#Browns machine embroidery designs

[omlembroidery]

Funny Horse machine embroidery designs

(you will love these machine embroidery designs) The new funny horse machine embroidery designs are so much fun! The horses are here, ready for you to stitch! The designs are in a bundle – a great deal and save lots of money. You get all 8 designs in 5×7. 8×8 and 9.5 x 9.5 sizes – a perfect size for creating quilt blocks, stitch outs on shirts and sweatshirts, blankets and tote bags – the sky is…

[thesilliestrovingalive]

Updated: November 10, 2024

Reworked Character #4: Fio Germi

POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death, alcoholism, and SA.

Real name: Fiolina Hortensia Germi

Alias: Teatime in the Battlefield

Occupation: Master Sergeant of the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. and the lead medical technician of the Regular Army’s special forces

Retirement plans: Become a sports doctor and astrophysicist, open up a bakery, and start a family

Special skills: Chiropractic and massage therapy, knowledge in military medicine, housework, acupuncture, and astronomy

Hobbies: All types of sewing (hand sewing, machine sewing, embroidery, and quilting), ballroom dancing, giving her friends massages, cooking delicious meals and enjoying it on a picnic outside, and frequenting petting zoos, nature reserves, and art and outer space museums

Likes: Peppino, being in Tarma’s arms, the beauty of nature, baking cakes and other sweet treats, and reading books on stories centred around the stars and constellations

Dislikes: Scolding hot and freezing cold baths, people cheating at card games, the time she had to wear orthodontic braces, insects and creepy crawlies, and sneezing on the battlefield

Favourite food: Homemade sandwiches and gelato

Favourite drink: Ice tea (preferably Queen Mary)

Sexuality: Heteroromantic demisexual

Gender: Female

Age: 15 (in 2022), 21 (in 2028), 23 (in 2030), 25 (in 2032), 27 (in 2034), 34 (in 2041), 36 (in 2043), 37 (in 2044), and 40 (in 2047)

Blood type: O+

Weight: 145 lbs. (66 kg)

Design: She’s a 5’ 2” (157.48 cm) Italian mesomorph with sloping shoulders, upper arms that carry some of her weight, a bit of belly fat, voluptuous breasts and hips, and prominent thighs. She has olive skin, droopy blue-grey eyes, and brownish freckles scattered across her face and neck. Fio has straight, slightly messy orangish-brown hair that falls just above the middle of her upper back, framed by blunt bangs and chin-length, layered sides. However, she typically wears it tied up in a ponytail. Her fingernails are painted an English lavender hue, and she wears thick, winged dark brown eyeliner, a soft rosy red blush on her cheeks and nose, and cherry blossom pink lip gloss. As a result of battle injuries and her own clumsiness, she bears a bullet wound near the centre of her left calf and numerous cut marks, stab scars, and scrapes on her arms and legs.

Her military gear consists of polarised, silver-plated transition lens eyeglasses, a metal dog tag necklace with her name, and a cordovan Eisenhower jacket. She wears a pink lavender T-shirt with a dogwood rose stripe running along the front and a carmine bra underneath. She wears carmine gloves and a gold-buckled leather belt to secure her ebony army cargo shorts, which fall just above her knees. She also wears ebony paratrooper boots, dogwood rose knee and elbow pads, and over-the-calf bittersweet shimmer socks. She has a khaki waist pack attached to the front of her belt, which carries her nail polish, lip gloss, eyeliner, two makeup brushes (a large one and a small one), a makeup sponge, and a powder blush palette.

She wears a leather sheath for her hatchet, a gun holster for her handgun, and a holder for her tonfa. The pockets of Fio's Eisenhower jacket carry around Peppino, her beloved greyish-brown teddy bear with a pearlescent blue bowtie, a red wooden maneki-neko figurine with its right arm raised and its left paw holding a koban coin (a gift from Eri), and a deck of cards. The pockets of her army cargo shorts carry a canister of pepper spray, a Ventolin inhaler, a bottle of azithromycin pills, and a bottle of specialised prescription supplements specifically designed to manage her cystic fibrosis.

Over her T-shirt, she dons a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) with a MultiCam pattern, which carries her walkie-talkie and ammo for other firearms. Her black ammunition bandolier is slung over her right shoulder, and the back of her Eisenhower jacket features an embroidered S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. logo. Fio carries an ebony load-bearing backpack containing camping equipment, fire bombs, stones, portable ammo boxes, a canteen full of water, and a picnic basket filled with prepared sandwiches. She also carries her latest sewing project and its accompanying supplies, a Hexagon Arms M-3685, a cat o' nine tails whip, medical supplies, and a scientific telescope.

She always wears a pair of teardrop-shaped pink opal earrings and a gold chain necklace featuring a red coral cornicello amulet, believed to ward off bad luck and bring good fortune. She wears a khaki army cap, once worn by her father during his military service, with the Regular Army insignia emblazoned on the front. Additionally, she wears a rosy pink armband on her left arm, featuring an European bee-eater perched on an olive branch at its centre.

Character summary: She's initially reserved and timid around strangers but warms up and opens up once she becomes familiar with new people. She's a compassionate, considerate, and overly cautious listener who's really good with children and lends everyone a generous helping hand. She's sensitive and unafraid to show her true emotions, often engaging in introspective thought. She possesses a steadfast commitment to justice, having no tolerance for individuals who seek to stir up strife, and is slow to forgive those who inflict harm on others for their own selfish purposes. Despite her quiet and calm demeanour, she's surprisingly prone to stress and anxiety, particularly when confronted with obnoxious noises, unwanted physical contact or situations where she can't escape. Even though she's a seasoned warrior, she harbours an intense fear of insects and creepy crawlies, often resorting to hiding behind Tarma, Marco or Eri and insisting they handle the situation. On occasion, she displays an almost childlike naivety and exuberance, typically after completing a mission or while off duty.

