The "Birdies" and "Dollies" Had Their Way- Artful Gathering 2013 Session 1 - Briley The Birdie by Colleen Moody

I should have known better than to ever let the "dollies" mingle with the trio of "birdies" I was making for my Artful Gathering "Briley The Birdie" class with Colleen Moody. The "dollies" convinced the "birdies" they should be different than "Briley."

So, despite my best efforts to get them to conform my trio of "birdies" decided to be rebellious and be the class radicals. They decided they didn't want to be cream colored. They  wanted to be sponge painted. They insisted on it and then they had all the "dollies" urge me to sponge paint them.

There were just too many "dollies" clamoring for this that I had to acquiesce. Now I know you all know I hate to give in to the "dollies" demands but with the trio of "birdies" and all the "dollies" clamoring I was sorely outnumbered.

I thought if I gave in to the trio of "birdies" on this they'd calm down and let me create them the way I wanted to. Au contraire!  Each one had already developed a personality of their own and therefore a style they thought was best for them. Who was I to argue? I was just their creator. So, once again, I acquiesced.

Linda's Review Of "Crazy Autumn" Stitchery By Carol L. Steffensen Of Chickadee Hollow Designs

Several years ago I bought a couple of creative embroidery and stitchery kits that I thought would be fun to do and have been trying to find some time to complete them ever since. Two weeks ago I finally had some time to work on one of them and decided to make the Fall themed stitchery from Chickadee Hollow Designs that I had bought.

The kit  included the embroidery floss and the pattern included the design on pre-printed pre-colored fabric, as well as a basic embroidery stitches sheet and sheet of basic instructions for completing their stitchery.

I had decided ahead of time that I wanted to frame my stitchery as a picture instead of finishing it the way the pattern had suggested which was to add strips to the sides and finish it as a small quilt. I opted instead to finish mine as a stitchery picture and blanket stitch around the edges.

Linda’s How-Do-I Series? How To Make Our Flower Panel Fabric Picture Free E-Book

I have been anxious to use my flower picture large panel fabric design for a few months. With Spring finally arriving I decided it was time to create my “Flower Panel Flower Picture.”

I had decided to frame my fabric picture in a finished frame as I wanted to hang it as a picture in one of my bathrooms. So, I chose a finished gold frame that I had used for some press flower pictures I had created years ago that were faded now. I thought the gold frame was perfect for the cheery flower fabric. I also thought a dark teal blue 16” by 20” mat with 11” by 14” opening would be a perfect compliment to my flower fabric picture. I had also decided ahead of time that I wanted to add some dimension to my picture and thought a few silk ribbon flower heads would be perfect for that.

Linda's How-Do-I Series? How To Make Our Flower Panel Fabric Picture Free E-Book

Linda's Review Of Vintage Birdhouse Embroidery by Carol L. Steffensen Of Chickadee Hollow Designs

Several years ago I bought a couple of creative embroidery and stitchery patterns for making ornaments that I wanted to make into little pictures and have been trying to find some time to complete them.  I decided that with the beautiful Spring weather this would be the perfect time to work on some of them outside.

I decided to start with a Vintage Ornament #6 embroidered birdhouse ornament from Chickadee Hollow Designs as it was cute and looked relatively easy to complete.  The pattern included the design on pre-printed pre-colored fabric, as well as a basic embroidery stitches sheet and sheet of basic instructions for completing their ornaments.

I had decided ahead of time that I wanted to frame my ornament as a small picture instead of using it as an ornament.

Linda's Review of Haunted Library - Mill Hill Buttons & Bows Cross-Stitch Kit #MH14-0201

One of my all time favorite holidays is Halloween. I think it's the large number of creatures that you can make for this one holiday that draws me to it. So, of course, I was drawn to some of the Haunted Library Cross Stitch Kit from Mill Hill.

Like the other Mill Hill - Buttons & Beads Series patterns I had bought the  Haunted Library kit included the pattern, embroidery thread, perforated paper, beads, ghost button, 2 needles and instructions.

The Haunted Library pattern uses full counted cross-stitch and outline stitching as well as beads and buttons for emphasis and depth. The pattern also calls for certain areas of the perforated paper to be left untouched as the background. In this case they were leaving sections of the dark blue perforated paper background untouched.

Linda's Review Of Flowers and Hummingbird Cross-Stitch Kit - Dimensions The Gold Collection Petites

This winter proved to be a particularly productive season for me as far as my cross-stitch creations were concerned as I was able to finish 5 of the cross-stitch kits I had previously purchased.   In total I spent 200 hours creating my  5 cross-stitch pictures but it was well worth it.  That amounts to a few hours a day over 70 days or so.  Enough to cover the winter season.

