Snowmen Quilt

Well I am a little late on this one, but it is still dropping a few snowflakes hear and there a bit in Kansas City, so I suppose it is alright :)

My co-worker made this beautiful quilt for her family annual Christmas gift exchange. Needless to say it was a HUGE hit! Just thought I would share it here in case it inspires you for next years holiday season.

She used our Snowmen pattern for half the blocks. The other half she used a machine embroidery pattern she purchased for the snowflake blocks.

Here is the whole quilt (sorry it isn't the best picture, quilts are so hard to photograph!).

The center block detail. She also used her machine and added the family name and date detail. I think it makes it extra special!

You can purchase this pattern for machine embroidery if you want to make quick of the work. Find it on Oregon Patchworks here.

 A close up. I never think pictures do quilts justice. They are always so lovely in person and then end up looking so flat when you try to photograph them (pun intended). Any one have any tips for taking photos of large items like this?

Well better late then never, right?

Happy Stitching All!

-Brooke

New Pattern Adhesive

This product is one of the reasons we LOVE our customers. Recently a lovely lady brought this wonderful temporary adhesive to our attention. We tried it out and had to pass it onto you all! You can now purchase it on our website. I promise a whole can will last you over a year. This stuff is magic!

Do you have trouble with you pattern shifting on you when you are trying to iron it on? This product is for you! Start buy picking out your pattern and cutting away anything you do not want to transfer. 

Next, lay your pieces out like you want them. Lift up each one (away from your fabric) and spray the smallest amount onto the paper side that has the ink on it. Then simply place it back down on your fabric where you want it. It will stick. You can reposition it if you don't get it quite right the first time.

Next, (ignoring my pasty white middle-of-winter white arm), iron-on your patter like normal. If you need to check to see if it has transferred, lift back a corner and look. Don't lift it all the way off, or it will be hard to put back on in the exact place. Move on and iron-on all your other parts.

When you remove the pattern pieces there is no sticky residue left on them! It is AMAZING! You can re-stack them in your envelope and they won't stick together, and you can reuse the patterns a few times, just reapply the spray and iron away!

Then if you are like me, you will change your mind on where you want a piece :)

I just washed out the bottom left acorn so I could add another leaf. When you wash out a part of your pattern just be careful not to get the water and soap on the parts you want to keep. I always use COLD water (heat will only set it further) and Dawn dish soap to get these iron-ons out. Let them air dry. Works like a charm every time. After it is totally dry, just repeat the steps for using the spray and applying your pattern, iron-on and you are ready to stitch!

Ta-da!! Hope this product will help some you out like it did me. I do this for a living and even I still mess up some times. Since I have started using this spray I never have those little ghost lines, it is always crisp and clear. I cannot tell you how much this product is worth in my eyes. It makes things so much easier. Give it a try and let me know what you think!! You can buy it here on our website!

Happy Stitching All!

-Brooke

Embroidery as an Art Form

Lately, I feel like I have been seeing embroidery used in very artistic ways. I just love this concept. It manages to remind the viewer of all those many women in America (and beyond) who have stitched for decades. It also is a fresh break from traditional mediums like watercolor and oil paints. This artist Rosalind Wyatt has used the embroidered stitch to tell a love story. I just love it. Look through the images if you have time.....here. She does such lovely work!

Happy Stitching All!
Brooke

Just in case you ever think needlework goes un-noticed

This piece of American Needlework recently sold at Sotheby's for $1,070,500. It was created by Mary Antrim, a New Jersey school girl in 1807. So just in case you ever feel like you do all that work for nothing, you never know. Your work might end up at auction one day, fetching a pretty penny :) Read the whole story here.  

Happy Stitching All!

Brooke

New SR patterns for Spring!

I have been working round the clock on these new patterns (along with 6 new pattern books I will post on next week). Hope you like them! They are all up on the website + etsy already. 

SR 19 Modern Linens

SR20 Sweet Treats

SR21 It's Raining Cats and Dogs

Happy Stitching All!

Brooke

Embroidery workshop in the Kansas City area!!

We are so proud to announce a partnership with the Honeytree galley for a beginner's embroidery workshop starting April 11th! Here are all the details:

in stitches
embroidery workshops by Kate E. Burke
sponsored by Stitcher's Revolution

Wednesday, April 11, 7pm to 9pm: You will learn basic embroidery stitches.

Wednesday, April 18, 7pm to 9pm: You will learn more complicated stitches.