She's a very friendly and gentle clean freak who'll do anything to help out her family, friends, comrades, and those in need. She prepares all her meals with love and dedication, considering others' likes and dislikes, hoping they'll enjoy what she's made. When talking to others, she often uses lively hand gestures and animated facial expressions to emphasise certain ideas. She gets easily flustered by compliments and flirtatious advances, blushing deeply and becoming nearly speechless. She's a somewhat superstitious person, believing in things like placing one's hat on a bed being a sign of bad luck for homeowners and spilling salt being a harbinger of financial troubles. She's a nature-loving girl who's incredibly clever and always thinks optimistically. She's a great strategist who excels in keep-away tactics. However, she often pushes people away due to fear and isn't the most skilled fighter, but can fight when necessary.

Whenever she's faced with the death of a child, a comrade or friend being severely injured, being touched inappropriately or being rudely insulted, her face darkens. She becomes cold-hearted and deadly serious, and her tactical prowess shines through most. She's quite curious around strangers, nervously trailing them and asking a few questions to get to know them. Despite cherishing the importance of friendship, she sometimes feels isolated by her exceptional intelligence, privileged upbringing, and cystic fibrosis. She values maintaining a healthy work-life balance and prioritising her time with loved ones, holding both in higher regard than success. She believes that living in or exploring beautiful places helps her become a better person by gaining a deeper appreciation of the world around her.

She originally harboured romantic feelings for Marco, but they dissipated after he disclosed that he isn't interested in romantic and sexual relationships. Her affections eventually shifted to Tarma, whom she found charming due to his silliness, emotional intelligence, Hokkaido dialect, the soothing sound of his voice, pleasant smile, and knack for building professional motorcycles. She finds immense comfort in Tarma's presence and often offers him solace when he's having a rough day or struggling with self-doubt. After her romantic relationship with him fully blossoms, she forms an exceptionally close physical and emotional bond with him. However, her tendency to become overly attached manifests at times, especially when feelings of fear or loneliness arise. Despite being in a romantic relationship with Tarma, she maintains a non-possessive attitude, unconcerned if he flirts or sleeps with other women and men, considering it his personal freedom. However, she does prefer openness and honesty, ensuring that he communicates with her about his actions.

She eventually enters into a polyamorous queerplatonic relationship with Marco and Tarma, which she deeply cherishes and further satisfies her craving for emotional intimacy. She's displeased when Nadia takes advantage of her kindness to avoid responsibilities. However, she appreciates Nadia's help with dessert-making, although Fio often has to bribe her by offering something equally sweet or letting her have the largest share of a batch to persuade her to lend a hand. She's frustrated by Eri's overprotectiveness, especially when it comes to Tarma, as it reminds her of her father's behaviour and makes her feel like she's being treated like a child. She finds Red Eye to be an incredibly intimidating person, despite their relatively friendly relationship, which occasionally involves sharing a cup of tea together.

When she's reached her limit, feels threatened or needs to express her authentic feelings about something that gets under her skin, she's capable of standing up for herself and making her voice heard. She rarely swears, but when someone's pushed her too far, she'll unleash a stern reprimand, peppered with profanities in Italian. She's unconcerned by Marco's and others' opinions that carrying Peppino is childish because the teddy bear provides her with personal comfort and solace, particularly when she's anxious or sad. She's not fond of drinking alcohol due to its bitter taste and intoxicating effects, which make her feel nauseous and slightly nervous. However, on rare occasions, she’ll let loose and indulge in alcohol with her friends, especially after a challenging mission. When intoxicated, she starts to act playful, flirtatious and sexually teasing towards Tarma, obnoxiously loud, agitated, and bluntly honest.

She harbours private reservations about the Regular Army's methods, particularly when it comes to neutralising perceived threats, including journalists and enemy-affiliated personnel. She acknowledges that not everyone in these groups is malicious, but rather, many are innocent individuals caught in complex circumstances. Moreover, she struggles with the nagging feeling that those closest to her have been conditioned to uncritically accept the Regular Army's moral stance, never questioning its motivations or ethics. However, she's deeply afraid to express these thoughts aloud, fearing deadly repercussions and unwilling to risk stirring up trouble or jeopardising the relationships she values. She often pushes these thoughts aside by focusing on becoming a better fighter and drawing inspiration from high-ranking individuals like Marco and Clark, whom she greatly admires.

She has a tendency to fall asleep extremely quickly at bedtime or naptime, and her loud snoring can be disruptive to others who are trying to rest or focus on important tasks in the same room. She would be heartbroken if Peppino were lost, destroyed or stolen forever, as the teddy bear has been her constant companion since birth. However, she would be overjoyed to be reunited with the original Peppino or receive a new teddy bear that's an exact replica. She believes that war serves no purpose other than to be destructive, resulting from conflicts that escalate beyond the control of free will. In her view, war profoundly alters the moral fabric of society, while accelerating the advancement of weaponry and technology used in conflict. She’s a firm believer in virtue ethics who holds that life is more powerful than death, as it continually finds innovative ways to adapt and flourish.

Backstory: Fiolina Hortensia Germi was born on October 2, 2007 in Genoa, Italy. The Germi family is renowned for their vast wealth, military service, and philanthropic endeavours. Originally merchants and nobles, they amassed their fortune in the Mediterranean region during the Age of Exploration and have since maintained their wealth, now managing various corporations and philanthropic organisations. True to their militaristic heritage, the Germis have participated in numerous conflicts, including the Napoleonic Wars of the 1800s, the Italian Unification Wars of the 19th century, and modern-day wars against terrorism worldwide. Sadly, many Germi warriors lost their lives, leading to an important family custom where the chosen heir of the Germi family must serve in the military.

