Patterns: Rosie and Bear

September, November and December Rosie and Bear patterns by Bustle and Sew

I have to admit I squealed with delight when Bustle and Sew released the first three patterns from the new Rosie and Bear pattern set, I think they're incredibly cute! I had been tempted to try a calendar series for a while now and as these patterns look like something I can happily get my teeth into, I'm really looking forward to sitting down and starting to stitch these, once I've got all my Christmas sewing out of the way first of course (ah the demands of this time of year). I think the fur on Bear looks fun to try and I love the extra details like the filled in apples and the optional doily rain clouds. Plus as usual with Bustle and Sew patterns, they come with comprehensive, detailed instructions. You can purchase the patterns for download here.

Cross Stitched Pumpkin

Elsie Marley shows you how to make this wonderful skull pumpkin. I love the vintage folk art feeling to it. So eerie!

The Quick and The Thread: Mystery novel giveaway!

The Quick and the Thread: An Embroidery Mystery
by Amanda Lee

First of all, disclaimer - I am not a book reviewer, so this is not a real book review. :) I do have an English degree, love mystery novels, novels in general, etc. - but none of that really qualifies me to do a real review. I'm just your average yo-yo who likes to embroider. But - would I miss the opportunity to read an EMBROIDERY mystery novel and share an author-signed copy with you guys? I think not! So, here goes. :)

This book found me at exactly the right moment - I've been on a mystery novel kick - reading through all the Southern vampire mysteries by Charlaine Harris, and I'm halfway through the Harper Connelly series. I LOVE mystery books with a female protagonist, and one who embroiders - I can die now! :)

The main character in this novel is Marcy Singer, who's just opened a small embroidery shop called The Seven Year Stitch (do all embroiderers share our love of awful puns? I think so.) On the night of her grand opening, she finds a body in her storeroom, with a mysterious message scratched onto the wall - and there begins the mystery. There's a bit of romance, some love triangles, lots of puns, a cute dog, embezzling, prison visits, and of course, embroidery!

I thought this book was terribly fun, and I loved the descriptions of Marcy's store and her embroidery projects - you know that little jolt you get when you meet someone who loves to embroider? Well, I'm hooked and already waiting for the next one!

I'd like to thank the author, who found us and was sweet enough to share an advance copy with me and offer an author-signed copy to one lucky Feeling Stitchy reader!

To enter the drawing: Leave a comment on this post with your 2 favorite mystery novels. If you're not into mystery, just tell us your 2 favorite books. That way, we'll all come away with something good to read! I'll close the comments at 6:00 PM Central Time, Sunday Oct. 31 and choose 1 random winner.

Want an embroidery mystery novel? Well, hurry up and leave a comment! :)

Boo!

 

How cute is this spooky spider duo?  And I spy a pretty neat satin stitch too! There's still time to stitch these two critters before All Hallows Evening.You can get the free pattern on Aneela Hoey's blog. 

Pastel Cross Stitches

Christmas present cross stitch, originally uploaded by kittykill.

I must admit that normally I am not a huge cross stitch fan. But this is really great!

Love the image. Love the colours!

Stitched houses

embroidery, originally uploaded by lovelaughquilter.

So cute, right?!

Love all the different stitches and textures in the houses.

Delicious flowers

Embroidered velvet bag, originally uploaded by AsiaMc.

Nice use of the bullion knot! Atleast it looks like bullion knot.

What do you think, Nicole..? ;-)

Patterns: Mary Jane

It did not rain on Mary Jane by glassmountain

Oh I love anything with a fill stitch and anything with umbrellas and well this is so cute! The pattern is Mary Jane by Etsy seller LiliPopo (known as glassmountain on Flickr).

Christmas Stitches Embroidery Class

Got a list of peeps to craft for this holiday season, but no ideas? Our very own Carina just let me know about an online embroidery class she'll be doing from October 25 to Nov 21. Ahem, that's 3 days from now!

