Welsh Dragon

The Welsh Dragon cross stitch I brought home from holidays is finished.

I’ve now started on version 2, the next one is going to be jazzed up a little, only to prevent me getting bored. I don’t like doing the same thing twice so I needed something o keep me interested. So far so good.

Welsh Dragon Progress

A full weekend of motor racing has seen great progress with the Welsh Dragon cross stitch.

A few more races and it should be ready to fly.

Orchid for Mum

Mum carried an orchid in her wedding bouquet. I stitched it for her quite a few years ago now.

I even did the framing. Boy, Framers earn every penny.

Now I’m going to bore you with detail.

I left areas of the aida cloth unstitched, to add depth.

Mum was trying to decide who she should give it to. She offered it back to me but together we decided to give it to her neighbour, Linda. Linda is a wonderful friend to Mum and never hesitates to help my Sister and I out. She also grows orchids. Together we gave  it to Linda. Linda said “now I have a little of both you”. I believe we made a good choice.

The Crafter’s Way 190– Cross Stitch

Cross Stitch is often the first kind of embroidery that many people learn. It is simple to learn. There is a vast choice in patterns and charts for people to choose, from children’s designs to large, time consuming ones for the passionate stitcher. Cross Stitch is popular across many cultures. It can be found in Celtic designs, Maori costumes, and middle European Folk Work.
Cross Stitch is usually completed on an evenweave fabric which allows the stitches to be kept even and straight. The most readily available and popular is Aida cloth. Aida is an open weave fabric which is quite stiff. It comes if different gauges; 11count, 14 count etc. the gauge indicates the squares per linear inch. e.g 14count has 14 squares per linear inch. Most charts indicate to gauge of Aida to be used. As your confidence increases and if your eyesight allows you can do cross stitch on linen.
To do a full cross stitch correctly: Bring your needle up at (A) then reinsert at (B), up at (C) and down at (D), up at (E) and down at (F). Continue until you have finished the row of colour.
To complete the cross: bring the needle up at (J) and reinsert at (K), up at (L) and down at (M).

If you are choosing to use a variegated or space dyed thread you complete each stitch completely before moving onto the next stitch.
Some cross stitch charts require you to use half cross stitch, quarter and three quarter stitches. Use of these variations can assist with shading and detail. They can be a little daunting to begin with but with a little perseverance they can be a simple as a full cross stitch.
If you have never tried cross stitch before start on a small project. Many first time cross stitchers make the mistake of starting a large project and end up not completing it. The feeling of finishing your first project should not be delayed. As your experience and patience grows then you can confidently create a large masterpiece. Everything you need to do Cross Stitch is readily available, what are you waiting for?

Cross Stitch Bear

This is a quick post. I posted here my plans to use ModPodge to attach a Cross Stitch to canvas.

I painted the canvas first, then added the the pink linen. Once that was dry I added the Cross Stitch. I was happy with the result though next time I will not add the ModPodge to the fringed edge. I think I would like that to be a little softer.

All in all it is another option for finishing off a small to medium Cross Stitch if you don't want to go to the expense of framing.

Cross Stitch Bears

A few weeks back I picked up  couple of completed cross stitch designs. Somebody had gone to a lot of trouble to stitch them then hadn’t done anything with them. I wasn’t really sure what I would do with them but after the success of my “fabric on canvas” letters I decided that I would do something along the same lines. I found this piece of coordinating linen in my stash. Mixed up some paint for the canvas. Then after pressing the linen to within an inch of its life I painted some mod podge onto the fabric. It is a really cold, wet day here today so I’m still waiting for it to dry before I do any more.

Waiting……waiting……

Latest Garage Sale Finds

I was most excited when I found these finished cross stitched pieces going for a song. I wonder what the maker had planned for them? A DMC book of cross stitch borders. I buy bags of assorted threads to use to hold the skein of threads together while dyeing. It doesn’t matter if it’s poor quality cause it going  straight into the bin when I’ve finished. But hidden in the bag were  six wooden cotton reels. And last but not least are two wire hearts just waiting to be embellished. All of these items are now in Pandora’s Box waiting for a new home.

ReDesign

With most of our stock still in boxes I decided that today would be a wonderful opportunity to rearrange the shop. I wish somebody had stopped me. Move one thing and you need to move everything else.









I started with the fabric.












