"Through The Trees"

This coming Wednesday I start shipping the two new Halloween designs to shops that participate in my automatic program...I am super excited to have two very unique Halloween pieces ready for you! Today I will tell you all about "Through The Trees" (BRD-112)...then we will talk about "Mischief at Midnight" in the next couple days.

"Through The Trees" is a framed design and two coordinating needlework smalls (a pin pillow and scissor fob). This spooky design with an original verse contains an assortment of specialty stitches, including: Cross Stitch over-two linen threads, Back Stitch, Four-Sided Stitch, Long-Armed Cross Stitch, Smyrna Cross Stitch, Nun Stitch, Tent Stitch, Cross Stitch with Bar, Point Croise Stitch (Double Back Stitch), Long Straight Stitch, French or Colonial Knots (minimal) - stitching diagrams and instructions are included in the chartpack. The charting also contains complete finishing instructions for the scissor fob and pin pillow with place for scissor attachment. The models were stitched on 32-count Tundra hand-dyed fabric from Lakeside Linens...but I would also suggest Weeks Dye Works Dolphin (a little darker grey) or Weeks Dye Works Dove (a little more green) for a good Halloween look. I used Weeks Dye Works cotton floss, but as always, DMC conversions are provided....and those cute little scissors you see attached to the pin pillow model (which are NOT included with the chart) are Primitive Little Gems by Kelmscott Designs.

You can find a complete supply list and all the details on my website:
http://www.blueribbondesigns.com/BRD112%20Specifics.html

Expect this new Halloween design to start arriving in needlework shops the first week of September!

Watermelon Wednesday

Today's afternoon stress reliever produced this adorable watermelon pincushion! This is a perfect project for those who like to machine sew/quilt and do hand stitching...but it is a little labor intensive, so plan on an afternoon to finish this good sized fruity pin pillow. The pattern is from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co. and is titled Fruit Salad Pincushions...it has instructions for both a watermelon and a strawberry. This is a great pattern for using up scraps...and you know I have been trying to put my scraps to good use lately! I used my AccuQuilt Go! fabric cutter and my 1 1/2" strip cutter die to cut most of the pieces. After piecing the fruit and the rind, both pieces are quilted, then cut to shape. Seeds are then added to the fruit by using Perle Cotton No. 5 and hand working French Knots...then the pieces are sewn together by machine, turned, and stuffed...finally you do a Herringbone Stitch by hand through both the rind and the fruit using Perle Cotton No. 5. This scrumptious watermelon is approximately 8 1/2" W x 4" H x 3 1/2" D...a nice big size. Shown in the photo are some more FABULOUS decorated pins from one of my favorite designers PuntiniPuntini....I just love these special pins! This fun summery pincushion was a wonderful afternoon distraction from several stress-filled days...it is always a treat when I make some time to sew...plus I got to combine two of my favorite things: hand stitching and machine sewing/quilting....

Shiny New Frames

My Papillon Creations Mystery Sampler is finally ready to display - I was able to pick it yesterday...and just had to share it with you before it went on the wall! What a treat to have this piece finished and framed after starting it years ago. ...and going along with my finishing UFOs and spring cleaning, I decided it was time to frame a couple more pieces in my aging completed pile. I think we all have them....pieces we stitched and put aside to finish or frame at a later date...well in my case, these pieces were stitched years ago, as you see by the "2004" date on one of the pieces. Over the years, I have compiled a pretty good pile of completed pieces waiting to be framed or finished in some way. Slowly, but surely, I have made the decision to get these orphaned pieces out of the needlework safe and into my home! There is one small problem - with a couple hundred framed works already in my home, the challenge is finding creative ways to display them...

Shown below:

Left: "Freedom Flowers" by Just Nan....I remember stitching this design right when it was released...and I loved the over-one stitching (butterflies) and specialty stitches. The fun frame gave it a great new look!

Right: "Truly Thine" by Blackbird Designs (Loose Feathers Number 6). Over the years, I have collected and kitted all the Loose Feathers Club designs...and the first year, I actually stitched all of them. In 2004, I stitched both the heart-shaped pillow with strawberry emery and the sampler design...it just took me until 2010 to get it framed.

