Thursday, December 24, 2020
Good health & happiness
Monday, December 14, 2020
Now where was I...????
I never intended to have a break from this project, but it has been a couple of months or more since I last worked on it.
I do remember, I had a very clear idea how I was going to stitch the remaining elements in this design - trouble is, I don't remember what those great plans were.... ups!
I rarely tend to make notes or stitch plans in advance, but this time I really wish I had! Luckily, I had at least marked out some little details on the next elements, before the project was suddenly side-lined.
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
It's a Juggle
It has taken me ages, with so many other projects in between, but he is finally done.
The bead buttons and belt. Then the hair and the jester's crown. For the crown, I had to turn him on his head and stitched the longest needlewoven picots and added bells (gold beads) at the tips.
He wears shiny golden slippers on his feet - Perfect for skipping along the path.
He looks pretty pleased with his final outfit, don't you think?
So now, he is ready to head to framer so I can have him ready for where he is going next. I think, I can safely tell you. I decided a little while back that wanted to give him to my eldest son and my very soon to be daughter-in-law when they tie the knot. (as so many other weddings it was postponed, so my other finishing job was to change the date on it. - They better not change it again).
I hope they will like it.
I have called this piece 'It's a Juggle' - that is life, isn't it?
The trick is to remember to pick up the balls when we drop them.
Have a great week everyone, and thank you for stopping by.
Best Stitches,
Anna X
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Change of plans
Things this week didn't quite go to plan. I kept meaning to get back to the juggler, but there were always other little (and bigger) jobs that I just had to deal with first - before I knew it, another week had passed by.
I did finish something else though. Remember the Little Mermaid?
She has been pinned to pin board for months. I enjoyed looking at it there, but it did need to finished off properly.
So during the week, I dusted off my sewing machine and finally got around to turning her into a little pillow.
I deliberately kept it pretty simple using a natural coloured linen for the back and piping.
It looks rather nice on our sofa.
~ ~ ~
I have had another 'little' side project on the go for some time now and it is almost finished.
Another thing on my pinboard above my desk is this quote:
You see, when I don't stitch, or am at work, or tinker in my garden, or tend my veggie patch or help with what needs to be done in the vineyard... I play.
It all started a few years ago, when I needed a serious distraction. So I built myself a dolls house. It is just a small house. It has a toyshop on the bottom floor, a living room above and a student lodger living in the attic room. You can see my Toy House here.
The picture of is of a little rug I have been stitching for the apartment above the shop. And yes, it is cross stitch - Tiny cross stitch. There is no exact thread count because I am stitching onto calico! I had a piece in my stash with a weave that resembles Aida cloth.
I had found this picture of an antique rug online. I really liked it and used that as the basic idea. It is not an exact match, but close.
Next week is definitely back to the Juggler - He too needs to be finished!
If you are starting something, finished something or steadily beavering away in the middle of something - I hope you have an enjoyable week doing what you enjoy.
Stay Safe & Keep Stitching,
Anna X
Friday, November 20, 2020
It's a Wrap
Monday, November 16, 2020
Wearing many hats
It has been (much) longer than intended and I think I have worn every single one of my many hats since I last showed you what I was up to.
Now where was I? ... oh, Yes
... and now have:
Happy Holly & Merry Mistletoe
It is hard from the pictures to tell, but these ornaments are only small, just under 7cm (2 3/4") - the size of a medium size bauble, I guess. The pair of embroidery scissors might give you a bit of an idea.
As you may know, I usually like to 'play' with lots of different stitches. This time though, I wanted to keep it a bit more simple, so I have embroidered each using mostly very basic embroidery stitches and only simple raised embroidery techniques.
Both decorations are embroidered very similarly with Wired Leaves added for dimension. I have also used the same colour scheme, only of course the Holly has cheery red berries and the Mistletoe glistening white berries.
The berries are made by wrapping beads with silk thread - they are fun but a tad fiddely to make. You can find a picture step-by-step of how to make Wrapped Bead Berries HERE.
