Red Brolly

{Tutorial} Ready, set, sew :: Backstitch and Running stitch revision

{Tutorial} Ready, set, sew:: How to embroider granitos stitch

Ready for another stitching tutorial?

This week I'm going to be showing you how to stitch a granitos stitch. It's a very easy and quick little stitch and can be used in place of a lazy daisy when stitching petals . Granitos means "little grains" in Spanish, and the stitch is made up of a number of straight stitches, stitched side by side, using the same two holes in the fabric. A finished stitch...or one granito, actually resembles a tiny grain.

Granitos stitch can be a handy little stitch when you need to stitch petals, leaves, or as an alternative to the colonial knot when stitching eyes. Granitos is a cute little plump stitch...and best of all is very easy!

Ready...??

Firstly, bring the needle from the back of the fabric through to the front at point A. Pull the thread through. Push the needle through to the back of the fabric at point B.

Bring the needle through to the front again at point A. Take care and make sure that the needle is passed through the same hole. Pull the thread through.

Loop the thread to the left and push the needle through to the back at point B...through the same hole. Gently pull the thread through to the back of the fabric. At this step you might find it is easier to use your thumb to hold the thread to the left of your first stitch.

Next, bring the thread through to the front at point A...again, use the same hole. Pull the thread through. Loop the thread to the right and push the needle through the same hole at point B. Pull the thread through to the back of the fabric.

Repeat the same steps. First place a stitch to the left, then a stitch to the right. Keep alternating the sides until your granito has reached the desired size. Always remember to use the same 2 holes.

When you've reached your desired size, pull thread through to the back and secure with a few quick, small stitches.

Finished one granitos stitch!

 

{D.I.Y Tutorial} How to Applique and free little Chicken Feather pattern

Thought I might give a quick tutorial and pattern on how to applique. My Christmas "The Wish" quilt includes some applique as does some pf my other patterns. There's several ways to applique, but I'm going to show you my favourite way. I'll be using a pattern from my book, "Little Chicken Feather and Friends." If you'd like to see inside the book at some of the other projects just click on the link. it's a great little book full of stitcheries and projects to welcome a new baby.

It's a really simple little applique project to start with...so here we go...

Would you like to learn how to make this cute little chickie border and learn how to applique in the process?

Ok, here's what you will need:-

Step 1-Trace design

Transfer the chickie design with a soft pencil or Pigma pen using your preferred method to the fabric you are using for the background. I usually use a lightbox to transfer my designs to fabric but holding the design up to the window will work just as well. Click here if you would like instructions on how to transfer a stitchery design.

Step 2- Applique Chicks

(note, if you are using needleturn applique, you will need to add the seams in.)

1. Place the vlisofix on top of the printed chicks, paper side up. Trace around chicks, transferring the design to the vlisofix.

2. Roughly cut around chicks.

3. Select material for your chickies. On mine I've used a simple and bright yellow. Turn over fabric so you have the wrong side facing up. Place vlisofix chicks onto fabric, paper side up. Take a hot iron and press vlisofix. When it has stuck to fabric, remove iron and repeat with all the chickies.

4. Carefully cut around the chick shape.

5. Peel off paper from vlisofix. You should now have a fabric chick, with the "sticky" side of the vlisofix on the wrong side of the fabric.

6. Using whatever method you prefer, copy the facial features of the chickies onto each chick.

7. Position chicks onto design, right side facing up.  Press with a hot iron, securing them into place.

8. Stitch around your chicks. You can use whatever stitch you like, either by hand or machine. On my chicks I've used blanket stitch. I used a thread colour that was fairly close to the fabric colour.

9. If you like, you can repeat the above applique method for the heart. If you don't want to stitch the heart, just simply stitch the design using backstitch.

Step 3- Stitch design

All the stitchery is done using backstitch. Shaded areas are satin stitch and the dots are colonial knots...which I know you know how to do since you've already ready my posts on "How to satin stitch" and "How to stitch a colonial knot."

