Star-Shaped and Shiny

"In The Rigging" T-shirt DIY

noreply@blogger.com (Christie Louise Tucker) — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:48:00 +0000

This summer, like most summers in memory, nautical trends seem to be dominating magazine spreads. I'd seen a lot of anchor-print tops and scarves in shops, but none were quite right for me - either they had lace or cutouts in funny places, or the designer had gone overboard with the diamantés, or they were navy and subsequently too similar to my old school uniform (never again!)

For a long time I'd wanted to try stencilling clothes with freezer paper, so this seemed like the ideal chance. Armed with a cheap stripy t-shirt (black and white, not navy this time) and a roll of the paper, I freehanded my outline and got to work. I stretched my t-shirt out over a drawing board and secured it with small bulldog clips and pegs to prevent movement, and then ironed over the stencil to securely bond it to the shirt.

Once the stencil has adhered (using a steam setting on the iron helps enormously!) I dabbed the fabric paint on with a sponge - all we had was a scrubby washing-up sponge, but it did the job. Luckily, I had some silver fabric paint left over from a disastrous earlier attempt at t-shirt design. At first it went on thinly and the shirt's stripes were still visible in between, but additional coats took care of that. I dried each layer of paint with a hairdryer and cooled it off with the cold shot function, but that's because I'm an impatient blogger and I want my new shirt. You can wait for it to dry naturally if you're more patient than me.

Once the fabric paint is totally dry, pull gently on the edges and the freezer paper peels off to reveal clean lines. Set the paint according to the manufacturer's instructions, wash the shirt if necessary to remove any residue from the paper, and you're good to go.

I think I'll wear mine with red lipstick, jeans, black and white Vans, a black leather cuff and possibly a bandana - a little more edgy than your traditional nautical look, but why not?

p.s. 10 internet points and a virtual cookie to anyone who gets the reference in this post's title.

Hobbit House Cross Stitch Chart

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:42:00 +0000

Following on from our post a couple of months ago, which featured blackwork charts for a poem from The Hobbit, written in Tengwar, we've now designed a cross stitch chart featuring Bilbo Baggin's house from The Hobbit/Lord Of The Rings films!

The chart measures 188 squares x 88, so stitched on 14ct Aida, it should measure approximately 13.5 inches by 6.5 inches, although you could leave a bigger gap at the edges, or add your own border to it. You'll need six or seven shades of green thread for the grass and plants, four or five shades of brown/beige for the walls, window frames etc, some pale blue for the windows, grey and yellow for the lantern, colours of your choice for the flowers, small amounts of gold for the door-knob and blue for Gandalf's mark on the door. Alternatively, you could sew a small, decorative brass button in the centre of the door for the door-knob, or use seed-beads for the flowers.

Happy stitching!

How To Make A Japanese Cherry Blossom Brooch/Pin

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 09:46:00 +0000

Spring is almost here again, and in London's parks the blossoms will soon be opening, and filling the trees with gorgeous pink froth like this, (taken in Kensington Gardens last spring)

Unfortunately, the blossoms don't last for long, so I decided to make a pin that would mean we could have blossoms all year round!

To make your own Japanese Cherry Blossom pin, you will need

Pink felt (2 slightly different shades)

Green felt

2 small buttons

A 38mm brooch pin

Embroidery threads

Hot-Glue Gun

A small, plastic food carton (the sort of thing a microwaveable meal comes in)

To begin, you will need to cut 2 large, and two small flower shapes from your pink felt, and 2 backing pieces (leaves) from your green felt as shown in the templates below

Then you will need to cut a small piece from your plastic food carton, that will fit inside the backing pieces to stiffen it, leaving a big enough border around the edges for you to be able to blanket-stitch the two pieces together comfortably.

Now you're ready to begin assembling your pin

Arrange the two layers of pink felt one on top of the other and chain-stitch up the centre of each of the five petals, through both layers of felt

Then add your button at the centre (I was lucky enough to have some vintage flower buttons from the 1950's that somebody had given me, but any buttons will do)

Next, sew your brooch-pin onto the back of one of your green pieces (I've used two different colour greens, so it's easier to differentiate each piece, but you can use 2 the same colour)

I like to finish mine off by covering the stitching with a piece of matching felt, or ribbon, which I attach with the hot-glue gun

Next, use the hot glue gun to fix the piece of plastic to the other piece of green felt, then once the glue has cooled, add more glue to the top of the plastic piece and carefully position the second layer on top

Blanket stitch around the edges of the backing

Then position your two blossoms on the backing, overlapping them slightly, carefully glue into position, and once the glue has set your pin is ready to wear!

You could try other colour variations too, maybe white on white, white/pink, or maybe magenta and cerise, like this one...

Or, alternatively, use blue felt to create Love-in-a-mist (Nigella) flowers, using loops of ribbon stitched into place on the top backing layer to represent the fern-like leaves of the plant, then gluing the flowers into place on top.

The pins shown in this tutorial are currently for sale in our Etsy shop (at time of posting) https://www.etsy.com/shop/StarShapedAndShiny?ref=si_shop with all profits being donated to the Blue Cross animal charity

Tengwar (Elvish) Sampler, Inspired By The Hobbit

noreply@blogger.com (Christie Louise Tucker) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 21:56:00 +0000

Have you seen The Hobbit yet? I have. Twice. And one of the things that struck me about it, much as with the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, was the beauty of the production design. Every element of every costume and set is designed and worked carefully in minute detail - Peter Jackson's film-making techniques are a revelation and his attention-to-detail is legendary.

