#stitcheveryday

[amandalyn111]

So I guess I embroider now?

I have cross stitched for a long time. Off and on since like middle school.

Now don't get me wrong. I love the whole pixel art aspect of cross stitch, but that artist inside me has always wanted to pick up embroidery as well. I love idea of almost basically painting with thread. I want the option of the more freeform design aspect. Plus, I have this whole collection of floss, why not be able to put it to another use, right?

Something in me decided that the perfect time to start was when I took on the project of hand stitching 20+ table numbers for the centerpieces of my sister's reception tables. (Something I totally put on myself since I thought it would fit the backyard barbeque, cute/country/outdoorsy theme so well.)

So, it's definitely time for me to pick the #StitchEveryDay back up! Hopefully the coming months will bring some happy, beautiful updates... and me realizing I bit off more than I could chew.

Day one and I finished the first floral outline. Fairly simple pattern, made a few mistakes, took some notes on how to improve with the next one, but I'm still happy with it. And I think the quality is still at an acceptable enough level to use it.

Also please ignore the blue marker that still wasn't washed out in the last pic.

[v-ol-ta]

Saturday sketching. This can come out cute in multiple mediums, as a doll, embroidery or even a print. #SHOPVOLTABK⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #designer⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #artprints⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #handmade⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #craftywonderland⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #happystitching⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #stayhomedocrafts⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #stayhomeandstitch⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #freestyleembroidery⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #needleworks⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #lovecrafts⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #crafttherapy⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #hoopartembroidery⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #stitchcraft⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #stitchwitch⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #embroiderylife⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #stitcheveryday⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #colormehappy⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #explorecolour⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #colormyworld⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #colorfullycrafted⠀⠀⠀⠀ (at Bedford-Stuyvesant) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNfSVSmJWp6/?igshid=inx70z0gehcb

[jilllovesdrawing-blog]

A hectic birthday week 🎂with a lot of cake 😊. Finally sat firm and tidied up the backs of these and realised how much I have done (with a full time job). I’ve enjoyed having a play with pattern but love my birds. #draweveryday #drawwithstitch #stitcheveryday #makeeverydaychallenge #octoberchalenge #stitch #embroidery #embroidered #contemporaryembroidery #embroideryart #birds #nature #pattern #colour #geometric #trianglelove #jilllovesdrawing

[amandalyn111]

Embroidered table numbers update #4

Design number five.

I really liked the look of the big circle with little pearls around it and floral accent. So here's another one.

Actually both designs like that I took from what I believe were die cut patterns I found online.

I like this one even better. My sister had reservations since it was straight rose and no daisy... but I liked it and it was fairly simple. And I'm the one embroidering these so it stays.

[amandalyn111]

Embroidered table numbers update #3

Design number 4: strawberries.

One, I thought the pattern was adorable. Two, my sister loves strawberries. So while it might stray a little away from the floral theme, it still fits backyard bbq.

Three, I realized I needed something else with red in it. Otherwise the previous patterns with the hearts would stick out way too much in a sea of yellow, purple, green, and grey.

So two birds, one stone kind of thing I guess. Plus look at those little strawberries. So cute.

[amandalyn111]

Embroidered table numbers update #2

It's been a bit, but I have been busy. I just haven't gotten any of the finished designs uploaded.

Here was the third design I tried. I really loved the little hearts on it. I loved the tulip-esque flowers of the original design too... but daisies fit the overall theme better.

Still think it turned out pretty cute.

[amandalyn111]

Embroidered table numbers update #1

2nd floral circle done for the centerpiece table numbers.

I think it was safe to say my sister liked this one even better. She liked all the greenery. I mean, I did too. So I can't really blame her. Also, yellow is her favorite color, as well as the color most highlighted in her wedding, so the flowers being more predominately yellow was another plus.

Also, also, I was happy with the better execution of this piece. It looked a little cleaner more so than the other. Which leaves me very optimistic.

