Follow the White Bunny Embroidery Tutorial Two

Stuff you Need Before you Start your First Embroidery

 {Image by Nicole Vos van Avezathe}

Before you start on your new favorite craft you will need a couple of basic embroidery supplies: a hoop, some embroidery needles (or at least 1), fabric, floss and embroidery scissors are handy to have as well.

I would recommend you buy a hoop.  You can start with a rather inexpensive wooden or plastic hoop, and always decide to go for a classier one later.  A 5 or 6 inch hoop will work fine for most embroidery designs.

Secondly you will need fabric. Cotton and linen are both good choices to start with. I often use old sheets or quilters cotton for my embroideries. A lightly patterned fabric can be really fun to embroider on as well. Denim or t-shirt like fabrics (like onesies) can be quite difficult to embroider on so it’s probably better to wait until you are a little more experienced.

Then there is the needle.  You will need a needle that is quite sharp, not too large but with a big enough eye so you can thread it easily.  A needle that is too blunt or big will leave holes in your fabric. An eye that is too small for the number of strands you use will damage your floss. Usually you can buy embroidery needles in packs with various sizes, try and see what works best for you.  Check out this article if you want to know more about embroidery needles.

Of course you will need embroidery floss (DMC and Anchor are two well known quality floss brands and widely available) But which type of floss to choose?  In the craft store you will probably find different flosses: linen, metallic, rayon, or mouliné (which is the same as 6 stranded cotton) floss. I would recommend starting with mouliné as it’s one of the easier flosses to work with and it’s available in a wide variety of colors. The effect of metallic floss is without a doubt very desirable but it’s hard to work with so I would certainly not start with that on one of your first projects. Besides craft stores it can be worth wile to look for floss on Ebay for example or maybe you can pick up some in yard sales or in thrift stores.

Embroidery scissors are very pleasant to have on hand too. They also come in nice colors (pink!) and shapes (bird!).

Next time I’ll discuss the some of the most common types of pattern (iron on & pdf) and how to transfer them to your fabric. You can find quite a few patterns online and of course Magpie Patterns offers a great variety of modern and hip designs, many of them suitable for beginning embroiderers too.

Thanks so much Nicole! If you can't wait for the next installment, visit Nicole's blog for embroidery inspiration.

Huck Finn Pants

I was very ambitious before Norah was born—I earmarked a lot of cute patterns and bought a lot of cute fabric. One project, however, only got as far as being cut out before D-day. Somehow (and I'm not even sure how I managed this—probably by ignoring the laundry) I actually put it together the other day: a pair of Huck Finn pants from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross.

My version is a little different than Heather's, in that I added a little extra room in the rear for a cloth diaper. And for some reason the legs are pretty wide on mine, but I figure if they're ridiculous when she actually gets to wear them (I made the 6 - 12 month size) I'll tailor them accordingly.

They were really simple to put together and use so little fabric (at that size anyway) that I'll probably make a few more pairs. That is if I can continue to ignore the laundry...

Happy sewing everyone!

Polka + Bloom Embroidery Patterns

I am so, so excited about the new designer in the shop: Polka + Bloom. Just look at these designs!

Pompeii Arabesque

Free Wheelin'

Bramble Blooms

Happyscape Spring

Aren't they just gorgeous? Can't you just imagine all the pillows, curtains, dish towels, and clothes in my house freshly decorated with these designs? I can!

Honestly, when I try to choose which pattern to start with I get a little flustered. Ah, such high-craft problems!

Happy stitching!

A Bunny for Easter

I suppose that would make this Rag Doll Rabbit by Rachel O'Donnell an Easter Bunny...

Rag Doll Rabbit

Isn't he adorable? I'm really excited to have Rachel's pattern in the shop. And just in time for Easter! 

In addition to this sweet pattern, Rachel is also an artist (visit her blog to see some of her sweet illustrations). I'm really hoping that there are more patterns like this bunny to come!

Happy sewing!

From Nana

I love, love, love this little sweater by She's Crafty Handknits that my mom knit for baby Norah. A whole lot.

Floral Wrap

I think I love it so much because I was surprised by how darling it is. I know that's goofy since it's obviously adorable:

I mean, really, there's no question. But somehow even this perfect picture (and undeniably precious baby) don't quite do the sweater justice.

Maybe it's yarn (Debbie Bliss - yum) or the color, or the knitter (my mom rocks). I think it may be all of the above. Whatever it is, I highly recommend knitting one yourself if you have a lucky little one in your life. Mom says it's a piece of cake (and she wanted me to add that you shouldn't be put off by the tie or the flower; she promises they're simple) and no doubt you'll be delightfully surprised too.

Happy kniiting everyone!

Stitching Lesson with Follow the White Bunny

 I am lucky enough to have become cyber-friends with Nicole Vos van Avezathe, emboridery designer extraordinare of Follow the White Bunny patterns. Not only is she terrifically inspiring and encouraging, but she is also thoughtful enough to offer to contribute to the Crafty Bird blog while I continue to get in the groove of our newly expanded family. Needless to say, I was happy to take her up on her offer!

So today and every week for a few weeks, Nicole will walk us through some embroidery basics. Which, for me, is perfect timing since I've recently discovered my love of embroidery!


Many thanks to Nicole, and be sure to visit her fabulous blog, Follow the White Bunny, for lots more inspiration!


Happy stitching everyone!

One: Follow me and start stitching your first embroidery soon!