It's not surprising, then, that I'm inspired by the look of the films and the books to create something just as beautiful. Below you'll find my effort; Tolkien's Misty Mountains poem, rendered in Elvish (Tengwar) script. The border is taken from the outfit of one dwarf member of Thorin's party - five Internet points to the first person to identify which one!

Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away ere break of day

To seek our pale enchanted gold

Below is a Tengwar alphabet and key which you could also sew as a sampler, or use to make name-plates, personalise other projects, or write your own passages in Tengwar!

Sock-Cats and Dogs - Make Soft Toys From Socks

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:24:00 +0000

This is another simple, inexpensive project that is relatively quick to make, and a great way to spend a rainy afternoon with older children. You will need:

A pair of ladies ankle-socks (preferably new!)

Some hollowfibre filling

Some scraps of felt

Embroidery threads

When choosing socks to make your kitten/puppy, try and find a pair that has a simple repetitive pattern (flowers, stripes) and that is patterned all over the foot. Many socks only have the pattern on the top of the foot, not the sole, and the sole part will form the back of the animal, and be the most visible part of your toy.

This tutorial will initially show how to make a cat, variations will be shown at the end. To start, turn the socks inside out, and lay them flat, as in the picture below.

With the first sock, pin and sew the front and back legs as shown, remembering to leave a gap between the back legs so that you can turn your toy right way out and stuff it.

Do not cut the sock until after you have sewn the seams.

Turn right-side out, ready to stuff

Take the second sock and pin/sew the ears and the top of the head. Then cut straight across the sock, underneath the heel, and turn right side out.

Stuff both parts with the hollowfibre filling. Do a small amount at a time, and make sure to push it right into the ends of the legs, ears etc, using the blunt end of a pencil or knitting needle if necessary. The sock will hold a lot more filling than you think, and will stretch as you stuff it.

When the body and head are nice and full, neatly sew up the hole between the back legs and sew a running stitch around the 'neck' at the bottom of the head. Draw the running stitch tight, adding any extra filling that may be appear to be needed before finally sewing the neck closed. Roll the body and head between the palms of your hands to help the stuffing settle evenly.

Position the head just above the point where the front legs meet, and begin to sew it to the body. I usually do about four or five circuits of the neck and head, sewing each successive circuit slightly further out, anchoring it more securely, and stopping it from wobbling about too much.

Using one of the leftover parts of the sock, sew a long, narrow section to form a tail, cut out and stuff.

Attach to the cat's bottom in the same way as you attached the head, again, sewing around it several times to ensure it is firmly anchored (Especially important if the toy is for a young child)

Finally, using felt, embroidery, or buttons if you prefer, add the facial features. Then all you have to do is think of a name for your new pet!

Variations.

To make a dog instead of a cat, follow exactly the same instructions for the body. For the head, you will need to make the ears longer, and almost 'rabbit shaped'.

When you come to stuff the head, make sure no stuffing goes into the ears. Once the head is stuffed and sewn closed, fold the ears over, and pin.

Then sew a few tiny stitches down the outside edges of the ears, to hold the folds in place.

You can try experimenting with the length and shapes of the dog-ears, to make different types of dogs, shorter, pointed ears will give it a terrier-like appearance (above right), while wider, spatulate shapes will make it look more like a labrador. (above centre) I also make the dog's tails slightly shorter and fatter than the cat's.

Rabbits. To make a rabbit (a good idea with Easter not far off) make the head and ears as for the dog, but this time, when stuffing, fill the ears as well to make them stand up. Then, instead of making a long, narrow tail, simple cut a circle of fabric from one of the leftover parts of the second sock, sew a running-stitch around the outside, then pull the thread tight, stuffing the tail as you do so. This will form a small 'bobble' bunny-tail which you can then sew on, as for the cat and dog.

You can even use the leftover parts of the socks to make things, I quickly stitched and stuffed one of the sock-tops to make a pin-cushion (or you could even add some dried catnip to the stuffing and make a toy for your real cat!)

Going Soft-Hearted For Valentine's Day...

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:12:00 +0000

It's that time of year again, Christmas and New Year have passed, January has almost finished, and February can only mean one thing...Valentine's Day! Hearts and flowers and love in the air...Hearts are everywhere, in jewellery, accessories, fabric design, home decor, and crafting - especially in crafting!

I found these two gorgeous heart designs in a French cross-stitch design book Coeurs : Broderie traditionnelle et au point de croix by Agnès Delage-Calvet & Anne Sohier-Fournel, http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/250107761X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_am_it_ws_gb?ie=UTF8 and adapted them as the centre panels for two cushions (as you may have noticed, I love cushions!)

The first design is worked in one colour on a contrasting background, and is a large heart made of other tiny hearts, no two are the same. One features a dove, another has roses and the centre, another has a bow, some have beading incorporated into them, but they are all gorgeous, and the overall effect is stunning. I designed my own 'lace heart' border to frame the main heart, frayed the edges of the Aida, and then appliqued it on to a toning gingham cushion cover, adding a wooden button in each corner of the panel...and yes, even the buttons were heart-shaped!

