Of note

I've stumbled across some enticing online content lately. I'm always on the lookout for exceptional stitching, beautiful images and inspiring people, and these definitely fit the bill.

Elizabeth Bookey of This Tiny Existence has an eye for colour, which is evident in her thread illustrations (as I like to think of them). Crafting Shelves is what originally caught my eye and got me twigged on to this artist:

Marie Viljoen is a South African-born writer, photographer and garden designer living in New York. Although nothing to do with stitching, her blog features beautiful photographs that I find especially inspiring when it comes to colour. To see Marie's photos, go to 66 Square Feet.

Kate gives us a glimpse into her life as an organic farmer, cook, mom, wife and maker over on Foxs Lane. The way she stays true to the life her family strives to lead is inspirational, and she even manages to find time to craft:

The clean lines of Corinne's designs appeal to me hugely. And her blog, So September, is a pleasure to read too. Head over there to see her embroidery.

Stitchers and designers Carina Envoldsen-Harris and Nicole Vos van Avezathe have joined forces to produce embroidery e-zine &Stitches. Being the producer of a digital magazine myself, I had to include them in this post as I know just how much work went into their first issue, which looks great. Find out more about it on the &Stitches blog.

 Note: All the images in this post are © the owners. Please click on the links to see their individual limitations on use of images.

Embroidery is not for sissies

Sissies (noun, plural) : wimps
Common use in South Africa: "Don't be a sissy." As in, don't be afraid. 

Hand embroidery is not for the faint-hearted. It requires skills similar to those found in endurance athletes.

Determination : Seeing a project through to its end takes a large dose of determination and will power, especially if it's a large project and you have a deadline.

Endurance : It always takes twice as long to get that section done as you think it's going to take. This requires a certain level of patience and endurance in the stitcher, to keep going when your inner sissy is screaming for you to stop.

A high pain threshold : Needle pricks, neck, back and shoulder ache, cramping fingers and stunted eye sight after hours of stitching are common injuries among hand embroiders. You need to be able to withstand these and push through the pain.

Mental strength : This comes into play particularly when unpicking is required. Knowing you have to backtrack when the finish line is right there in your sights is a particular kind of torture known only to those who have lived to tell the tale.

A healthy attitude towards failure : Sometimes needlework projects just don't work out as planned. Knowing when to let go graciously and accept your failure is vital, even when you know that taking this course of action will result in a UFO that taunts you with its beady little eyes and knobbly filthy fingers from deep in the bottom drawer.

But when the end is in sight and the elation starts to build, when you finally put down your needle and survey the hours of stitching before you, that feeling – the one where your heart rate increases ever so slightly, your breath comes a little shorter and a grin creeps its way across your face –  is like, well, winning a marathon.

A bit after the fact…

...but I got some stitchy bits and bobs for Christmas.

I love how other stitchers know just what you want and need. Especially when that other stitcher also happens to be your mom. 

So two Cath Kidston kits (in tins that look like books), a bobbin holder, a tailor's awl and a buttonhole cutter - the last two are the same make as my seam ripper. Rather a nice little haul there.

Jacobean Leaves reincarnated

I had a great response to my first range of free designs, Jacobean Leaves. Such a great response that I decided to expand on these designs – by introducing new stitches to the existing leaves and adding completely new ones – and incorporate them into a new project.

The result is a plush 40x40cm cushion made of soft white cotton fabric, covered in embroidered leaves. I've maintained the crewelwork basis of the designs, but introduced a new colourway. I've resized the leaves and adapted the stitches accordingly. And the placement has gone from panel to square.

Rather a good way to kick-start the new year.

The Jacobean Leaves cushion pattern is available on my website. It includes instructions on how to make up the cushion.

New year, new stitches

Well, for me at any rate. Remember that book I was on about a little while ago? Gladys Windsor Fry's Embroidery & Needlework? Well it's turned out to be even more of a gem than I originally thought.

There were stitches I hadn't learnt yet:

Cretan stitch

And variations on familiar stitches:

Zig-zag chain stitch

Closed feather stitch

Double back stitch

And these are just the ones I've had a chance to try out. More await me.

Another new stitch in my arsenal is woven spider web, from Yvette Stanton and Prue Scott's Mountmellick Embroidery. I love this one:

Incidentally, these all feature in one of the new designs I'm working on.

I wish you all an awesome year filled with new ideas, new stitches and new projects. Happy 2012.