Here's a handy guide...
Image taken from Pinterest
Now you've no excuse for using the wrong size of needle!
Until next time....happy stitching!
Rhona
Friday, July 27, 2018
Fun Finds Friday....needles
Ever wondered what size of needle you should use for your stitching....or do you just grab the first one that's on hand?
Here's a handy guide...
Here's a handy guide...
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Late again.....but wait till you see why!
Yes.....I'm late....I'm sorry, but I hope you'll understand. And to make matters worse, I have no stitching to show you! The reason I haven't done any stitching (or crafting!) this week is because this happened....
....my little girl got married!
Last week was a mad, chaotic, whirlwind of a time making sure last minute details were seen to....and making table runners! So you can see why I didn't manage to pick up a needle at all last week.
I'm not going to bore you with hundreds of pictures (although I'm really tempted to post lots of them)....just some that are special.
My daughter and her two best friends. They have been friends since middle school! One flew in from California and the other flew in from Japan just to be there for Eirinn's special day....true friendship indeed!
So is that a good enough reason for not having any stitching to show? Hope so!
Until next time....happy stitching!
....my little girl got married!
Last week was a mad, chaotic, whirlwind of a time making sure last minute details were seen to....and making table runners! So you can see why I didn't manage to pick up a needle at all last week.
I'm not going to bore you with hundreds of pictures (although I'm really tempted to post lots of them)....just some that are special.
My daughter and her two best friends. They have been friends since middle school! One flew in from California and the other flew in from Japan just to be there for Eirinn's special day....true friendship indeed!
All the bridesmaids together...
And lastly, the proud mama and her little girl.....
So is that a good enough reason for not having any stitching to show? Hope so!
Until next time....happy stitching!
Rhona
Friday, July 20, 2018
Fun Finds Friday....organization!
This was a tip that I read about somewhere and can't find the original link....typical!
So now that I have made friends with my sewing machine (yes, it's finally happened....who'd have ever guessed that?!) it's time to get my sewing supplies tidied up and organized. If you're like me and have a box with your all your threads and bobbins tossed into it in a big jumble, here's a great tip to get the correct thread bobbin with the spool of thread first time......
.......a golf tee works beautifully! Isn't that a simple but brilliant idea?
Now I have no excuse not to have a neat and tidy sewing box and the right threads at hand all the time.
Until next time....happy stitching!
So now that I have made friends with my sewing machine (yes, it's finally happened....who'd have ever guessed that?!) it's time to get my sewing supplies tidied up and organized. If you're like me and have a box with your all your threads and bobbins tossed into it in a big jumble, here's a great tip to get the correct thread bobbin with the spool of thread first time......
.......a golf tee works beautifully! Isn't that a simple but brilliant idea?
Now I have no excuse not to have a neat and tidy sewing box and the right threads at hand all the time.
Until next time....happy stitching!
Rhona
Monday, July 16, 2018
Stitching and sewing!
Cross stitching has taken a bit of a back seat this week as I have been trying to get on with the fidget quilt that I wanted to make for my mother-in-law. Somehow the day doesn't seem right without being able to add at least a few stitches to a cross stitch project, so I have been aiming to get at least one thread length of stitches done each night to the seashells design....
The fidget quilt is a priority to get done as we are heading back to Scotland again in two weeks time. This project meant that I was forced to become friends with my sewing machine.....and it worked! We're maybe not best buddies yet, but we at least understand one another :)
This is the whole thing laid out.....lots of bits aren't attached yet but I wanted to show you how it's progressing and how it will look. I'm really pleased with it so far....I still have the quilting part to do, so my opinion might change!
So, for anyone who doesn't know what a fidget quilt is (I didn't until recently!) they are small quilts for people with dementia/Alzheimers and can be laid over the persons lap or laid on a table. They include little activities to keep fingers busy and can help reduce anxiety.
The beads on the ribbon will be attached after I have finished the quilting part, the beads will be able to be moved along the ribbon. My mother-in-law likes to fold fabric or tissues so I tried to incorporate this type of thing into her quilt... the little triangles of fabric can be lifted and folded...
....and the strips of fabric here have a pipe cleaner in between the layers so they can be manipulated, rolled and folded etc....
....these little fabric yo-yos were such fun to make. They still have to be sewn on, but that's another part for later...