Then I decided to move the Thread Platters over under the Stitcheries.











They were looking a bit bare after the Expo so I just grabbed a extra handful of each and threw them on. I'll tidy them tomorrow. One side of the shop is completely finished, the other is, shall we say, a work in progress.

Worth a Look 2

With Americans caught up with Inauguration Fever we have been seeing lots of Obama inspired crafts. This one is my fave, so classy.


http://kittyandmedesigns.blogspot.com/



It's sure to have pride of place on somebody's wall for ..... well... at least till the next election.



Seriously though, I thought it was the most elegant sampler I have seen in quite a while.

Craft Website Update

After finishing todays dyeing schedule I decided it was time to add to our new shopping website

We now have a Needlework section with our exclusive designs.

Of course as is usual when time is of the essence nothing in the computer world was going easy. So we only have 3 items listed for now. Lots more tomorrow.

Cross Stitch Conversion

After years of designing my own range of Cross Stitch Charts I have now ventured into Cross Stitch Conversions for other people. Funny how you never consider some options then within the course of a couple of weeks you can have 3 or 4 people ask you if you do conversions. My inital reaction was to say no then I reconsidered. Which now brings me to my first commission.

And here's bit of a preview of the finished bird. The original has a lovely watercolour effect to it. I hope I've captured it. I've actually done 2 charts. One with a stitched background, the other is just the bird with no background.

I've also finally finished un-braiding the 'Japanese Braid'.

After I finished that I needed to rewind all the bobbins. Of course by then I was over it for the day. I'll start braiding afresh tomorrow.

Craft Addiction

This is truly pathetic. We are closed for the next 2 weeks, except Sundays. Saturday afternoon I began to panic. Do I have enough 'stuff' at home to keep me occupied. I created a list of all the things I wanted to at least start. Then another list of what I would need to do this. All very methodical.

I brought home 2 bags.

Sunday after lunch was when the panic set in.

But what if I wanted to do this. What about this idea that has been floating around for a couple of weeks?

These supplies have been spread out on my large corner lounge. I've tried to make tidy piles for the photos but you just know that it going to spread out all over the place. I have now prioritised the projects but I can see that going out the window the first time I have another whim.

The stuff can't stay in the lounge, better go and make room for it in the studio... with the rest of my stuff.

The Best Sort of Surprise

I recently signed up for my first ever online swap. The deadline was Dec 1st. I received my Christmas Present from my swap partner Diana about 2 weeks ago. Not sure about the rules, I sent her an email to let her know it had arrived safely but didn't open it. I thought I had to wait until Dec 1st.

It was worth the wait. I love it and its so me. I didn't give Diana any clues on colours etc. In fact I told her make what ever her heart desired. It was one of the reasons I joined the swap. I wanted to see what sort of creative crafts other people did.

Unbeknown to Diana my house is decorated in that exact colour of Blue. I've never quilted and have been a bit daunted at the prospect of trying it. A small quilted wallhanging though might just be the trick.

Diana also sent me these Autumn Leaves which have been preserved by ironing them between sheets of wax paper. Diana says that school children in Ohio have been doing it this way for generations. I'm going to take them into the shop where we have a better scanner and Photoshop and see if I can capture the intensity and richness of the reds. They are magnificent.

Thank you so much Diana, This won't be my last online swap.

Online Classes

I have started doing some online classes. Currently I have listed classes on Hand Dyeing and Hand Printing Fabric, a couple of Cross Stitch Charts and two of my Stitchery Designs. You can find them at CraftEd Online or click on the box in my sidebar.

These are more convenient much less expensive way to learn a new skill or craft.

I'll let you know as I add more.

Also keep an eye out for some new listings in my Etsy store. I had planned to list them next but just remebered that the images of the items are on the computer at the shop. Guess it will have to wait until tomorow.

The Crafters' Way - Chicken Scratch

I write a weekly craft column for a local paper. I share it here with bloggers or you can view online at www.northlakesmessenger.com.au



Chicken Scratch Embroidery is a type of embroidery worked on gingham fabric. It is also known as Snowflake Embroidery, Depression Lace or Gingham Lace. The exact origins of this craft are unclear as is the origins of the name ‘Chicken Scratch’. Chicken Scratch embroidery is worked on gingham fabric and uses 3 embroidery stitches. Couldn’t be simpler. In fact many of us can probably recall being given a piece of gingham, needle and thread as children to sew with.