Alessandro Germi, Fio's father, was a fearsome soldier in the Regular Army in his earlier years, serving alongside Fabriclus Roving. However, he was forced to leave military service after being severely injured during a shootout, which left him crippled and suffering from debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His body bore the scars of countless battles, a testament to the wounds he had endured and the bloodshed he had witnessed on the front lines. After returning to civilian life and receiving proper support, Alessandro successfully restored his family's struggling business. He also started a family with his beloved wife, Giulietta, a talented seamstress and manager of a luxurious art museum.

Alessandro's wish was to have a healthy son as he feared that sending a daughter onto the battlefield would be a perilous ordeal. To his surprise and dismay, Giulietta gave birth to a daughter, and due to health complications, she couldn't bear any more children. Fio's mother would also experience postpartum depression after childbirth and passed down a disease that runs deep within her heritage: cystic fibrosis. Alessandro's deep-seated fears for Fio's safety often led him to become overly protective, causing tension with Giulietta, who found his helicopter parenting suffocating.

Despite her parents' mental health struggles, they went above and beyond to care for her, providing unwavering love and support. For half of her elementary school years, she was homeschooled and her parents taught her a diverse range of subjects, including mathematics. They encouraged Fio’s appreciation for friendships, the outdoors, and the finer things in life. They even fostered her love of astronomy, gifting her a scientific telescope on her 10th birthday, which she still has to this day.

Giulietta often took her on enriching outings to nature reserves and art museums, where she learned about biology and art history. Her mother also taught her the importance of domestic duties, showing her how to do her chores and clean the house. On special occasions, her mother would dress her up in pretty dresses and give her adorable animal plushies, which she still keeps.

She was bullied and exploited by the other children because of her wealthy status and overt politeness, but her father and teachers consistently intervened. As she grew, she discovered her own voice, learning to assert herself with courage and conviction. Standing up to her bullies with firm yet gentle confidence, she effectively silenced their taunts and earned respect. Like Marco, Fio excelled in all her classes, demonstrating exceptional academic prowess and a deep appreciation for effort and lifelong learning.

However, her life took a devastating turn near the end of her secondary school days. A sudden and tragic terrorist airstrike, attributed to the Ptolemaic Army, struck Genoa, Italy, claiming Giulietta among its many victims. Her father was the most affected by this loss, turning to a life of alcoholism and self-isolation. Although Alessandro still cared about Fio and tried his best to support her, his alcoholism and newfound self-isolating behaviour made it challenging for him to do so. As a result, the butler and maids who worked in the mansion frequently took care of her.

It took time for Fio and Alessandro to heal from this loss, but they remained resilient. To cope with the loss of her mother, she turned to sewing, baking, and reading books on ancient and modern medical practices. Eventually, Alessandro sought help and went to rehab and therapy to address his issues with Fio's support and encouragement. After graduation, Fio was awarded multiple awards and scholarships, which enabled her to attend university. There, she pursued an interdisciplinary course of study, exploring chiropractics, acupuncture, physics, and astronomy.

Fio would eventually express her interest in joining the military after coming across a persuasive flyer to serve in the Regular Army. This revelation horrified Alessandro, as he didn't want to send his only child off to the battlefield, risking her life. He wanted to disregard the Germi's military traditions, believing that war is repugnant and a never-ending cycle of hate and violence. Alessandro tried to deter Fio from joining, but she persisted, driven by her desire to join the fight against terrorism and protect the lives of innocent people. He reluctantly agreed and sent her off to the military at the age of 19, but attempted to minimise her risk by using his connections and friends from his own military days to secure her a desk job, hoping to keep her out of harm's way and away from the front lines.

However, everything changed when a paperwork mistake caused by militant bureaucracy resulted in Fio's transfer to the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., a special operations branch of the Regular Army's Intelligence Agency known for carrying out high-risk missions. Surprisingly, Fio was ecstatic to hear the news as she had been eager to be deployed on the battlefield and make a real difference. In contrast, her father was furious and stormed into military headquarters, threatening officers in an attempt to prevent his daughter from being shipped to the front lines.

He would often try to extract Fio from the battlefield via a private jet, but she consistently resisted. Eventually, she had enough of his overprotectiveness and bravely told him that this was what she wanted—to fight on the battlefield and provide medical aid. She assured him that she was capable of handling herself. Alessandro finally understood and let her pursue her life as a military woman. In return, she promised to keep in touch with him after each mission, providing him with reassurance and comfort.

Like Eri, she played a crucial role in the Great Morden War by providing Marco's team with useful intel on Rebel Army positions. She even went so far as to provide them with sustenance, mainly in the form of homemade sandwiches. She also dedicated herself to providing medical support for Marco's team, which led to her being recognized as the lead medical technician of the Regular Army’s special forces.

During the Extraterrestrial Alliance Clash in Hong Kong, she was seized by a ruthless group of fanatic land troops and bikers who intended to exploit her for their twisted desires. One of the deranged fanatic land troops subjected her to unwanted physical contact, leaving her severely traumatised and more prone to anxiety. This horrific experience intensified her resentment towards the Rebel Army and those who seek to spread chaos and harm. Fortunately, Tarma intervened just in time, eliminating the Rebel Infantrymen with the SV-001. Eri quickly freed her from the ropes that bound her arms and ankles.

Her countless battles against worldwide criminality, terrorism, and corruption enabled her to rapidly rise through the ranks, becoming the Master Sergeant of the S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S. special forces unit. However, her time in the military has taught her a harsh reality: even the good guys can't always protect the innocent or save their friends and comrades. She has witnessed many deaths and severe injuries that left people crippled and traumatised in each battle. Nevertheless, with the emotional support of friends like Eri and Tarma, she has persevered and continues fighting to this day.