...and this ribbon layer will also be attached at the end. This is just a fun part that my MIL can play with. There are different textures and colours....
....another textured part.....since she used to be a great knitter, this seemed like something she would like...
........and a little magnet closure should keep her restless fingers busy. (And I discovered a new stitch on my sewing machine!)...
This has been a fun project to do and I'm sure I'll make another one for her. I also think that I might try my hand at quilting. My friend's daughter is pregnant and a little baby quilt might be a good sized project to start with.....I can hear the fabric at the craft store calling my name!
Until next time...happy stitching!
The fidget quilt is a priority to get done as we are heading back to Scotland again in two weeks time. This project meant that I was forced to become friends with my sewing machine.....and it worked! We're maybe not best buddies yet, but we at least understand one another :)
This is the whole thing laid out.....lots of bits aren't attached yet but I wanted to show you how it's progressing and how it will look. I'm really pleased with it so far....I still have the quilting part to do, so my opinion might change!
So, for anyone who doesn't know what a fidget quilt is (I didn't until recently!) they are small quilts for people with dementia/Alzheimers and can be laid over the persons lap or laid on a table. They include little activities to keep fingers busy and can help reduce anxiety.
The beads on the ribbon will be attached after I have finished the quilting part, the beads will be able to be moved along the ribbon. My mother-in-law likes to fold fabric or tissues so I tried to incorporate this type of thing into her quilt... the little triangles of fabric can be lifted and folded...
....and the strips of fabric here have a pipe cleaner in between the layers so they can be manipulated, rolled and folded etc....
....these little fabric yo-yos were such fun to make. They still have to be sewn on, but that's another part for later...
...and this ribbon layer will also be attached at the end. This is just a fun part that my MIL can play with. There are different textures and colours....
....another textured part.....since she used to be a great knitter, this seemed like something she would like...
........and a little magnet closure should keep her restless fingers busy. (And I discovered a new stitch on my sewing machine!)...
Until next time...happy stitching!
Rhona
Friday, July 13, 2018
Fun Finds Friday....a Friday Funny!
Something a bit different for this week's Fun Finds Friday......a bit of light-hearted humour ....
Picture credit - Needlework Retailer
Until next time....happy stitching!
Rhona
Monday, July 9, 2018
I found the button!
The missing button mysteriously turned up.......so I have a finish to show you!
Doesn't the little camper van button up the cuteness factor on this little card?
And carrying on with the beach theme, here's this weeks progress on the seashells design...
...which could have been more, but I noticed that I had stitched some of the pink in the letters using the wrong colour - at least I noticed it before I had completed all the letters! (Trying to look on the bright side of things!!!) So after reverse stitching the pink (doesn't that sound better than unpicking or frogging?!) and re-stitching in the correct shade of pink, it looks so much better. I just hope I don't run out of that colour - always a risk when you're stitching a kit.
Here's hoping the frog stays away this week!
Until next time....happy stitching!
Doesn't the little camper van button up the cuteness factor on this little card?
And carrying on with the beach theme, here's this weeks progress on the seashells design...
Here's hoping the frog stays away this week!
Until next time....happy stitching!
Rhona
Friday, July 6, 2018
Fun Finds Friday......
Here's something a bit different for this weeks Fun Finds Friday post. If you're like me, you'll love all the hand dyed fabrics and threads that are available. Have you ever wondered about dying some threads or fabrics yourself? Ifyou have completely no idea how or where to start doing this (I'm definitely in that category!), here's a little help.
https://munizcouture.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/hand-dyed-pearl-cotton-embroidery-floss-tutorial/
http://www.designmatterstv.com/tips-for-dyeing-threads/
https://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/2009/05/fabric-dyeing-sunday.html
https://www.quiltingcompany.com/hand-dyeing-shortcut-make-and-keep-a-soda-ash-solution-quilting-daily/
https://www.dreamalittlebigger.com/post/variegate-your-own-floss-tie-dye-monotone-you-choose.html
https://www.sewsewart.com/p/dyeing-embroidery-thread.htmlhttps://crythebird.com/2017/11/30/diy-dye-using-safe-kitchen-items-to-dye-embroidery-floss/
I've only listed links on how to dye threads or floss as it's often called, and I'll do another post on hand dying fabric at another time.
