Download the FREE Ombre Puff Quilt Pattern here! If you've been around for any amount of time, you might've seen my Puff Quilt that my grandmother made for me. I love this thing SO much. She used various scrap fabrics and clothing to create this very dense, yet very snuggly quilt. . . . When I look at this quilt, I see something new each time. Recycled tablecloths from the 80s, pieces of my grandfathers button-down shirts, left-over fabrics from previous quilt projects. The list goes on. Some fabrics are used multiple times within the quilt, while other fabrics are only represented once. I love looking over all of the puffs and finding all of the similarities and differences between the squares. . . . My Granny made this for me when I was 7 years old. I absolutely LOVE that she created a tag for this quilt. I also love that she referred to the quilt as a
Also known as: crewel stitch, stalk stitch, point de cable Through my research, I found out that stem stitch is crewel stitch. It is one of the easiest to be done and perhaps even one of the first stitches to be taught to any beginner. But, many...
Couching is the process of using embroidery stitches to stitch a cord (or yarn or decorative thread) to the surface of your fabric. It's a fun way to add some nice dimension to your work and it can give you a really unique effect. Give it a try! If you want to couch using your
This picture dictionary will help you to identify the stitches even if you don't know the names! Choose from a menu of about 200 stitches below—just click over the picture and go directly to the respective tutorial page. It's the first time all...
Artist Catherine Rosselle created an amazing series of creepy embroidered insects called Insectomanie.
I told myself I'd never make another puff quilt. Yet, here I am.....sharing about my second puff quilt. (haha!) Don't get me wrong, I loved the process of making my first puff quilt, which you can read about here, but I honestly thought that we'd never have the need for another one. Well, over the last year, I slowly forgot how much work they are (haha) and I started getting the itch to do the process all over again! Peter uses my original puff quilt alllllll the time. He loves the weight of it, but his only complaint was that it wasn't long enough. I made the
Watch the video tutorial below or scroll down for the written instructions What is Couching? Couching is a technique where you lay yarn, thread, ribbon, etc on top of your fabric and stitch them in place with a zigzag or fancy stitch, either in a similar thread or a contrasting thread. Couching adds interest and texture to your projects. I love playing around with different wools, threads, embroidery threads, lace, wool roving, and assorted cords to make my projects pop. Do You Need a Special Couching Foot? A specialized cording foot is a great machine accessory if you love
Download the FREE Ombre Puff Quilt Pattern here! If you've been around for any amount of time, you might've seen my Puff Quilt that my grandmother made for me. I love this thing SO much. She used various scrap fabrics and clothing to create this very dense, yet very snuggly quilt. . . . When I look at this quilt, I see something new each time. Recycled tablecloths from the 80s, pieces of my grandfathers button-down shirts, left-over fabrics from previous quilt projects. The list goes on. Some fabrics are used multiple times within the quilt, while other fabrics are only represented once. I love looking over all of the puffs and finding all of the similarities and differences between the squares. . . . My Granny made this for me when I was 7 years old. I absolutely LOVE that she created a tag for this quilt. I also love that she referred to the quilt as a
I promised to show you this, my crewel embroidery piece 'Tree of Life' started and completed in the mid 1970's. I recall it took me perhaps a couple of years, picking it up now and then between family and work commitments when we lived in Massachusetts. I bought it as a kit - complete with the skeins of wools in beautiful colors, printed Belgian linen, and stitch instructions - offered by one of the most admired American stitchery women ever, the late Elsa Williams. After a lengthy search I've managed to find this article on her which I found so interesting. Some of her kits, now classified as 'vintage', are still available online. I didn't have my crewel piece framed until later when we moved here to North Carolina in 1977, choosing framing and hanging on the wall over a pillow or chair seat cover thinking it would last longer with less wear and tear. I'm amazed that the colors have not faded at all, however admit I've never displayed it on a wall with bright light or direct sun. Jacobean embroidery refers to styles that flourished in the reign of King James I of England in the first quarter of the 17th century. This is one of many depictions in the pattern of the Jacobean motif named 'Tree of Life.' It was popular for curtains and bed hangings - remember those? They draped four poster beds to keep out the winter drafts in those cold British castles and country mansions. Ms. Williams' designs for this motif were unsurpassed. The term Jacobean is used today to describe this design for furnishing and is characterized by fanciful plant and animal shapes, stylized forests, and exotic plants arising from a landscape or terra firma, worked in a variety of stitches with two-ply wool yarn on linen. A chart of crewel embroidery stitches and techniques via the Internet. I doubt I will ever do another intricate and somewhat complicated embroidery such as this, my eyesight is not what it used to be for close-up stitching. I do love it though, recall how I enjoyed creating it, and am proud that I did produce this special piece of handwork when I was in my thirties. I hope it will be considered an 'heirloom' of sorts, and will be kept and admired by a family member some day in the future.