[karaloza]

Legend of Zelda Theme Park - Castle Town (UPDATED)

As guests move along the walkway at the back of the Welcome Plaza, the noncommittal park ambience is gradually overtaken by facades of old-fashioned half-timber houses, and then masonry castle walls. Finally they arrive at a grand archway with ornate double gates flung open to welcome visitors. Atop the archway sits a picturesque train station, and beyond it is a bustling medieval(-ish) market square of cobblestones, storefronts, gaming booths, and more. In the center is a large marble fountain bearing a sculpture of the Triforce, and on the far side of the square, opposite the entry point, is Hyrule Castle at the end of an avenue lined with trees and statuary. To the right of the castle from the point of view as you enter the area, a cathedral-like structure can be seen rising behind the rooftops. The area music loop consists of a collection of “main town,” shop, and minigame themes from across the franchise.

Castle Town, besides having plenty to do in its own right, serves as the “hub” area of the theme park, with walkways leading directly to three of the other areas (besides the Welcome Plaza) and indirect paths to the others via a ride.

Attractions

Spirit Train Grand Central Station: The Spirit Train is a handy and scenic way to get around the theme park, encircling the central portions on an elevated track, with several stops along the route. Some of the sights in Hyrule can only be seen from aboard the train!

Carnival Games: Most of the central portion of Market Square is occupied by game booths, evoking the numerous “mini-games” found in most LoZ titles. The games themselves are of fairly standard types, but the paraphernalia are all themed like items from the franchise—as just one example, instead of throwing a mere baseball at a target, you throw a “Cucco” (even if it is just a baseball with a chicken face and wings printed on it). Rather than paying cash to play, guests pay “rupees” from a debit card they can get from a vending machine, and the more you put on the card, the more bang for your buck you get—say, five dollars gets you 100 rupees, but twenty gets you 500, and higher amounts net further price breaks. The games themselves cost anywhere from 25 to 100 rupees per play. Prizes are the usual small plush toys and cheap trinkets you would expect, but you can bank wins on your “rupee wallet” card and redeem them for better things if you so choose.

Link and Zelda Meet-and-Greet: What theme park would be complete without an opportunity to meet the star characters? The Hero Link and Princess Zelda can be found in dedicated meet-and-greet spaces on the ground floor of Hyrule Castle. Both characters have undergone many design changes over the course of the series, but by default they appear in something close to their classic, iconic looks. Link gets his green tunic and stocking cap, white leggings, and brown leather arm guards, with a bright but not glaring color palette and more fine detailing than most video game hardware can consistently render. Zelda’s look varies a lot more from game to game, but common features include a white underdress and pink or mauve pinafore-like outer layer with gold embroidery, as well as long blond hair and a distinctive tiara. The objective is to present the theme park itself as an installment in the franchise, with its own story (that you, the guest, create as you go) and details, and its own incarnations of the Hero and the Princess.

Hyrule Castle Gardens: Across from the meet-and-greet spaces, archways lead out into a peaceful courtyard space of flower beds, benches, fountains, and topiary sculptures of familiar creatures from the games, backed by a soft music loop of leitmotives for the game series’ many princesses, love interests, and other gentle, feminine characters. This attraction serves the vital function of relaxation, giving guests an opportunity to take a load off for a while in a tranquil setting.

Temple of Time Theatre: In the back corner of Castle Town, alongside one of the walkways leading to Death Mountain, is a sizable performance venue. The daytime program consists of 30- to 45-minute plays summarizng the plots of actual games, both for entertainment and so non-fans can get some idea of what the big deal is. “Here at the Temple of Time, we can see all across the history of Hyrule and beyond and tell you the legends as they actually happened!” While waiting for the show to begin, guests can enjoy a musical playlist alternating the Temple of Time theme with the score from various “telling a story/recapping a legend” cutscenes. In the evenings, some of the seating area is converted into a dance floor and the plays are traded for mini-concerts by local folk rock bands (and of course, each set includes a cover of at least one iconic LoZ score piece).

Shops

6. Pictobox Shop: If you got your picture taken by a park employee near the main entrance, you can swing by here later in the day to buy prints, perhaps in a nice souvenir frame, or installed in a commemorative keychain.

7. Curiosity Shop: The one in Clock Town may be an outlet for goods of shady provenance, but here, it sells a variety of interesting knickknacks and curios, all guaranteed to be above board.

8. Coro’s Lantern and Oil Shop: This cozy shop offers a selection of wax and LED candles, oil lamps and fuel, scented oil diffusers, and even a unique line of Legend of Zelda-inspired scented soy wax jar candles.

9. Enchanted Kingdom Treasures: Another knickknack shop, this one more targeted to fantasy fans. Some of the items here, from dragon figurines to sword-shaped letter openers, are LoZ-branded, while others are more generic.

10. S*T*A*R*S: Inspired by a minigame in Twilight Princess, this dimly lit tent sells a number of light-up souvenirs, laser-cut crystal sculptures with LED-illuminated stands, and similar tchotchkes.

11. Madame Couture’s: Hytopia’s #1 couturier has her own shop branch here, where guests can buy anything from a simple souvenir tee-shirt to a luxurious fantasy gown, and much, much more!

12. Happy Mask Shop: Named for the innocuous shop in Ocarina of Time that became the founding premise for an entire sequel game, this shop sells licensed masks, hats, and other costume pieces to enhance each guest’s heroic adventure.

13. Badge Market: A shop to buy and trade collectible enamel pins, based on the one of the same name in in Hyrule Warriors. Rather than the endless rows of character images one might expect, pin designs in this theme park focus on iconic emblems from the game franchise, such as the royal crest, symbols of the different peoples of Hyrule, medallions and shields, etc.

Eateries

14. Food Stalls: Interspersed among the game booths in the central portion of the square are booths selling the kind of quick bites you can find at carnivals and farmer’s markets.

15. Potion Hut: A juice and smoothie bar/service counter. Choose from among a wide array of bottled beverages—from common soda brands, water, juice, tea, etc. to unique blends labeled as “health potions,” “energy elixirs,” and other in-universe concepts—or have your own favorite mix made to order!