Here's hoping these links might help spur you on to tackle some home thread dying! Good luck....and let me know how you get on!
Until next time....happy stitching!
Image taken from Pinterest
https://munizcouture.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/hand-dyed-pearl-cotton-embroidery-floss-tutorial/
http://www.designmatterstv.com/tips-for-dyeing-threads/
https://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/2009/05/fabric-dyeing-sunday.html
https://www.quiltingcompany.com/hand-dyeing-shortcut-make-and-keep-a-soda-ash-solution-quilting-daily/
https://www.dreamalittlebigger.com/post/variegate-your-own-floss-tie-dye-monotone-you-choose.html
https://www.sewsewart.com/p/dyeing-embroidery-thread.htmlhttps://crythebird.com/2017/11/30/diy-dye-using-safe-kitchen-items-to-dye-embroidery-floss/
I've only listed links on how to dye threads or floss as it's often called, and I'll do another post on hand dying fabric at another time.
Here's hoping these links might help spur you on to tackle some home thread dying! Good luck....and let me know how you get on!
Until next time....happy stitching!
Rhona
Monday, July 2, 2018
Almost a finish!
I was soooo close to having a cross stitch finish for today, but it wasn't to be......
....this was another one of the free gifts from the CrossStitcher magazine that I picked up while in the UK. The design came with a cute little camper van button to stitch in that blank spot you can see in the stitching. Unfortunately I have put it somewhere safe and can't for the life of me find it anywhere!!! Hopefully when I have a clear out of my work space I will come across it and finish this cute little card.
This little design didn't take up all my time last week, even although I am still the queen of slow stitching! While we were back in the UK we saw for ourselves how much my mother-in-law had deteriorated with Alzheimers. I decided to research how we could help her even though we were so far away. I came across many ideas of activities that can help slow the progression of the disease, so I decided to make as many of these activities as I could. So I set out last week armed with my sewing machine, felt, glue gun and various other crafty bits I have stashed away.
The first activity was matching the felt colour to the straws and moving the felt from one side of the straw to the other.......
The next one involved me using the sewing machine...which as you know, me and my sewing machine have a strained relationship! :) This was a marble maze, so you have to move the marble from one side to the other. This is a great activity to keep fidgety fingers busy. Instead of just sewing round the maze once, I stitched several times in a contrasting thread colour so that it can be seen easily and not cause frustration.
This next one is a set of coloured craft stricks with velcro dots attached so that different shapes or patterns can be made. Here it is in it's own little bag....
....this was another one of the free gifts from the CrossStitcher magazine that I picked up while in the UK. The design came with a cute little camper van button to stitch in that blank spot you can see in the stitching. Unfortunately I have put it somewhere safe and can't for the life of me find it anywhere!!! Hopefully when I have a clear out of my work space I will come across it and finish this cute little card.
This little design didn't take up all my time last week, even although I am still the queen of slow stitching! While we were back in the UK we saw for ourselves how much my mother-in-law had deteriorated with Alzheimers. I decided to research how we could help her even though we were so far away. I came across many ideas of activities that can help slow the progression of the disease, so I decided to make as many of these activities as I could. So I set out last week armed with my sewing machine, felt, glue gun and various other crafty bits I have stashed away.
The first activity was matching the felt colour to the straws and moving the felt from one side of the straw to the other.......
The next one involved me using the sewing machine...which as you know, me and my sewing machine have a strained relationship! :) This was a marble maze, so you have to move the marble from one side to the other. This is a great activity to keep fidgety fingers busy. Instead of just sewing round the maze once, I stitched several times in a contrasting thread colour so that it can be seen easily and not cause frustration.
This next one is a set of coloured craft stricks with velcro dots attached so that different shapes or patterns can be made. Here it is in it's own little bag....
The last activity (so far!) involved some paint sample chips, clothes pegs and the trusted old glue gun. This one isn't quite finished but only has a few little bits to finish it off....
All these activities can be placed in their own little bag and stored away or easily carried if needed. My next activity will be a big challenge for me as it does involve that dreaded sewing machine (but for my mother-in-law. it's worth conquering my fear) and I'll be attempting to make a fidget quilt for her....wish me luck!
Until next time....happy stitching!
Rhona
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