Patterns: Chloe Redfern

Goldfinch by Chloe Redfern

I love Chloe Redfern's bird patterns, particularly her goldfinch design. I think this or any of her patterns would look great on a wall at home.

Friday Instagram Finds No. 22 with The Stitch Smith

Hello! I love today because it's the day my best friend in the whole world was born! Say Happy Birthday to Debbie :) And when her birthday rolls around, I know that mine's not far behind on October 3rd. I have some fun news to share about my birthday and an art show, and you can read that at the end of this post.

Today let's go to New Zealand and check out @thestitchsmith. Liz creates contemporary needlework, and also teaches classes and has kits for sale, too. I discovered her because she used #feelingstitchyig on some of her pictures. I enjoy her feed because her work is so bright and colorful. Let's take a look!

@thestitchsmith

This elephant stitch sampler is awesome on so many levels! The colors are so bright and happy, elephants are just plain wonderful, and the stitches Liz used are perfect and varied. I see the fly stitch, split stitch, and feather stitch. Which others can you spot?

Image by The Stitch Smith

Liz features many birds of New Zealand in her designs, like this Kakapo on this needlepoint pillow. I've never tried needlepoint because I always thought it looked too old fashioned, but Liz and her designs have totally changed my mind! I like the geometric triangles that make up the bird, the neat design on its beak, and the repeating pattern for the background.

Image by The Stitch Smith

Here's another one of Liz's embroidery patterns, and like so many I see on her feed, I love how there are a variety of stitches and colors.

Image by The Stitch Smith

Here's another of Liz's birds of New Zealand, and it's a kaka. Liz has these in her neighborhood, which is amazing to me! In the colder climate where I live, we don't have exotic-looking birds like this. Her needle painting is beautiful, and helps the viewer to see the movement of the feathers. The picture below it is a closeup.

Image by The Stitch Smith

Image by The Stitch Smith

That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Liz's work at @thestitchsmith, and make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

!!! Fall ArtScene in Rockford, IL !!!
The good news I have to share is that I am going to show some of my embroidered artwork at the Fall ArtScene in Rockford, IL! This is a dream come true for me. Rockford is my hometown, and I have always loved to check out the art for the Spring and Fall ArtScene events. I've always wanted to be a part of it, and this year I'm showing a couple of pieces at Lucette Salon and Spa. You can read the details here, and get some sneak peeks of what I'm working on over at my Instagram account @randomactsofamy. If you're in the Northern Illinois area, I hope you'll stop by. I'll be at Lucette the evening of Saturday, October 3rd, which also happens to be my birthday!

Stitchy Snippets - Urban Stitchery

Incredible urban embroidery is growing. Colourful creations are threading their way across urban landscapes and bring colour, humour and beauty to concrete jungles. Due to the large scale of this embroidery, it offers a fantastic opportunity for collaboration and is a great group activity in which communities can join in the fun! Here are some 'guerilla embroiderers' who are making their mark in Europe.

Miss Cross Stitch has embroidered her way across Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

Dudua (A.K.A Alicia Rosello) is based in Barcelona where she hosts her craft store and art gallery. Along with friends she has brightened some of the city's streets.

Urban X Stitch create comical and intricate urban embroideries referencing retro pop culture.

MooshieStitch Monday: Embroidered Halloween Ghost Lollipop Covers

Is it too early to start with Halloween posts?

Well, I am going to anyways since it is my favorite holiday and I have probably the easiest Halloween embroidery project ever to show you....

I remember making these as a kid with Kleenex and markers - anyone else?!?

What You Need:
7.5" x 7.5" square white fabric
Black embroidery floss
Black or white ribbon
Lollipops (I used Tootsie Roll Pops)
Basic supplies: small hoop, scissors, pencil/transfer pen

1. Draw a ghost face on your fabric with a pencil or transfer pen. I went very basic with 3 ovals for eyes and a mouth - but get creative and choose whatever ghost face you like!

2. Stitch the eyes and mouth in satin stitch with black floss.

Don't know the satin stitch? Here is an easy tutorial to learn it!