You don't have to use the colours mentioned, they are just guidelines. And I'm in by no means sponsored by DMC threads (though it would be nice wouldn't it? Then I might get some free threads...seeing how much we all go through), they've just what I've chosen to use for this particular tutorial :-)

Stitch the vine and leaves in 3364 and the flower petals and stamens in 813. Satin stitch the centres in 223. Add the details to the chickies...

Chick eyes- 813 colonial knots

Chick beaks- 922 satin stitch

Chick topknots and tails- use the same colour you used for the outline of the chick

Legs, wings and feet- 922

And you're finished! You have just completed some applique designs. Easy wasn't it?

Here's the Applique Stitchery design, either right click the image below, or download the PDF file below.

(For some reason the yellow has turned out a little sickly...oh dear!)

Here's the Free Applique Chicks design and stitchery in PDF form should you need it.

 

If you would like some photos on using the vlisofix, go to my tutorial on "Applique embroidered Butterfly Wall Art," there you'll find some photos which will help you.

You might also like to stitch a border around the design. I'll leave it up to you.

Here's some ideas on how to use your chickies (all these images are from my "Little Chicken Feather and Friends" book, where you'll find the complete projects and quilt)...

You could frame it and make it into wall art to decorate a nursery or little girls room.

Use it as a border on a pillow like in the photo below

Use it them on bag handles or around the top of a bag...

Or use the design as a border and make a cot sheet (you will need to repeat the design several times in a row).

Have fun stitching this weekend project!

 

{Tutorial} Ready, set, sew:: How to stitch a lazy daisy

Here we are again with another "Ready, Set, Sew" Tutorial series- part of my basic stitches "how to's."

So far we have covered the Satin stitch and the Colonial knot. The "Lazy Daisy" stitch follows on from the Colonial knot, when you combine the two stitches you can sew gorgeous little flowers.

Helping me today is my other cat "Smudge." Brutus normally helps me with these tutorials, offering "advice" and helping by providing an extra "hand" for the photography- but, today he's off having a cup of tea with Mrs Possum who lives in the tree outside my house.

It sounds good to me as Smudge is usually a lot more agreeable. So, say hello Smudge...

"Thank you Smudge. Yes, you can be quite loveable...though not when you've been roaming through the long grass and we need to brush your hair!"

Let's get this tutorial started shall we?

You'll find that the lazy Daisy stitch is used quite often in my patterns. It's a great stitch for flower petals, for stitching leaves and as I mentioned, combining with the colonial knot to sew a flower.

Yes Smudge! The Lazy daisy is also called a detatched chain, but I like the name Lazy Daisy better. The Lazy Daisy is a loop stitch, you can work it in groups to make a chain stitch or it can also be used as a filler stitch.

So, firstly secure your thread at the back of the fabric and then insert the needle and bring the needle through to the front at the base of the loop. On my photos this is marked point "A."

Bring your needle back to point A, as close as you possible can to the original point. Insert your needle at point "A" again and then re-emerge the needle through at the tip of the stitch at point "B." This is where the rounded part of the petal might be.

Loop the thread in an anti-clockwise direction under the tip of the needle. Pull the thread through. I find it useful to place your left thumb over the loop whilst you're pulling just to keep it in place.

 

Yes, that's very helpful Smudge. Don't pull you're thread too tight. If you pull it too tight you will end up with a very tight, thin stitch that you won't be able to see the loop on. Keep it a little looser and you'll find that you'll get  a lovely round loop.

You'll need to secure the stitch now.  Take the thread so it is over the loop at point B and insert the needle very closely to the point where your needle emerged. Push your needle back through the fabric to the the back.

You have now completed one lazy daisy stitch, or detatched chain!

You're probably wondering how to stitch a flower using the Lazy Daisy Stitch.

A flower is just a series of lazy daisy stitches, sewn from a central point. In the photo below, you can see that point A is the centre. Each stitch should start from this point.

I'm going to show you how to stitch a 5 petal daisy.

Stitch one lazy daisy (B), then return to point A and bring the needle through and out to point C. Loop the thread under the needle tip and return it back through point A.

Pull thread through gently and then anchor the stitch.