16. Stock Pot Inn: A buffet restaurant with a menu of hearty soups and stews and flavorful salads.

17. Royal Banquet Hall: An elegant table-service restaurant located on the upper level of Hyrule Castle. It’s pricey and requires a reservation, but it’s worth it for the Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom-inspired menu served in a regally appointed dining room with spectacular window and balcony views of the park. The interior décor features tapestries, paintings, and stained-glass windows depicting iconic LoZ scenes rendered in genuine medieval and Renaissance art styles.

Miscellaneous

After dusk, the Triforce fountain in the center of the area puts on a little light show every 15 minutes.

Paths to the other themed areas in the park can be found in the side alleys encircling Market Square, but that’s not the only reason to explore them! They contain many secrets, some of which are related to the phone app-based minigames.

[trishmishtree]

Finally moved and settled into my new place and now I can get back to sewing!

This project was more embroidery than sewing. It's a recreation of the extant regency reticule from the Rijksmuseum.

I know Sewstine on Youtube has made this reticule before and sells the machine embroidery files on her Etsy, but I'm choosing to recreate the pattern myself and do all the embroidery by hand. The photo on the museum website is super high-def so it was a piece of cake to replicate the embroidery design. The brown vine border was originally done in tambour, but since I neither own a tambour hook nor know how to use one, i did the tambour parts with a chainstitch instead.

Sewstine also recently put out a video where she visited the museum and actually got to see the reticule, and she learned that it has 4 sides, and the two side pieces have different embroidery that isn't featured in the museum photos. Super grateful to her for getting video footage of the hidden sides!

[thatbanjobusiness]

Would you say that a banjo's sound can be accurately described as a "twang"?

I would say it depends on the style of banjo being played! I have zero issue calling picking styles twangy and do so myself. But when people less familiar with the music use it as an automatic designator, I feel it demonstrates incomplete assumptions of what a banjo is (alongside regional assumptions - as if pairing it aurally with a spoken Southern "drawl").

The prototypical banjo sound today is Scruggs style picking. The picking hand places three picks on your first three fingers. This provides a sharp, snappy sound. The fretting hand creates ornamentation that slides about the string, hitting blue notes, gliding in and out of dissonance and consonance; the result feels like the twaaaang of an arrow going off a bow, or the sliding diphthongs of Southern American Englishes. This is twangy and it's yummy.

If someone watches a clawhammer banjo picker and goes, "Oh! I love the twang!" I suspect they're judging by the visual of a banjo and its stereotypical associations, not judging what they're hearing. Clawhammer banjo utilizes strums, alternating your thumb striking a note and your fingers brushing down the strings. There are no picks. You are often playing banjos with different construction (open back versus resonator). The resulting tone is mellower. Maybe you still think it sounds twangy, and that's fine, but there's no denying it's a very different sound than the three-finger picking styles like Scruggs style.

There are many, many, many more banjo styles. I'm simplifying for the sake of simplifying. But Rhiannon Giddens, for instance, does not play with a twang to my ears.

Second, I feel like "twang" suggests "down home bluegrass." Like there's connotations of (stereotypical Southern) region, (rural) class, and "non-properness" there (contrasting, say, how classical music has a genteel connotation). But banjo can be heard in everything from 1920s jazz to ragtime to Celtic. And even bluegrass has high variability, with different eras and bands sounding like the rock side of the 1960s Folk Revival, modern rock, country, old-time, classical, jazz, or whatever the heck they want to throw in there.

That "twang" suggests "down home bluegrass" could be my own associations clouding judgment with the word twang, though. There's no denying something like Vess Ossman's plectrum style in ragtime has snappy twang to it. So I could be overassuming what other connotations people associate with the word "twang."

There's a third aspect at play here -- I find banjo's tonal variations huge. I'm sure many folks think, "Yep, that banjo sounds like a banjo," and that's the start and end to it. For me, the banjo's colors are highly variable between instruments and players.

I prefer using detailed descriptors to explain what I hear between different banjos and pickers. Ralph Stanley's tone is bright and narrow, sharp and thin and brittle like fingernails, but ancient. Earl Scruggs's tone sounds earthy. It's deep browns and the power of dirt, thrown into a man whose fingers are so precise they're a machine gun shower of notes. Kenny Ingram is pure machine gun - much sharper, weaponistic in its attacks. Béla Fleck's tone sounds silvery. It's pristine, light, delicate, gliding off the top, sonic embroidery suited for marble halls. They sound nowhere near the same even when playing the same notes because their tones are that different. Why would I call Béla twangy when his tone's so glitterily elegant?

Banjo is an instrument with an unusual amount of tonal customization possible. And I do mean there's lots here about what affects tone, how much you as an owner can alter it, and how variable the final product's sound is. Banjo is juicily customizable. Banjoists turn into mad scientists taking apart their instruments to modify them according to their sonic preferences. It would be a whole other post to discuss what gives the banjo its tone and how that can be modified - and frankly I've only learned the surface.

I'm mostly being picky (ba dumpt tssh get the pun?) when I say, "not all banjos, banjo pickers, and banjo styles twang." I feel off when someone calls certain old-time styles twangy, but I groove when people call a good Scruggs style twangy. In the end, language is flavor, and I may use my flavors of description differently than the next guy.

In general, though, yeah, I'd say "twang" is a fine description.

[vaimetanyx]

A little follow up on Skinhe based on reblogs and reply comments!

I mentioned it in the replies but I spliced together two free patterns to make skinhe - this one for the head, and this one for the body, with some minor modifications. The hair was added by making a wig cap out of tulle fabric drafted directly on his head, and then assembled like a cosplay wig and sewn onto his head when complete!