Wednesday, April 25, 7pm to 9pm: You will learn to work from a pattern
provided by Stitcher's Revolution.

Wednesday, May 2, 7pm to 9pm: You will continue to work from a pattern exploring stitches, fills and colors. Patterns provided by Stitcher's Revolution.

Wednesday, May 9, 7pm to 9pm: You will explore personal narrative with embroidery and begin to make your own design.

Wednesday, May 16, 7pm to 9pm: You will explore experimental dimensions of embroidery using your own designs.

Each workshop session is $20 per person, all materials included.
Classes are designed as individual units of discussion so you can attend sessions individually or the entire 6 weeks. The more classes you attend, the more you learn and explore embroidery as an art form. All classes will be taught at the Honeytree Gallery.

About the instructor
Kate E. Burke is a textile and graphic artist that explores themes of juxtaposition. She captures fleeting emotions and thoughts into permanent reflections of daily life using drawing, watercolor, beads, sequin, fabric and embroidery. Please visit www.kateeburke.com for more information about her work.

To reserve your spot email honeytreegallery (at) gmail (dot) com


Hope to see you there!
Brooke

Fun "embroidered" cake

Saw this over on the craftzine blog...here. Too cool. What a need idea for a treat at your next stitch-a-long or for a birthday!
Just wanted to share-Happy Wednesday all!
Brooke

A VERY Talented Customer

Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE my job? Well I do. Especially on days like today.

We received this beautiful hand painted card (by our stitcher Ada's daughter) along with some pictures of Ada and her award winning quilt.

She won two ribbons for her quilt. I have never been more proud to see our pattern stitched up. It is one of my goals to eventually get one of these accomplished, but I am certain it will take me a few years. Ada--you have inspired me to at least get it started before the new year! Your quilt turned out so lovely! Job well done!

Happy Stitching to all our customers--keep all the good work coming!

Brooke

Lithuanian Stitch Artist Severija Inčirauskaitė-Kriaunevičienė

Severija Inčirauskaitė-Kriaunevičienė is an artist that I do not know much about (mostly because of the language barrier), but that is what I love about art. I don't need to read much on her website to appreciate and look at her work. I hope you will take a look. Her stuff if incredibly unique and interesting.

See many many more on her website.
Hope you all enjoyed seeing her work as much as I did!
Happy Stitching All!
Brooke

busy busy busy

I know, I know. I say that all the time. But I have been super busy around here! We had a consumer trade show here in KC this past weekend, which was new for us. We have only ever done wholesale shows before, so I was hard at work getting that ready and then working the booth. Thank goodness it was clase to home so I could sleep in my own bed at night--that is always a HUGE benefit.

It was very fast paced and busy all weekend long! Thanks to all of you who made it out to the show at KCI Expo! Hope yo see you all again next year!

I have been teaching children's painting classes on the weekend for the past month and this weekend I started an embroidery class as well. It was so much fun and the girls really liked it! We learned the running stitch, basting stitch and back stitch. We got started on our needle books and a sewing pouch to keep all our supplies in. It was so wonderful to see so many little girls so interested in hand work. I just loved it! Hopefully we can keep teaching them and get them onto a machine one day too. Three or four of them expressed how they wanted to be fashion designers (thank goodness for Project Runway and all the "coolness" they brought to making your own clothes) when they grow up. I think it is pretty cool to see kiddos dream so big.

Okay, I have also been working on some NEW patterns!! Wahoo! Here are some sneak peaks. I just got them sent to the printer, so we should have them in stock ready to sell within the next two months. I will post all of the designs when that gets closer. Until then these will have to tide you over :)

Aunt Martha's pattern #4022 Proud to be an American

Aunt Martha's pattern #4023 Life's a Beach

Stitcher's Revolution pattern # 17 Urban Garden

There are a total of 7 new patterns, so get those needles ready folks!! More sneak peaks coming soon!

Happy Monday + Happy Stitching!
Brooke

My favorite customer, Mary

Mary came in today and let me photograph her latest round of tea towels. She is so talented and so sweet. She just makes my day a million times better.

She did all seven days of the week for these, but I just posted three. The rest will be on our website soon. I am trying to get this last pattern drawn (one of 4 new SR patterns) and then I am going to get our website a fresh new look-super excited! It needs it!

These are from our pattern #3534 Birds Galore. I just adore this pattern. It is so beautiful and can add some wonderful color to any kitchen!

Well, back to the drawing board. Happy Stitching All!

