Wonderful Wednesday 57: Namaste Embroidery

This Anemones and Succulents pattern by Namaste Embroidery is breathtaking. You can either purchase the PDF pattern or the pattern and fabric, and if you don't have Cosmo threads there is a full conversion for DMC, as well. Jessica also has numerous videos to walk you through, and the added bonus is watching her do such stunning stitching, of course!

There are numerous lovely wreath patterns in her shop as well, including some beautiful holiday themed patterns, take a look!

Stitchy Snippets - Birds

These incredibly realistic brooches of birds are created and embroidered by Polish artist, Paulina Bartnik. Paulina adopts the Needle Painting embroidery technique, which she applies to a felt base. Such stunningly colourful and realistic pins would surely make the most perfect Christmas gift :) See more of Paulina's work here.

Feeling Random Friday #5 with The Needlework Finisher

I hope that all of my stitchy friends in the United States had a terrific Thanksgiving yesterday! Today is the day known as "Black Friday" here, and it's one of the biggest shopping days of the year! This year my husband and I decided not to purchase Christmas gifts for anyone...a strangely scary yet liberating feeling. Since our pup Sidney has cancer, his treatment has taken up all of our extra money, so we will be making our gifts this year.

I was looking at Instagram to find some ideas and came across @theneedleworkfinisher, Diana Sagmoe. I tried needlework once, and I was pleased with the results. After seeing the beautiful pieces in Diana's feed, I realized it's an art I need to add more of to my stitching. You can find Diana on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Here are some of my favorites from her Instagram account.

A post shared by Diana Sagmoe (@theneedleworkfinisher) on Oct 15, 2017 at 6:55am PDT

A post shared by Diana Sagmoe (@theneedleworkfinisher) on Nov 22, 2017 at 4:42am PST

A post shared by Diana Sagmoe (@theneedleworkfinisher) on Nov 6, 2017 at 5:35am PST

Wonderful Wednesday 56: Lolli and Grace

This beautiful Home Sweet Home pattern by Lolli and Grace is such a holiday for my eyes. I love watching this designer's marvelous sense of color at work, and this latest pattern is no exception. There are so many beautiful new stitches you can try out, and her use of unusual textures and details is lovely.

I'm also loving This Home is Built on Love and Dreams, another PDF pattern in her shop:

If it's holiday patterns you're wanting, there are plenty of adorable, colorful items to be found in her shop, like this lovely Joy to the World pattern:

Feeling Random Friday #4 with Le Kadre

Photo credit: Le Kadre Facebook Page

I have a special treat for you today, my stitchy friends! I went down a rabbit hole on Instagram the other day and found this delightful couple! Elin and Charles, who are recently engaged, share a love for each other, and for hand embroidery. Elin is Swedish and Charles is French, and their nationalities, cultures, and world travels come across in their artwork. They teach workshops and also have a monthly pattern program on their website, Le Kadre. Here is Elin's Instagram, @petronella.art, Charles' Instagram, @_charleshenry_, and their Facebook Page Le Kadre.

Here are some of my favorite photos from their Instagram feeds. I encourage you to follow both of them!

A post shared by Elin Petronella (@petronella.art) on Nov 10, 2017 at 8:01am PST

A post shared by CHARLES HENRY (@_charleshenry_) on Sep 17, 2017 at 7:46am PDT

A post shared by Elin Petronella (@petronella.art) on Oct 29, 2017 at 10:54am PDT

A post shared by CHARLES HENRY (@_charleshenry_) on Sep 8, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

When my now husband and I were dating, I taught him how to embroider. He was very good at it, and it was a great way for us to spend time together and share a creative outlet. Some time after we were married I asked him if he wanted to do some embroidering with me. His words were, and I repeat them here verbatim, "I already got you (married you), so I don't need to do that anymore!" 😐  I still have hope that I can get him back into doing embroidery with me. Do you and your significant other share a love of stitching?

Enough

This is a happy blog. Over the years, I've made it my mission to always focus on the positive, to highlight designers that bring me joy and show me a vision of life that is sweeter, kinder, lovelier, and more wonderful. It's what I typically write about every Wednesday - only wonderful things.

I still feel that mission is important, especially in trying and confusing times. I will continue to share wonderful things with you. But I've also been thinking about our role as artistic voices in the world, and sometimes, there are unpleasant things, not wonderful in any way, that need our thoughts as well. We just celebrated a remembrance day to commemorate all the men and women who gave their lives in service to their countries.

I think the people we have lost in America to gun violence deserve a remembrance as well.

As I write this post on Tuesday, there has been another elementary school shooting. Just a little over a week ago, a shooting in a church claimed the lives of 26 people. And in Las Vegas just a month ago, 59 people died and over 500 people were injured. Those who survived will carry the terror of what they've seen with them, for the rest of their lives.

