New Embroidery Pattern - Bikini Monday!

Today I've got a cute, new embroidery design on Red Letter Day Stitches for Memorial Day - Bikini Monday!

You can buy it now for $4 on Red Letter Day Stitches!

"bitch, please..." an embroidered present

I'm pretty lucky to work at a day job full of creative people. I work for a post-production house - which means we do production on films and TV shows after all the fun stuff happens. It's a good gig with a lot of fun people, and everyone is super supportive of artists.

So when my boss requested a stitched piece with the words "bitch, please..." for her birthday in March, I was happy to comply! 

I like to sweeten up a salty phrase, so I added plenty of Lazy Daisies and some French Knots and called it done. It now sits on the edge of her desk, confronting those that might give her sass during the work day.

And a quick shot of the back of the work - I always love to see it, and I know you guys do, too! 

Annie & Tom's Wedding Embroidery

My best friend, Annie, got married back in October of last year.

Photo by Danny Dong

Here we are at her gorgeous wedding. She got married at Nestldown in the redwood forest of Northern California, and it could not have been more perfect. Both Annie and her husband, Tom, are stylish, detail-oriented people, and that meant that day was just lovely. And lookit my pretty dress!

Ok, enough bragging - the reason I'm posting this now is to show you the embroidery I made for them! 

I love doing an embroidered piece as a wedding gift. Taking a traditional gift and putting a modern spin on it. At the wedding, we all walked down the aisle to the song "Home," so I included some of the lyrics on this piece, along with my favorite thing to embroider - leaves. I hope this is a piece that will hang in their home for years to come!

Side note: Sethrina, the bridesmaid with the long blonde hair, was also the recipient of this wedding embroidery! 

Happenings at Red Letter Day Stitches

Although I've been neglecting this little blog, I've been hard at work over at Red Letter Day Stitches. 

I released a new pattern for Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday! This one uses a lot of new and challenging stitches, and was a lot of fun to stitch up. You can purchase it for $4, here. (And March 4th, aka Fat Tuesday, it's on sale for $2!)

Currently, I'm right in the middle of a stitch-along for Allyson's new pattern, Raise a Glass. I mean, we're stitching a mug of beer in honor of St. Patrick's Day, so you know I endorse this one whole-heartedly.  I love the way Allyson worked out the shading - you hold two different colored threads together! 

A few weeks ago I finished a stitch-along for Allyson's Valentine's Day pattern, Balloons & Roses. I changed it up a bit and stitched the design onto a bright magenta fabric instead of my go-to muslin, and I loved the way it turned out. Starting with a blank canvas can be nice, but a bright color can really change up the feel of a design. 

Both of Allyson's patterns are available for $4. We also have year-long subscriptions!

And a little bonus... a little peek of my new bunny-centric Easter design!

New Free Embroidery Pattern - Mitten Wonderland!

I have a new free embroidery pattern today on Red Letter Day Stitches! 

DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE NOW!

Mitten Wonderland: It’s no secret that I’m not just an avid sewist – I’m a knitter, too! And for me, that means hand-knit gifts every Christmas, including mittens. Luckily, these little mittens are quicker to stitch up as a last minute gift or decoration than a knit pair! 

Each mitten is decorated with a special stitch – just enough to practice each a few times before moving on to the next wintery mitten.

Finished Size: Intended for 6” embroidery hoop. DMC Floss #322: Blue; #775: Light Blue; #3756: Ice Blue; #762: Bluish Grey; #321: Red; #562: Teal.

Materials Required: 2 12” squares of muslin or other woven cotton fabric, fabric marking pen or pencil, safety pins or masking tape, 6” or smaller embroidery hoop to use while stitching, embroidery needle, scissors.

Notes: Use 2 strands of DMC Floss throughout, unless otherwise noted.

Stitches Used: Straight Stitch, Back Stitch, Chain Stitch, French Knot, Lazy Daisy Stitch, Satin Stitch.

DOWNLOAD MITTEN WONDERLAND FOR FREE! 

New Embroidery Pattern - 2014 Calendar!

On Monday, Allyson and I released our newest embroidery pattern for Red Letter Day Stitches - A 2014 Calendar! This is our first paid pattern, and it's quite the project - a full calendar (lots of french knots), with pretty little motifs that set up a year of patterns. Allyson will be hosting a stitch-along for the calendar, starting on Friday. 

