Ghost Reveries

So, about 2 years ago I decided that I wanted to make my other half an embroidered version of the Opeth logo, as they are one of his favourite bands. Only took several years for me to actually finish it!!! I hoped it would be ready by Christmas 2011, but alas, I was once again thwarted in the plan and ended up finishing it in February! Oh well, better late than never anyway!!

I made the pattern by converting an image of the band logo using KGStitch. It is stitched on 16 count black aida using 2 strands of white thread. I think I used about 2 and a half skeins of thread for this project.

It's now framed and awaiting us to find a new house so it can go up on the wall!

Still needs a better iron, but my ironing board is currently covered in coal dust so thought it best to avoid using it!!

So pleased that I have finally gotten around to finishing this! For a while it felt like it was actually never going to get done!

Vicki

Kindle Cover

After forgetting to update my blog for a week or so once again thought I should update it with what I've been making recently.

I got bought a Kindle for Christmas and I absolutely love it!!! I never thought I'd own any sort of ebook reader but wouldn't be without my Kindle now!! My parents bought me a lovely leather jacket thing to keep it in for Christmas as well and I didn't want it to get scratched when it's being carted around in my bag, so thought I would make a stitched case to keep it in :)

The case is made from felt, with two embroidered patches. The patch on the front is from an Urban Threads pattern. I traced the pattern onto the fabric and the outlined it in backstitch. The books were then filled in with mostly veryyyyy tiny satin stitch. Man, that satin stitch was incredibly frustrating!!

The patch on the back was made using an image I found online. Again it uses satin stitch and back stitch. I lined the inside of the cover with red felt for a bit of contrast.

The case is stitched together using blanket stitch. Again, I used red thread for some contrast. It closes with a flap that has three press studs, so the Kindle is kept safe inside.

I am so pleased with how this turned out :D I can make these cases to order over on my Etsy store - http://www.etsy.com/shop/EmbroideryEmp
Vicki

Baa, Baa French Knot Sheep

I have hated french knots since the first time I ever tried to stitch them, and have always really struggled to stitch them properly. Usually I substitute them for either beads or some sort of backstitch. I thought it was about time to finally get to grips with the pesky things, and cross off another thing from my 50 Projects list!

I found the pattern for this in a recent issue of Crossstitcher magazine and thought it was very cute, and a perfect small project to test out my french knots. It is stitched on linen and as well as french knots uses satin stitch, back stitch and cross stitch. As well as being my first time at using the knots, this project was also the first time I had used cross stitch on linen. Can't say I found using the linen easy for cross stitch though, will stick to aida in the future I think!! I freehand drew the pattern onto the fabric and got stitching!

So after avoiding starting the french knots and stitching everything else on the hoop that I could!! I watched loads of different youtube tutorials, read loads of tutorials, yet still the french knots evaded me. In the end I just ended up getting quite frustrated with them and tried wrapping the thread around the needle in a variety of different ways to see which one worked best for me. After eventually finding my "french knot groove" they got easier and easier to stitch and started to appear really quickly. They are stitched in 2 strands of cream thread and 1 strand of brown thread to make it a bit more multicoloured. I love how the sheep turned out so fluffy with all the french knots.

I think there are over 200 french knots in this project!! So I don't think I will be worried about doing them in the future :D

Vicki

January Round Up

I thought to keep me on track with my 50 Things list I would do a round up of things I have completed in the month :) So far I have made a pretty good start on the list!

1. Update my blog at least once a week.
I think so far this has been going well!! Definitely been updating the blog more, although there is still a backlog of the things I've made recently to go up. I think if I can keep it up for 6 months then I can strike it off the list :)

2. Make pattern for Japanese wedding sampler
The process for this is slowly getting off the ground. I have drawn out a pattern I am happy with. Need to check the symbolism of some bits and confirm spellings and such and then will be ready to chart up properly.

17. Cover for my Kindle.
This is totally finished!! :D :D And currently awaiting a blog of it's own, but for now here's a sneaky peak -

25. Add to hoopla wall.
Already two more hoops! And have several more planned out and awaiting stitching! Here's a pick of how my hoopla wall looks -

A Wingardium Leviosa hoop has been added since I took this picture.

26. Tangled hoop.
I am totally in love with this hoop!! If you scroll down you will see my blog on it. It's such an awesome colour and I love how it turned out!

27. Wingardium Leviosa hoop.
My second hoop of the year to be finished and hung on the hoopla wall. This is still awaiting a blog of it's own,but as I am planning several more Potter themed hoops thought I would wait and group them all together. Here's a pic of it though -

44. Set up an Etsy store.
I finally did it! My Etsy store is up and running! Here's the link to it for anyone who would like to see - http://www.etsy.com/shop/EmbroideryEmp

So all in all not a bad month for crafting and lots of things I wanted to do and make have already been achieved :) Vicki x

Etsy!!

I have finally organised myself into setting up an Etsy store! Something I have been meaning to set up for ages. Y

ou can find me here - http://www.etsy.com/shop/EmbroideryEmp
So go take a look :)

Also, another thing crossed off my 50 things list!! Slowly working through it now!

And to make this post much more interesting, here's a picture of the very lovely and adorable Eyra cat doing what she does best, snoozing.

Vicki x

Embroidered Hankies

For Christmas I decided to embroider some hankies for my Nan. I bought Aimee Rays awesome Doodle Stitching books earlier in the year and loved pretty much all the designs in the book, so it was a pretty easy to find patterns I wanted to stitch. They took two evenings to stitch up, and are done using two strands of thread with backstitch and satin stitch. I drew the patterns on with a pencil, tracing the pattern from the book. Here's some close up shots -

I think this cat one is my favourite of the bunch :) ^^

(I actually have the same initials as both my Nan and Mum).

These were really fun to make, and very quick to stitch up. Will definitely be making some more :)

Thanks for reading, Vicki x

Tangled Hoop

I absolutely love Tangled, and it has fast become one of my favourite Disney films! Who could fail to love a film with a sword fighting horse, magical hair and a hilarious chameleon! I've wanted to make something Tangled themed for my ever growing hoopla wall for quite a while now and have had this one planned since before Christmas. I always loved the sun symbol you see all throughout the film, and this hoop is based on the purple flag Rapunzel has with it on.

I'm pretty sure it's framed in a 12" hoop. I started by wrapping some purple ribbon around the outside ring of the hoop, and left enough at the top to hang it with. I then pulled some purple satin material taught across the hoop, making sure it was totally flat and nice and tight. I found an image of the design online, printed it out and then cut out two of the suns rays to use as templates. Using the lens cap from a telescope a traced out a circle onto some yellow felt and then pinned the two paper templates onto more felt and traced around them. The larger rays are made using the same felt as the circle, whilst the smaller ones are from a slightly brighter shade of yellow felt. Once all the shapes were cut out I then pinned them all onto the hoop.

All the felt was then stitched down using two strands of thread. Once they were all stitched down, I couched some sparkly Russian gold braid in a swirl in the centre of the sun. I thought this would a bit more sparkle to the hoop. I love how the hoop turned out and is already hanging up on my hoopla wall :) I think it only took a couple of hours to stitch up one evening, and was the first piece I completed from my '50 Projects 2012' blog.

Thanks for reading, Vicki x