Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Rose border and rhubarb

I stitched this beautiful rose border - sort of as a sample to see how it might look on a pillow case.I think it will work!On a non-embroidery note, I am posting a picture of one of my rhubarb plants. I have three of them and I transplanted them this year. I was worried they wouldn't survive the move - I am so happy to see they like their new home! This one is the biggest, the other two are coming along nicely!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

100 Stitches - open fishbone stitch

This starfish is stitched with the open fishbone stitch. Yes, you guessed it, the open fishbone stitch is the latest stitch on my 100 Stitches list. On this border, you may also recognize the running stitch and french knots:This is an extremely easy to learn stitch. It is a lot like the fishbone stitch but even a bit simpler! To demonstrate this stitch, I am using quilter's weight cotton and pearl cotton floss, dmc #798:100 Stitches suggests that this stitch may be used to fill any open shape. I drew a shape and added a dotted reference line down the middle:Start the stitch by coming up through the fabric on the left hand side of the dotted reference line:Now go back into the fabric at a slant from where your floss first emerged: Pull all the way through:Come back up through the fabric on the opposite side of your shape:and go back into the fabric on the right hand side of the guideline, and a bit below the point where your floss first emerged:Pull through to form the stitch:Then just like the very first step, come up through the fabric on the left hand side of the guide line:and then back into the fabric:forming another slanting stitch:back up through the fabric:pull all the way through and go back into the fabric on the right hand side of the guideline:and pull all the way through:continue in the same way:Until the shape is filled:This is an easy stitch and it gives a beautiful result:especially with my washable marking pen lines erased: Looks pretty good on the underside of the fabric too!
This stitch is stitch #12 and is listed in the flat stitches section of 100 Stitches.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Printable recipe cards

This project has been keeping me very busy:Printable recipe cards! I have just finished a set of 28 cards:
in eight different colors. Half of the cards have a whimsical food related image: And half are plain:The colors range from pale blues and pinks: to sage green:to acid greens and yellows:and of course bright blue and red: When cut, these cards are 4" x 6". I printed mine on cardstock. They are easy to print and cut out:
And I know they will be fun to use! I just listed these in the big B Etsy shop!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

100 Stitches - double back stitch

Here is the very difficult to photograph but easy to do double back stitch! This is the top or right side of the fabric:and this is on the underside of the fabric! This beautiful stitch is #16 on the 100 Stitches list.According to 100 Stitches, this stitch is used for "shadow work" and is to be stitched on fine, transparent fabric. Here I am using a white organza: Basically, this stitch is two rows of back stitches on the top of the fabric. They are connected by the needle alternating diagonally from one row to the other on the underside of the fabric. 100 stitches points out that you could work this stitch on either the top of the fabric or the underside. I am working from right to left on the top side of the fabric. The first step is to come up through the fabric.Next, go back down through the fabric a little to the right of where your floss first emerged:Pull through and this makes a small stitch:Come up through the fabric below where your floss first emerged: Pull through, this will create a diagonal line of floss on the underside of the fabric. Go back down into the fabric a little to the right: This makes a small stitch. Come back up throught the fabric a little to the left of the very first stitch you made:This creates another diagonal line of floss under the fabric, forming an "x". Pull through and go back into the fabric right where your floss first emerged - sort of like a back stitch: Pull through and come back up through the fabric a little to the left of the first stitch on the bottom row: Go back into the fabric, next to the first stitch on the bottom row: Come back out of the fabric on the top row, to the left of the stitches:
and back in: and to the bottom row: and just continue: until you have a whole row of stitching.Easy and fun to do!This stitch is in the flat stitches section of 100 Stitches.