Christmas Stitching

When I was looking for ideas for people for my 12 Days of Christmas Wall Hanging, I came across the wonderful Larrisa's creations. Her Twelve Days of Christmas Ornament series were just perfect for what I wanted. You can see her blog here.

As an added bonus I have a link on her blog for creating and selling the faces. I may consider making the odd one or two for commissions if asked. 

As you all know I love creating Christmas ornaments for my family and friends for Christmas, so I've been busy the last couple of months creating quiet a few.  I've added a few alterations to suit the person they are gifted too, adding initials, dates, and special accessories.  (picture heavy).

What I do enjoy about creating them is that it's my first time working with wool blend felt. So much better than using acrylic felt.

I've also been creating little ginger bread houses to hold little Christmas gifts from my friends.

Tutorial - Poinsettia Christmas Ornament (updated)

Late Change:  I have added to this tutorial to make into either Thread version or Goldwork version.

Thread version

Goldwork version

Now available for purchase and download. Kits are also available.

Ornament Tutorial Link

Kit Link

Arlene

Grow your Blog 2014

Welcome to all the newcomers to my blog.  I have been blogging since 2009, mainly about my embroidery but also occasionally about whatever is happening of some importance in my life.

I love surface embroidery, Goldwork and Stumpwork, all of which I try to incorporate into my Crazy Quilting which is also what I love.

I didn't start doing embroidery until a few years ago, but now this is all I do.  My son and I recently created a FREE Embroidery App for iPhone-iPad-iPod, the link is on the left side bar as well as here. It's gonna be a while now unfortunately before I get an Android version up an running, son now has a full time job, and so our time is very limited what time we can spend together on it.

I teach several classes a year with Joggles.com, in the top page tabs you can navigate to the page where more info about what classes I do or up coming are listed.  My next two classes are: The needlelace Dolphin on the 20th Feb 

and Cheerful Flutterings on the 8th April.

Also on these tabs are the FREE Tutorials and template downloads for the projects in our Embroidery App. You can also download my new FREE 2014 Printable Calendar.  I posted a few posts ago on how to put it together.

 

I am a member of several Yahoo online forum groups, but mainly I am involved with Crazy Quilting International and their swaps, Southern Cross Crazies and their swaps, CQJP and their Annual challenge, but I would be far more involved with StitchMap, where you can learn many different forms of embroidery for Free.  To get more info on these groups their 'buttons' are on the left or right side of the blog.

My ongoing major project this year is the CQJP project, which is the 12 Days of Christmas Wall hanging.  Worked with goldwork and stump-work elements as well as incorporating crazy quilting. I am currently up to number 6.

I am locally involved in two craft groups and Scouts Australia.  Fibres and Fabrics are a local fibre arts group which I am involved with.  Here is the link to their blog.  I am also Chief Steward of the Arts and Crafts division of our local show, here is the link to the Show Schedule if you are local and wish to enter.

I live in the wonderful north Queensland city of Townsville on the East Coast of Australia, a place of great inspiration for my embroideries.

I hope you decide to come back and tag along with me on my journey into Embroidery.

Arlene

CQJP 2013 - Block 5 and catch up

It is so hard to believe that it's now December and Christmas is only a couple of weeks away.  School has only a week to go and their closed for the Summer, well, what shall I do in the meantime?, loads in fact.  First off I want to finish my 6th Block for CQJP, I have finally completed no 5, and here she is.
Block 5 without the Ornament:

When you add this ornament, 

5 Gold rings becomes more clear.

So we now have the first 5 blocks completed, 

in fact 1 and 2/3 panels are now complete.

Now working on Block 6 - 6 geese a laying.....

I have also finished my cracker for the Southern Cross Crazies Xmas cracker swap.

Plus I've also done some other embroidery, but I can't show them right now, but stay tuned, January will reveal all.....to give you a hint, there are Australian Animals, Flowers and sea life involved.

Also been cleaning up, as I am getting a studio too soon.... hope to be in by Christmas..... The new carport is up, and the garage is now tidied ready for the partition wall to go in, then the wall into the spare room gets 'holey' and were in.....