Buy the pattern!

2014 Calendar: What better way to celebrate the new year than with a fresh calendar? This stitched calendar not only looks pretty, but it incorporates little peeks into our full year of designs for 2014! Sure, you’ll get a workout on those french knots, but the final result is a piece that can hang in your home for the whole year.

Finished Size: A 17” by 11” rectangle.

DMC Floss: #839, Dark Beige Brown; #445, Light Lemon; #3033, Very Light Mocha; #350, Medium Coral; #310, Black; #334, Medium Baby Blue; #761, Light Salmon; #3835, Medium Grape; #522, Fern Green; #414, Dark Steel Grey; #3854, Medium Autumn Gold; White (no number).

Materials Required: 2 30”x20” rectangles of muslin or other woven cotton fabric, fabric marking pen or pencil, safety pins or masking tape, 12” or smaller embroidery hoop to use while stitching, embroidery needle, scissors.

Notes: Use 2 strands of DMC Floss throughout, unless otherwise noted. Instructions are written to be worked in sections to minimize moving your hoop.

Stitches Used: Back Stitch, Chain Stitch, Satin Stitch, Straight Stitch, French Knot, Lattice Stitch, Long & Short, Lazy Daisy.

And be sure to download our free stitch guide!

Buy the pattern!



2014 is gonna be a great year, right?

Let's Talk Turkey Stitch-Along!

Time for a little stitch-along action!

Over at Red Letter Day Stitches, we've released our second pattern, Let's Talk Turkey! 

Allyson designed this one, so I'm running a little SAL, and it starts today. Won't you join us?

My first embroidery pattern! CANDY for Halloween 2013! Free pattern, wheee!

I'm so proud to introduce my first embroidery pattern for Red Letter Day Stitches - CANDY!

You can download it for free here. 

Allyson and I have been working so hard on this project, and it all starts today. We've even created a handy (and free) stitch guide to help out first time stitchers! 

I really love my finished sampler - I think I'm going to make a pillow out of it. Wouldn't that be cute - a little round Halloween pillow? 

Red Letter Day Stitches - Launching Monday!

I've been hard at work on my new project with Allyson - Red Letter Day Stitches!

Next Monday we're launching our first (free!) pattern - a Halloween pattern that I designed, all about my favorite part of the holidays, the food! 

Allyson and I have a lot of fun things cooked up for these patterns, but I'm most excited about the stitch-alongs! We set up a forum on the Red Letter Day Stitches blog, and we're using that to organize SAL's for each pattern. 

So, please, join us in some stitchy holiday fun on Monday! 

A Little More Downton Abbey and some other nerd things...

 

I've been busy this week stitching up new Downton Abbey embroidery patterns for Kitschy Digitals. After the warm reception for the first 15 characters, Heather Davulcu designed 6 more, and I've been stitching while watching season two of Game of Thrones. 

Speaking of Game of Thrones and other such nerd things, I went to the local Renaissance Faire last weekend. Surprisingly, I had never been to a Ren Faire before, despite my love of the Tudors, dressing up, and drinking mead. 

It was quite the experience. WHY did my parents never take my to a Ren Faire when I was a kid!? I spent hours playing dress up as Laura Ingalls or Felicity (the American Girl, not the character played by Keri Russel), and would have loved something like this. Maybe Ren Faires weren't as cool in the 80's as they are now... right?

Me with Lizzie and Joey, aka my wenches

Now, those of you who come here strictly for knitting and sewing posts may be shocked at my nerdy social life. I know, you are surprised that someone who knits and plays the accordion would also partake in something as geeky as dressing up in historical garb. 

... obligatory

But it's really not that far off, is it? I've always been interested in history and fashion, which lead to a major in costume design, and learning to knit. I mean - what's more historical than knitting!? Or embroidery - the hobby of the upper class in Medieval and Renaissance times. 

Captain Joe (a Jack Sparrow wanna be) - I am highly skeptical

And if you're wondering about my costume - it's handmade, but not by me. I found the green dress almost a decade ago at a thrift store, back when I used to actively keep a stash of costumes on hand for design purposes. The shirt was found at a thrift store the day before - it's from Target - along with the leather belt. My necklace was a gift from my Grandma this past Christmas - she used to wear it in the 60's. 