Embroidery is a lovely way to embellish your fabrics, clothes or even paper and shower curtains as Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching shows in her latest book Embroidered Effects.  Equally important, it is great fun to do and can be almost therapeutic (really!). Modern and hip embroidery is on the rise and there are many awesome patterns out there, so you don’t have to be stuck with boring old-fashioned patterns, unless you want to of course … ;) 

I started to embroider a couple of years ago but I still feel very much like an embroidery newbie.  There are many different types of embroidery (blackwork, redwork, crewel to name a few) and many stitches to learn . So much so that it may all seem a bit overwhelming for the aspiring embroiderer.  So let me take you by the hand and get you started on this wonderful craft!  I will just show you the way I would explain it to you as if you were sitting next to me on the couch.  It will be by no means extensive or complete, just enough friendly advice to help you on your way. ☺

Next week I will discuss which materials you need (or which ones are handy) to get started

Valerie's Cute Little Caps

Here are two adorable versions of Leila and Ben's Little Cap by a Crafty Bird and talented sewing mama, Valerie.

{Sock Monkey Version, photo courtesy of Valerie}

{Black and White Version, photo courtesy of Valerie}

{Hat Insides, photo courtesy of Valerie}

I love her style with these caps! Particularly the interior/exterior contrasts. And isn't that baby adorable?

This is how she came to make the caps, and inspire me to (finally) make one for my own son:

Through random blog browsing I somehow ended up on Magpie Patterns and got hooked on the Leila and Ben "Little Cap".  After visiting a few times, I finally bought the pattern. Downloaded it and promptly got busy making a cap for my 10 month old son. Loved it so much, I made another one immediately. Thought I'd share the final products.

The sock monkey was the first hat. The second one is made out of a shirt I was tossing (loved the fabric, but the structure of the shirt had become sadly akin to a potato sack...). This provided an absolutely fabulous way to keep one of my favorite shirts alive and in circulation. And the (new) fabric I used to line it helps to provide a bit of the structure, not to mention a fun splash of colour against that black and white (admittedly 'aged' white...).

Many thanks Valerie for sharing your project!

Happy sewing everyone, and be sure to stop by Valerie's blog for lots of great mama- and craft-inspiration!

Beautiful Belle

Fueling my new-found love of embroidery are these lovely patterns by Comfort Stitching, a new designer in the shop.

Belle

Cherrytree

Little Red Riding Hood

I think these girls are just adorable! I was reading a lovely little Japanese embroidery book this morning and the author suggested that we "just embroider everything for baby!" I think I'll take that a little further and just embroider everything, period!

There's less time than I'd like for new projects right now, but as soon as I have one of these lovelies finished, I'll post my version. I'd love to see yours too, so please share pictures!

Happy stitching everyone!

Baby Norah

We are blessed to be welcoming the newest member of our family to the world this week, sweet baby Norah.

 

  

She is as scrumptious as she looks and we're all wonderfully in love. 

No doubt posting here will be sporadic at best for the next couple of weeks, but I do want to wish everyone happy crafting while we enjoy our baby-moon and take our first steps of growing into our new family!

Precious

Can I just say how much I adore these tiny shoes?

 

Tiny Shoes  

Aren't they yummy? They're one of the two newest patterns in the shop by Ysolda Original Patterns. The other is equally sweet; meet Otto:

Otto 

This sweet little bear can be knit in both or either of the sizes provided in the pattern (the larger bear is about 21" tall and the smaller one is about 12" tall).

Wouldn't either of those (or what the heck, both!) make nice gifts?

Happy knitting everyone!

Even more vintage baby knits

This is my latest creation from the book Vintage Baby Knits, and though I love the pattern, I'm not entirely satisfied with how my version turned out. I think I was just a little rushed and um, a bit sloppy (I always think I won't mind whatever "fixes" I'm making along the way rather than ripping out mistakes when the piece is finished but I'm always bothered by them).

 

In this case I noticed that the lace pattern was sort of drifting, so with each row I thought I'd just adjust it, but regardless, it kept drifting. Until about half-way down, at which point it corrected. Clearly I should have stopped and backed up, but I pressed ahead instead. Oh well. I probably won't rip it out now and after this baby has worn it, I'll be sure to pass it on to a non-knitter who (maybe) won't notice!

To knitting successes, mild mistakes, and even full-blown blunders! They're all beloved in some way  or another (some more so than others, but still...)

Happy knitting!

Found and Finished 3: Little Tree

I may be stretching it a bit with this "Found and Finished" installment, but I'm hoping you'll forgive me. I had bought a package of onesies before my oldest daughter was born, with the intention of embroidering them. There was one left in the package (none of the other had been embroidered, just worn plain) and I thought I'd resurrect my old plan for the new baby.

I've long been an admirer of embroidery—or rather, of skilled embroiders—but a little too nervous to try it myself (aside from embroidering little accents here and there on sewn projects).

Well, all that has changed! Here's my first attempt at an actual image:

 

  

It's one of the designs in the Seedling Trio by SeptemberHouse, all of which are so, so lovely, but this one just happened to fit nicely on a onesie. I think I'll try the others too, although my six-year-old has, quite reasonably, requested that I do something for her. I have some new embroidery patterns to add to the shop that would be perfect for a six-year-old girl... hmm, I think I'm hooked! 

For anyone else who would like to give it a try but are a little nervous, take my attempt as encouragement—it's lots of fun and not as hard as you might think! And check out this tutorial, which is super helpful: http://tashahorsley.typepad.com/photos/embroidery_tutorial/index.html.

Happy stitching everyone!