Everything not machine sewed is ladder stitched by hand

All the embroidery was also hand done and jank as hell bc of it. I don't think there's a single even portion of embroidery on that thang

The materials used were dusty pink plain suede scuba knit fabric, aliexpress dark brown ponytail extension (heat-styleable), white tulle because I couldn't find where I put my pink tulle, embroidery floss, and googly eyes painted with nail polish (yes he does make a slight rattling noise when you shake him bc of this)

Also people asking where they can get one - me, if you pay me 10 million dollars!!!!!!!1!!!!! In all seriousness though this is roughly $400 AUD worth of labour, custom plushies aren't cheap for a reason.

I would absolutely love to see the results if anyone makes their own, or gets one commissioned based on this design! Feel free to DM me if you have any questions about making a skinhe

Finally, @themolluscasometimes made him a dedicated blog @skinsonupdates so even if you don't have your own skinhe you can still see this flesh homunculus around

@themolluscasometimes said she wanted a Skinhe plush and now this skin creature lives in her home because I asked 'how much do you want one?' and everything spiraled from there. The most interesting part of all this has been explaining who and what he is to people not in the know - stay insane svsss fandom

[shelby-rich]

Machine embroidery can be done in a variety of ways one of them being free motion embroidery. Free motion embroidery uses a specific sewing machine foot that allows the fabric to move freely around the machine, in order to achieve this however the feed dogs on the bottom of the machine must be lowered in order to ensure that the fabric isn’t pulled through by the machine. The fabric used in free motion embroidery must be placed onto an embroidery hoop to ensure that the fabric is held taut to prevent the fabric from slipping when embroidering.

Artist Caroline Hyde-Brown uses free motion embroidery in her piece Detail, from 2018, produced on soluble canvas, to create art onto fabrics, paper and water soluble fabrics using a mixed media style to create a piece of art that is loosely inspired by Japanese art styles. I like the intricacy used in Brown’s work despite it also having a loose and non rigid style because it shows the way that layering and intricacy can be used to create a loose image, I also like the way that pieces are layered together to create a piece by using soluble canvas to produces an initial design then transfer that design onto another piece of work or onto another canvas to produce a new and different piece entirely.

Similar to Caroline Hyde-Brown’s work I have used free motion embroidery to create a piece that displayed the intricacy of nature and the rigidity of the urban environment. I have done this by using straight stitches in a dark colour thread to represent buildings and then I have used free motion embroidery to represent nature and the way that nature is more free than urban environments but also other way that nature and man coexist with the piece in the bottom right sketchbook page depicting a car showing the regidity of man and the trees showing the openness and the freedom of nature. My work was largely successful however I would have liked to add more detail to my pieces, especially the buildings as there was a lot of detail in the images and in the buildings themselves however I didnt add too much detail so as to not take away from the main features of the building.

To develop this technique further I used multiple different thread colours to create more of a shadow effect that better resembles my reference image, I also used yarn to create the tail of the squirrel to create more texture and dimension. I would also used aqua film in order to create a delicate image that connected two things together representative of the link between nature and man, to do this I used the aqua film and a piece of net to embroider a Porsche GT3RS with trees in the background to show both the connection and the similarities and differences between nature and man.

[evelyns-nyc-fashion-study-tour]

Blog Post #6: The New York Embroidery Studio

On Thursday, October 10, 2024, our Study Experience for NYC Fashion Students course visited the New York Embroidery Studio. This site visit far exceeded all of my expectations. When the visit was announced, I decided to research more about the studio, having never heard of it before. I was amazed by their impressive roster of clients, which includes Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Coach, and Thom Browne. This fueled my anticipation for what we would see.

Upon arrival, I was immediately struck by the size of the studio, which was far larger than any embroidery studio I had visited before. Most I had seen only had one or two machines, but this space was filled with a wide variety of equipment. I was fascinated by the number of machines they use to meet their clients’ needs perfectly.

The tour began with our guide showcasing their collection of vintage embroidery machines, which were once used to achieve specialized details like scalloping. I was impressed by the extent of their collection and learned that specific machines are needed to reach certain types of detailing—a fact I hadn’t realized before. It was amazing to transition from seeing these historic machines to observing the modern technology the studio uses today. I was particularly intrigued by the machines embroidering emblems and icons, many of which operated autonomously. I asked our guide, “Are most of the machines automated, or do they still require hands-on assistance?” She explained that while the modern machines are automated, they still rely on employees to upload design files and monitor the process, adjusting the material as necessary.

Our guide also introduced us to their specialized equipment, such as their digital screen-printing machines and jewel-embellishing technology. I was fascinated by the intricate detailing these machines could produce, especially the compact screen printers. In previous tours, I had only seen larger equipment used for mass production. Another highlight was their 3D printing machine, which they are gradually integrating into their production process. The guide noted that 3D printing is the future of their industry and predicted that by 2025, it will become more mainstream. This statement piqued my interest and inspired me to explore whether forecasting companies are predicting the same trend.

I was equally impressed by the quality control process the studio follows before packing orders. Their employees carefully inspect each piece to ensure the designs are correct and flawless, removing stray threads or imperfections.

At the end of the tour, we had the chance to meet one of our professor’s former students, who now works at the studio. I appreciated hearing about her current role, daily tasks, and career journey. She offered valuable advice about breaking into the fashion industry, emphasizing the importance of networking and gaining industry experience—words that resonated with me and encouraged me to reflect on my networking efforts.

We concluded the visit by browsing their swatch books, which featured past designs for various clients. My favorite was a print created for Marc Jacobs, depicting a playful arrangement of shoes and logos. Overall, this experience was incredibly insightful, providing me with a deeper understanding of an area of the fashion industry I had limited knowledge of. Witnessing the evolution of embroidery techniques and technology firsthand was remarkable.

[animegameembroidery]

Anime Embroidery Pattern Eva Shinji Pose

New Post has been published on https://animeandgameembroidery.com/product/anime-embroidery-pattern-eva-shinji-pose/

Anime Embroidery Pattern Eva Shinji Pose

On Sale Now: $5

This custom anime machine embroidery design and pattern features the Evangelion character Shinji as he pose and sits on Eva 01.