The back of the cushion cover simply overlaps, and is secured with metal poppers, covered over with more heart shaped buttons, so there was no fiddling around trying to fit a zip (because although I know how to do it in theory, it never quite seems to work out as it should!)

And this is the same basic design, in a different colour.

The second cushion I call my 'Love Letters' cushion. The heart on this one is comprised of every letter of the alphabet, in a different font style. I chose a range of eight or nine colours of a similar palette - in this case, browns, coppers, and spicy ginger colours, on a cream background, and worked 2 or 3 letter in each shade.

This design ends up more rectangular than the previous one, which is pretty much square, so I decided to make it look like an actual letter, and added the outline of an envelope in a colour slightly darker than the aida I was using, so the effect was quite subtle and didn't overpower the heart. I made the cover from some recycled cotton fabric, which gave it a rustic look, made the opening in the same way as the first cushion, and then just sewed the cross-stitched panel into the centre - and I ♥ it!

These designs can be worked in any combination of colours to suit your decor, and once you've stitched the panels, you can turn them into almost anything, bags, wall-hangings, anything you like. So why not make yourself a Valentine's gift this year as well?

Beautiful Biscornu - Our Original 'English Wildflowers' Design

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:44:00 +0000

A year ago, I had no idea what a biscornu was (If you’d asked me, I’d have probably thought it was some fancy French pastry and expected to eat it) – and now I know, I’m designing my own!

Traditionally, biscornu were made and used as pin-cushions, although many people will now add some dried lavender to the stuffing, and attach a ribbon so that they can be hung in wardrobes to scent your clothes, while others just like them for the curiosities that they are, and keep them as purely decorative objects.

I first saw them during a trip the Stitch & Craft show in London last spring – a tall glass cabinet full of them; some that would fit into the palm of your hand, and others that were almost big enough to be used as footstools! I was fascinated by them, not just because of the beautiful designs, but the shape too – I just couldn’t imagine how you could make something that looked like that without a degree in geometry or a miracle... but actually, it’s not as complicated as I thought it might be.

These are the first two biscornu I made – I can’t remember where I found the first pattern from, but it was a fairly easy one to begin with, as it only uses one colour!

The lavender one on the right was made from a pattern designed by Rainburst Embroidery.

So, having made some designed by other people, I decided to try making my own design, and here it is – The English Wildflower biscornu....

It’s sewn mainly in shades of pink and green, and depicts English wild flowers, great willow-herb, with beaded centres, and also wild honeysuckle. I made mine using 14ct Aida, and the finished biscornu measures approx. 10.5cms across, although it could be made smaller by stitching it on 16 or 18ct Aida.

You Will Need:

Two squares of 14ct Aida, approx 6” square

8 colours of embroidery thread (see chart below for colour suggestions)

Small amount of stuffing

2 decorative buttons

Seed beads (optional)

Thread suggestions

Fold your squares of Aida into quarters to find the centre point, then count out from the centre to begin stitching. All stitching uses 2 strands of thread, and both sides of the biscornu are worked identically.

Once you have completed the main part of the design, make a running stitch border around the outside, using 2 strands of thread. This will form the seam of the biscornu when you assemble it

If you want to add any seed beads to the design, do so now, knotting the thread securely (I put a small white seed bead at the centre of each pink flower)

Now you can start to assemble the biscornu.

Trim the excess aida from all sides, leaving a margin of 3 or 4 squares outside your outline. This will make turning the corners a lot easier.

Using the same colour thread as you used for the running-stitch outline, attach the corner point of one face to the central point at one side of the other face, and begin to whip-stitch the two sides together.

You do not need to sew through the fabric, just take the needle under each of the running stitches in the outline

By the time you reach the next corner, it should look like this

Making sure the central points are exactly aligned, turn the corner and continue in whip-stitch.

As you progress around the sides, the biscornu will begin to take shape

When you are 7/8 of the way round, stop sewing and begin to fill with stuffing through the remaining opening.

Use the blunt end of a pencil or knitting needle to push the stuffing firmly into the corners, to ensure your biscornu has its distinctive shape. You will need to pack the stuffing in quite tightly. When you are finished stuffing, sew the opening shut, and secure tightly

Next you need to form a ‘dimple’ to sew your buttons into. You may like to find a volunteer to help with this part, as an extra pair of hands will be very useful!

Using a neutral colour thread, and a long needle, make a stitch at the centre of the top face of the biscornu and knot it tightly. Then, using either your free hand or your volunteer, squeeze the middle of the biscornu as tightly as possible, insert the needle back into the centre, and out again at the centre point of the bottom face. Pull the thread as tightly as you can, and secure. Repeat at least twice more. (It is possible to attach buttons at the same time, but I find it easier to do it in two stages)

You should now have a well defined dimple top and bottom

Now repeat the process, using all 6 strands of a piece of embroidery thread for extra strength, and attaching the buttons as you go.

Make at least three passes through the biscornu and the shanks of the buttons, before knotting off the thread (It may be easier to change back to your smaller needle to knot the thread)

Snip off the remaining thread – the knot should be hidden under the face of the button as it sits in the centre dimple – and you’re finished!

Weird Gifts...How To Make A Tentacle Box!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:09:00 +0000

A surprisingly easy, decidedly creepy gift!

