It has been a long time since I posted anything, times has flown by! I hope this post finds everyone well and happy!
Finally I have prepared my first online course! In this course you will realise a beautiful needlebooks completely hand sewn. This video course will teach you how to make these wonderful needlebook from scratch. You will learn how to:
-collage your fabrics -how I approach colour and texture -how to create your base with invisible stitches -further embellishing your pieces with laces and embroidery -how to construct the needlebook -ideas for future projects using similar techniques.
No sewing machine is required, just a needle and thread.
Both
beginners and advanced sewers will enjoy this course, you can make the
needle books as simple or as embellished as you like.
This
course is nearly 3 hours and has been divided into segments of
approximately 30 mins (give or take) so you can easily complete this
project at your leisure. Picking it up and putting it down as time
permits.
Hi everyone I'm back from my trip to Australia. I had a lovely time with my family and friends and am ready to get back into work. It's fairly hot here in Italy. Thank heavens my hubbie put in some air con so I can happily stay in and create away! Woohoo!
The first order of business is to update you on my progress (or non) with remaking our Homespun Block of the month. I have skipped Blocks 2,3 and 4, and jumped right into Block 5 so at least I can work along with everybody. Hopefully I can slowly catch up on the others.
At the moment I am working on the embroideries which I hope to finish in the next few days.
As I go I've been making videos on my You tube channel. So if you're interested in seeing how I approach these embroideries pop over and have a look. If you subscribe there and hit the bell button as well you'll automatically be notified when a new video is up. There are several videos, here's one or two examples:
Part 3
Part 4
If you are working on this project, leave a comment and let me know how it's coming along. Of course feel free to ask any questions!
Thank you for visiting my blog. Have a great day, best wishes Rachel
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I finally finished this lovely fabric Christmas book. It was one of those never ending projects that was started last year and finished 7 months later!! I guess it's better late than never!
It has been made with gorgeous antique linens, laces and hemp all sewn together. The cover has been hand embroidered with silk ribbin and has a gorgeous image of a vintage santa.
There are 8 page faces, including the front and back covers.
To create writing spots I made a mini junk journal, altered a notebook and made a trifold envelope with pages inside for journaling.
You can see a video here, with full explanations It is available in my Etsy store Thank you so much !
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Saturday, February 17, 2018
Have you ever heard of Marna Lunt? She's a wonderful sewer and embroiderer from Northern England, she makes the most incredible lampshades and lanterns. I took a few of her online courses which I just loved. You can see them here .
I follow her on Instagram where she announced her new embroidery project Threaduary would start in February. Of course I had to pop over to her blog (being a huge fan) and see what it was about!
Basically it's a project anyone can participate in where you do some stitching (embroidery) everyday and post it on Instagram, being sure to #threaduary .
Marna is amazing and has been embroidering the most amazing flowers EVERYDAY! My goodness I really don't know how she does it! Seriously hop on over to her instagram to have a little look!
Anyway I thought I'd share the various stages of what I'm working on in my efforts to participate! To be honest I have not been able to stitch everyday like Marna. Where does she find the time and energy?????
My beginnings - layering antique hemp and linen scraps on a scrap piece of batting!
I think I stared at it for a few days (already putting me behind schedule) thinking what I should do! Then I thought I'd better start putting some stitches on it and started rows and rows of slow stitching!
Then a light bulb lit up and I decided to do something floral. Please note I always start with incredibly vague ideas! No planning happens over here!
First I thought I'd embroider some flowers and then stitch them on, but then changed my mind, of course! I cut them out and pinned them on my background along with flowers and leaves cut from an old French fabric I have.
I started to embroider the flowers, I want my stitches to be fairly random and not too regular. This is quite a challenge as it comes naturally to place each stitch next to the other in an orderly fashion!
I'm using mixed threads - Dmc, antique perle, DMC Alsace threads, Appleton wools and so on. Just whatever takes my fancy at the time!
This is where I'm at right now. Who knows how long it will take? Especially considering I have no clear direction!
Mum asked 'what are you going to make it into?' Goodness, who knows??? I'll have to see when it's finished! Any suggestions????
Don't forget to read more on Marna's blog and let me know if you decide to do some 'thread therapy' each day like Marna!
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Today I'm super excited to be able to reveal the large project I worked on with my sister Sarah last year.
A little more than a year ago Homespun Magazine asked us if we would like to design a quilt for their 2018 Block of the month program. We were both thrilled and honoured to be asked to do such an important project as there have been some seriously talented and famous designer before us!
We got to work immediately! Fortunately I was visiting home for Christmas so we put together our design, divided the work so we were ready when the fabric arrived.
We were so lucky to work with the new Tilda Lemontree collection. It's just gorgeous, if you haven't seen it yet check it out at your nearest supplier.
The first issue is out on newstands this month with the first block. I haven't received mine yet but will definitely post some photos when it arrives.
The quilt includes a variety of tecniques, from needle turn applique, embroidery and traditional patchwork piecing.
I'm definitely considering following the monthly program and remaking the quilt. Call me crazy but I think I'll do it!!!
We hope those who decide to make this gorgeous quilt enjoy it. We would love to see your photos and know how it's going. You can tag us on Instagram @roxycreationsbyrachel and @roxycreationsbysarah . We would love to hear from you!
If you don't live in Australia, there are many stockists of Homespun in Europe and the US. Another alternative is to buy the magazine in digital form. Just pop over to Homespun's website here for all the links.