Appearance:

Evangelion Unit-01 is, like all Evangelions, a giant artificial human (Jinzo ningen?) with brown skin. It has a mouth similar to that of a human as well as two round green eyes. The face also has four small nostrils and red blood.

Shinji’s plug suit has a very light blue torso, complemented by the rest being a dark blue color with black portions as well.

If you want to create your own custom anime embroidery project that features Shinji as he pose and sits on Eva 01 robot, here is what is included in this package and pattern.

Includes:

Large Design Properties: Width: 7 inches Height: 7 inches Stitch count: 55,762 Sewing time: 140 min. Color count: 12

Medium Design Properties: Width: 5 inches Height: 5 inches Stitch count: 31,615 Sewing time: 80 min. Color count: 12

Small Design Properties: Width: 3 inches Height: 3 inches Stitch count: 15,959 Sewing time: 44 min. Color count: 12

Files Included: 6 formats: .pes .dst .exp .hus .jef .xxx 3 sizes: Large Medium Small 1 color chart 1 image print

If you have any questions, comments, or you just want to reach out to us and share some of the custom embroidery projects you have done with our designs you can use the contact form on our site HERE.

#embroidery #machineembroidery #animeembroidery #patterns #embroiderypatterns

[devynconstance]

Here's an update on my knight bear embroidery! The face was way to crowded and caused a lot of jamming in my machine but hopefully the alterations I did to the pattern fixed the issue. I won't know until I go back and do another one but I'm running low on my brown thread so it'll have to wait a while.

I also played around with some other designs to fill up all the empty space I could. Partially so I wouldn't waste any materials but also to test what my machine could and could not handle.

[dazfashionz]

The blossom tree

This sample has an important meaning to the Japan citizens. I was inspired by the Japanese drawings and pictures of the blossom tree and thought of creating my own to present my research pages with.

Using my textiles and artistic skills,I wanted to experiment with some different techniques using hand and machine embroidery to show how they would look like together. The cotton pads were an extra material added that I thought would look more effective together with the bright pink beads stitched on.

To create this sample, I selected my two materials and chose a plain white fabric to put under the clear detailed fabric. I stuck them together and ironed them so they do not come loose. Then I sketched out lightly the branch in pencil where I need to sew and used the domestic machine to go over with brown and finish the branches. To add more realistic tones, I used a lighter brown to go over the brown showing the textures of the branches. I then moved onto the cotton balls and stuck them down to the fabric lightly as I want them to look 3D. After that, I used hand embroidery with French knots technique to add more texture in this sample before adding the beads.

Overall I am pleased with this sample and it looks exactly how I wanted it to look by using multiple techniques in one to show development and experimentation throughout.

I think this technique would be very effective on garments and the rest of my designs and this would be a good sample to repete in the future on my designs. although I would change the steps of the techniques around to make this easier by putting the needle trough the material.

[omlembroidery]

Chicken Embroidery Applique

Have you heard? The bird is the word… I mean Chicken embroidery applique designs! New! Chicken embroidery applique designs. Stitch out 8 blocks featuring different chicken portraits and a chicken coop. You will fall in love with these new chicken designs. There is a chicken for everyone in this design set. “I made a funny, son and you’re not laughin’” Foghorn Leghorn PS: If you don’t know who…

[unit3-fmp]

Appliqué

Appliqué is a decorative technique in which pieces or patches of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. It is commonly used as decoration, especially on garments.

Here I created this floral, highly textured design featuring a variety of different fabrics and threads along with appliqué, machine embroidery and hand embroidery to create this piece.

Instructions:

Cut out the base branch out of brown fabric

Using a variety of different pink and purple fabrics cut out the flower petals

Finally using green fabric, cut out the leaves

4. Using a variety of different coloured brown thread in a messy format embroider the branch on by machine

5. To add some more texture to the branch once again by machine embroider brown wool to the branch.

6. Using green thread machine embroider the leaves into place

7. Using pink thread machine embroider the petals into place

8. With pink embroidery thread, by hand sew the filament of the flower using a simple running stitch

9. To finish create French knots with yellow embroidery thread to emulate the raised texture of the anther

In conclusion, I'm pretty happy how this turned out, I wasn't to sure to begin with as it felt a bit flat and simple but simply by layering a variety of different materials and threads it really enhances the design and creates a more decorative and cohesive piece.

Sketchbook Page:

[karaloza]

Legend of Zelda Theme Park - Castle Town

Before I jump in, I want to issue a disclaimer of sorts. These maps are going to get more elaborate from here on out, but I gotta be honest--I have no experience with architecture, or construction, or cartography, or even model building (unless you count LEGO sets). These are not intended to be accurate schematics, more like an idea about what could be included in a Zelda theme park and how it might all fit together. I have no idea to what extent any of this would be physically feasible IRL; at the bare minimum I probably have the scaling wrong on a lot of things.

Cool? Cool.

As guests move along the walkway at the back of the Welcome Plaza, the noncommittal park ambience is gradually overtaken by facades of old-fashioned half-timber houses, and then masonry castle walls. Finally they arrive at a grand archway with ornate double gates flung open to welcome visitors. Atop the archway sits a picturesque train station, and beyond it is a bustling medieval(-ish) market square of cobblestones, storefronts, gaming booths, and more. In the center is a large marble fountain bearing a sculpture of the Triforce, and on the far side of the square, opposite the entry point, is Hyrule Castle at the end of an avenue lined with trees and statuary. To the right of the castle from the point of view as you enter the area, a cathedral-like structure can be seen rising behind the rooftops.

Castle Town, besides having plenty to do in its own right, serves as the "hub" area of the theme park, with walkways leading directly to three of the other areas (besides the Welcome Plaza) and indirect paths to the others via a ride.