And I can't help but include this photo, Instagrammed by Joey - Renaissance lady in a modern world! 

Latte Love

I loved this little pattern from the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery, so I stitched it up on painted aida cloth, and gave it to my sister for Valentine's Day. 

Ps. This post brought to you by breakfast with Izabelle.

Sethrina & Joshua's Wedding Embroidery

A few weeks ago, my best friend Annie asked me to make a little wedding present for her friends, Sethrina & Joshua. I had a lot of fun designing & stitching this pretty piece to commemorate their big day! 

I used a few different stitches and colors to give the wood grain texture, using 3 or 4 strands of embroidery floss, and then used 2 strands of red to back stitch the letters. 

And you know I love to show you guys the back of my work. I framed it in a simple thrift store frame (that I gave a good wash & dry), and then cut a piece of construction paper to fit the back and signed it. As my mama says, "Always sign your work!"

Just listed - Balls of Yarn & Needles Brooch

Just a quick post to say that these little balls of yarn & needles brooches are now in my etsy shop, here. 

I need a better name for these guys, right?!

Vintage Crafts - Nixon's Presidential Seal

A few weeks ago, a guy came into Sifu and asked if anyone knew how to do crewel embroidery. He had a crewel kit that he found on ebay, and he wanted to commission someone to sew it for him. I agreed - obviously - and he told me the story that goes along with it.

Apparently Nixon had the same seal, done in crewel, hanging in his office! His daughter made it for him when he was elected president. I did a bit of research and found this paragraph from The Making of the President 1968, by Theodore H. White:

"By the time Nixon woke, at about nine o'clock, the election had jelled on television for the nation, as for political operators. Haldeman found Nixon, about nine, already awake, sleepy-eyed and in pajamas; now, for the first time, Nixon turned on the TV sets and watched the reports. ABC had already conceded him the election; as Haldeman and Nixon watched the screens, NBC also conceded; and Nixon, still in pajamas and bathrobe, walked down the hall to his daughters' bedroom to tell them, too. But they had already heard the news and Julie was ready to present to him the gift she had been secretly sewing for him for several weeks - the Presidential seal, done in crewel." 

Pretty great story - no matter what your thoughts are on Nixon. I'll post updated pictures when I'm done!

Embroidery Workshops at Sifu in August

I'm teaching a few embroidery workshops at Sifu Design Studio in Chicago during the month of August. Each 3-hour workshop is a great way to take your embroidery skills to the next level, or learn something completely new. All materials are included for each workshop - B.Y.O.Hoop if you'd like. You can sign up online and view the whole calendar here, or call the store to sign up - 773.271.7438.

Ribbon Embroidery - $40

Wednesday, August 3rd, 6:00 - 9:00pm

This romantic technique has been around for hundreds of years, and is perfect for embellishing clothing and home goods. In this workshop, you'll learn the basics to create ribbon motifs and how to combine them into a charming work of art. 

Fancy Stitches Embroidery - $40

Wednesday, August 10th, 6:00 - 9:00pm

A workshop for the experienced embroider who is ready to learn a few fancy stitches. In this workshop we'll learn five decorative stitches and create a sampler to hang on your wall or give as a gift. 

Punch Embroidery - $40

Saturday, August 13th, 2:30 - 5:30pm

Create a patch for your letter sweater! Punch embroidery uses a special tool to push loops of thread through fabric in a specific design, creating a fluffy, soft picture. In this workshop, we'll learn the basics to get you started with a project of your choosing - bring a sketchbook with your own ideas or use one of our patterns.

Applique Embroidery - $40

Monday, August 22nd, 6:00 - 9:00pm

Appliqué is great for everything from t-shirts to home decor to covering a hole in your favorite garment. We’ll cover heat and bond, quick turn, reverse appliqué, traditional appliqué with blind stitch, and blanket stitch.

Something New: Felt & Fabric Brooches

Ok, this is my last round of beautiful photographs of my work - I swear! (All beautiful photos by Meghan Canavan)

I decided to change the design for my heart brooches. I added vintage fabric to a felt heart, and then hand embroidered the whole thing, adding cute buttons along the way. The effect is very summery.

This yellow one is my favorite:

After making the hearts, I thought circles would be cute. They look like girl scout badges, right?

Have a great weekend - hope your weather is better than our's in Chicago (cold-ish but still humid)!