Linda's How-Do-I Series? How To Embroider A Basic Chain Stitch and Lazy Daisy Flower Free E-Book

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How To Embroider A Basic Chain Stitch and Lazy Daisy Flower Free E-Book

Copyright ©  2012 - 2014 All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh

I just LOVE embroidering with basic chain stitches and Lazy Daisy Flowers.  Since several of my baby shower e-patterns require basic chain stitches and Lazy Daisy Flowers I thought I'd create an illustration showing you how I do this and add it to my group of free Linda's How-Do-I Series? of e-books.  Enjoy.

The Clover Applique Rose Design Needle Felting Mold

Before my sister's visit for our needle felting craft adventure I had decided to buy some of the Clover needle felting applique molds I had previously seen.  One of the molds I had bought was the Clover Applique Mold, Rose Design.

While my sister was working on her free style needle felted landscape design I decided to try creating a pink rose using the rose mold.

The mold contained two large front and back sheets with instructions.  The two sheets looked a little cumbersome at first until I realized there were different languages on each sheet.  So, I had to find the English section.  While I can understand the cost effectiveness of doing this it's not the most user friendly approach and makes the instructions seem way too complicated.

One of the large sheets also contained basic punching text and pictorial information for the various sizes and pieces of their molds and how to use them with the roving which I found to be very helpful.

The instructions for using the particular mold were of a text and pictorial nature and once I found the English version they were easy to follow.  They recommended in the instructions using their molds with the Clover Pen Style Needle Felting Tool and either the Clover Felting Needle Mat Small or the Clover Felting Needle Mat Large.

I soon realized that some of the pieces of the the molds were pretty tiny so only the single felting needle or Clover Pen Style Needle Felting Tool would work. I had previously bought a large foam felting block but soon realized that the molds did work the best with the Clover Felting Needle Mat Large.

I had no problem putting the pink rose together except I quickly found out that the needles for the Clover Pen Style Needle Felting Tool break very, very easily.  I ended up going through 4 needles before I was finished with all my flowers.  If you're going to embark on a needle felting adventure be sure to buy lots, and lots of replacement needles as you are going to need them.

I was pleased with the way my pink rose came out but my sister thought it was boring (plus I had used up all the pink roving - bad sister!) so I decided to try a multi-colored purple rose next.

I had bought two 5" by 5" unfinished picture frames each with a 2 3/4" by 2 3/4" opening.  The opening was just slightly smaller than my roses but I had decided that gluing them there and having them projecting out of the frame would be interesting.

So, I painted both unfinished wood frames first with pink acrylic paint and then sponge painted them with lilac acrylic paint using natural ocean sponges.  Then I applied one coat of varnish.

I added felt backing and a small amount of batting to the 2 3/4" by 2 3/4" picture opening as backing for my roses and then hot glued them to the felt.

I like how they both roses turned out and will probably create some more of the roses as the mold is really easy to use, despite the 2 page instructions.  You could make a rose to use as a corsage, to embellish a purse or vest, to decorate a large picture, to make long stemmed needle felted roses for a floral bouquet arrangement, decorate a hat, etc.  I'm sure if you give me long enough I'll have a hundred other uses for a needle felted rose.

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How To Blanket Stitch Free E-Book

I just LOVE embroidering with blanket stitches.  Since several of my e-patterns require blanket stitching I thought I'd create a blanket stitch illustration and add it to my group of free Linda's How-Do-I Series? of e-books.  Enjoy.

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How To Blanket Stitch Free E-Book

Linda's Review of Needle Felting Tools - They All Have A Different Needle Felting Use!

In anticipation of my sister's visit for working on her websites and learning all we could about roving I decided to add to the tools and supplies I had from a few years ago when I had done a small amount of needle felting on a penny rug picture.

If you don;t know what needle felting is it is basically using a single or multiple needle tool to mesh the fibers of roving into itself to form an object or shape, mesh the roving into another piece of felted roving to create an object, or mesh the roving into a piece of wool felt to create an object or picture.

You can freely shape the roving yourself using needle felting tools or use needle felt molds or cookie cutters to shape the roving into the desired object.

In looking at needle felting it seemed like there were a lot of different tools and supplies needed to do needle felting. I wondered if I needed them all and soon found out I did as they all have a different use.

I already had a medium size Clover felting mat but wanted a larger one so I bought a Clover Felting Needle Mat Large.

Linda's Review of Dimensions Needlecrafts Needle Felted Snowman Character Kit

When my sister came to visit one of our objectives was to learn as much as we could about needle felting and working with roving.

I had bought two mini roving kits from Dimensions. One Dimensions Needlecrafts Needle Felted Character Kit, Snowman for making a snowman (shown above) and Dimensions Needlecrafts Needle Felted Character Kit, Penguin for making a penguin (also shown above) that I thought would be a good introduction into working with the fiber so we started there.

We just wanted to get the feel of the fiber and how easy or hard it would be to work with before we embarked on our free style hand creations and working with the molds we had bought. I took the snowman and my sister took the penguin.

The snowman was a no felting mold necessary kit that came with the wool roving (white, black, orange, and blue), felting needle, felting mat, embroidery needle, thread and step-by-step instructions.  It called for twigs for arms which were not included.

Rock Garden Alpacas Fiber

If you love crafting with fiber, love using roving for dolls, love free style needle felting, love needle felting with penny rugs or wool felt, love needle felting accessories and decorations, and love spinning or dyeing roving you'll be happy to know that my sister and brother-in-laws alpaca farm, Rock Garden Alpacas is now selling their alpaca's fiber.  

Even though it's my baby sister and you might think I'm a little biased I have no problem whatsoever telling you that it's exceptional roving.  I've used it, I've loved using it, and I will continue to use it for my dolls and needle felt creations.

My sister and her husband established Rock Garden Alpacas in 2011 as a new and exciting adventure. They have full Peruvian, Full Accoyo and Perucoyo Huacaya Alpacas and are currently establishing their herd. They sell fiber and fiber products from their herd and their store will continue to grow as their herd does.

I don't knit or spin my roving but know that my sister's roving is of such fine quality and consistency that it is sought after my spinners and knitters.  If you'd like to read the customer reviews from her Etsy shop please click here.

If you'd like to learn more about her alpaca fiber products please click here for her RockGardenAlpacas Etsy shop.