Attractions

Spirit Train Grand Central Station: The Spirit Train is a handy and scenic way to get around the theme park, encircling the central portions on an elevated track, with several stops along the route. Some of the sights in Hyrule can only be seen from aboard the train!

Carnival Games: Most of the central portion of Market Square is occupied by game booths, evoking the numerous “mini-games” found in most LoZ titles. The games themselves are of fairly standard types, but the paraphernalia are all themed like items from the franchise—as just one example, instead of throwing a mere baseball at a target, you throw a “Cucco” (even if it is just a baseball with a chicken face and wings printed on it). Rather than paying cash to play, guests pay “rupees” from a debit card they can get from a vending machine, and the more you put on the card, the more bang for your buck you get—say, five dollars gets you 100 rupees, but twenty gets you 500, and higher amounts net further price breaks. The games themselves cost anywhere from 25 to 100 rupees per play. Prizes are the usual small plush toys and cheap trinkets you would expect, but you can bank wins on your “rupee wallet” card and redeem them for better things if you so choose.

Link and Zelda Meet-and-Greet: What theme park would be complete without an opportunity to meet the star characters? The Hero Link and Princess Zelda can be found in dedicated meet-and-greet spaces on the ground floor of Hyrule Castle. Both characters have undergone many design changes over the course of the series, but by default they appear in something close to their classic, iconic looks. Link gets his green tunic and stocking cap, white leggings, and brown leather arm guards, with a bright but not glaring color palette and more fine detailing than most video game hardware can consistently render. Zelda’s look varies a lot more from game to game, but common features include a white underdress and pink or mauve pinafore-like outer layer with gold embroidery, as well as long blond hair and a distinctive tiara. The objective is to present the theme park itself as an installment in the franchise, with its own story (that you, the guest, create as you go) and details, and its own incarnations of the Hero and the Princess.

Hyrule Castle Gardens: Across from the meet-and-greet spaces, archways lead out into a peaceful courtyard space of flower beds, benches, fountains, and topiary sculptures of familiar creatures from the games. This attraction serves the vital function of relaxation, giving guests an opportunity to take a load off for a while in a tranquil setting.

Temple of Time Theatre: In the back corner of Castle Town, alongside one of the walkways leading to Death Mountain, is a sizable performance venue. The daytime program consists of 30- to 45-minute plays recapping the plots of actual games, both for entertainment and so non-fans can get some idea of what the big deal is. “Here at the Temple of Time, we can see all across the history of Hyrule and beyond and tell you the legends as they actually happened!” In the evenings, some of the seating area is converted into a dance floor and the plays are traded for mini-concerts by local folk rock bands (and of course, each set includes a cover of at least one iconic LoZ score piece).

Shops

6. Pictobox Shop: If you got your picture taken by a park employee near the main entrance, you can swing by here later in the day to buy prints, perhaps in a nice souvenir frame, or installed in a commemorative keychain.

7. Curiosity Shop: The one in Clock Town may be an outlet for goods of shady provenance, but here, it sells a variety of interesting knickknacks and curios, all guaranteed to be above board.

8. Coro's Lantern and Oil Shop: This cozy shop offers a selection of wax and LED candles, oil lamps and fuel, scented oil diffusers, and even a unique line of Legend of Zelda-inspired scented soy wax jar candles.

9. Enchanted Kingdom Treasures: Another knickknack shop, this one more targeted to fantasy fans. Some of the items here, from dragon figurines to sword-shaped letter openers, are LoZ-branded, while others are more generic.

10. S*T*A*R*S: Inspired by a minigame in Twilight Princess, this dimly lit tent sells a number of light-up souvenirs, laser-cut crystal sculptures with LED-illuminated stands, and similar tchotchkes.

11. Madame Couture's: Hytopia's #1 couturier has her own shop branch here, where guests can buy anything from a simple souvenir tee-shirt to a luxurious fantasy gown, and much, much more!

12. Happy Mask Shop: Named for the innocuous shop in Ocarina of Time that became the founding premise for an entire sequel game, this shop sells licensed masks, hats, and other costume pieces to enhance each guest's heroic adventure.

13. Badge Market: A shop to buy and trade collectible pins, based on the one of the same name in in Hyrule Warriors. Rather than the endless rows of character images one might expect, pin designs in this theme park focus on iconic emblems from the game franchise, such as the royal crest, symbols of the different peoples of Hyrule, medallions and shields, etc.

Eateries

14. Food Stalls: Interspersed among the game booths in the central portion of the square are booths selling the kind of quick bites you can find at carnivals and farmer's markets.

15. Potion Hut: A juice and smoothie bar/service counter. Choose from among a wide array of bottled beverages—from common soda brands, water, juice, tea, etc. to unique blends labeled as “health potions,” “energy elixirs,” and other in-universe concepts—or have your own favorite mix made to order!

16. Stock Pot Inn: A buffet restaurant with a menu of hearty soups and stews and flavorful salads.

17. Royal Banquet Hall: An elegant table-service restaurant located on the upper level of Hyrule Castle. It's pricey and requires a reservation, but it's worth it for the Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom-inspired menu served in a regally appointed dining room with spectacular window and balcony views of the park. The interior décor features tapestries, paintings, and stained-glass windows depicting iconic LoZ scenes rendered in genuine medieval and Renaissance art styles.

Miscellaneous

After dusk, the Triforce fountain in the center of the area puts on a little light show every 15 minutes.

Paths to the other themed areas in the park can be found in the side alleys encircling Market Square, but that's not the only reason to explore them! They contain many secrets, some of which are related to the phone app-based minigames.

[boboprincess]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Free People Susanna Duster Trench Coat Mustard Brown Floral Embroidered Lace NWT.

[jlunnposh]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Billabong New Soul Babe Cream & Brown Stripe Short Sleeve T-Shirt Junior's Large.