It was delightful to see these pieces I worked on years ago in their shiny new frames....and as I continue to rescue old finished pieces from the completed pile, I will be sure to share them with you!

A Work In Progress...

"Can you bend it?" (the first question asked to me by my husband after smashing my finger while we were doing some snow and ice removal)...it was a freak accident...and my poor first finger (the pointer) on my dominant hand was crushed...and there is a high possibility it could be broken. So for the last few days, I have been barely able to type or grip anything...and even worse, I have been unable to hold a needle....but yes, "I can bend it". Thank goodness, the ice and ibuprofen must be doing the trick, because it is much better today (with the exception of it being horrible shades of black, blue, and purple)...and I have been typing gingerly and have even been doing some model stitching! It is a good day...and I am finally able to type a blog update...

So I thought I would share with you the machine needle felted journal with some embellishing. To me, pieces like this are always a "work in progress"...all of a sudden I will feel the need to add something...so it could definitely "grow" and change over time. I added lots of fun machine stitches with rayon, metallic, and cotton threads...some beads....and some buttons. I like to have sketch books and notebooks readily available to jot down ideas, phrases, and design layouts...pretty much anything I think of that sparks my creativity. This little journal with bright and springy colors will be the perfect place to record things that inspire me...

Playing With Machine Needle Felting

I love to keep scraps of fabrics, ribbons, yarns, threads, wools...well, you get the idea. Not sure why...I don't like clutter or knick knacks and I am not normally a "saver", but when it comes to fabric, trims, and fibers I save it all. A couple months ago, I purchased a Husqvarna Viking ER10 Embellishing Machine (which is a fancy name for a needle felting machine)...now I have found a grand use for all those trimmings! After getting some design work done this morning, I decided to make time to play with this fabulous machine. For those of you not familiar with a needle felting or embellishing machine, it looks like a sewing machine without thread...it consists of five (some models have seven) individual barbed needles that catch the fibers of your chosen material and pushes them into the base fabric to create your design. Many think needle felting can just be done with wool fibers...but really with this machine your creativity is limitless. I start with a craft felt base and then start adding scraps of cotton, wools, wool roving, netting, taffeta, lace, scrim...you name it...the more you work the pieces under the needles, the more secure and blended they become with your base. The photos shows a machine needle felted piece, without any sewing or thread used (all of the pieces are securely attached). Once I have the base the way I want it, the next step is to take it to the sewing machine and add specialty stitches (or, of course can do this by hand)...you can also add stencil shapes, puff paint, beads, buttons, wires, embroidery...basically anything your heart desires. Tomorrow, I will take the piece in the photo to the sewing machine and start to add specialty stitches and embellishments....it will then be used as a journal or sketch book cover (at least that is currently my plan)....

A Little Motivation...

Does this sampler look familiar to you?? It sure does to my group of stitching friends...we have been getting together bi-monthly for quite some time...and this is always the project I bring with me to our gatherings. Now, I must mention - I am lucky if I make it to the stitch group once a month...in fact, I might only make it once every couple months...and as you can tell, I probably do more chatting and socializing than stitching...but still, why haven't I completed this project?! It was started with best of intentions...to be totally honest, it was started officially in February 2006 - I know this because, at the time it was a mystery sampler....I diligently stitched the first two months (parts 1 and 2) with every intention of stitching each part as it was released. Well, soon after, my design career took off and now, I rarely find time to stitch anything other than my own creations. So, I post this here with the hopes of shaming myself into actually finishing this project in the near future...

A few details about the design...
It was a Mystery Sampler by Yvonne Horn of Papillon Creations and Part 1 was released in the very first issue of the Gift of Stitching Magazine. If it looks like tiny stitches to you, it is because I am stitching it on 45-count Pearled Barley linen by Lakeside Linens...I love how detailed it looks in person...however, this piece has a lot of specialty stitches that are NOT all easily worked on 45-count (something I didn't think about when I started). I am using the Vikki Clayton silks (HDF) suggested.

I hope posting a photo here will give me "the push" (or gentle nudge) I need to finally finish this project! I am sure my stitching group would love to see me working on something new...