Slow Stitching - some little stitched elements for adding to handmade cards

 I have been working on these small stitched elements which I will be adding to handmade cards.  The butterfly, leaves and bird are images which I traced out with a light gray pigment pen onto the off white cotton scraps and then embroidered with stem stitch in the appropriate colours.  I embellished these with Serwent Inktense watercolours.  I was very careful this time to not use too much water and to start all my applications to the interior of the designs and managed to get very little bleeding of colour outside the designs.  The watercolour becomes permanent once it dries.  After they were dry I also used the iron to flatten them out and they look great.  Really, loving the process!!

The other two are fabric elements which have been cut out of fabric and stitched to the cotton pieces.  The heart has purple stem stitch all the way around and stab stitches in three different colours on the inside.  The other flowers were little half circles trimmed from fun fabrica and stitched down using stem stitch in black floss and then added french knots and then some stems with leaves.  

I stitched all of these to the horsehair interface which very nicely simulates linen fabric.  I will add these to coordinating card front to finish them up. Will post them here once they are done.  You can check out a few more here and here and here.    Therese

Shirt savers - special request

 I have been working on a special request - six adult shirt savers!!  A friend and I committed to making a dozen of these before the fabric sale and decided with that commitment over we would get started.  I had made one of these for Dad when he went into care and had a pattern already worked up after some internet research to establish a size - approximately 36" x 18".  

I had to modify my pattern a little bit because the request specified a soft closure rather than a mechanical one (velcro, snaps, etc).  After a bit of research and some inquiries to some who work in the industry we were able to get a visual of the sort of closure that they had requested.  It entails pulling one of the ends through a hole in the other piece and folding it over to keep the shirt saver on.  It gives a very quick release as well when removing and nothing to worry about when they are sent off to the laundry.  I made up a couple patterns and my partner and I got started.  I passed on the cotton and flannel we had set aside as there was only enough to make six of them.  I dug through my stash of fabric and came up with several different pieces of cotton and a large piece of flannel.  Fortunately, there was a smaller scrap of flannel in what we had picked out and I was able to get another piece from the end of the large one we had set aside.  The piece I had made four so I was good to go!!!  I had cut all six out last week and was able to get all the sewing done today!!  We decided to sew the cotton and flannel with good sides together and leave an opening so we could turn the whole thing inside out.  I added two rows of stitching all the way around and then cut a slot (1.25") in one of the sides to which I added a length of seam binding.  I then stitched the two sides to each other before finishing off the edge with another length of seam binding.  It makes a neat finish and easily identifies where the slot is.  I had cut a 1.5" slot in my prototype but it was made out of different fabric and three layers.  I decided to start with 1.25" because these were lighter and I am glad I did.  I put the cotton on the front and flannel on the back but really these are reversible and can be used with either side to the front and with the colours I chose should be gender neutral on at least one side.  I hope the person we made them for will be happy with our efforts and I am sure they will be put to good use!!!  Therese

Birthday card featuring an origami dress, fun ribbon and background and an embellished greeting

I am really having fun with folding origami dresses!!!  I folded another one for this birthday card for one o of my grand daughters.   Check out Tuscon Happenings for instructions in PDF format.  I added battenburg lace at the waist and embellished it with a silver flower sequin which I adhered with a tiny silver brad.  I tore my fun background paper and backed the opening with ivory paper than added a bright pink ribbon which I secured inside the card with double sided tape.  I added the dress with 3D foam tape and then worked on my colour printed font greeting.  I trimmed and paper pierced the edges, added an embossed line which I created using my score tool.  I added two pink eyelets and then tied yellow cording to it.  I mounted it to my card using double sided tape.  I made the back of the dress neat so that she could remove it and use it as a book mark!!   Therese