Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Housewarming Gift

Some friends bought and moved into their new home on New Years Eve, and this was my gifty-gift.  It seemed their style.  Got this design from Aimee Ray's book "Doodle Stitching: Motif Collection".

Happy New Home, Kurt, Patty, and Lilly!!  


On their wall.  Thanks for the photo, Patty!!  I love it on your grilled-cheese colored wall!

Don't Blink

I started to cross stitch again.  I blame this adorable freebie design I found online.  It taught me that how fun cross stitch is, apparently I really prefer embroidery.

It could also be that I chose such a teeny fabric, it practically made me crosseyed.  My friend Colleen, a cross-stitching pro, got a few texts from me, whining about it.  Thanks, Colleen!

This is a Weeping Angel from Doctor Who.  One of the coolest aliens on the show (IMHO).  The episode "Blink" is what made me love and be terrified at the same time.  

For perspective:

 Mid-Project:


Completed Angel: 

I used glow-in-the-dark floss for the Don't Blink.

Completed project.  I enjoy the pink frame surrounding the Weeping Angel.


Fan Dancer

How cute is she?  This is from a Sublime Stitching design book.  This is the first time I started liking something enough for it to end up on my wall.


Hair was a mix of red and pink, I saw it as "highlights".


Et voila!!

Judgy Samantha is Judging You

My adorable company while stitching.




...she's clearly dissatisfied with you, but how cute is she?

Towel Day

What is Towel Day?  May 25th - a tribute to the late author Douglas Adams.  As it says in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, always have a towel with you.

Rather than just a normal towel, I figured the towel should say something.  Found a cute design online, and figured that while I hand-draw the design onto the fabric, it'd change.

What did I learn with this project?  That the red embroidery floss shouldn't be washed in hot water.  Found that out the hard way.  Whoops!




So long, and thanks for all the fish.

Floral Tote

I hate to say it this way, but I'm a bit proud of this gal.  This is a pre-printed tote from Sublime Stitching.  I enjoyed the challenge of the myriad of colors required for this bag.

First time I had a reason to use this pvc-type embroidery frame.  I liked it.  Stitching around the opening of the bag was a bit different.

The back of the project: I was told how important a clean back is.  And, since it was the back of a bag that opens, I didn't want too many loose ends.

What do you think?

Kilroy style:

I decided to get a little artsy with some photos.  

This one you should see the eye color.  I made this for my friend Angie, and I asked her what her daughter's eye color is, and I *tried* to match.

White french knots, pink outline.  Also satin stitches.


Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Onesies for Rory

The cousin that I met way too late in life has a beautiful son named Rory.  If she and Darren didn't visit soon into Rory's life, these would have been mailed out to London.  But... it was fun to give in person.  Welcome to the world, Rory!

The whole collection:


Music themed:




Little baby bird angels:

Bacon on a onesie!

Office supplies on a onesie!

Designs from Sublime Stitching

for Paolo

Nothing more perfect for a baby shower to parents that love 'Nightmare Before Christmas' than a onesie with Jack Skellington.  And a coordinating (with the nursery colors) embroidered thingy.  I found the design online and traced it onto the fabric.



for Dad

What to get the father that you're not sure what to get?  His original instrument, embroidered and ready to hang in his Music-themed office!  I tried to match the colors of his office well.

Close up:


Full piece: 


Can you find it on the wall?  How did the colors work?

Simple Sweet Silhouette

I believe that this is a shape from Sublime Stitching.  I thought that I'd try a satin stitch with no outline.  That way I was able to get the eyelash effectively.




Fiesta de Breasta!

Some friends of mine were walking at the 2-day Breast Cancer walk.  As a fund raiser, they held something called "Fiesta de Breasta" - happened around May 5th.  Cute, huh?  Some of us were asked to donate items for a raffle.  I enhanced a few hand-towels and a salsa dancer.

First: a trio of peppers.


The dancer, in progress.


The other hand towel: 



Notice the ruffles in orange in pink.  I liked those.  

The final display:


Children's handwriting

An old friend asked me to embroider her daughter's name/handwriting.  It was so sweet.  I used cross-stitch fabric, which was a bit tough, but I think that it turned out well in the end.




She didn't ask for this, but I put her son's initial on another piece of fabric.  Found this cute font, and hoped that she liked it!


Jeans pockets

This is one of my first "projects" - I'm no artist, so here's what an "open" birdcage looked like to me, I guess.  

Left back pocket:

Right Back Pocket:

Gift wrapping?

It was my Grandma's 80th birthday party, so I bought her the DVD to "Crossing Delancey".  Cute movie, if you haven't seen it yet.  80s realness.



So... why wouldn't I gift wrap it in fabric?  I had a few extra buttons.  The string on the left is what she pulled onto to open the gift.