#getting started in embroidery

[bookhoarding]

Embroidery 101: Supplies

I love seeing embroidery stitch videos, but how do you actually get into embroidery? I thought I’d share some tips and tricks I’ve learned about embroidery for folks looking to get into it. There is no “right” supply, but I thought I’d share what I have and how I use it. Hoops – Hoops are a great way to start projects. Most of the time, beginner samplers will need a basic hoop, but as you learn…

[arkodianart]

The first embroidery pieces for the Tiffany Aching books on my Discworld jacket:

-a chalk horse (the Uffington Horse)

-a stylised frying pan with the quote "Make all things yours!"

[cerbreus]

trying to design a little creature for my ren faire getup

[wassupmygays]

i love you tiny costume details. i love tiny pieces of jewelry or patches that add so much to a character. i love you costume designers that allow for personalization. i love you i love you i love you

[pearl-kite]

Finished it! A couple of months ago I started this pattern by @antisocialxconstruct / @craftsbyrom and I just finished up the last squares today. After the last cross stitch, this was pleasantly straightforward and very relaxing busy-work for my hands. The pattern is available digitally in it's Kofi shop for a minimum of a dollar (I've also bought that glitchy dog skull that I'll get around to eventually 👀).

Some technicalities etc below:

One tweak I made was at the very end I decided to try a tiny bit of backstitch to make the letters stand out, and for the most part I like the addition, but I'm still debating. The way it turned out on the Y has me tilting my head back and forth.

Here's the completed one before the backstitching:

I went with 3 strands instead of 4 like it did for the sample, but I think the coverage was still pretty good. Definitely needed at least the 3 for the dark areas to stay completely dark.

With 3 strands, most colors were okay with just 1 skein of DMC thread, but I did need to run to the shop to grab a few: - DMC 3814 - Aquamarine (I had less than a square inch left when I needed to get more ;3;) - DMC 02 - Tin - DMC 797 - Royal Blue

If I had done 4 stands I would have also needed a second DMC 939 for the very dark blue, because I have just about a foot left on my spool.

I'm debating what to do with it. The last one became a pillow, but this one is juuust a bit small to be a useful pillow. I might just do it anyway, sampler throw pillows aren't that weird after all, but I might also try to kind of rig a sort of frame and stretch it like a canvas? It could be nice up on the wall that way.

[bam-stroker]

Some embroidery inspired by the ever fabulous @venomous-qwille's Ghost in the Machine ✨

The lines that inspired it:

Along the edges of the mend trail a procession of tiny animals, picked out in colored thread. Glimmering navy magpies dip between the slender necks of wild horses in burnt orange; an otter slinks low beneath the legs of a silver wolf; yellow cats and red foxes and a tiny trail of purple rabbits that dance along the tear, paw in paw.

the glimmering fishes with their scales picked out in cyan and eggshell blue, a forest green tortoise tucked behind the hooves of a baby pink deer. You run your fingers over the stitching—and like braille you read the faintest memories of the thread there—beloved and stored in delicate little spools, two by two. - Qwille, GITM

[shenzi-hemlock]

This is one of my first embroidery projects that was completely designed by me! Going forward, I’ll be making mostly all my own designs and then stitching them once the sketch is complete.

I had a lot of fun with this one! It’s got a great blend of colors, stitches, lengths, and words to consider. Inspiration really did just hit me out of no where and I basically sketched this out on the fabric (I know, not ideal, but I now have a whole sketch book dedicated to becoming embroidery patterns).

This item is for sale, DM me if you are interested. The item is a completed embroidered piece. This is not a pattern.

This is an original design. Do not repost. Do not sell any finished embroidery piece(s) from this design.

[dimmeddown]

Last minute holiday present for your coworker be like...

[fure-dcmk]

IM GOING TO KMS

[sysig]

A lot of early concept stuff was expression/pose brainstorming - there’s the classic six Webkinz emotions (which, I learned have been largely pared down to just four after a point! Since they got rid of Dr. Quack’s role, there’s no more “sick” expression and most ‘Kinz’ tired and sad expressions are the same! >:0 What’s the point of having an easily editable puppet with the spaghetti code intact that you have to put an image there AnyWay and not make a slightly different expression!! H’f) as well as the main Sakura poses - so if I’m already making up expressions, why no go a little further! :D

One of the expressions I definitely needed up top was Mischievous - working with a cat, that’s the only logical conclusion really. I think it’s funny that she swerves the compliment only to pay it right back as well lol