You will require two different shades of Fimo or your preferred polymer clay - one for the base of the tentacle, and one for the suckers.

I made this as a Valentine's gift last year - I'd recommend giving it only to people who know you very well! I must apologise for the blurry images; they were taken on an unfamiliar camera so the focus isn't amazing. I had perhaps been reading a little much Lovecraft before I made this; see what you think:

You Will Need

2 Different colours of Fimo Clay
1 Wooden Box
Woodstain/ Varnish
Fimo Sculpting Tools
1 Paint Brush
Glue Gun
Fimo Glaze

Cut off a little clay from your base-colour block. Warm it up between your hands and roll it out on a board to form a conical length - that is, wider at one end and tapering to a blunt point at the other. Don't use too much clay, or the tentacles will become too heavy to bear their own weight.

When you have four tentacles, or as many as you feel your box suits, position them on the box according to how you think looks best. It may be possible to wire them internally so they hold their shape without needing to rest on something. You will need to squash the wide parts of the tentacles against the wood of the inside of the box to provide an area for the glue to hold.

Roll out a quantity of your second colour of clay. Cut small amounts off and roll them into balls. With your paintbrush, pick up a ball and push it against the tentacle. Pressing hard will result in a dent in the middle of the ball; this is exactly what we want to create the effect of suckers along the tentacle. Graduate the size of the suckers to match the width of the tentacle. If you've very steady hands you may be able to create two rows - I only managed a single line. This is the point you may begin to wish you'd just bought your beloved a DVD or something instead.

When these are completed, this is pretty much how your box should look. Now you're ready to bake it, to set the clay. It may be useful to leave the project overnight in the open air to allow the clay to harden slightly, the better to keep its shape in the oven. Bake your clay according to the instructions on the packet. You won't be able to put the box in the oven, so you may find it useful to drape the tentacles over an upside-down loaf tin or something similar to help them maintain their shape.

While the tentacles are setting and cooling, varnish or stain your box as desired. When the tentacles are cooled completely, give them a coat of fimo glaze. Leave to dry, then give them a second coat. It may be worth using the time to give the box a second coat of varnish, too. Do not attempt the next step until both tentacles and box are entirely dry, according to the varnish manufacturers' instructions.

Once both box and tentacles are completely dry, position your tentacles in their previous positions. They may have changed shape slightly during the baking process; it is unlikely that this will be serious enough to affect their placement on the box. Warm up your glue gun and place a drop of glue on the underside of each tentacle, on the part you squished down to grip the box. Leave to cool, and this should be your tentacle box finished! Present it to your beloved and watch the confusion spread across their face.

....and here's another, made in different colours, and leaving the box unvarnished.

Cupcake Pin-Cushions That Look Good Enough To Eat!

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 17:39:00 +0000

This is a quick, simple project that will fill a rainy afternoon, costs very little and is great fun to make with children. The end result is a cute cupcake, with sprinkles and a cherry on the top that, while intended as a pin-cushion, would also make a pretty ornament or birthday gift for a friend - an everlasting birthday cake that is completely calorie-free! - Or you could make a whole batch for a school fundraising sale or Girl Guide project.

You will need:

Silicone cupcake moulds (mine were approx 6.5cm diameter, 2.5cms high)
Some beige cotton fabric, approx 18cm sq per cake
Some pastel coloured felt
Red beads, buttons, or small silk flowers
A few assorted seed-beads
A small amount of polyester stuffing (or use fabric scraps)
A few ounces of uncooked rice
Thread
Hot glue gun and glue-sticks

Firstly, cut a circle from your piece of fabric, approx 17cm in diameter, leaving a small margin around the outside - I used a cereal bowl to draw around. It doesn't matter if your circle isn't exactly perfect.

Then cut your icing from your piece of felt - I made a shape like this, rather than a perfect circle, so it looks like the icing is dripping down the cake once it's completed - This will need to be about 7cm across at it's widest points

Once you have your icing cut to shape, sew a red bead, or button in the centre, as a 'cherry' - then start to sew the seed beads at random points all over the felt, as 'sprinkles'. It's really easy to get carried away with the beads (they're so pretty!) but remember not to overcrowd the felt - there needs to be enough room for all your pins and needles to fit afterwards! If you'd prefer not to use beads, you can make your sprinkles by embroidering tiny crosses, or French knots.

When you have finished, your cake 'topping' should look something like this...

Next, take your piece of beige fabric, and fold it into quarters to find the approximate centre. Heat up the glue gun, and put a small dab of glue on the centre point, then lay the topping over the glue, lining up the bead at the centre with the spot of glue beneath. Do not glue the entire topping to the fabric beneath, as the glue will harden as it cools, and make it difficult for pins/needles to pass through the fabric. Allow to cool.

Now neatly back-stitch around the edge of the topping, securing it to the fabric underneath.

Next, make a running stitch around the outside of the fabric, leaving a margin of about 1cm round the outside. Use quite strong thread, or several strands, as this will be pulled quite tightly when you form the cake.

When you've gone all the way around, start to draw up the thread to form a bowl shape

Put a small amount of your stuffing into the 'bowl' pushing into the centre with your thumbs to form a well in the middle

Carefully pour 1-2 tbps of dry rice into the well in the centre. This will give your pin-cushion added weight, and make the pins and needles easier to insert and remove. Again, push the rice into the cake with your thumbs, to distribute it evenly.