The cross-stitch kit I just finished was a counted cross-stitch kit from Dimensions The Gold Collection Petites entitled Flowers and Hummingbird. Like the other Dimensions Gold Collection kits I had bought the Dimensions Needlecrafts Counted Cross Stitch, Flowers & Hummingbird kit included the pattern, pre-sorted cotton thread, 18 count ivory cotton Aida, needle and instructions.

The Flowers and Hummingbird pattern uses full counted cross-stitch, half cross-stitch and outline stitching for emphasis and depth and this detailing really makes the picture stand out. The design of this cross-stitch gives the finished picture a 3 dimensional aspect with the half cross stitch and outlining being used for artistic effect.

Linda's Review of Covered Bridge - Mill Hill Buttons & Bows Cross-Stitch Kit #MH14-2201

I know that I've told you many, many times that I absolutely LOVE the Fall season. There's just something about it that really inspires me and I find that when I'm looking at crafts to make I generally gravitate towards those relating to the Fall season. So, it should come as no surprise that I chose to make a Fall themed cross-stitch with my Winter creations. Instead of a house the Covered Bridge - Cross Stitch Kit had a wonderful picture of a covered bridge. Certainly one you'd expect to see in New England.

Like the other Mill Hill  - Buttons & Beads Series patterns I had bought the Covered Bridge kit included the pattern, embroidery thread, perforated paper, beads,  hay bundle button, 2 needles and instructions.

The Covered Bridge pattern uses full counted cross-stitch and outline stitching as well as beads and buttons for emphasis and depth. The pattern also calls for certain areas of the perforated paper to be left untouched as the background.  In this case they were leaving sections of the dark blue perforated paper background untouched.

Linda's Review of Winter Woods - Mill Hill Buttons & Beads Cross-Stitch Kit #MH14-1303

One of the cross-stitch I had bought for creating this winter was a little different than some of the others I had completed. Usually I'm drawn to cross-stitch pictures of houses.  This one was a picture of a red cardinal sitting on the limb of a birch tree surrounded by other birch trees and large snowflakes. It was really pretty so I decided to try it.

Like the other Mill Hill  - Buttons & Beads Series patterns I had bought the Winter Woods  kit included the pattern, embroidery thread, perforated paper, beads, red cardinal button, 2 needles and instructions.

The Winter Woods  pattern uses full counted cross-stitch and outline stitching as well as beads and buttons for emphasis and depth. The pattern also calls for certain areas of the perforated paper to be left untouched as the background.  In this case they were leaving sections of the blue perforated paper background untouched.

Linda's Review of Mill Hill Buttons & Beads Home For Christmas Cross-Stitch Kit #MH14-1301

When trying to decide on which small cross-stitch kits I wanted to buy for this winter I saw a charming cross-stitch Christmas picture kit that had an adorable terrier in it.  So, of course, I just had to buy it and was anxious to make it.

Like the other Mill Hill  - Buttons & Beads Series patterns I had bought the Home for Christmas - Cross Stitch Kit included the pattern, embroidery thread, perforated paper, beads, terrier button, 2 needles and instructions.

The Home For Christmas pattern uses full counted cross-stitch and outline stitching as well as beads and buttons for emphasis and depth. The pattern also calls for certain areas of the perforated paper to be left untouched as the background.

I, once again, decided to frame my finished cross-stitch picture in a 5" by 5" white shadow box frame that is 1 1/2" deep and can stand on it's own (like the picture above) or with its back picture stand (like the picture below) as I've been really happy with the way all my other cross-stitch shadowbox pictures have come out.

Linda's Review of Hydrangea In Bloom Cross-Stitch Kit - Dimensions The Gold Collection Petites

As you all know I love cross-stitch kits and love making them over the long winter season.  One of the cross-stitch kits I decided to try this Winter was a counted cross-stitch kit from Dimensions The Gold Collection Petites entitled Hydrangea In Bloom.

Like the other Dimensions Gold Collection kits I had bought the Dimensions Needlecrafts Counted Cross Stitch by Kathryn White, Hydrangea In Bloom kit included the pattern, pre-sorted cotton thread, 18 count ivory cotton Aida, gold beads for the center of the blossoms, needle and instructions.

The Hydrangea In Bloom pattern uses full counted cross-stitch, half cross-stitch and outline stitching, and beads  for emphasis and depth and this detailing really makes the picture stand out. The design of this cross-stitch gives the finished picture a 3 dimensional aspect with the half cross stitch and outlining being used for artistic effect.

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.