Don't forget to download the app if you have an iPhone-iPad-iPod.... yes we're working on the Android......
Also don't forget to leave feedback on the app and here - all welcomed.

Arlene

App update and stitching catchup

Re the App.... Watch this space over the next two or three days, something exciting is about to happen....

In the mean time I have been catching up on some stitching...

DYOB Stumpwork: Susan's blocks
Can't remember what her theme was, but I gave the block a very "Australian' theme with the idea of the Kookaburra sit's in the ole gum tree.......

 One of my fibre friends gave me this Kookaburra button, and he was just perfect for the block.

Some more close-ups:

  

We have the Townsville Stitches and Craft Show up here last weekend, and whilst I was there manning our exhibits I got to finishing my block 4 of the Twelve days of Christmas. This first picture show's with the removable ornament, (which all blocks will have). 

 

 This is the Ornament removed from the block. A 3D 'Cally' Bird landing on a branch.

 Here is the block without the orny.

 Most of the braids, beads and embellishments came from one of the shops at the show, Zenozam.  They had so much stuff, just so cool. Make sure you visit their shop.  These lovely blue flowers were on their stand, they sold out of them.

 The flower beads above the bird was from their shop too.  Here is a close up of the 'Cally' Bird.

I have also finished a couple of our Fibres challenge pieces. Here is my iPad cover which was made from two 6 x 4 inch pieces of fabric.

This will eventually be one of the new projects in the first update of the app.
There were a few other items, but I forgot to take pictures of them.

Come back in a couple of days and there will be very exciting news and a giveaway, so click on the side to receive an email when I post.....

Arlene

3 French Hens.....

Finally got to work on block three of the CQJP 2013 project.  On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, three french hens....

 This is the block with the hen ornament. 

And then removed to show three more french hens. The three silver charms I purchased on Norfolk Island in February, the three buttons I got from Sunlit Blooms sewing, my local shop, just perfect.

Felt made Hen, fit's nicely in place.

Now onto 4 Cally birds...... gosh more birds..... did you know the first four days are all birds....

Arlene

On the 2nd day of Christmas......

My true love gave to me, two Turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.../
Welcome Block 2.

 The block elements are two stitched seams, one gold creten, and the other a combination of gold chevron, and detached buttonhole stitch with straight stitch beside each detached buttonhole, enhanced by gold beads. Stumpwork holly, with needle-lace leaves, wrapped branch and wrapped holly berries.  Goldwork '2' with thread padding, gold kid leather number, and bordered by no 1 gold pearl purl. Two lovely shank buttons, one poinsettia flower and the other the two turtle doves which are stitched through kid leather for extra strength to hold the orny when attached. Lastly two gold braids, and a cluster of gold beads to finish off. The Christmas ornament is ceramic, and is pink and gold on the reverse side. A items I purchased from a Fibers and Fabric's lady at our Christmas fair last year.

 And without the Orny.....

Stumpwork Holly

 And two turtle doves, this is a shank button I picked up at a wonderful craft shop on Norfolk Island.

Had a wonderful time stitching this block, now that's two down ten to go.....

Arlene

CQJP 2013 - January - Day 1

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me - A partridge in a pear tree......

So for January's block (yes I know I'm late, had to wait for my pears to be made by my friend Kathy) - I give you the first day of Christmas.

The partridge is removable, so it can be hung on the tree.  The partridge is made of felt, with blanket stitch in gold thread. He is mounted to a wrapped wire frame.

The 'one' is goldwork and their tree is chain stitch, stem stitch, and wrapped wires. 

The leaves are a ruched double wire ribbon. Like I mentioned before the pears were made by my Fibres and Fabrics friend Kathy S. (not Kathy Shaw).

Kathy has hand painted them for me to match the colour of the block. Kathy made me several different sorts, two shank ones, two 3D ones and 4 button types, all in various shades.

 Boy what a wonderful friend.  The shank one is the one that the partridge hangs from.

Finished of with the seams of gold creten stitch, burgundy chevron and cream blanket stitch.  The top left corner is trimmed with green and burgundy braid.  Here was my sketch of what I wanted to achieve for this block, I think I came pretty close to what I wanted.  I really think the pears make it.

Now onto February, day 2, two turtle doves!!!

Arlene