Woven Oval Stitch

I have a new stitch to add to my 100 Stitches list.  This one is the Woven Oval Stitch.  The stitch starts by making two Straight Stitches spaced apart:  

The next step is to come up through the fabric in the space between the Straight Stitches.  Not in line with them, just a little to the left or right side of them:

Now to start weaving.  Slide the needle under one of the Straight Stitches.  Notice, the needle slides under the Straight Stitch but on top of the fabric:

Pull the thread all the way through and slide the needle under the next Straight Stitch.  Keep the thread tension loose - eventually, this will create a soft oval shape.

Keep weaving and when the oval looks the way you like, go back into the fabric under the oval and secure your thread on the underside.

Simple!  I used six strand embroidery floss, I like the puffy texture it gives this stitch.

Valentine's Day Envelope

Notice this pink envelope sealed with a red heart?  I just finished the stitching.  This envelope motif and all the others pictured are from my Be Mine Valentine pattern set.  

This was so easy to stitch - I used four different stitches.  The Back Stitch for the outline of the envelope and the scalloped edge of the envelope flap, Stem Stitch for the upper edge of the envelope flap, French Knots to accent the scallops and Satin Stitch for the heart.

 For the color palette, I used two DMC colors:

and I also used sparkly blending filament 001L from Kreinik.  

Laced Edging Stitch

Time for another 100 Stitches post.  I recently learned this beautiful stitch called the Laced Edging Stitch.

For my demonstration of this stitch, I used two different colors of perle cotton floss.    

I found that it helps to use a ruler to make some guidelines for keeping the stitching straight and evenly sized. 

To start, I drew two parallel lines 1/4" apart: 

The top line of the stitch is a Running Stitch, worked from left to right.  For my demonstration, I did a Running Stitch composed of four large stitches:

Now for the lacing line.  I came up through the fabric on the bottom parallel line.  Notice the needle is coming up just a little to the right of the first stitch of the Running Stitch line:

After pulling the thread all the way through, I slid the needle along the fabric and under the first stitch of the Running Stitch. 

I slid the whole length of thread under the stitch, then brought the needle around and slid it under the second stitch of the Running Stitch:

Then I took the needle back into the fabric and pulled the thread through, leaving it a bit loose...

so that a sort of loop is left after I have pulled the thread all the way through: 

I just repeated these steps along the Running Stitch line

Here is a look at the underside of this stitch:

I also tried this using a Running Stitch with the stitches much closer together: 

 

which made for a lot more loops:

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

New Works-In-Progress

 I have several works-in-progress to share.  These motifs are from the Hot Air Balloon, Honey Bee, Candy and Sweets, and Cherry Blossom embroidery pattern sets. 

I have transferred these all to fabric and have made progress on this balloon.  I am experimenting with colors and stitches right now...

I am pleased with the effect these lines of Running Stitch give this white cloud:

I will post updates on my continuing progress!

Lemons Hand Embroidery Pattern Set

 

I have a new hand embroidery pattern set available in my shop.  As you can see from the title, this one is called Lemons.  I love all the lemon themed motifs, and I just finished stitching this lemon tree topiary:

I will post my color numbers and stitches used in a later post. 

Here is a look at the pattern packet:

Christmas Village Embroidery - Santa's cottage

I recently finished stitching this cottage from my Christmas Village pattern set.  

This is actually on pale blue fabric, although the background looks white in my pictures!

Here are the stitch details for this project.  The trees are all done with layers of Lazy Daisy Stitch.  I combined two threads of pale green with one thread of white to give a snowy effect.  The holly leaves are Fishbone Stitch.  The holly berries and the roof lights are French Knots.  

The snow, the snowflakes and the eave accents are all Straight Stitch*.   Everything else is Back Stitch and Stem Stitch.  

I outlined the door and window with Whipped Back Stitch. The white x's on the door are Cross Stitch.

Here are the thread color numbers I used for this project: 

*The Straight Stitch was not a good choice for the eave accents.  They are too long and now that this project is out of the hoop, the long Straight Stitches are too loose and shift out of place when I handle the fabric.  To correct this, I am going to couch them into place.

Thanksgiving Embroidery Design - Gather

I embroidered this using a pattern from my Thanksgiving hand embroidery pattern set.  

The oval embroidery hoop is perfect for the horizontal layout of this "gather" motif

The letters are all stitched using Back Stitch.  The wheat is Lazy Daisy Stitch, Straight Stitch, and Stem Stitch for the stems. The ribbon is Back Stitch.

Here are the floss color numbers I used in this palette.