Repeat with remaining 3 petals. Bring needle through to front at the centre point A. Make your loop, returning back through A and out at point D. Secure your loop.

Good point Smudge. Keep the loops loose....not too loose though, you still want some definition to them.

Stitch another Lazy Daisy stitch, you now should have 4 petals.

Stitch your 5th and last lazy daisy "petal."

 

What would be a post on flowers be without a quote from one of my favourite books...Alice in Wonderland?

Are you after a stitchery to practice your newly learnt embroidery skills? Here's a stitchery which combines the lots of lazy daisies and colonial knots.

Try my Butterfly stitchery. See the Lazy daisy stitch is used for the leaves?

Click to find your free butterfly stitchery pattern and instructions.

{Tutorial} Ready, Set, Sew :: How to stitch perfect satin stitches

I've been receiving alot of comments from people that they can't or don't like Satin Stitch. Many people have told me that they try and avoid doing it and can't seem to get a nice, neat stitch. So since satin stitch features in ALOT of stitcheries and emboidery work, I thought that I would give a quick tutorial on how to do satin stitch.

Again, I've enlisted the help of the ever so willing (cough, cough) Brutus- my cat. He more just "offered" advice from his favourite position at the moment- sitting on top of my in-floor heater vent! Anyway, here we go...once you get the hang of satin stitch, it really isn't that difficult at all.

There's two different methods to satin stitch, depending on the shape you are stitch- straight or irregular. I'll show you the steps for sating stitching a regular, straight stitch- like a wall or pillar or the like. Then, I'll show you how to satin stitch an irregular shape.

Firstly mark out your design. For the purpose of the photos I used a dark, lead pencil, just so you can see in the photos.

Yes, Brutus is right, if you would like nice, neat and straight stitches- use an embroidery hoop. Also, stitch with a "stabbing" technique. This is where you push the needle and thread all the way through to the back of the fabric and then pull it all the way back through again from the back to the front. Some stitches allow you to do a "skimming" stitch, where you can go out and in and out and in all in one motion- completing several stitches in one go. For best results- don't stitch satin stitch this way.

So, once you've marked out your design...this next step is a must! Stitch around the design with back stitch FIRST.

Repeat on the other side.

Now you're ready to fill in your shape. 

Make a knot at the back of the fabric and bring your needle and thread through to the front at one end of the shape, just on the outside edge of the backstitch. Pull your thread all the way through to the front.

Next,take your needle over to the outside edge of the opposite side of the shape. Insert your needle, and pull through to the back of the fabric. Several tips are, ensure that your needle is placed exactly opposite of where you brought it through to the front- this will make sure that the stitch is straight. Secondly, satin stitch shouldn't be sewn using long stitches as this will make the finished shape look untidy.

 


Great you've finished one stitch. See how the stitch completely covers the line? Once you've completed one stitch, bring your needle through to the front again- very close to the first position you started at. Pull your thread through. Again, repeat the stitch by bringing the needle over to the opposite side, next to the second position and push your needle through to the back. And...yes, Brutus...thank you for the tip. Keep your stitches close together.

Keep stitching until you've completly filled in your shape.

But what if you're stitching an irregular shape I hear you ask? No problem! Here's the trick...

So say you had to stitch a shape like a heart, or a flower, or a bird...

Trace your shape onto the fabric.

Backstitch around your shape, carefully following your shape.

NOW...here's THE tip...for irregular shapes, start your stitch in the middle of the shape.

Stitch to one end, THEN, come back to the centre and stitch your way out to the other end.

Fill one side, now come back to the centre again and fill the second half. This will make sure all your
stitches are even and your shape doesn't get distorted and all scrunched....we've all had this happen haven't we?

 

Then we've had to unpick and start again...! 

 

 

Thanks Brutus, you can stop "offering" your advice now! Telling tales....no sardines on toast for you tonight...

Next time you come across satin stitch, please give it ago and don't be so afraid of it.

 

...Brutus!!! Come here you despicable cat....!

{Tutorial} Ready, Set, Sew :: How to stitch a colonial knot.