First eye complete...

Second eye...

And mouth!

3. Remove the fabric from the hoop - grab a lollipop and a piece of ribbon or yarn!

I was so lazy that I didn't even bother to iron the hoop marks in my fabric - you don't really see them once you tie the ribbon around your ghost.

4. Tie the fabric around the lollipop with your ribbon - and you are done!

I used both black and white 1/4 inch ribbon.

On one of my ghosts I stitched the word "Boo!"

Really easy, right?? I hope you decide to make some ghosts for Halloween this year.

If you do, be sure to post your ghost photos in the Feeling Stitchy Flickr Group!

Patterns: You are my sunshine

Very industrially stitched by footballgirlaly

I've been meaning to stitch at least one of these patterns for ages, so I'm very impressed that footballgirlaly has stitched all three! She's even changed the colours, so that all three match. The patterns are by Stitchrovia, who has an extremely droolsome shop.

Friday Instagram Finds No. 21 with Ria Paramita

Hi there! Here in the Midwest of the United States (I'm in Illinois), the sun is setting earlier, and the weather is sometimes warm and beautiful, and sometimes a little chilly. Fall is definitely on its way! I definitely live in the wrong climate, because I would love to have warm and sunny weather all day, every day!

Today let's take a look at @_riaparamita_ from Osaka, Japan. I found her because she used #feelingstitchyig on some of her photos, and boy am I glad she did! Her work is so pretty and delicate, with great detail. Read on, and make sure you read until the end, because I've added a bonus account that has nothing to do with stitching.

@_riaparamita_

Ria's floss painted cat head is so well done, and her picture is styled so nicely. I like the different colors she used to give the illusion of fur on the cat.

Image by Ria Paramita

These embroidered succulent brooches are so cute! The detail on the succulents and the pottery is wonderful, and I like how she made these into brooches to be worn on people instead of walls.

Image by Ria Paramita

In her caption, Ria says that she likes New Balance tennis shoes. Well, I like her embroidered version of the shoes, too! That's a lot of detailed work she's included, and the bows on the laces add a really nice touch.

Image by Ria Paramita

GAH! This doll that Ria made her daughter is so precious! I don't know if I like the embroidered eyes and mouth or cute little crocheted bikini more.

Image by Ria Paramita

Bonus Account: @walterthechi
It's no secret I'm a pet lover, and I love Chihuahuas in particular. I came across Walter the Chihuahua several months ago, and I love to see his costumes and expressions. If my little Chihuahua, Zuzu, would cooperate with me instead of being a diva, she could be famous like Walter, too. You can find Zuzu here on my personal account.

Image by Walter the Chi

Image by Walter the Chi

That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Ria's work at @_riaparamita_, and make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!

Patterns: Don't Look Back, You're Not Going That Way

Don't Look Back by Helen Dickson

Another lovely pattern from Bustle & Sew. This one is in their September magazine.

Friday Instagram Finds No. 20 with Itty Bitty Bunnies

It's Friday, hooray! I've had a heck of a week with my son turning 26 years old, our 4th wedding anniversary, my cat being diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, and my Great, Great Aunt Dorothy passing away at the age of 101 year and six months old! The chaos isn't over yet because tomorrow I'm a vendor at a big market in my hometown {info at the end}.

Let's get on to Friday Instagram Finds with Sarah of @ittybittybunnies! Sarah is a hand embroidery artist who creates lovely work that features pretty florals and text. Her Instagram feed is filled with her embroidery, gorgeous flowers, her adorable sons, and her vintage finds. Let's take a look!

@ittybittybunnies

Oh. My. Goodness! Take a look at the detail on this gorgeous bouquet of flowers!! The shading effects that Sarah has used are so beautiful, and the layering of floss to create depth and dimension is truly artistic. I cannot wait until she reveals the full photo!