Add the rest of the stuffing on top of the rice, until your cake is stuffed sufficiently, then draw up the running thread around the outside even tighter. It may be useful to have an extra pair of hands to help you hold the cake together, and knot the thread off tightly. As I was on my own, I found it easier to pull the first thread as tight as I could, and then with the other hand, start to sew a second thread through all the pleated fabric, pulling it tighter as I went. Make a couple of circuits of the opening, then knot securely, and trim all excess threads. Squeeze the cup-cake into shape.

Heat the glue gun up again, and get your silicone cake-mould ready

Squeeze a generous amount of glue into the bottom of your mould - you may also like to squeeze a line around the inside of the mould, about halfway up

Finally take your 'cake' and insert it into the mould, and onto the molten glue. Try and squeeze the cake into a longer, pointed shape as you do this, to make sure the bottom of the fabric actually makes contact with the base of the mould. Still squeezing, push the cake down hard against your work surface, and hold for about 30 seconds. This will help to ensure the base of your cake stays flat, and will sit on your work table securely while you are using it. Gently mould the sides of the cake in your hands as the rest of the glue cools and sets.

And there you have it - a cute little cupcake that looks almost good enough to eat!

Alternatively, you could make the basic 'cake' without the topping, and sew on small brown or purple buttons (or small spots of felt) to make chocolate/blueberry muffins instead. Recreate your own favourite cake!

Topiary Hearts and Roses Cushion

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:21:00 +0000

With Valentine's Day on the horizon, you might like to try your hand at making one of these - Another of my cushion projects, following on the heels of the The Button Tree & Owl, and Sleepy Cat, this cushion again features the use of buttons as 'leaves' on the trees, along with a pretty little embroidered bird, flying off with a stolen rose for his mate, braid trimmed appliqued felt planters, and ribbon rose buds.

The second version uses red buttons, burgundy felt, cream rosebuds and features a tiny cardinal bird stealing the rose....

You will need:

A cushion cover and pad (mine was approx 18"/45cm square)

A small amount of green (or red) felt

80-100 green (or red) buttons of various sizes

Ribbon/braid to trim
10 small ribbon roses
embroidery threads in shades of Green, brown and pink (or red)

Small amount of hemming web (optional)

.....and an awful lot of patience to sew on all those buttons - but the end result is well worth it!

Cut out the template for the planters from your pattern, and pin on to the felt – cut out 3 planters.

If you wish to add ribbon or braid trim to the planters, sew or glue it onto the felt before attaching them to the cushion cover

Pin the planters on to your cushion cover, making sure they are evenly spaced. Alternatively, pin then put a small amount of hemming web under each planter and iron to secure the felt to the fabric (ALWAYS use a cloth/spare piece of fabric between the iron and the felt) Then you can remove the pins , leaving the felt firmly anchored for you to sew around.

Trace the outlines of the stems of the trees, and the hearts, onto your fabric with a pencil

Start to sew around the edge of each planter using blanket stitch, in a colour to match your felt.

When all three planters are secure, start to embroider the tree trunks. I used stem stitch worked in 6 straight lines, and three slightly different shade of brown thread – The middle two rows used the darkest shade, then a row either side of those on the medium shade, and finally the two outside rows in the palest shade.

Once all three trunks are done, outline the hearts in chain stitch, with green (or red) thread. Do each side of the hearts separately, working from the bottom point up to the central point, so that the ‘chains’ run in the same direction.

You are then ready to attach your buttons to each tree. I find it really helpful to use the template when doing this, ‘mapping out’ the positions of the buttons on the paper heart shape first to see which buttons look right, which fit into the space you have etc, then transferring and sewing them one at a time into their chosen positions on the fabric. I used the same colour thread that I’d used to outline the trees, as it gave a nice contrast against the dark buttons. Remember to leave three blank spaces on each tree to sew your ribbon roses into later. When you have finished, your trees should look something like this...

Large tree (L) takes approx 28-35 buttons, depending on the sizes of buttons used, smaller tree (R) takes 25-30 buttons.

Next, trace the bird from the template below on to your cushion with a pencil

Bird template for green version of cushion....

....or the Red Cardinal bird for the red version...

Fill in using stem stitch, as seen in previous photographs, or any filling stitch of your choice.

Then you are ready to sew on the ribbon roses – Sew one onto the top of the stalk in the birds’ mouth, and three on to each tree-top. It’s worth taking the extra time to sew them (and the buttons) really securely, especially if your cushion will be in a house with small children or animals.

Insert your cushion pad into the cover, and you’re finished!

An Embroidered Notebook

noreply@blogger.com (Christie Louise Tucker) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:14:00 +0000

One of the most difficult parts of crafting is finding fresh ways to use old techniques. Many needlecraft companies are experiencing a surge in sales of kits for cushions, tea cosies and other three-dimensional items, and a cursory glance at any craft magazine will attest to the trend. But what happens when you want a small project, something quick to stitch, maybe to give as a gift?

Well, you could try stitching a notebook. A small cross-stitch motif or simple blackwork pattern can turn an ordinary Moleskine journal into a work of art worthy to hold all your crafty ideas and sketches. The best part? The Moleskine cahiers are available with plain, lined and squared paper inside, so when you’re done, you can use your journal to plan your next projects.