How many more lives must be lost before change can happen in this country?

It's my birthday this week, which always makes me think about my life, my year, what I'm doing, and what I should be doing. It's also made me realize that my entire adult life has been punctuated by ever-increasing acts of violence. If you are over 40, you may remember a time you felt safe from gun violence as a very distant memory, just as I do.

But think about it- children and young people in America can never remember a time they felt safe from gun violence. Everywhere we go, be it church, school, concerts, movies, any public gathering of any kind, we are no longer safe from the threat of gun violence. And yet again and again we hear the same tired arguments that there's nothing we can do, that all we can do is offer thoughts and prayers.

I believe prayers should lead us to actions. I believe our voices count and our words matter.

I use that voice right now to share one word:

Enough.

Stitchy Snippets - Tiny Textiles

What do you think of these awesome, minature textile sculptures? They are created by Miami based Fiber Artist, Amy Gross. When talking of her work, Amy says, 'My hand-embroidered and beaded fiber sculptures are my attempt to merge together the natural world and my own inner life. Their symbiosis suggests not only what can be seen, but also what cannot.'

Initially, Amy decided not to use any elements taken directly from nature in the construction of her art, therefore all of the components are artificial. Amy explains that 'If there's a leaf it cannot be a leaf, if there's a twig it can't be a leaf because it's about fake nature and making stuff up ... it's not going to rot or decay.'

Some of the mixed media that Amy uses are: Styrofoam balls, synthetic yarn, plastic beads, paper and photographs. All of the elements are stitched together or connected with glue and many pieces incorporate intensely beaded areas which are extremely time consuming to create.

Here is a fantastic video which gives a greater insight into Amy Gross' work and her inspiration.

Feeling Random Friday #3 with Bugambilo

Happy Friday! Today I'm sharing with you a talented hand embroidery artist named Sol Kesseler who goes by @sol.bugambilo on Instagram. I love the big and bold embroideries she creates! Sol is a talented artist, and she uses her skill to teach others. You can purchase her art here, and she also has a Facebook Page here.

Her work makes me want to create an embroidery of my husband with his epic beard :) Here are a couple of my favorites from her Instagram:

Just take it one stitch at time 💙💪 Los viernes y lunes abro el estudio para el taller proyectual. Un espacio para crear imágenes bordando. Si querés sumarte escribime bugambilo@gmail.com . . . . . . . #embroideryinstaguild #embrodery #beard #portrait #bordados #bugambilo #bordadoamano #embroideryillustration #needlework #picoftheday #embroiderymoovement #thread #floss #embroideryhoop #brodery #ig_daily #vsco #creativelifehappylife #needleworksociety

A post shared by sol kesseler (@bugambilo) on Apr 27, 2017 at 8:18am PDT

♥ ♥ están abiertas las inscripciones para el taller de bordado contemporáneo, un espacio de creación donde los acompañaré en el desarrollo de sus proyectos personales ✏ bugambilo@gmail.com . . . . . . . . . #handstitching #embroideryinstaguild #embroidery #bordadoamano #bordado #embroiderybeards #beardflowers #bugambilo #thegaybeards #illustration #embroiderymoovement #makersgonnamake #creativelife #textiles #needlecraft #needlework #contemporaryembroidery #beard #abmcrafty #ig_daily #thehandmadeparade #craftsposure ##abmlifeiscolorful #doitfortheprocess #calledtobecreative #embroideryhoop #bordado #broderie #刺繍 #needleworksociety

A post shared by sol kesseler (@bugambilo) on Apr 25, 2017 at 9:23am PDT

Saturday Stitches - Namaste Embroidery

I am really loving the sped up stitch videos Jessica of Namaste Embroidery has been posting on Instagram! It is such a treat watching other people stitch, and I always feel like I learn something new from other stitcher's methods.

Next up...satin stitch! I outlined in split stitch with 2 strands, used a single ply for the satin. Please check out my recent blog post for a full video and more information satin stitch 🙏 I love seeing your practice pieces, keep tagging me so I can see!

A post shared by Jessica Long (@namaste_embroidery) on Oct 26, 2017 at 3:43pm PDT

Be sure to follow Jessica on Instagram to see more stitch video goodness: https://www.instagram.com/namaste_embroidery/

Wonderful Wednesday #55: Tamar Nahir Yanai

This beautiful Autumn Leaves Embroidery Kit by Tamar Nahir Yanai is so simple and perfect. There are several options offered by the shop - printed fabric, kit without hoop, or kit with hoop.

These delicate stitches and soft colors are such a wonderful way to remember fall.