I told myself I'd never make another puff quilt. Yet, here I am.....sharing about my second puff quilt. (haha!) Don't get me wrong, I loved the process of making my first puff quilt, which you can read about here, but I honestly thought that we'd never have the need for another one. Well, over the last year, I slowly forgot how much work they are (haha) and I started getting the itch to do the process all over again! Peter uses my original puff quilt alllllll the time. He loves the weight of it, but his only complaint was that it wasn't long enough. I made the
Look below for many free Candlewicking projects and patterns. If you are looking for tutorials and history on Candlewicking & Whitework, follow the link.
Chris of Ella’s Craft Creations shares an excellent method for transferring an embroidery design to fabric. In her needlework tutorial, she will show you one of the easiest ways to …
Hi there, I’m hoping you can help me. I have a newly finished quilt that got a small hole in the top from my cat’s claws. What’s the best way to repair…
How to Transfer Embroidery Patterns onto Dark Fabric
Looking for the perfect beginner’s quilting project? Using a couple of “cheater” methods, Spoonflower Ambassador Meg Fleshman of MEGMADE Sewing will show you how to create a gorgeous quilted jacket […]
In this video I show you three different ways to transfer embroidery patterns - including super tricky fabrics like black velvet. I mention a couple of products in this video. One is Sulky Solvy. The other is an iron-on transfer pen or pencil. Both are from Sulky and both work really well. But. . .
Sashiko Stitch Instructions for beginners A trend in embroidery: Sashiko stitching and visible mending. This ancient Japanese craft is easy to learn. It gives quick results and makes stunning textile pieces. In this tutorial we explain the basics you need to know about Sashiko stitching. We share our recommendations for Sashiko materials. You will also
instructions are for the easiest & most consistent One colour Granny Square that I know &, although there are many variations, this is the one I use because I know my squares will be square & the corners open & even &, no matter how many rounds are I work, the square stays flat without ruffling or pulling in
See an easy t-shirt embroidery DIY with a free simple cat embroidery to print. Video tutorial for how to embroider on t-shirts.
Get these echo quilt clips tips and learn what an amazing tool they are for echo quilting.
Today I'll be showing you my favourite neckline finish for knit fabrics. It's my personal method for sewing knit neckline bindings, and I prefer it to the standard method!
We often associate embroidery with medieval times when ladies would pass the time embroidering as they waited for their princes. But there are artists who prove that it’s a modern kind of art. Their works are masterpieces that can add beauty and comfort to a home. It’s impossible not to feel inspired by these beautiful works of art!
These scarves are simple to make, even if you have very little embroidery experience. Best…
I told myself I'd never make another puff quilt. Yet, here I am.....sharing about my second puff quilt. (haha!) Don't get me wrong, I loved the process of making my first puff quilt, which you can read about here, but I honestly thought that we'd never have the need for another one. Well, over the last year, I slowly forgot how much work they are (haha) and I started getting the itch to do the process all over again! Peter uses my original puff quilt alllllll the time. He loves the weight of it, but his only complaint was that it wasn't long enough. I made the
Want to give your quilting some added texture and depth? Try machine quilting with 12 wt. thread! It's not difficult, but there are 5 secrets you must know.