Once you’ve got your notebook, you’ll need a piece of squared paper or graph paper to use as a grid. Cut this to size and glue it to the inside of the front cover, leaving a small margin of blank space.

Next, take a sharp pin and pierce where the lines on the paper intersect. I embedded mine in some Blue-Tac to save my finger, but if you have a glass-headed pin you may not need to.

Once you’ve pierced your holes, you can stitch your design as normal. I chose to place my blackwork design in the centre of the cover, but a small cross-stitch motif to the bottom right corner would look classy too – maybe an initial? Here’s the pattern I used; luckily the repeats fit neatly in the space available.

Lastly, stitch your border around the outside if desired and cover the back of your stitching. I used double-sided tape and the front page of the journal to hide the messy back of mine – I found it easiest to pull the film off the double-sided tape and simply close the book to secure it. If you don’t want to use the front page, you could cut a piece of thin card to fit.

There! A journal fit for an artist, ready for bright ideas.

Make a Button-Tree Cushion, With Woodland Visitors

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 15:02:00 +0000

This cute, decorative cushion features an appliqued felt tree, and uses an assortment of buttons in varying sizes and shades of green for the leaves. An embroidered owl sits among the branches, while a grey squirrel scampers off around the trunk

The design uses 4 basic embroidery stitches, blanket stitch, chain stitch, stem stitch & vandyke stitch (although you could substitute other stitches of your choice.)

You will need:

A plain cushion cover and pad

A 30cm square of brown felt

40-60 buttons of various sizes and colours

A selection of embroidery threads in various shades of brown, grey and orange

A small amount of iron-on interfacing and hemming web (optional)

Cut the tree shape below out of your brown felt, and pin it into position on your cushion cover. ( alternatively, use small strips of iron-on hemming web to keep it in place while you blanket-stitch around it ) I printed off two copies of the tree, one to use as a template, and another to use as a 'map' for my buttons later.

Trace the smaller pictures of the owl and the squirrel from the template, and transfer to your cushion cover (or alternatively, draw them on freehand with a pencil, as I did)

Embroider the owl and squirrel using colours and stitches of your choice. I outlined my owl in stem-stitch using 2 strands of thread, & filled in the face, and eyes with chain-stitch using a single strand of thread. The body of the owl was filled with rows of blanket stitch using two strands of alternating shades of brown, to give an impression of 'feathers' laying down the body. The beak and feet were sewn using stem stitch, and individual chain-stitch 'links' for the claws, sewing through the felt forming the branch.

The squirrel's tail was formed using a strip of vandyke stitch in a dark grey to form the centre of the tail, with individual stitches added between the sides of the vandyke stitch, in paler shades of grey/cream, to give the tail a 'fluffy' effect. The outline of the tail and the back legs of the squirrel were also sewn in stem stitch, using the paler shade of grey for the tail, and the darker shade of grey for the legs, with the left leg being sewn over the felt, so the squirrel appears to be climbing round the tree.

Arranging the buttons:

Depending on the size and shapes of the buttons you are using, you will need between 40 and 60 to form the 'leaves' on your tree. Before you begin to attach them to your cushion cover, map out where you want them to go, either by placing them on the cushion cover and moving them around until you are happy with the look of it, & taking a photograph to refer to while sewing, or by laying them out on your work table, on your second copy of the template.

Then just sew each button on, positioning it from your 'map' until the tree is full of leaves. Insert your cushion pad, sit back and enjoy!

Beautiful Blackwork Cats & Kimonos

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:50:00 +0000

Earlier in the year, I tried my hand at Blackwork for the first time, and loved it. The effects are stunning, and although the detailed patterns may look complicated, once you get into a rhythm of doing them, they are easier than you might think!

I started with these beautiful cat charts from http://www.teresastephensondesigns.com/catalog.php?category=7 which had been given to me by a friend. Each little black cat in the series of four is sitting in a window with a different architectural/historical style, and apart from a small amount of accent colour they are worked in black on a white background, (I used gold metallic thread, for the inside of the roses on the first one, and the patterns on the curtain in the second one) I tried the Gothic Cat first.

I was so impressed with the results, I then made the Georgian Cat, although I used the cat from the Tudor pattern, against the Georgian window, as its stance reminded me of our cat, so a few slight modifications were needed...

I had two square, gold frames unused in a cupboard, which were ideal for these, and they now
hang on the wall by our stairs, bringing a little bit of interest to an otherwise blank and boring patch of wall.

Once I'd realised that Blackwork wasn't as difficult as I'd thought it might be, I wanted to try something a little more ambitious. I remembered seeing a whole range of stunning blackwork kits on one of the stalls at the Stitch & Craft show we visited at London's Olympia back in March, all of which were designed by Jill Cater Nixon. http://www.choicesembroidery.co.uk/acatalog/Jill_Cater_Nixon.html (a small selection from the Olympia show can be seen below)

At the time, I was so overwhelmed by the sheer number of kits to choose from, I ended up coming away without buying any of them, but I remembered being particularly keen on these kimono kits, as I have a love for all things Oriental, and they would fit in well with the decor in our house.

The kits are available to purchase by mail order from the website, and also via eBay, so I ordered the pink 'Aka' kit, (top in the above photo) substituting the pink and burgundy threads in the kit for two shades of green that I already had, to match the decor of the room they would be displayed in.