Brooke

Tuesday. Terrific Tuesday.

The weather is cool around here today and yesterday, it totally has  me in the Fall mood. I am so thankful I live in a place with four season. Just when you get tired and exhausted things change, it brings new life. I love it. Well I have a few things to share today. I have been so busy drawing new patterns I realized I hadn't posted all week! I am so sorry!

First, talk about some dedication. I give you the Yarn Car. An Imperial totally covered in yarn by artist Tim Klein.

Can you imagine the hours put into this bad boy? It is really crazy. You can see more and read about it here.

Second, a cool new crafting site. CraftFoxes, check it out here. I have just started looking around on there and it  pretty cool. People sharing great ideas. I always love that!

One of my favorite posts so far Cheshire Cat Purse, the Big Zig Blanket pattern, and Super Hero Cookies. Too cool. 

Third, very cool wash away Sashiko fabric at Purl Soho. If you have not been introduced to the wonderful world of Sashiko you must check it out. Very inspiring, very relaxing.

Wow. That was a lot of links in one post. Might be my record. Hang on, lets count them. Seven! Sheesh. I promise, back to my own work next week.
Happy Stitching All!
Brooke

Make N Take kits for the Quilt Show

Well I finally settled on a design..totally different then where I started (not shocked I know). Sometimes that is just how that works. I will post the pattern for free after our event in October. I am so ready for a fall, any excuse to think about it in all this heat!

Happy Stitching All!
Brooke

WIP (almost finished) Baby Blanket

My cousin Ashley is welcoming her first baby into the world in November, so I have been working the past two weekends on Baby Emily's quilt and mobile. She wants a John Deere/Farm theme in the room, so I had to get a little creative since there were no little girl JD fabrics at my local shops. I designed an applique for the tractor on the quilt and then took an old 80's Sesame Street mobile and made it into a JD one (sorry I forgot to take a before mobile pic).

 Baby Emily's name I embroidered in black (transferred it using our

Iron on Transfer Pencil and Tracing Paper)

It turned out pretty cute, I can't wait to take it to her this weekend. The quilt still needs binding (yellow with small white polka dots) and ironing. Sorry for the lousy pictures, it was 12:30 last night after my shower that I realized I need to take some for the blog, so the lighting and staging is not so good :) Sorry peps.

Hope everyone had a great weekend and is staying cool indoors (still in the 100s here in KC).
Happy Stitching All!
Brooke

Anna Maria Horner Needleworks Floss

So excited to see this in her shop! We saw it debut at the Quilt Market in Salt Lake a few months ago. I just love her color pallets. Now the really tough question-which one to get first?

 

I am excited to see if she puts out any embroidery or cross stitch patterns-that would be lovely!! I just love to crochet with the Pearl Cotton too-and you can't find it in such pretty colors very often. I am so excited to get a project going with these! Any one else? or I am out on a crafting limb here?

Cheers!
Brooke

New Project help

So I was discussing with a customer the other day about putting together a kid's embroidery learning kit (that will be another post at a later date) and she brought me down her old teaching book from the 40s.

It is just such a neat book in general, but I wanted to share a part with you, that I thought was begging to be stitched up.  Look at these calendars! Are they not just the coolest? There is of course one for every month, but I didn't want to overload the post with them all.  

I am thinking of enlarging them and stitching them 11" x17", using a dowel at the top and bottom to hang them taught. I  want to use these in our home with some sort of embroidered pins so the dates can change from year to year. But the tough question is all in redwork? or colorful? Ahhhhh I can't decide. Anyone? thoughts?

This will be the largest embroidery project I have ever done. I am excited to work on it though--it is something I want to get done before we have kids. I know life gets busy and I probably won't be able to make time for it later. Has anyone else out there done a calendar project like this?

Happy Stitching All!

Brooke

Wool Embroidery Thread

I saw this beautiful Genziana Wool (12wt) embroidery thread at the Quilt Market.

I just had to share with you all. Traditionally this was used in Crewel Embroidery, but I think you could use it just on about any type of stitching. It is so beautiful and has such a great texture. If you have never worked with it before, give it a try, I think you will like it!

And of course if you want to break into the Crewel stitchery world...there is no better place to start :)

You can purchase any one of the yummy colors on Sue Spargo's website here. They retail for $7.50 each or you can get a whole variety of them at a little discount.
Don't forget you can upload your embroidery projects on our flickr page--hope to see some Crewel work there soon!

Happy Stitching & Happy Friday!!
Brooke