Enjoying a giveaway courtesy of SewSweetness and Lark Crafts

I recently won a copy of New Crewel: The Motif Collection by Katherine Shaughnessy, courtesy of SewSweetness and Lark Crafts.  It uses relatively simple designs to show different stitches and techniques.  I really want to create a collage of the designs and give crewel a try.  My mother had done many different forms of needlework when I was growing up and I can remember some of the crewel pieces she completed.  I’ve only done cross stitch and embroidery and haven’t touched it in years!

This book inspired me to pick up embroidery again since I had many of the supplies on hand.  I started with an iron on design that allowed me to try a few different stitches.  When I started I told my daughter she could give it a try and she completed the red flower when I wasn’t looking.  Don’t believe Cumin has red flowers.  LOL.  I am using DMC Pearl Cotton #8 and #5 thread and playing with stitches and textures on this one.

I actually completed most of Cumin during a trip to Florida and luckily had created a template for the bird piece below.  I found this design on NeedleCrafter.com.  They have a huge selection of embroidery designs.  Once I had finished Cumin, I started this in red.  I felt much more comfortable by the time I started this piece and think I will like it once finished.  I am using DMC Pearl Cotton #8 thread.

I had really wanted to do this alphabet sampler, but could not get it transferred on this fabric.  It is Robert Kaufman’s Essex Linen in Camel.  I tried tracing carbon, which didn’t show, and then tried the transfer pen on a reversed design that should iron on.  That didn’t work.  I’m still trying to find a way to get this to transfer.  It just occurred to me to mark permanent design on organza and then use a blue quilting pen through the organza onto the fabric.  I will have to give it a try.

I found the alphabet sampler on SublimeStitching.com and thought it would allow me to try a great assortment of stitches.  I’m looking forward to working on it.

There are so many wonderful giveaways online.  I want to thank SewSweetness and Lark Crafts for offering New Crewel.  I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to trying a collage of the patterns offered.

So, what about you, are there any embroidery or crewel books or resources you really enjoy?  And if you have a reliable transfer method that address my problem here, feel free to share!  I would love the tip.

ET Phone Home Block

I’ve been playing around with paper piecing and have found here are things I really like and really dislike.  I really don’t care for removing the paper afterwards.  I’ve tried different paper and finally tried newsprint.  I found it in the art section at Office Depot, but I know Hobby Lobby also has it.  It pulls free of the stitches with the greatest ease of anything I’ve tried.  I haven’t run it through the printer yet, so that’s my next test.  I will have to cut it down to fit the printer size.

Another negative is my seam allowances aren’t as neat as with normal piecing.  But paper piecing is great for keeping blocks in shape.  It’s also a great option for piecing smaller scraps.

Recently Lily’s Quilts blogged about the following block here. 

I was running low on some of these scraps (and tired of ripping out pieces that didn’t cover the whole area!), so some of the triangles are actually pieced to get coverage for the block units..