I got a frame made for the finished product, with no glass in it, so that the tassels hanging from the kimonos can move and be seen better
Then I decided what I really needed was a second picture to go with the first, but, being awkward as usual, I decided I didn't like both kimonos from either of the other three kits - so I ended up sewing one kimono from the blue 'Ao' kit, and one from the green 'Midori' kit, in two further shades of green, to produce my own hybrid version! (below)

They look amazing in their frames!

How To Make A Vintage Button Necklace

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:01:00 +0000

If, like us, you have collected jars and tins containing a treasure trove of old buttons over the years, this is a great way of using some of them up, and making yourself a unique piece of jewellery at the same time. I have made about a dozen of these now in different colourways, for myself and as gifts, and they always get a positive reaction and a lot of interest when worn!

You will need:

A selection of buttons in various sizes & shades of your chosen colour

Some pliable craft/floristry wire

Jewellery making pliers and snips

A toggle clasp

1/2 metre of thin satin ribbon

A needle and some thread to match the ribbon

Using the largest buttons first, and starting from the centre out, arrange the buttons until you find combinations you like. You can use two or even 3 buttons for each link, some may fit inside each other, while others will just layer nicely. Decrease the size of the buttons as you work towards the ends of the necklace. Once you've settled on your design, you're ready to start wiring them together.

Cut a piece of wire at least 50cm long, so you have plenty to work with. Fold the wire in half to find the centre point, and then thread on your centre button.

Then take the next buttons from the left, and thread those next to the centre button - Tuck the buttons slightly behind the centre button, so there is an overlap.

Repeat this step with the next buttons from the right of your design.

Keep adding the buttons, alternating from side to side of your design. It is possible to use buttons with a shank, rather than regular buttonholes as a top layer if you wish, provided the bottom button has a deep central 'well' to accommodate the shank.

As you pull the wire tight, the top button will then sit flush on top of the bottom one.

Continue threading your buttons on the wire, remembering to always tuck the one you are threading slightly underneath the previous button - the slight overlap helps the finished necklace to hold it's shape and rigidity better.

When you have threaded them all, bend the piece into a slight 'U' shaped curve - the front should look like this...

....and the back should look like this.

Take the ends of the wire, and form them into small loops behind the end buttons on either side.

thread the loose end of the wire back through the next button along, so it's poking back out at the front.

Then snip the end off as close as you can to the top of the button - This will prevent any sharp edges digging in to your chest while you are wearing your necklace!

Turn the piece back over so you are looking at the reverse, and find your satin ribbon. Thread the ribbon through the loop of wire at the back of the centre button.

Working from the centre outwards, wrap the ribbon over and through the wiring so that it loops across the back of the buttons, finally threading it through the loop of wire you made at the end (The ribbon should then obscure any visible wire at the edge of the button which may have been visible from the front.

The finished back view should look like this...

...and from the front it will look like this.

All you need to do now is to sew the toggle clasp into place at either end of the ribbon, once you have decided on the length of your necklace. I've always found that these work better as a shorter necklace, with the end buttons sitting just on the collarbones - Due to the fact that it is wired together as one solid piece, if you leave it much longer than this, it will tend to swing forward when you lean forward and hit you in the face! Alternatively, if you didn't want to use a clasp to fasten, you could just tie the ends of the ribbon at the back of your neck at the required length.

Beside The Seaside (With free cross-stitch charts)

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 17:45:00 +0000

This is an easy-to-make cross-stitch hanging of some colourful beach-huts, to brighten up any room, and bring back memories of sunny summer seaside holidays (and as the temperature has barely risen above freezing here all day, we could definitely do with reminding!)

You will need a piece of 14ct Aida approx 60cm x 20cm, a pair of bell-pull hangers or similar, a piece of iron-on interfacing approx 51cm x12cm (the finished dimensions of the hanging) and assorted embroidery threads to match your own colour scheme.

I left approx 18 squares of Aida between the top of one beach hut and the bottom of the next, and used 2 strands of thread for everything apart from the outlining. The handles of the bucket and spade were sewn on afterwards, using large straight stitches.

Top Beach Hut

Middle Beach Hut

Bottom Beach Hut

To finish off, I folded the excess at the sides over, and secured with iron-on hemming web, then folded the excess at the top and bottom over and ironed it flat. Insert the bell pull hangers into the creases top and bottom, and pin into place, then secure with a row of cross stitch using one of the colours used for the beach huts. Finally, cut the interfacing a few millimetres smaller than your finished hanging, and iron onto the reverse, covering the excess at the sides, and the raw edges of the top and bottom.

The design can also be used horizontally as well as vertically - try doing two rows of three in various colours, and making a rectangular cushion, or framing it as a picture!

Six Months Of Stitching - Kits To Take Your Time Over

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:39:00 +0000

About 18 months ago, I realised that it had been several years since I had done a piece of cross-stitch.

Never one to ease myself back into anything gradually, I ordered myself a large kit measuring approx 16" x 12" from Dimensions and set to work.

(www.colray-crafts.com/DimensionWebE/newhtm/index.html)

The kits are really good value, with plenty of thread supplied - in fact I had so much left over at the end, I wondered if I'd done something wrong! The only thing I hadn't noticed when I bought it was the metallic thread used (mixed with normal thread) for the bamboo 'framework' around the outside. I'd never used metallic thread before, and I have to say, I didn't particularly enjoy it, and wouldn't mind if I never used it again, but it does look very effective!