I told myself I'd never make another puff quilt. Yet, here I am.....sharing about my second puff quilt. (haha!) Don't get me wrong, I loved the process of making my first puff quilt, which you can read about here, but I honestly thought that we'd never have the need for another one. Well, over the last year, I slowly forgot how much work they are (haha) and I started getting the itch to do the process all over again! Peter uses my original puff quilt alllllll the time. He loves the weight of it, but his only complaint was that it wasn't long enough. I made the
You won't want to miss these 9 little known embroidery tricks that are sure to save you time and frustration...
How to make a french knot embroidery? 1. Prepare the Needle, 2. Select the thread, 3. Place it on the Hoop, 4. Perform the stitch technique and more...
Invisible finish or in other words Invisible fasten off is a crochet technique to join stitches together and fasten off the yarn usually when crocheting in round. Traditional method to end the round is to join last stitch of the round with top of first stitch using slip stitch. Then to fasten off you cut the yarn,...
French knot is, undoubtedly, the most popular knot stitch out there. But it has a “twin” - colonial knot. Jump in to explore the similarities and differences between the two! So, how do you stitch colonial knot? Many people fear it because it seems tricky. Me too, for a long time I used french knots exclusively and didn't even want to try the colonial one because it just seems difficult. But I was wrong! Once you “crack” the process, stitching colonial knots will go smoothly and fast. The most challenging in learning how to make colonial knots is understanding how the twists work. The principle of stitching it is the same as with french knots: you wrap the thread around the needle and pull the needle through the twists. But the twists work differently in the colonial knot. So, for the first step you need to bring the threaded needle up through the fabric. Then make a slight loop of the thread on the right side of where it emerged from the backside. And move your needle inside that loop. Note the placement of thread and the needle. It can be only like this, no options. Now, we pick the end of the thread and put it over the needle. Over the needle. My main problem when I learned colonial knot was that in this step I pulled the thread under the needle – it is a mistake. The thread must be basically lying on top of the needle with the free end of thread hanging on the right side. So, with these manipulations, you form an “8” with the thread, and the needle is inside the loops. Next, insert the needle into the point next to the place where it emerged on top of the fabric. And gently pull the longer end of the thread to tighten the twists a little. This is crucial! Always tighten the twists so that the knot has a nice shape (but don't overdo it, or it will difficult to pull the needle through). Then pull your needle through to the backside of the fabric. The resulting knot will look like this. French knot or colonial knot? Some call colonial knot a substitute for the french one. Although this term is not that clear to me because it's not like colonial knot can be used in some cases where the french one doesn't fit. Nor does it have any particular drawbacks where colonial knot, on the contrary, would shine. These two stitches are basically the twins. The difference in their appearance is barely visible in a close-up and if you look at them from a distance, they will look absolutely the same way. They also function the same way: they can be used as isolated dots or to fill in the shapes or as a quirky background. They are interchangeable. So, what's the difference? The technique. For some stitchers the way the colonial knot is worked is more attractive and easier. Appearance. The difference is really hardly noticeable, but I dare say that french knots are a bit “flatter”, while colonial knots are sturdier and stand more upright. It is highly subjective, but I find colonial knots easier to undo. Yes, sometimes, when I stitch the knots and I don't like the shape, I want to undo it. And if it is a french knot... well, I either put up with it, or desperately try to undo it while almost ruining the thread, or I cut it off, secure the thread on the backside and start again. While, when it comes to the colonial knot, I always can undo the knot pretty easily, with no harm to the thread. To sum it up: It's up to you to add colonial knot to your “stitches dictionary” or not, but I would recommend at least to try it out. It's worth a shot and it's not that difficult as it might seem at the first glance. Now that you know how to make a colonial knot, try it, maybe it will become your favorite!
Download our printable quilt size chart with the dimensions for all the standard quilt sizes. Save for all your future quilt size dilemmas.
No tracing!! See the easiest way for how to transfer embroidery patterns without any tracing. Print, stitch, wash away - click through to see it in action.
Gui Ping Ren - Gui Ping Ren
Securing thread on the backside can't be avoided in hand embroidery. These tips will help you to end embroidery stitches in a safe way.
