Awesome last-minute monster eyeball wreath

Check out our very own Pam, the fabulous Ms. Kittykill in the first of her Craftster tutorial videos! This looks like the perfect quick project to whip up, just in time to scare the kiddies this evening! Go Pam, go Craftster, go callakat, you guys rock! :)



monster eyeball wreath by callakat

A True Treehouse.

I love this whimsical treehouse from melissastanely727 . It looks like it can just pick up its roots and walk anywhere.

ghost in the neighborhood

Stitched by RainbowSweetStitch

How could one be afraid of this ghost? Yep, that's a Sublime Stitching pattern, artist series featuring the Black Apple. This sweet ghost is welcome in my hood.

Halloween atcs

Stitched by Kleas'

Sweet pumpkins! Ok, quick poll: how many of you watched the Great Pumpkin last night? ;)

October is....

October is winding down but I wanted to remind everyone that is Breast Cancer Awareness month. To raise more awareness I decided to do a Crafty Needlework Challenge on Craftster. There were so many different ideas and such personal stories that I had to share them. The winner of the challenge was Crafty Dame. She describes her work as Deceptive Beauty.

Not only is October Breast Cancer Awareness month but also Domestic Violence Awareness-which brings me to the second part of the challenge. I have never seen such beautiful and strong pieces of needlework.

A big huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the challenge and brought such amazing and powerful statements to the public. If you want to read more about each piece, check out Craftster and if you want to help someone in the community check out your local domestic violence shelters, and breast cancer organizations.

Robert Pattinson cross-stitch

Ahem. I have previously admitted that I have a bit of Twilight-thing. However, Twilight fan or not, how could I possibly not bring this to you, stitchy friends? Cross-stitch your own Robert Pattinson, courtesy of http://www.guardian.co.uk/ and Cross Stitcher Magazine! And please, please, please, post your work to the Embroidery pool immediately, so we can have a sample for the rest of us curious peeps! :)

Visit the post, and download the PDF pattern.

Tonight

Stitched by sarahpfisher

In honor of our fast-approaching Halloween holiday. I'd love to hang something like this on my wall for the holidays and see how long it took people to notice it... ;)

Bird takes the cake

Stitched by j_q_adams

I adore the colors and stitching on this little piece. Bravo, j_q_adams! :)

Pumpkin Girl

Stitched by lissaknit

I love this time of year, when it becomes delightfully creepy in the pool! This Pumpkin Girl freebie by Andrea Zuill is a perfect little pattern to stitch before Halloween hits.

It's A Wonder

In case you run out of fabric, there's always wonder bread to embroider on.......I saw this posted on someone else's blog and I followed the link to Rubblearium's etsy store. Talk about creative. To quote the artist as she explains her use of Wonder Bread:

"Did you know that the creator of Wonder Bread was inspired by the wondrous site of a sky full of colorful hot air balloons, which is why he called his product Wonder Bread and why he used red and blue polkadots to evoke a memory of balloons on the package. I decided to try to work with Wonder Bread to make a series of wondrous things, including little creatures, Barbie doll outfits, and embroidered Wonder Bread."

It just goes to show me that I haven't even thought of everything possible to embroider, yet. Go see what other over the top creations she has.......

Embroidered hotness

Stitched by lagidgette

We interrupt your regularly programmed dose of embroidered cuteness, to bring you a dose of embroidered hotness. Giggling is allowed. Cuteness will resume shortly. :)

Asking about embroidery

A little while ago, I asked about people's relationship with embroidery in the Flickr group. I asked how people got started with embroidery, what it means to them and why they keep doing it. I am going to do a post that relates to each of those 3 questions, this is the first one (obviously!)

What made you start embroidering?

The replies to this is quite interesting. If you read about 'Modern Crafting' in books or online it sounds like everyone is pretty much rediscovering everything and that crafting has sort of skipped a generation because all the mothers were working and crafting was seen as oldfashioned. However, a lot of the replies to this question suggest that atleast half were taught as a child by their mother, grandma or other female relative. Like Fiorinda:

I started cross stitching when I was about 6 yrs old. I am guessing it was because my mother wanted us to leave her alone so she could do her crafts. My mother was always sewing when I was a child, and I learned to love going to the fabric store and feeling all the textures and picking out the perfect color threads.

And cathairlady:

I started when I was 7 when the teacher told us to do a basic sampler on aida. I went home and Mum showed me her Encyclopaedia of Needlework and I was hooked!

So maybe this 'lost generation' is a myth?

Others have learnt from a friend or sibling when they were grown-up. Another big group (in this very large sample total of 20 replies or so!) have taken a class or taught themselves from books or online resources.

aubribanana says:

My experience isn't so traditional I suppose. I was going out of town for a job interview. We were already moving to the city whether I got the job or not and I was going to be alone for four days. I went to Michael's to find something to do and picked up "The New Crewel" some embroider thread and some needles to keep myself busy. I loved it and have gotten some more books to teach myself.

Amanda Panda Pants:

I started embroidery because of my younger sister. She is the artistic one in the family. She paints, knits, draws etc. etc. I was looking for a cool gift for her two Christmases ago, and came upon Sublime Stitching. The designs were perfect and right up my sister's ally. On a whim, I decided to get one for myself. That was all it took. I became obessesd with embroidery.

Personally, I learnt cross stitch from my grandmother when I was very young, but I never took to it for real. Not until a few years ago when I got a couple of books from the library and taught myself more stitches.

Please join the discussion in the Flickr group or add your comments here. I'd love to hear how/why others have started embroidering.

Skull

IMG_1995, originally uploaded by Smallest Forest.

I love embroidery that looks like a drawing. This is an awesome example of that. I am not completely sure what animal this is from. Anyone who knows?

Embroidered lowrider

Stitched by biggreyelephant

Need I say more? Oh yeah!

A bit nutty

cashew embroidery finished, originally uploaded by annaleahart.

Embroidery can be very, very simple.

And kinda nutty. ;-)

Embroidery Tattoo

New Embroidery Tattoo, originally uploaded by Giggly Mama & Fam.

Now, I love embroidery just as much as the next gal, but I don't think my dedication is ever going to go this far.

Pretty darn cool, though!

Wild thing

where the wild things are embroidery Max 6, originally uploaded by meetmeatmikes.

Oh isn't this lovely?

Read Pip's post about it over on the Meet Me at Mike's blog.

Fall loveliness

Stitched by ritapizza

Don't the luscious fall colors look gorgeous on this? Awesome work, ritapizza!

Embroidered headboard

Stitched by jonnybunny

This is so fabulous I am speechless. Click through the photo to Flickr to find more of the design process. Oh how many inspiring ideas this creates in my brain!

Stitch work

Stitched by kat coyle

I love the bright, gorgeous colors on this sampler book by kat coyle. Such loveliness!