What a busy week I've had! Remember in my last post...sooooo long ago, I gave you a butterfly stitchery? In the stitchery there are lots of lovely little colonial knots for the wisteria flowers and I thought that I would put together, the first of what I hope to be many more, a tutorial on how to stitch them. They really are very simple. I opened up my facebook page to call on help from my more experienced stitchers for their tips and advice and I've put it all together in this little tutorial. If I missed you, please feel free to add your tips in the comment section.

I'll start my tutorials off with a few simple stitches and then get into the advanced stuff. If there's a particular stitch you'd like a tutorial on, just let me know. I've EVEN, had to call on Brutus to give me a hand (I needed extra hands to I could take the photos). Begrudgingly, with a lot of bribery (think sardine sandwiches and chocolate coated mice), he agreed to help. For those new to my blog, Brutus is my very temperamental cat!

Hope you enjoy my little tut...

Here's some of the wonderful tips that my more experienced stitching friends were willing to pass on about colonial knots...

From Jenny of Cakes, Crafts and Quilts  said," After you wrap the thread around the needle, hold it secure in your left hand as you insert the needle and keep the " pressure" on the thread as you pull the needle though the back. This will ensure that the knot is flat against the fabric and you don't a loop in your colonial knot."

The next tip is a fantastic and very useful one from my friend, Jan, of Jan Knight designs. Jan says,  "it is useful to use a #1 Milliners needle to work them as well. Like a bullion stitch the needle that is the same thickness ALL the way through gives you a better knot," and Suzanne and Dawn both agreed.

Dawn also gives this helpful advice..."I was always taught to remember a backward figure 8 when making the colonial knot."

But everyone did agree that it was important to keep the thread tight to ensure that you get a lovely neat colonial knot.

Thanks again everyone! Hope we've been of some help in teaching you the in's and out's of colonial knots.

           

 

Ready, Set, Sew :: Choosing the correct embroidery hoop.

A part of a new, regular blog posts, I'll be writing posts which I''ve entitled "Ready, Set, Sew."

These postings will including tips and hints for improving your stitching and embroidery. They will hopefully be helpful to both the beginner and the experienced stitcher. I know a lot of you lovely readers are experienced stitchers, so please feel free to add your tips and suggestions for others to read. And, you don't have to agree with what I've said! All comments will be welcomed.

So, to start us off I've written a  posting on how to choose the correct hand embroidery hoop. Something which some of you may not have given a lot of thought to, but is actually something quite important. Happy reading, I hope you   are able to take something away from it.

 

 

 

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. Please feel free to share your tips in the comment section.

 

 

Tutorial:: how to make a sucky puff quilt

 

::How to make a "Sucky Puff" Quilt

Finished Size approx 42 1/2" x 54"  or 28 rows of 21 Sucky Puffs.

These are not to be confused with Suffolk Puffs. The Sucky Puff (so named by S.J.V.H and friends who stitched the quilt), or yo-yo quilt is very easy to make. Once you have alot of Suckies, you can turn them into quilts, table runners, cushions or hang over a window or make a wall display.

Step 1: Use the template shape provided to make yourself a template from template plastic or cardboard. The seams are added in the template.

note: the template when downloaded should measure 4" in diametre. Though really you could use any size you like.

Step 2: Along the edge of each circle, turn over a 1/4" hem allowance to the wrong side of the fabric. Sew around the edge of the circle with a running stitch

 

TIP: The stitches don't need to be neat and tidy. The bigger stitches work better!

Step 3: When you have sewn all around the cirlce, pull the thread to gather the Sucky Puff and finish with a secure knot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 Stitching the Sucky Puff

The front of the Sucky Puff is the side with the gathered edge. You can sew a small Pom Pom in the centre of each Sucky Puff to finish.

When you have enough suckies...It's time to Assemble!

 

 

Once you have enough rows, you can start sewing the rows together. On the edge of the finished quilt sew large Pom Poms at intervals of about 6 Sucky Puffs.

 

 

 

Make sure you show me your finished Sucky Puff quilts!