The needle should have a long eye and a sharp point, a number 20 Chenille or number 5 embroidery needle are perfect. The thread is embroidery floss or stranded cotton. White is the colour of choice but you can certainly experiment for different effects. The number of strands you choose to use will alter the finished look again experiment.







Chicken Scratch is worked from a chart; anyone familiar with Cross Stitch charts will be able to follow one. Before beginning to stitch it is important to measure you fabric. Do not guess this. While gingham checks come in a variety of sizes most are not square. Measure the number of gingham squares in 1 inch of fabric, top to bottom and side-to-side. This will determine the stitch count necessary for your project. If you do not do this accurately you may find that you don’t have enough fabric to finish the work.



Work Chicken Scratch in a hoop. Remove the fabric from the hoop when not working. Some of the gingham fabrics are very fine and they will mark if left in the hoop for long periods. The stitches used for Chicken Scratch are already familiar to most Stitchers. The Double Cross Stitch, the Straight Running Stitch and the Woven Circle Stitch are worked in various combinations to produce a multitude of patterns. The Double Cross Stitch may be more familiar to some Stitchers as Smyrna Stitch. Chicken Scratch is worked in order. The outline is completed first. The Double Cross Stitch is worked next followed by the Running Stitch. The Woven Circle Stitches are worked last.


If you are unfamiliar with any of the stitches used in Chicken Scratch a quick ‘google’ will reap you many useful resources

The Crafters' Way 47 - Blackwork

Each week I write a Craft Column for a local paper, I post it here for bloggers.

Blackwork is one of the most popular forms of embroidery. Worked with black thread on white evenweave fabric it also one of the most striking. The popularity of Blackwork can be traced back to the reign of Henry VIII. Henry’s wife, Catherine of Aragon (the first wife) was an accomplished embroiderer and is believed to have embellished her clothes with this work.


Blackwork is a counted method of embroidery using geometric alignment of stitches to create the pattern. It is considered a forerunner to cross-stitch. The use of Aida cloth is an ideal evenweave fabric for a beginner. Traditionally Holbein Stitch was used to create straight lines. Holbein stitch is a double running stitch similar to back stitch. In this case the needle is brought up between the previously stitched thread to ensure that finished stitch lies flat. Today most Blackwork stitches use backstitch. Other stitches were used to create shading. They include Split Stitch, Stem Stitch, Chain Stitch and Coral Stitch.


Three styles of Blackwork developed. Linear, Reversible Blackwork, this is the style most of us associate with Blackwork. Traditionally worked on collars and cuffs this style was worked in bands to looks the same from the front and back. The Holbein Stitch was used to create this style due to its flatness and ability to hide the starting and finishing thread.

This image is of one of Trishalan Designs Blackwork Designs on Aida Cloth.





The second style was Free Form with Geometric Fill patterns. This style developed a little later and incorporated shapes resembling leaves, flowers, etc. The fill patterns were stitched with chain stitch, coral stitch and stem stitch. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st this style of Blackwork was found on household items and the large billowy sleeves favoured at this time. The last style was the use of Outlined Motifs. The outlined motifs were found stitched in a random manner and also within a lattice pattern.


In my opinion, Blackwork is a little more challenging than cross stitch and a little less time consuming than fancywork. Start with a simple pattern and have a go, you will be very happy with the result.

We're Celebrating

Today I finished my part time job to concentrate totally on TRISHALAN DESIGNS. To celebrate we are holding a prize draw at the end of October.

Here's how to enter.

1. Leave a comment, making sure that your contact details are there. Your Email or User Name with a link is fine.

OR

2. Send me an email

At the end of October, there will be a random draw. The lucky winner will receive not 1 but 2 of our gorgeous hand dyed fabric 3 pks. Click on the online shopping link at the top of the page and start deciding which colours you would choose.

I promise that I will also add the new colour ranges over the next few days.

These are the flowers I received from one of the campus'. Aren't they gorgeous?

If anybody knows what the small green berries might be please let me know. The residents and I had no idea yet they really added a lift to the bunch.

I was also given a copy of the Lonely Planet Japan. This will so come in handy when I'm there for the Kumihimo conference.

