Stitchy Snippets- Edgy Embroidery

Happy Halloween everyone. I hope you are all feeling spooked! :)

Take a look at this fantastic collection of decorative embroidered skulls and bones by Moonrise Whims. I love the combination of the dark and gruesome with colourful, floral motifs. Renee Rominger, the great mind behind Moonrise Whims, has also published a book full of designs called 'Edgy Embroidery'. You can find out more here.

(Editor's note: By the way, the link above is an Amazon Affiliate link - clicking through the link and buying is one way to support our volunteer reviews - we use funds in our Amazon account for new giveaways and reviews. Would you like us to review this book on Feeling Stitchy? Leave a note in the comments if so!)

Spooky Saturday!

Hi all - in this last Saturday before the big spooky day, I am re-sharing another gem from a past stitchalong! This Spooky Halloween pattern by Cathy Gaubert is a super adorable.

Here's a roundup of all the different ways this wonderful little pattern was stitched, for inspiration: http://www.feelingstitchy.com/2011/10/september-stitch-along-wrap-up.html.

Cathy's blog has since gone on hiatus, but she was happy to hear from us, and happy that her pattern has been shared and loved and stitched so many times. Thank you, Cathy!

I'd like to follow up with a special plea - do you see that sweet little pup in our sidebar? We are still raising money for Amy's sweet dog Sid, who is going through cancer treatment. If you have ever downloaded a free pattern from Feeling Stitchy, won a giveaway, or enjoyed a tutorial or article, we'd be so tickled if you contribute a little something to Amy's fund, no matter how small.

We'd love to let Amy know how important her voice has been here, and online. I know there are so many demands on your income and time, but just a dollar or two from many people adds up! Feeling Stitchy has always been free, we don't advertise, save for doing reviews and features of items we hope you'll like, and we're all volunteers. So please take a minute to support one of our wonderful volunteers, Amy!

Feeling Random Friday #2 with Spincushions

Welcome Back, Stitchy Friends! As promised in my last post, which was also my first Feeling Random Friday, this weekly post will explore all kinds of crafts that use a needle. Today let's take a look at Spincushions. I have followed Shelley on Instagram for a few years. She started out posting about hand embroidery, which later moved into a passion and focus on crochet and knitting. The thing I love best about Shelley's work is how bright and colorful it is with a whole lot of texture thrown in, too.

You can find Shelley on Instagram, her website, and Pinterest.

Free Needles from Tres Chic Stitchery!

Did you know that Tres Chic Stitchery gives out free embroidery needles? We previously featured one of their beautiful Sajou kits for a giveaway, and we were super-excited to learn about their free needles promotion!

Visit their site to learn more - thanks for letting us know, Tres Chic!

http://treschicstitchery.com/free-package-of-embroidery-needles/

Wonderful Wednesday #54: MLM XOXO

What gorgeous Fall Leaf Embroidery Kits these are by MLM XOXO on Etsy! You may choose from a red leaf duo, acorns, or a dark chestnut leaf and the kits contain: a 4” wood hoop, design drawn on fabric, embroidery floss & needle, grosgrain ribbon, and card stock. I am loving the gorgeous, deep colors used on these!

Feeling Random Friday #1 with Embroidology

Hello Stitchy Friends!

I know I've been gone for a while...I've had some great and not so great events happen in my life, and I needed to take some time to sort my life out. I am so lucky to have an Editor like Floresita who is understanding and supportive.

I was getting a bit burned out on Friday Instagram Finds, and wanted to try my hand at something new. I tossed around some ideas with Floresita and my husband, and it became clear that I wanted to expand from solely focusing on embroiderers and cross stitchers to ANY art/craft with a needle. I also wanted to honor the Feeling Stitchy and my blog's name, Random Acts of Amy, somehow into the title, and thus, Feeling Random Friday was born!

In Feeling Random Fridays, I'll focus on embroiderers, cross stitchers, quilters, sewers, knitters, crocheters (I know it's a hook, but needles are sometimes used.), tattooers, you name it - any art or craft that uses a needle. The world is big and varied, so why not try to see as much of it as we can?! If you come across an artist who uses a needle, tag #feelingrandomfriday for me so I can take a look!

Our first feature is @Embroidology! Steph is an ex-neuroscience student turned science embroidery artist. I follow her on Instagram, and love to see her science related works of art. The picture above is the anatomy of a flower, and some of her other pieces are closeups of plant cells, root vascular cells, and microglial cells. I recommend you check out her Instagram feed.