As soon as I had put down my needle after finishing the decorations, I took off my 'Embroidery hat' and started working on all the other little bits and pieces that needs to be done to make the projects available as kits for you to make your own. Although I have now done this many times, I am always taken by surprise just how many 'loose ends' needs to be tied before it all comes together. This is a time when I wear my 'Writers-hat', my 'Graphics-hat' and my (not-so-well-fitting) 'Photography-hat'. I am always relieved when I can put those hats back on their hooks LOL.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Midway though that part of 'the production', I dusted of my 'teaching-hat' (YEAH!) and headed to Canberra for quick weekend workshop. It was wonderful!
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Over the Pond, Silk embroidery, 19cm (7 1/2”) in diameter. |
The group at the Embroiderers' Guild of the ACT had invited me to guide them through OVER THE POND. I designed this project particularly to practice long & short stitch (soft shading) and satin stitch. For that I have put together a step-by-step explanation on Long & Short Stitch. You can Download it Here if you like.
It was a lovely couple of days and at the end we had room full of happily hovering dragonflies. Still more to come, but everyone is well underway.
I cannot tell you how nice it was to 'get back out there'. - Thank you so much Ladies for the invitation and for making me feel so welcome and at home !
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It now feels like it is Christmas 'in a minute' and Oh, how I wish it has struck earlier and I had made these kit 2 months ago! It frustrates me to no end that the likelihood of getting kits shipped overseas and stitched in time for (this) Christmas, is not very, very poor - I guess the only good thing is - it will be Christmas again next year.
I hope you are all keeping safe and well in this strange and somewhat unpredictable time we live in.
Look after your selves and each other.
Best Stitches,
Monday, October 19, 2020
Mistletoe & Holly
I wish, I had thought of this earlier...
Saturday, October 10, 2020
Sometimes things happens in Threes
I left you last time with a promise of some exciting news - There are three bits of news really.
First bit of News
(exciting for me) is that I have a sparkly NEW WEBSITE.
It wasn't my intention to re-do the website. It was kind of like when you decide to paint the bedrooms and end up renovating the entire house! My new home doesn't look so very different, more like a 'tidy-up', except one thing: I now have a my own STUDIO SHOP.
I have been wanting to add my shop to my website for some time, but I kept putting it in the 'too hard basket'. When I finally made the decision to 'bite the bullet', my idea was just to open a shop on my exciting site. After chatting to my WebNerd - it made sense to start again (something I really, really, really didn't want to do because I knew it would be a big job) and I found myself redoing the whole kit and caboodle. Boy, am I glad to now hang my 'webmaster' hat on the hook for awhile.
I have had plenty of moments over the past few month, asking myself, WHY? Why did I embark on this massive task?
- I have always wanted my shop to be on my website. When I started making my embroidery kits available, it all seemed a little scary, so I opened my shop on Etsy where all the tech stuff is taken care off. It worked and I didn't have to worry about it, but...
- My little shop on Etsy is great BUT (sadly) since I first opened my 'doors' Etsy has made changes and bit by bit increased what they charge for their services (services shop owners have no control over). Don't get me wrong, I do like Etsy and I do browse and shop there, but it has become a very expensive way to run a shop.
So, here I am, at the other side of a big 'make over' - I know full well, I could not have done any of it without all of you! Without the amazing support from all of you, I would not be doing what I do! I feel so privileged and grateful, so..
THANK YOU!
Second (and third) bit of News
Today is the first day (apart from my break) in a very long time, where I have the satisfying feeling of having finished something. It's a nice feeling. The nice feeling of having finished and the even nicer feeling to knowing I can now get on with some of the embroidery projects that have been on the 'back burner'.
For know, I am going to enjoy the weekend. I hope you do too.
Best Stitches,
Anna X
Monday, October 5, 2020
Some Crewel progress
I have made a bit of progress on my (still to be names...) Morris inspired crewel piece.