Color Palette Inspiration

I have some palette inspiration to share.  This little image is from a vintage bookplate.  I think the colors will make up an interesting palette for an embroidery project.  I matched all the colors with DMC brand floss I had on hand but

I did not have any floss that matched the banana:

I think DMC 370 may be a good match so I will be ordering that color and adding it to my collection.

My color palette inspiration journal is really filling up!

  

Works-in-Progress

I have three works-in-progress to share.  These motifs are from the Thanksgiving and the Sly Fox pattern sets: 

All three have been transferred to fabric and I am stitching them in beautiful autumnal shades

I will post stitch and floss color palette information soon! 

Damask Darning

This is the latest stitch I have learned on my 100 Stitches list.  This is Damask Darning.  It is a filling stitch made up of columns of short slanted stitches: 

The slanted stitches need to be evenly spaced and each  the same size. To ensure that I do that, I am using an even-weave fabric:

The first step is to bring the needle up through the fabric:

form the first slanted stitch by going back into the fabric, making a note of how many spaces to the right and how many rows down:

and pulling the thread all the way through.  Form the next slanted stitch directly under the first one:

Continue these steps and then start on the next column of slanted stitches:

The stitches will be the same length in each row:

Start the third column the same way:

Continue filling in with slanted stitch columns.

This is a beautiful stitch and would be perfect to fill large areas in an embroidery project.  

I found this stitch in the book Embroidery Stitches by Mary Webb.

Color Palette Inspiration

I keep a color palette inspiration journal.  I like to match embroidery floss to the inspiration colors. 

My newest addition is this vintage postcard

inspiring this floss palette:

I will take a sample of each floss color and add it to the edge of my journal page.  I make sure to note on the back of the page the floss brand and color number.  

Sulky Stick 'n Stitch for Hand Embroidery

I am using Stick 'n Stitch from Sulky to transfer an embroidery motif to fabric.  This motif is from my Flower Fancy pattern set:

 The Stick 'n Stitch sheet is dissolvable fiber with a peel off paper-backing.  I put a sheet of  Stick 'n Stitch into my ink-jet printer paper tray and printed the image.  This prints beautifully.  The stitching lines are really distinct and easy to see:

Then I cut around the image:  

Next, I peeled the paper backing off the printed sheet and stuck the motif onto my fabric:

I chose a lovely color palette

and started stitching!  When I was done with the stitching, I rinsed all of the dissolvable fiber off of my project.  I used cold water and it took a few minutes of rinsing.  There was no residue left.  The only downside I noticed was that a few of my Back Stitches {you can see at the top of the green curling stem} were not tight against the fabric.  I must not have pulled them through tightly enough and only noticed after the dissolvable fiber was gone.  I will remember that the next time I stitch with this product.  

I really like this method of transferring a motif to fabric and I am looking forward to using it again!

Mushroom Embroidery

This sweet mushroom border is from  my Owl embroidery pattern set.  This was on my work-in-progress list since last November!  I worked a bit on it this week and finished it. 

The stitches I used are Long and Short Stitch for the mushrooms, Satin Stitch for the mushroom spots, Back Stitch for the grass, Cross Stitch for the red x's, Couching Stitch for the swirly lines and French Knots for the dots.

Here are the floss color numbers:

Butterfly Garden Embroidery Projects

 I finished the stitching on another of the Butterfly Garden embroidery pattern motifs.  

You may remember that I previously shared this project from the same pattern set:

Now I have completed the other one. 

Here is the list of stitches I used.  To give the butterfly wings some dimension and variety, I used four  different stitches. Chain Stitch, Double Knot Stitch, Stem Stitch, and Straight Stitch.  The decorative parts of his wings are Running Stitch, Satin Stitch and Straight Stitch.  His antennae are Pistil Stitch:

The raspberry colored circular flowers are Spider Web Filling Stitch with French Knot centers.  The stem is Double Knot Stitch.  The rest of the raspberry colored flowers are Lazy Daisy Stitch.   The pink flowers are Straight Stitch petals and Stem Stitch Stems.

For the large green frond I used rows of Straight Stitch for the wide base and then Stem Stitch for the narrow curling top. The blue flower is Stem Stitch Stem, Fish Bone Stitch leaves and French Knot berries:

The color palette is very different.  Here are the floss colors and numbers.