I will see you next week when I'll feature...another amazing needle artist!

Wonderful Wednesday #53: And Other Adventures

Now here's a lovely treat you could stitch up in time for Halloween - this simple and elegant Halloween Bat by And Other Adventures on Etsy! It really has a very graceful simplicity going on, and is classy and spooky. You cloud also reverse the image with white thread on a dark background, or maybe glow in the dark thread for a spooky door sign.

Stitchy Snippets - Quirky Curiosities

With Halloween approaching, it's time for some peculiar curiosities of the textile kind. Take a look at these creepy but also charming, little creatures crafted by Annie Montgomerie.

The figures are skillfully constructed by hand using a combination of textiles including muslin, 100% wool felt, ‘up-cycled’ garments, velvet, leather and cotton.

Freebie Friday: Kitsch Witch and Kitsch Witch, Too!

Right click and save or Download here

Over the years, we enjoyed having so many wonderful patterns designed as free patterns for our stitchalongs.

This adorable Kitsch Witch pattern was designed by Bridgeen Gillespie - among other things, Bridgeen has written for MrXStitch and Craftsy, as well as designing her own patterns over the years.

I had a lot of fun stitching the Kitsch Witch, using a lovely floss palette from Sublime Stitching called Parlour.

When I checked in with Bridgeen this month, to ask if I could re-share her lovely pattern, she responded by designing another free pattern for Feeling Stitchy!

So here's a new free pattern by Bridgeen, in honor of Halloweens past on Feeling Stitchy, called Kitsch Witch Too!

Kitsch Witch Too Pattern

Right click and save or Download here

Kitsch Witch Too Color Guide

Here's a complimentary color guide by Bridgeen, but she invites you to stitch up the Kitsch Witch in any combination of skin tone and color that you see fit!

Thank you so much Bridgeen!

Wonderful Wednesday #52: Satsuma Street

I am absolutely charmed by this witchy Halloween Cat Cross Stitch Pattern by Satsuma Street. And I apologize, because there's probably no way (unless you went on a total stitching bender) that you could have this done by Halloween. But you could just grab the pattern and be all set for next year!

Twitter Tuesday: Claire Buckley

Textile artist Claire Buckley has been sharing some absolutely phenomenal stitching on Twitter this year, in her 1 year of stitches project. If you're craving some daily embroidered inspiration on Twitter, I highly recommend a follow of her beautiful feed!

Would you like to be featured in our Twitter Tuesday series? Then follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/feelingstitchy and tag your embroidery photos with #embroidery or #feelingstitchy so we can find you!

Please help Sidney! Fundraiser for Amy's sweet pup

For many of our long time readers, you know Amy from her wonderful Friday Instagram Finds posts on the blog. Some of you first found your way to Feeling Stitchy via her posts on Instagram as well! Well, Amy and her sweet chihuahua Sidney are now in need, and I wanted to ask that if anyone can help, even just a little bit, to please help!

In addition to being an awesome crafter, embroiderer and maker, Amy and her husband are very dedicated to animal rescue, both by adopting rescues like Sidney and volunteering and donating to animal rescues and shelters. They have helped so many, in the crafting and animal world, and now they need some help.

Sidney is a sweet chihuahua who is in treatment for lung cancer - everyone knows that cancer treatment is no picnic, but imagine how difficult it is for such a tiny being, or to be the owner who has to watch over your little pup enduring these treatments.

If all you can offer is prayers, I believe those are helpful, too! But if you can at all help, even just a bit, it will go a long way to helping a couple who have already given so much of themselves to the crafting world and the animal world!

Wonderful Wednesday #51: Samantha Purdy Textile

What a delightful, unique little pattern by Samantha Purdy Textile on Etsy! I was immediately enamored with this charming, simple Raking Leaves pattern, from the fall colors and the leaves, to the cute acorn hat.

There are so many unique and gorgeous little Fall and Winter themed patterns in this shop, that I thought I'd treat you to a few more peeks:

Fall Day

Apple Cider

Stitchy Snippets - Applique Art

This beautiful and charming textile art is by illustration artist Mika Hirasa. Combining a collection of antique cloths with decorative embroidery, Mika Hirasa creates playful characters and stories in her art work. Much of her art work is commissioned for advertising and magazines and book covers. Talking about her art, Mika Hirasa states that her 'fabric art gives off a warmth that can only be felt from hand-made works'.