TAST week 8 Chain reaction

I really like chain stitch, so I made a bit of an effort with my sample this week, as I probably will not have time to participate in TAST much in March. However, I still reverted to using a lot of pearl cotton for speed - but it does give a nice variety of texture.

I drew a simple Jacobean style design which I thought would suit the stitch and used it as both a filling and as an outline. I used the layering technique I discovered with my with Lazy Daisy last week to make the berries and flower centre. Every stitch is part of a continuous chain.

TAST Week 7 Ups a daisy!

This is a favourite stitch of mine. I used layers of the stitch to build up the daisy petals,  centre and buds. I found it worked quite effectively in building up textures. I'll certainly be using this  stitch in  a different way in the future.

Now all we need is some sunshine to bring the daisies out!

It's a CRime.

Oh No! Another Nursery CRime is just about to be committed. Little Red strides along happily - little knowing that  Wolfie is watching and has plans for her - and her basket of goodies for Grandma.

But Little Red is a very  feisty and determined young lady - I don't think Wolfie will give her much trouble -

 no matter how much he bats his eyelashes and fluffs up his fur! He's in for a big shock.

I've always felt really sorry for the wolf in Red Riding Hood, so I decided he'd be cute in this design - and there will be no chopping up of any kind!

I decided to use predominantly outline stitches for this embroidery, as it was inspired by an old story book with lovely 1950's  linear illustrations. The stitches used are: Back stitch, Straight stitch, Satin stitch, Stem stitch, Portuguese Knotted stem stitch, Pearl stitch, Chain stitch, Chinese Knots and Bullion Knots.

This would look nice as a  nursery cushion panel, I think. After a really horrid week last week I got some wonderful news from my family on Saturday- which has focused my mind on projects for very little people!
 

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone who is celebrating it tomorrow.



'Nursery CRimes -Embroidery Designs' Copyright Julie Woolford February 2012

Little Birdie Valentine - free design

I'm really  a hardened old cynic who says that  Valentines Day is for the big card manufacturers to make loads of money, and I don't do cute - or hearts and flowers. That said  - ( and it must be an age thing)  this lovely brooch design by my very talented friend Jo May  - plus the pair of  robins currently courting in our garden, inspired me to do  a little Valentine's embroidery. No red or tea roses here though!

I was interested to find out that the first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love was in 1382! It is from the Parlement of Foules  by good old Geoffrey Chaucer.

'For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make' .

"For this was Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate."

These birds started off as Scandinavian inspired but ended up with a more medievial flavour because of the  rather nice ribbon I had secreted in my stash.
I  used  a  purple and a pink/blue variegated Perle cotton, and outlined the birds in split stitch,  then I used chain, satin,  back stitch and Chinese knots to decorate them. They could be stitched in lots of different ways though - or  maybe used for applique?

This is my original drawn design, in case anyone is looking for a last minute make that you can embroider or stitch quickly.

To print actual size:
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Happy stitching!

Tast Cheat! and some retro stitching....

First of all, thank you so much to all those lovely people who took the time and trouble  to respond to my last post with  such kind  and positive comments and e-mails, I really appreciated all your kindness and support.  It means  a great  deal to  me.
I was really  pleased that my last tutorial  on making the slip got picked up by the nice folk at Craft Gossip again bringing  new visitors and followers - hello and welcome to you all!
I am  feeling a lot more positive and optimistic,  and I am  going to carry on wandering about on my Adventure, seeing where things lead us!

Now,  a confession - I have completely cheated on TAST this week,  I've had a horrible cold all week and have not felt very  creative! So here is a very old example of how I used herring bone to make the tiny wing feathers on my long tailed tits design. You'll  have to peer hard!

 

This is the actual  picture, sorry it's  poor quality, but it was designed for a friend's engagement and had been up on  her wall for quite a while before it was photographed.

I promised ages ago to share some old work. Looking through my keepsake box I found a couple of embroideries I did for my mum's birthday cards. I always made her a handmade card. She absolutely loved pretty, old fashioned cottages and flowers - as you see!

The first design  was a transfer from the UK 'Woman's Weekly' magazine! Any British readers remember that one? Is it still going? It was always full of cooking, gardening and crafts.I  remember there were 4 cottages and this one I think  was called 'Cornish Poppies'. It's from the early 80's.

This tiny card is the first real embroidery design I ever created -in about 1983 or 4 I think! I'd quite forgotten about it, it was based on an old tumbledown Tudor cottage. It had my first ever Ghiordes Knot (turkey) work!

 

Finally,  here is some needlework news  Needleprint ; a really  interesting site full of information about historic and heirloom needlework, is running 'A Mirror To my Art' competition. The objective is to design and stitch a cover for a handheld mirror - the sort of mirror that's a size you might pop in a handbag. Pop over and take a look!