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Today I'm thrilled to post my first ever tutorial! I've been wanting to do one of these for a long time now and have finally taken the plunge with this one! Hopefully there will be many more to come!!! It's a very simple tutorial using one my fabric kits recently listed in my shop (here). I thought it would be cool to give some ideas as to what to do with it! So here goes!
In the kit you will find: - one larger piece, beige with white spots - around 15 scrap pieces - felt bunny cut out (it's been handcut not with a diecut) - 5 handcut felt flowers
You will need: - batting (optional) - co-ordinating cotton fabric if you want to line your end product and/or add handles - zipper if you want to make a zipper pouch or small bag - embroidery floss in various colours - off white cotton thread - pins and embroidery needles - scissors + usual sewing notions - sewing machine
How to: Cut a piece of batting to your desired size. Mine measured approximately 26cm x 17.5cm (10'' x 7''). Choose what fabrics you would like to use and randomly lay them on one piece of batting.
Pin or baste in place:
For your backing piece - or prepare a second one in the same way you did the first or take a larger piece and place a few fabrics as I did.
Machine quilt both pieces. I did this randomly, I didn't draw any lines I just went along randomly with the machine in rows. Be careful to catch the edges of the fabrics so they don't lift.
The front and back will look like this:
Place the felt bunny on your front piece and applique it with small stitches using a same colour cotton thread:
Place the felt flowers and put a small stitch with cotton thread to hold them:
Embroidery- center of the flowers : 4 strands of DMC moline thread , French knot. The leaves are single daisy stitches here and there. Please note I didn't draw my embroidery on, I just placed the stitches randomly. Tail : stem is backstitch, leaves are single daisy stitches, berries French knots.
I made my little project into a zipper pouch, which I love, love, love!
I haven't included the making up of the pouch on the tutorial as the kit could be adpted to so many different projects.
You could also make it into many other items, here are some ideas: - fabric basket - easter egg hunt basket/tote (I have a pattern here to which this kit could be adapted) - sweet little wall art - book cover
And the list goes on!
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My new ebook 'Christmas Fun: Inspirational projects for Christmas' is now available in my shop on Etsy! Pop over and check it out!
Love creating at Christmas, check all that apply:
- you're busy at Christmas, overwhelmed and lacking inspiration but still want to create new decorations and unique gifts for friends and family - you love making new decorations each year for your home - you're looking for new ideas for gifts to make - you're tired of patterns that give you vague instructions and are hard to follow - you're looking for cute projects to make for your local Christmas fair, shop or online store.
If you checked or said 'yes' to any of the above this book is perfect for you. It's a one stop shop for your Christmas projects, the book includes 79 pages with:
- 9 inspirational projects and ideas to make, some with variations so in reality there are many more than 9 patterns - patterns include tree decorations, table runner, hanging tree decorations, Christmas wreath, gift cards and tags, gift bags, garlands and gift wrapping ideas - table of contents so you know where to find things - explanations supported by process photos to help you visualize the explanations - printable templates, placement drawings and embroidery designs - where I buy my supplies
Plus you will receive a BONUS 2 Christmas patterns which you can download instantly when you check out! That's great value for money!
The patterns are super fun and easy to make so don't
hesitate put on your favourite Christmas music and start sewing! You
won't want to stop at making one but a whole bundle of these projects to
give away or sell at your local maket!
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This gorgeous Santa Pdf pattern is still available in my shop. It's super fun to make and SO easy! The colour and pattern combinations are endless! You definitely won't be able to stop at making one santa, before you know it you'll have a whole team of santas!!!
What to do with all these little guys?? Decorate your home, put them on the mantle, on side tables in the entry way and what about down the center of your Christmas table!!! I made these santas for a client who purchased an antique French cheese board which she is going to place down the center of her table with the santas on top. Such a cool idea!!
A great idea could be to make one for each person at the table and have a santa sitting on top of, or near, each plate! Let's not forget they make for fabulous gifts! They can go in stockings or given as gorgeous, unique handmade gifts, especially for those you need to give a small thank you to before Christmas - friends, family teachers and so on!
Whilst we're on the Christmas theme, I'm working on a large project which will soon be finished! Here's another little sneak peek into it!
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What's on your desk today? I know mine is a complete and utter mess! That's nothing new! I think it's impossible to create and be tidy at the same time.
Can anybody do that? If the answer is yes I would love to hear how you do it!!!
This summer is a first for me, I've never had to deal with 40°C heat before! Not for one day but for 5 days in a row! I swore I wouldn't leave the house for 5 days terrified of what I might feel when I walked out the door! Well yesterday I did go out and the heat hit me like a ton of bricks! Won't do that again!
Today I'm back inside trying to keep my creative mojo going but it's tough! As a result I have many things on the go but nothing is finished. When I get to that part I stop! Total blockage!
I'm working with inspirational words printed onto antique linen. Who knows where they'll end up!
Maybe I'll use some on this work in progress! Still not finished!
Above is a piece I possibly started more that a year ago! I have resized it and put it on a new base. I think it's going to be for the wall. Maybe on a canvas or something. I'll share it on Instagram when it's complete!
More progress is being made! Woohoo maybe it will be complete by the end of the day! Then again maybe not!
I had forgotten about my little vintage fabric stash! They have come out to play and are enjoying being made into some new goodies!!!
You'll have to wait to see those! Writing is making me hot!
What's on your table today????
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