Sunday stitchery, nearly there

Thank you all for your kind comments and encouragement while I experiment with cut work. After finishing the buttonhole stitch round the design I have been reading up on the subject. So how is it progressing?

First I pressed the embroidery from the back into my ironing pack. This is an old sheet which I fold up so that it gives a soft surface for the embroidery to sink into.

Then into the hoop again.



For bigger spaces I found that you could add bars. From the books I looked into this should have been done before the buttonhole stitches, but I now know for next time.

You sew the thread across the space on the surface

Branching where appropriate. I hope these photos show how I did it.





You then weave a buttonhole stitch over the threads. I changed to a blunter needle at this point so that I didn't catch the fabric behind. This is what it looks like on the reverse.

I think these branching bars are made for leaves, so that was lucky.

Have also decided to do a form of buttonhole surface darning on some of the flower petals. As it's in white I hope you can see from the photo ok.

Well have to go and get ready now as off to a music concert tonight in Manchester. I'm having a busy time. Yarndale yesterday, hopefully I will get time to post about it. It was a brill day. Well done to the organisers.

Hope your stitching Sunday is going well.

S xx

Sunday, part 2

A bit late with my blog today, but still working on the cut work. Ditched the hoop, as found it much easier to work without it. Two rows of buttonhole stitch look much neater. Both with the corded side to the outside. Even liking the striped effect now. Went round the inside of one of the petals I did last weekend with white so that it looks the same width as the rest, but has a cord on the inside.

 I think I'm getting the hang of it now, the leaf on the left looks neater than the other one.

Main stitching complete. It definitely needs a quick iron.

Reading my books it looks like if you have big spaces to cut away you can do some kind of darning stitches to stabilise. Will research what to do for next weekend.

Hope you have had a good creative weekend.

S xx

Sunday Stitchery part #1

Happy Sunday, I've had a busy day, book club where 4 out of 5 of us had actually read the book. Flight Behaviour, by Barbara Kingsolver, we all enjoyed it. Then back home to start stitching along with Chrissie's  Stitching Sundays.

Before I continue I must apologise for the photos, the weather hasn't been all that good today, and the light for taking photos has been strange.

I've decided to try cut work as I've never done it before. I transferred my patten using grease proof paper and a soft pencil. Once the design was on the linen I then used a water soluble pen to make sure I could see the lines. Much easier than the way I was taught by an elderly lady in the village I grew up in. There I used grease proof paper to draw the design, then using a darning needle you pricked the lines of the design. Next you place the paper on the fabric and push powdered coloured chalk through the holes. Next find your watercolour set and paintbrush and you join up the dots of chalk.

Next research on how to do cut work. I went first to Mary Thomas and found that the first step is to work two rows of running stitch, just inside the pattern lines.

It book said to use buttonhole stitch, with the cut area to on the corded side. I started using a variegated thread. Now I'm not too sure, it looks a bit too stripey. Not happy with it so looked in another book.

A good day to be inside sewing. My garden is taking quite a battering today,

but I digress, back to the sewing.

This one suggested two rows of buttonhole stitch so I've tried this on the leaves, and so far think this is better. Might redo the petals.

Light fading so will put away til next Sunday.

Hope your Sunday has been a good one.
S xx

Preparations for Sunday

Chrissie's stitching Sundays, I'm a week behind but hope to catch up.

I've decided on cut work as I've never tried this before. It might not work, but using an old linen tea towel so will not loose out.

Traced pattern from a book onto grease proof paper.

Transferred design by going over design with a blunt pencil which left impression on the linen.

Used water soluble pen to draw the pattern.  Still wondering what colours to use, may just use cream for a traditional look.

Looking forward to starting the stitching on Sunday.

S xx

Chrissie's stitching Sundays

Hi, do take a look at Chrissie's blog, she has started a stitching Sunday blog which is full of useful hints, tips and clear instructions. Just up my street, only I'm a bit late. Life suddenly is busy and not having much time to craft as much as I want to.  Thank you Chrissie, it's a good excuse for me to do some sewing.

So having seen the blog last night  I dashed downstairs this morning to see what I could do to take part.

I have collected a few books over the years.

Not forgetting these recent craft magazines.

And they are not a new idea you know; I also have a collection of embroidery mags from the 1940s and 1950s.

Then there is this pile of transfers from the above mags.

Oh, too many ideas. I want to try something I've not tried before.

Will have plenty of time on Saturday, I hope. Had booked to go to Creative Stitches in Manchester but the coach has been cancelled and I don't like driving that far, so will have to make some creative stitchery of my own.

S xx

Sausage dog

Hi, hope you have had a brill weekend.

Bought the latest copy of Mollie Makes yesterday because it had the cutest booties on the front. It also came with a free kit, this one is from Jane Foster and it is a screen print sausage dog. I just had to make it.

I amended it slightly adding some embroidery touches of my own.

Tested my parrot pattern too.

Happy Sunday
S xx