The whole thing took me roughly 6 months to complete, although I put it in a cupboard over last Christmas and forgot about it for about 6 weeks, which didn't help, but I got there in the end.

I seem to remember trying to work out how many stitches it actually contained at one point, but can't remember the figure I came up with now - whatever it was I'm fairly sure about 30% of them aren't in quite the right place, but it didn't look too bad once I'd got it stretched and into a frame.

Once I'd finished, I decided to buy another Dimensions kit straight away. 'Fleurs De Paris' didn't have any metallic thread involved - I made a point of checking - and measured approx 14" x 8"

I managed to get this finished within about 6 weeks, framed and up on my bedroom wall. It really suits the current trend for 'shabby chic' decor and accessories, and was really enjoyable to do (I've also seen this kit available from some Ebay sellers, with a black background, rather than the parchment colour seen here)

The only problem with this kit was that it wouldn't fit any standard, pre-made frames, so I ordered one made to measure from www.ezeframe.co.uk

I've bought their frames for other projects since, and I'd be happy to recommend them - they're reasonably priced, quickly dispatched, and securely packaged. They use non-reflective acrylic glazing in the frames, instead of glass, making them light, and less likely to get damaged in transit. They also have the facility to upload a photo of your picture to the website, and 'try out' all the different frames so you can get an idea of what it will look like on your wall, which could save a lot of expensive mistakes!

Snowdrop Gloves

noreply@blogger.com (Christie Louise Tucker) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 19:44:00 +0000

It's turned chilly in our little corner of the planet this week, so I've been knitting fingerless gloves. Gloves are an ideal project for me, since I rarely have the patience to work on a big project - gloves, scarves, cowls and hats are my bread and butter.

This pair were made with Wendy Merino DK in Mulberry and Stylecraft Special DK in Silver. Both knit up into a beautifully soft fabric with a slight sheen, and both were held double to create the warm, chunky texture I wanted for my gloves.

The pattern below is suitable for beginner and intermediate knitters who want to try stranding techniques without commiting to a bigger project or more complex pattern. When changing from one yarn to another mid-row, remember to twist one yarn over the other - if you don't, the resulting holes will make the gloves much less warm than they should be.

Knitting Pattern: Snowdrop Gloves

Using grey yarn and 5mm straight needles, cast on 44 stitches. Work three rows in knit 1, purl 1 rib.

Knit one complete row in grey yarn. On next purl row, begin the chart: three grey stitches, then one purple. You will end your row in the middle of a pattern repeat; make a note of where you are in the chart.

Continue to knit and purl (as for stocking stitch) while working the pattern – once you have noted where the central of each repeat falls, you can use it as a reference point.

Once you have completed the chart, you will be working exclusively in the purple yarn. Continue in stocking stitch for at least four inches. If you’re a confident knitter, you may like to knit two stitches together at the beginning and end of each knit row to shape the glove to your wrists – if you do this, measure frequently to ensure that your glove still fits around your wrist.

Once the piece measures four inches from the bottom of the stranded section, work four rows of knit 1, purl 1 rib and cast off using your favourite method. Sew up the sides of the glove, leaving a gap for your thumb, and weave in any loose ends.

'Sleepy Cat' Cushion

noreply@blogger.com (Kerry Tucker) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:01:00 +0000

This is 'Sleepy Cat' - my latest embroidery project, and my own design. I've sewn mine onto a cushion that's approx 18" square, but the motif can be scaled up or down to suit your own needs.

I traced the design onto my cushion using an ordinary pencil - as my cushion cover was made of 100% cotton, it was fairly easy to sponge any stray pencil marks off with a cotton bud, some detergent and warm water when I'd finished - then, using 10 or 12 varying shades of cream, orange and brown embroidery threads I began to fill in the shapes.

I tried not to repeat a pattern more than once, or if I did, to use different colours or stitches, so no two were identical (apart from the toes and facial markings) I was planning to just embroider the heart shape too, but then found a leftover wooden button that was exactly the right size, and made an interesting feature.

The main outline was done in stem stitch, and the outlines of the shapes within are mostly stem stitch or chain stitch, as is a lot of the filling in. The rest is a mixture of leaf stitch, blanket stitch, open fishbone stitch, fly stitch (worked horizontally instead of vertically) and vandyke stitch. Mostly I used two strands of thread, but for the really fine details, like the whiskers and the pale cream curls and lines between each shape, I used a single strand.

Below is the original drawing I used as a template. It could be adapted in any way you wanted, maybe using just the basic outline with different shapes to fill it, adding beading, appliqued fabric, more buttons, sequins, or ribbon trim. Just let your imagination and your needle run riot!

Welcome to Star Shaped and Shiny!

noreply@blogger.com (Christie Louise Tucker) — Mon, 03 May 2010 21:44:00 +0000

We are two inveterate crafters with a seemingly endless supply of "good ideas" - this is a place for us to share triumphs and disasters, present the work of our talented friends, and justify the vast amount of knitting needles, thread bobbins and hot glue injuries our efforts seem to necessitate. We look forward to sharing completed projects, bringing you tutorials and original designs, and generally basking in the collective satisfaction of having created something from scratch.