100 Stitches - Ladder Stitch

This amazing looking stitch is {not surprisingly} called the Ladder Stitch.   The Ladder Stitch is the latest stitch I have learned on my 100 Stitches  journey.

I think the braided edges on this stitch are really lovely. I had a bit of trouble figuring out the instructions for this stitch but I think I finally have it solved!

For my demonstration, I am using this pretty floss - it is dmc pearl cotton color variations #4040. 

According to 100 Stitches, this stitch can be used to fill shapes that have varying widths, but they demonstrated the stitch between parallel lines so that is what I did.  I made my guidelines 3/8" apart:

The first step is to come up through the fabric on the left guideline:

Pull all the way through and go back into the fabric on the right guideline:

Pull all the way through. This makes a horizontal stitch.

Next, come back up through the fabric on the right guideline just above the horizontal stitch:

Pull all the way through and go back into the fabric on the right guideline and out of the fabric on the left guideline:

Pull all the way through.  This forms a vertical stitch on the right side:

Now bring the needle around and slide under the horizontal stitch.  Don't go into the fabric, just slide under the stitch:

Pull all the way through.  This forms sort of a knot on the left guideline.

Now bring the needle around and slide under the vertical and the horizontal stitch.  Don't go into the fabric, just slide the needle under the stitches:

Pull all the way:

This will form a second horizontal stitch.  Go back into the fabric on the right guideline below the second horizontal stitch and come back out of the fabric on the left guideline:

Pull all the way through:

Bring the needle around and slide the needle between the two horizontal stitchs and under the vertical "knot" on the left guideline.  Don't go into the fabric, just slide between and under:

Pull all the way through:

Bring your needle back around to the right guideline and just repeat the stitches:

Soon a whole line of stitches looks just like a ladder:

The underside of this stitch is beautiful too:

This is stitch #37 and is found in the Looped Stitches section of 100 Stitches.

Applique - A very happy discovery!

Isn't this a sweet mushroom? This mushroom is the result of a happy discovery I recently made.

 

I've been wanting to cut some of my patterns out of fabric and use them as an applique on another piece of fabric.  But I wondered how to attach the fabric to fabric without stitching or having to finish any of the cut and raw edges.  I did a little online research and I saw several references to a paper backed fusible.  Although I have used fusible interfacing and fusible web, I really liked that with the paper backed fusible, you can trace a pattern onto the paper backing, cut out the shape, peel the paper backing off and fuse the shape to another piece of  fabric :)  I bought some at the fabric store:

I also bought this red and white polka dot fabric - I thought the red and white would be perfect for a mushroom top.  I decided to use one of the mushrooms from the Ladybug pattern packet:

I first cut out a small piece of the fusible web. The directions said to put the rough side of the fusible web onto the wrong side of the fabric:

Then I ironed it onto the wrong side of the fabric.  I used a dry iron on the cotton or hot setting, according to the instructions.  It worked really well and is firmly fused to the fabric:

Next, I cut the mushroom top off of my pattern:

I put it face down onto the fusible web and used a regular pencil to

trace the mushroom top onto the fusible web:

Then I cut the traced muhroom top out of the fused fabric:

I did the exact same steps with the mushroom stem on some white fabric.  Here are both the cut pieces right side up:

Since the stem has to be under the mushroom top, I put it onto the fabric first.  I peeled the paper backing off:

positioned it into place and then peeled the paper backing off the mushroom top:

and set it on top of the stem:

Then, I ironed them both down onto the fabric.  The directions said to use a cooler "wool setting" on the iron and to use a damp press cloth.  I did that and this is the result:

And now for some grass around the base of the mushroom:

This fused fabric is fairly easy to stitch through, {I used a smaller eye embroidery needle} so I stitched some of the grass right over the mushroom stem.

 
I am really happy with the result and I think I will go on to embellish this a little more, maybe with some more grass, a few flowers and a ladybug.  I am really pleased that these patterns can so easily be used as applique shapes too!

Two wips

I have two new wips to share, both are salad related! 

On this first one, I am at my favorite stage of any stitching project - deciding on floss colors.  I love all these colors but I can't quite decide which taupe/brown/tan I should use for the mushrooms? 

Here is a look without all the floss bobbins to distract you:

On the second wip, I have the pattern transferred and one corner partially stitched:

This is going to be a tea towel, I have pinned up the hem to better show what it will look like.  I am really excited to finish this one because I have a new idea for the hem trim.  It is going to involve the sewing machine :)

Non embroidery post - editable bookplates

I have designed some bookplates! I just listed these in my shop.  Eight different designs, in four colors.

Black:

Blue:

Red:

and lavender:

The great thing about these cards are that they are editable - you can type in your own personal information at your computer and print them.  You can even save any changes.  Or if you like to hand write you can print them and hand write your information.  Here are some of the blue ones with names printed on them. 

I love all the colors, now I need to use these to personalize some books! I can't decide between red and black on this one - I like them both!