Make it: Embroidered Heart coaster

embroidered heart coaster

I made heart shaped coasters, but you could switch out the shape with whatever you like. You could give THESE away as Valentines! They’re fairly quick to complete and easy peasy.

h-supplies

Materials
embroidery floss
a needle
double-sided tape
4″ x 4″ cork coaster (I bought 12″ x 12″ tiles and cut them up. 9 per tile!)
heart shape to fit your tile

not shown:
ruler, pencil

steps1

1. Adhere your heart to your coaster with a small piece of tape. Mark the “corners” of the heart by placing a ruler across the tile diagonally and making small marks on the edges.
2. Working with a LONG piece of floss (leave the non-working tail connected to the rest of your floss), insert the needle at the bottom tip of the heart, from front to back.
3. Bring the floss back over and insert about 1/8″ from first spot. Continue bringing the floss to the front and stitching at evenly-spaced (as even as you can muster) intervals along the edge of your heart.

steps2

4. When you get to a corner, stitch in the spot, then come up along the adjacent edge and stitch into the same space.
5. Continue stitching along this side until you get to the next corner. Stitch into that space, bring the floss back over along the adjacent edge and stitch into the same spot. Continue stitching until you run out of floss. If you get back to the beginning, stitch into the first spot, then knot the ends together and weave them under the stitches on the back. You’re done!

If you run out of floss, follow steps 6-7:

steps3

6. Cut a long piece of floss from your non-working end and re-thread your needle with it. ON THE BACK of the coaster, bring the now working thread through the first two or so stitches, then start embroidering up the side, the same way you did the first half of the coaster.
7. When you get to your original thread, knot the ends together and weave them under the stitches on the back. Now, you’re done!

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Like I said above, use them as coasters or little pieces of art! You could use this same method to embroider on cardstock to make a lovely Valentine’s Day card. I’m going to make some for my boys!

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Craft Night: Felt Camera

"1, 2, 3, CLICK!"

The night before last, My Girl Thursday and ♥elycia hosted Craft Night! I logged on while they were getting their camera and stream situated and proceeded to cut my pieces during the first few minutes. I followed along with them for about an hour and a half and then had to help with bedtime. I was able to pick up where I left off when I got back and finished all of the sewing that night. I stuffed my camera the next morning and presented it to Andrew.

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He LOVES it. I took these photos this morning and you can see where the felt is already pilling. I used the craft-store stuff because that’s all I had on hand. I intended to make it all blue, but…ummmm I ran out. Ha! Oh well. I like the contrasting yellow sides and top/bottom.

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Did you participate? Show me!

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Stitching on stitches

206.365: stitches on stitches

The Purl Bee posted a tutorial for cross-stitching on single crochet stitches. It just so happened that I had a piece of single crochet that could seriously use some sprucing up!

I can’t bear to part with smallish containers, so they all get little cozies. It will be home to pencils or markers or even a plant. Hip hip hooray for re-purposing trash!

stitched crochet

embroidery: Easter eggs and pineapples

easter eggs & pineapples

I wanted to embroidery a doily. Then I thought about how delicate crocheting a doily is and how embroidering one would probably make me mad. SO, I stretched this lovely doily (that I had 3 of!) over some vintage fabric in an embroidery hoop and started embroidering on it.

95.365: burst

I just free-formed it, I guess. I used the openings in the lace to determine my pattern. I only used the back-stitch and ended up with something that sort of resembles a traditional crocheted chevron pattern.

close-up

Can you see it?? The chevrons/ripples/whatever? The pattern also kind of resembles an Easter egg, no? Like if you view it from the top? Please tell me I’m not hallucinating that effect!

I finished it off with a vintage button, that was part of a set I bought at an antique store a couple years ago.

details

It’s all nestled in a cherry-stained embroidery hoop.

Making this was totally relaxing. Following the doily pattern was stimulating, but easy. If you have a doily hanging about that is nice, but with no real purpose, I suggest doing this! The effect is nice and you can leave your favorite parts (in my case, the pineapples!) alone.

What do you think? Does it do the doily justice?

DMC colors

flossy love

How about some flossy love? I guess I’m kind of hung up on golds, olives, and teals. I lined up this floss, today, and realized they’re pretty similar to the Gütermann colors. I can’t be the only one who enjoys this mash-up, right? They’re just so complimentary of each other.

Are there any color combos your brain just ends up defaulting to?

lensbaby closeup
the lensbaby close-up