching because unlike doing a picture you can keep going or finish when you like.
Paisley Designs Coloring Book (Dover Coloring Books)Paisley Designs Coloring Book (Dover Coloring Books)

There are plenty of free online colouring books for doodle stitching i shall have to make another post with them all in there i think here are a couple of my favorites.

Colouring books online
http://www.edupics.com/
http://www.colouringbookpages.co.uk/ great for kids film pictures i used a little mermaid one on a dress for a friends daughter.

MY FAVORITE TIP!!!! SHHHHH.....i just love to hit google search [images] type in say paisley then hit [enter] then from the left hand side search [LINE DRAWINGS] and it comes up with a HUGE selection of fantastic things [Here is my search it might work in your computer CLICKY HERE]

or try looking for [FLOWERS - CLICK HERE]
or search for [Squirrel]
I'm sure you get the idea.... but i really recommend you try this RIGHT NOW!!!

PLEASE NOTE: VERY IMPORTANT - These bring up all pictures NOT the free ones. so make sure that you are not on-selling the product to avoid copyright problems. They do have free ones mixed in of course.






STITCHES I THINK LOOK GOOD
Basic running Stitch [link to video presented by Needle N Thread]
Wheat Stitch [Link to video presented by Needle N Thread] a very decorative stitch good for leaves
Lazy Daisy Stitch [Link to video presented by Needle N Thread] This is one that i need to practice. Its an easy one but i still make it look awful. Will update you with my progress i intend to try it tonight.
French Knots [Link to video presented by Needle N Thread] It took me a while but i GOT IT!! [see my attempts here]
Seed Stitch -[Link to video presented by Needle N Thread] this one is super important to shade and colour the designs without having to fill it all in like with split stitch or satin stitch. It's nice and quick and easy.


BOOKS I HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED TO BUY:

Doodle Stitching: Fresh & Fun Embroidery for Beginners
Doodle Stitching: Fresh & Fun Embroidery for Beginners [buy it here]
I picked it up at a friend's house the other day and was like.... ohhhh if i hadn't spent $100 on books already this week... i'm sure i will cave next week... will keep you posted. I just LOVE it. She wouldn't let me borrow it as she was using it....*ha*

Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection: 400+ Easy Embroidery Designs
Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection: 400+ Easy Embroidery Designs
Here is her other book. I have never seen this one but it comes with a CD i believe... anyone got this... can you let me know what it is like. Thanks !!



I guess my little coaster i did was a start....

Those threads i used on the coaster were great poly threads with a sheen they will look great on a piece of felt.... hmmmmm Anyway back to the Camera case. Why is it that 1/2 way through i just have to start another project.... sigh..... if i stuck to one it would be all good.... lol


QUESTION: SERIOUS QUESTION:
The following picutres are a long strip of fabric entended for the bottom of a quilt. I really don't think i have the time or skills (or concentration) to embroider the who thing in the style i want. Do you think the design is too big to do as a doodle embroidery??? That way i would have to worry MUCH less about the colours and blending and things like that and i could get started right away.
ANY OPINIONS APPRECIATED

[LINK TO A PREVIOUS POST WITH BETTER PICTURES]



Monday 1 November 2010

Renaissance Dyeing threads and Wool Embroidery

 GENERAL UPDATE:

Well i shall start of my posting again by mentioning (yes again) my favorite wool supplier. Most particularly because of the strong Aussie dollar at the moment it is a great time to buy!

I want to get some more of the sale 3 tone wool thread that is on super sale at Renaissance dyeing.

I have a set but i will much more likely use it if i have a bit more in the works

I want to finish of my wool embroidery i started a few months back and possible stitch a new blog header!!!
I used the book below for some of the patterns.

Beginner's Guide to Crewel Embroidery
Beginner's Guide to Crewel Embroidery

It's not very comprehensive, but it has some great little patterns and a totally cute squirrel and hedgehog. I am considering stitching him. :-)

Here is the embroidery piece 1/2 finished: I just need to find something to do with it.

Anyone got any ideas what i could use it for!! i'm stuck really i am... I am considering making a quilt out of all my 1/2 finished embroidery efforts and see what that looks like :-)

I also want to finish the camera case project that has been on the go while i have been away studying.



anyway this is the current plans and i shall be updating more frequently not. Hopefully with this darn camera case finished.