Working with the Residents, Staff and Volunteers to develop the Volunteer Program has been rewarding and a whole lot of fun. Some days it was hard to believe that it was supposed to be work. I'm really looking forward to now designing new fabric and thread ranges. Stay tuned I might even find time to work on some of those Cross Stitch charts floating in my head.

Don't forget to comment or email.

Silver Anniversary 2

I 've had a few people email asking for more detail on how I did the Barcode Cross Stitch.

When I started I wasn't planning on using my cross stitch computer program. The initial plan was to graph it out as I went.

The first step was to type in my sister's and brother-in-law's names in the barcode font that comes with the word program. I typed them in the largest size, there's no sense going blind during the next step.

I then assigned the number of stitches based on the thickness of the bars. At first I only assigned stitches to the black bars however you also need to assign space for the white gap.

This image is my actual working diagram, the bottom number is the gap. The height of the bars were proportional.

After I had stitched the bars I sat and thought about their letters. At the beginning I had planned to stitch a border around the bars in the gap colour then back stitch the letters. I believe this will still work well if you don't have a program to design your letters.

For once I was well ahead of myself at this stage, the anniversary wasn't for another 2 months so I decided I had time to cross stitch the letters. Here I used the computer program.

This the actual graph in colour and symbol. The letters didn't exactly line up under their bars I needed to pay around with the spacing to get the right balance. This was probably the most time consuming part.

If you don't have a cross stitch program don't be put off from doing your own barcode, backstitching the letters will equally as effective. Have fun!

Silver Anniversary

Earlier in the year I wrote a Crafters' Way article on a Tricia Smout Exhibition. Tricia uses letter, words, and symbols as her inspiration to create hangings, artist books, sculptures and wearable art in paper, fibre and fabric. I was inspired.


At the same time I had started to think about a 25th Wedding Anniversary present for my sister. Sheelagh isn't flowery or excessive, preferring simple and elegant . A text based design seemed perfect for her.



I designed a simple cross stitch using the barcode font on the computer. Instead of the numbers you usually find under a barcode I stitched the letters of their names.

The second image is a close up of the design. I needed to play around with the spacing of the letters a bit, but generally they are in line with the bars. You could easily use the same idea and add flowers etc to give it a softer look.

The design has been stitched for a couple of months but I couldn't post it until I gave it to them today. They loved it!

The Crafter's way 24

I write a weekly craft column for a local paper, eash week I share it here for bloggers. The images are of Trishalan Designs Cross Stitch Charts.


Whoever would have thought that the simple notion of crossing two threads to create a picture would create one of the world’s most popular crafts? Well apparently the Ancient Egyptians! The earliest piece of cloth found to include cross-stitch has been dated to the 6th century.
It wasn’t until the early 1800’s that Cross Stitch started to become recognised as a craft in itself. A German printer named Phillipson started to create blocked and coloured patterns for mass production. By 1840, over 14,000 designs were printed yearly! The intervening years have seen cross stitching’s popularity seesaw. Today, as with many other embroidery techniques, Cross Stitch is again enjoying resurgence.

Cross-stitch is a form of counted thread embroidery that can be quite inexpensive to start. I can recall my Grandmother giving us napkin sized pieces of checked gigham to Cross Stitch. My mother still uses these today.To easily count the threads most stitches choose to use evenweave fabrics such as Linen, Cotton or Aida. Aida Cloth is available in 11, 14, 16, 18, and 22 count sizes and many different colours. The sizes of Aida and Evenweave types denote the approximate number of threads woven per inch. The count of the fabric will affect the finished size of the picture.

Stitchers work from charts with colours and symbols identfying the correct colour placement. The chart will also identify the preferred fabric.This form of cross-stitch is called Counted Cross-Stitch.Cross Stitch can also be completed on aida or canvas where the design has been preprinted. This is referred to as Stamped Cross Stitch.This is very popular with Children’s starter kits.

Today’s Cross Stitchers have lots of new development to enjoy within their chosen craft. Stichers are exploring the uses of creative stitchers in order to create new visual effects and are often choosing to embellish their finished work with beads, buttons and charms. Cross Stitch design computer software is readily available and simple to use, even for the most computer challenged amongst us. These software programs have allowed the stitcher to create their own charts rather than simply recreating a commercial pattern.

Cross stitching is simple and relaxing. You won’t complete a piece in one sitting so don’t try. Just start counting!