There'll be lessons and projects and patterns, and if I know anything about Carina (which, I think I do) it will all be amazing stuff!

To learn more about her class and see some sneak peeks, visit her blog. Or, hop on over to register for the class. If you're a Feeling Stitchy reader, be sure to enter the coupon code: CHRISTMASFS (so she'll know where you came from). Bravo, Carina - looks like fun!

Just amazing

Stitched by Drummbellina

I am in love with the subtle way the white stitching is complemented by the white stars on this fabric. Just, amazing!

Lyrics in stitches

I have already admitted in earlier posts that I have a soft spot for embroidered words. And I love it even more if awesome lyrics are quoted! The top embroidery (lyrics from a song by the Smiths) is by Gina (Doe c Doe) and you can even order a custom phrase on that lovely paint by number fabric. I already have ordered mine, also with words from a lyric. The lovely cross stitch sampler features lyrics from the Pixies and is stitched by Feeling Stitchy's very own Bridget (Beefranck).

Robotic first attempt

robot and dog, originally uploaded by daisymae_cs.

Would you believe it, this is daisymae_cs' first attempt at embroidery!

Not bad I think!

Both the 'bot and dog are super cute!

. . . . . . . . . .

Here's an idea: if you are new, like brand new, to embroidery, please add that very first attempt to the FS group and tag it with first_embroidery_attempt and I'll post some of them here on FS. We all start somewhere, right!? Go on, stitch something for the very first time! :-)

Not sure what this is

troubleinthehive, originally uploaded by valr.

But I am absolutely certain that I like it. :-)

It is called 'trouble in the hive'...

I like this fish!

IMG_0682, originally uploaded by pixifave.

It is beautiful!

I love the colour combination of orange and yellow on blue.

Patterns: Give me work

Collaboration with Rob Ryan by Emily Peacock

Now I know we don't normally mention needlepoint here, but needlepoint is still 'stitchy' I think and this collaboration between Rob Ryan and Emily Peacock is just perfect with its craft themed message and design, 'Give me work to last me all my life'. I know for one this will be on my Christmas list if Father Christmas is feeling extra generous this year! Emily is based in the UK, international customers can view the kit here.

Eureka!

 

I'm not sure if Archimedes would have approved of Math Books being used for embroidery but I love it. With her embroidery of a White Tree Jessica has turned the paper into a tree again, brilliant! Jessica has recently opened a shop appropriately named Paper and Stitch.

It's almost Halloween....

Stitched by Stitch and Famous

What better way to celebrate than with brains? I am loving this zombie cross-stitch so much! :)

Fluffy letters

nervous closeup, originally uploaded by forestine.

This is unusual, isn't it? But absolutely fabulous.

Those letters look all funkylicious in all their mohair-y goodness! And I love the contrast with the French knots. :-)

Patterns: Fly High

I had great fun recently embroidering my son's previously boring plain blue duvet set with this lovely new set of patterns, Fly High by the relatively new Etsy seller, Motherwifeartist. Fly High includes a great variety of flying machines and some lovely phrases perfect for bedtime sets.

Celibate Pandas

Stephanie Tillman's embroideries never fail to make me smile. :)

I feel like this today

pixies inspired, originally uploaded by cappywanna.

Makes me feel better to see it captured in stitches...

And what lovely stitches! I love how the words are connected. :-)

Patterns: Camera Boy

Camera Boy by Sew Lovely Embroidery

I love this pattern (which is part of Sew Lovely's Smile for the Camera pattern sheet) and I love the choice of fabric and the use of just black thread and how the boy has been placed in the bottom corner of the piece. A beautiful pattern and a beautiful piece of work to.

31

When you regularly browse the photos posted in the Embroidery group on Flickr you must have come across some of these detail photos of embroidery stitches by Kim. Kim is stitching a hundred different stitches from a book called... One Hundred Embroidery Stitches and this Chained Feather Stitch, which looks rather lovely, is number 31.  Kim has lots of pictures on her blog on how to do these stitches so it's well worth a visit!