The ticklish expression is one I’m still going back and forth on! I’m half tempted to have it be somewhere between happy and angry - maybe a mood gradient, starting out just positive and slowly moving into “Hey stop! >:0″ if it’s too many times in a row? It’s a thought haha

Similarly so, messing with her ears - bothering your pets is a very important element of socialization (lol)

As seen above, I’d reallyyy like to figure a way to have a dual-visual mood system - both the ‘Kinz body language/expression/emotion and a more exact stat bar. I’m still chewing on this idea a bit, no pun intended lol. That and click-and-drag with an actual image you can drag around your screen, hm and hm! Much to think about. Her face here turned out cute and funny haha, helped me push the expression more comedic

Much better :) Webkinz already has some well-known food dialogue, my favourite is probably “Mmm to the mmmax!” haha

Each low-mood would have their own emotion tied to it, but what about somewhere in the middle? I like the idea of the ‘Kinz getting bored if they’re left alone for too long! And little paw taps, showing off her embroidered paw pad haha ♪

[shivunin]

Fenris scarf! (ID in alt)

Crocheted acrylic yarn, embroidered with glow in the dark yarn (which is, in fact, something that exists!) It measures ~6'8" (about 2m) without the tassels and is 7" (~17cm) wide at the widest point.

The embroidered parts took about five hours to finish, which was far faster than I was expecting. I drew the tattoo design on with chalk markers (the kind you use for windows), embroidered over it, and then washed it out (thanks again to everyone who helped with references!) Highly recommend this method if you try anything similar. This was a really cool project! I learned a lot of things from it, most importantly the dragon scale stitch I used for the bottom of the black section. I think I will be doing Leliana or Morrigan next c:

Other Dragon Age Scarves:

Cullen | Morrigan | Warden | Leliana

[dinosaurcharcuterie]

Derailing project of the moment, Project "Nephew's Birthday Gift" is... Technically done. Added side seams, because he's turning four, and pockets, because cool rocks exist.

I also kept the promise of it not taking up much space. It's about the size of a T-shirt, and I'm so very very tempted to just... Buy a T-shirt and play an innocent prank on the birthday boy.

And then the fiber craft demons struck, in the shape of a very charming man in the open air museum doing a demonstration with five dozen cards and sewing thread on a +5m inkle loom, and I decided nephew needs a knighty belt. Because that's what kindergartners care about: handmade decorative techniques that were available to people in the era. It's definitely not just that he wants a dress-up outfit to boink his brother on the butt with a toy sword in.

[moth-spiderling]

Things do get better.

Life can be cruel and unforgiving, like a writer killing off the most beloved characters and making everyone suffer through a lot. Yet every bad moment eventually shall pass.

We don't stop reading a book, just because the writer made things seem grim for a bit. We shouldn't stop living just because we're afraid it'll get worse.

Things can go badly, sure, but they can also turn out for the better. You can also survive.

Even giving up for a day, a month, a year, does not mean your life is not worth living.

It doesn't mean you're gonna be stuck here forever. It just means that for now, maybe for a long time now, things have been rough.

And you need a break, and a hug.

And someone to tell you, that you are very much loved, even if Life (as the most bitter and inspired writer) has decided to take it out on you.

You are loved, you're not weird, and you deserve good, beautiful, lovely things.

[the-cat-and-the-birdie]

One of my big Hobie headcanons is that he sews and loves doing it. It helps relax him and he's the go to when spider suits get damaged.

"Yeah, tha's polyester an' lycra mate, that's a big ahsk...I'll have it done in a week."

I love this!! I could imagine Gwen being genuinely surprised when she sees Hobie working a buster Singer sewing machine better than he works his own guitar

He probably sews EVERYTHING. He's walking with someone on the street and they point out an outfit in a store window - just like he told Miles, he's like 'Make it yourself??'

And he'll even offer to do it

Hobie buying second-hand bed sheets and curtains to cut up and use for fabric. Turning old band shirts into quilts and blankets for the homeless

Him sewing Gwen gender affirming clothes!!! I could imagine Hobie sewing all the time

Hobie can DRESS, like I genuinely feel like he doesnt just throw on anything, he's making fits cause he knows hes hot and liking yourself is okay

So I imagine him making cool clothes for himself that cost nothing, good for the environment and look great.

I mean he had to become a model somehow!!!!!

[positivelyghastly]

Tiny reliquary update: I got toothpicks and now I can get the main body of this thing put together! I wish I had my callipers though, they’re in my toolbox back at my mum’s place and they would make taking these tiny measurements so much easier but at least I have my steel rules :’)

[isa-ah]

i am a master jester and to prove it watch me juggle all of these projects flawlessly