Image by Itty Bitty Bunnies

While I am definitely a summer person, I can almost get excited for autumn after spotting Sarah's pretty embroidered leaf. As in the bouquet of flowers above, Sarah's use of thread painting using a variety of floss colors to add subtleties of shading make this leaf so much prettier than it would be if it was in the more traditional outlining embroidery. I also like how she hooped it so the leaf looks like it's falling.

Image by Itty Bitty Bunnies

I do this all the time, and I highly recommend that everyone read past their bedtime at least once a week :)

Image by Itty Bitty Bunnies

I'm pretty certain Sarah used a vintage quilt as the outer ring of this Home Sweet Home hoop. This hoop has such a vintage and cottage-style vibe, and all of the colors are so pretty together. 

Image by Itty Bitty Bunnies

That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Sarah's work at @ittybittybunnies, and make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!
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Tomorrow I'll be a vendor at Urban Farmgirl's Main Street Market at Midway Village in Rockford, IL, and I hope you'll stop by and see me if you're in the area! If you do stop by, please make sure you let me know you're a Feeling Stitchy reader :)

Embroidered Enamel

Janet Haigh

Here is something different to try, stitching onto ceramics! Janet Haigh produces incredible embroideries directly onto enamel. These embroideries have so much texture and depth to them.

Janet Haigh

Diem Chau incorporates embroidered silk with porcelain to create these delicate plates and cups adorned with her signature illustrations. Diem Chau's embroideries often tell stories and she takes inspiration from her ancestry and past, using old family photos and heirloom china as a starting point. Her work conveys an air of mystery and connection.

Although they are not porcelain, these impressive little eggs deserve mentioning. Inna Forostyuk applys traditional cross stitch patterns to the shells, creating these colourful decorations. Perhaps it is something to consider for next year?

Patterns: What Deliah Did's Cindermice stitch-along!

Sophie from What Delilah Did, in collaboration with Cloud Craft, has created the oh so charming Cindermice Stitch-Along. You can join in by purchasing kits from Cloud Craft (available to pre-order now, the kits start shipping 1st October) or you can buy the pattern only as a downloadable .pdf. You can stitch one, two or all three characters, just in time for Christmas! 

Friday Instagram Finds No.19 with MadeByBettyB

It's the first Friday in September, and time for Friday Instagram Finds! Here in the United States, today begins the Labor Day Weekend (with Labor Day being on Monday), which heralds the beginning of autumn (and the end of wearing white shoes and pants, LOL). I'd like to introduce you to @madebybettyb which is an Instagram account that many of you may be familiar with. Betty creates beautiful dreamcatchers adorned with hand embroidery, laces, feathers, fabric, and other elements. Dreamcatchers originated with the Ojibwe Native Americans, and are used to filter out bad dreams. Take a look!

@madebybettyb

These embroidered lyrics by John Legend in this dreamcatcher with the lace and feather accents is just beautiful! It's a masculine look that is also feminine, and I could see it hanging in our bedroom without my husband thinking it was too, "frilly."

Image By MadeByBettyB

This little vignette with the camper van, mountain, trees, and campfire is adorable! Betty's stitching is so precise and lovely. Creating this piece in this small space allows the viewer to create their own story. The ribbons and fabrics that Betty used in this hoop pull colors from the floss she used in the embroidery, and are very pretty. Oh! I just spotted some brown ric-rack, too!

Image By MadeByBettyB

How sweet is this hoop with Ava's name in the banner?! It's very sweet, and I can just see it in a little girl's room, protecting her from bad dreams.

Image By MadeByBettyB

This wild & free dreamcatcher Betty created is so romantic and breezy. The pastel colors throughout are pretty, and the embroidery is delicate.

Image By MadeByBettyB

That's it for this week's edition of Friday Instagram Finds! Join in the conversation by commenting below. While you're on Instagram checking out Erin's work at @madebybettyb, make sure you follow Feeling Stitchy! We'd love for you to stop by and say hello. You can find Feeling Stitchy on Instagram at the handle @feelingstitchyish. You can find Amy @randomactsofamy on Instagram.

Want to be featured in Friday Instagram Find? Tag your best stitch-related photos with #feelingstitchyig!