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.

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.

forest friends for katie

happy birthday, katie! for a dear friend's birthday, i made her a forest friend from sublime stitching. she loves pink. so.... why not make a fuzzy squirrel?? i used a running stitch, a back stitch (my favorite!), and a stem stitch (have been working on improving that technique).

why the "lalalalalala" at the bottom? there was space, and it was goofy.

sugar skulls

so it's been forever... all apologies. i love to stitch, but blogging isn't my strong point.

so i was invited to a 'mexican halloween party'. my friends had plenty of taco meat & supplies from a fundraiser they threw earlier... and since it was a theme party, i figured that i'd take a tank top and stitch one of jenny hart's sugar skulls on my shirt. i took some fun bright colors and whipped this together.

it made me smile!

julie west patterns

at the jenny hart workshop, i picked up a packet of patterns from julie west. some very fun and cute designs. i put them together onto a double hoop product. i found some fun quilting squares in an effort to see how embroidering onto a patterned fabric would work out. it was an interesting project to work on, to not let the pattern of the fabric deter from the design that i was about to stitch on. it's something to work on. maybe i should use a "smaller" pattern to stitch on?

april showers...
bring may flowers!
buzz buzz buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............
the set.

and let's not forget the signature that i try to put onto my designs (not all; just some)....

hope you like 'em, katie! gotta package them up for you & actually *give* them to you sometime, huh. :)

birds on a bag

a friend of mine loves birds; and i got these beautiful designs from jenny hart's latest book 'Embroidered Effects' - i had picked up this canvas bag and thought i'd combine the two. i'm pretty happy with the color scheme, the bright colors. i feel as though i need to incorporate brighter colors in my work.

i added a few stitches to this that i don't usually do; a satin stitch, a fly stitch (new to me! so happy with it once i "got it"!), and my "usual", back stitches.

meat. meat. meat!

christmas 2009 grab bag gift went to joel and he got....

meat. patterns from sublime stitching.

love of french knots

OK.

i've got this new book with some great designs. i'm ready to go. what do i work on? FRENCH KNOTS? am i crazy?? well, luckily after the french knot training at the workshop - i was ready. and how great is this chandelier? had some good inspiration from the book & a good selection of colors from supplies i got from the workshop. i'm pretty happy with this!

I FEAR FRENCH KNOTS NO LONGER!

who said MEEP?

years ago day one of tech week was hitting me hard. two friends of mine rescued me by a midnight run to dunkin donuts. someone ordered milk. i'm sitting in the backseat, listening to the guy send the order thru the window, and i hear the phrase "meep...". i'm, of course, horrified, or offended or something... and i say very loudly "WHO SAID MEEP?" it's been a joke ever since.

found a milk carton design online & adjusted it as needed.

what did i learn from this project? the disappearing ink marker that i used to trace the design on the fabric runs, so be careful... and fertheloveofgod, don't use a blue sharpie.

what's a newborn to wear?

why, onesies from mandy, of course! taken from some of sublime stitching's patterns & some from the previous book i mentioned, here are a few tops for the new arrival.

porcupines? who cares; i find them & their pink noses adorable.
i am sure this little lady will show up in more projects by me in the future. the back says "Sweet Thing"

thistle? dandelion?

i sort of coordinated the bird on the butt to the shirt with the star... of course it was all up to mommy & daddy as to how her outfits were coordinated. ;)

welcome to the world, caroline. mandy loves you.

blankets for baby

welcome to the world, baby caroline. jen and jer were preparing for caroline's arrival, and jen gave me a few blankets to decorate. i used some of the designs from jenny hart & her designers - i used the kurt halsey patterns & the roarin' twenty patterns. the kurt halsey patterns are so precious to me, especially making something for jen's baby; they are a mix of angels, birds, love and peace. and the roarin' twenties? so much fun! i stitched without any sort of backing since it was a blanket and i didn't want any sort of scratching on baby.

i took some artistic license & changed the cigarette the dancer girl was smoking and turned it into music notes. :)

finally, something sublime!

once i began getting interested in fabric work, i was intrigued by jenny hart & her sublime stitching website. her designs are so fun. the tagline is perfect - "this ain't your gramma's embroidery". i love the concept of sushi on a onesie - kills me from cuteness. altho i've yet to actually put sushi on a onesie. gotta get on that.

here are some of my first projects with jenny's designs - taken from the sexy librarians selection. these are for my friend anne's new baby, my godson.

he was baptized in the onesie with the typewriter. i love my friends.

and why WOULDN'T you put a red swingline on a onesie?