I had a lot of time on my hands when I finally sat down and started this project. I basically spent my entire day off embroidering. So these two got finished one right after the other. My updates in the coming days will probably be a little more periodic since I can't devote EVERY day to just crafting.

[amandalyn111]

More photos of the finished Dream Catcher Wall Art Pair. Because you bet your ass I took pics from all the angles. I was too in love with it NOT to have a photo shoot.

In case you missed the work in progress post with all the gritty details: here

[amandalyn111]

Y.o.S. Days 12-30 The Dream Catcher Project

Here’s a look behind the scenes of my progress on my Dream Catcher Project, and how my #YearOfStitches evolved into #YearOfCrafts. 

First trip to the craft store and I came home after spending way more money than I intended (but that's always the case, isn't it?). But I had plenty of all the necessities of the project. Plus, I can never say no to another box of beads. lol

I fell in love with this etsy pattern when I saw it on pinterest. And it quickly became the aesthetic I built the rest of the piece around.

I got a lot of the cross stitch done on one of my days off (the above progress pics). The fiance was gone for the day and I had nothing better planned than to sit in my bed and cross stitch all day. It was the kind of self care I needed. :)

The colors of the DMC floss I used were: 3862 (brown), 3820 (yellow), 954 (green), 813 (blue), 553 (purple), 3801 (red--3705 was used on the dream catcher since they were out when I went back to the store to get more). And I stitched it on aida 18 count, using 3 strands of thread.

I actually don't have a lot of progress pics of the actual stitching of the middle of the dream catcher since it was a relatively easy pattern that worked up quite quickly. I could have finished it in one setting if I hadn't decided to start it right before bedtime.

I used a 3.25 mm hook and the thread was Premier Yarns--Serenity Garden Yarn in "Gems." I ended up using a 10 in diameter hoop, but I could have gone the next size up easily if I wanted a more stretched/taught finished product. But one, I was not making another trip to the craft store. And two, I didn’t want the dream catcher to completely dwarf the cross stitched piece.

Onto the feathers.

Remember back to the title of this post? The “days 12-30″? Yeah. A good chunk of those were me slowly finishing these bad boys.

I started off kind of rocky... the pattern just didn’t seem to quite work for me.  I'm not sure if it was the yarn or the hook size I used, but the number of stitches just seemed too dense for me and I did not like the way the feather was turning out. So I ripped out some stitches and improvised a pattern as I went. The first feather turned out a little wonky, but they started looking nicer after that. In the end, I was happy with my adjusted pattern.

Number two already looked better. And the rest followed suit.

With those done, I turned my attention back to the dream catcher. It was time to add all those frills--the finishing touches that really made it something special, in my opinion. 

With the ribbon, lace, and beads added, I was already loving it. 

Now I just had to plan on how I was attaching the feathers.

Then came the beading and braiding that really added those fine details.

I don’t have any progress pics of me adding the beading/feathers to the cross stitch piece. After the above picture I was in super craft mode. Which translates to me trying to get it all done before my hands cramped up.

But I was really glad I decided to pull some of the feathers and add them to the second piece. I think, in the end, it really tied the two pieces together to make them a cohesive wall art pairing.

Anyway. This post has already gone on long enough. If you want to see more pictures/angles of the finished object, see this separate post.

All the links were included in this post, but you can also check out my #YearOfStitches Pinterest board to see all the pertaining archived links.

[amandalyn111]

Year of... Crafts?

So I had to take a bit of a hiatus from the daily cross stitch project I started. Why, you ask? Because I had to turn my attention fully to the project I had started a few weeks before. A graduation present for my sister.

What started as a cute cross stitch pattern I saw on pinterest, turned into so much more, so very fast. I have a habit of doing that with projects. My plans are always grandiose and more often than not, I bite off more than I can chew--hence the pile of WIP’s I have. But I was determined to see this one through. (Spoiler alert: I got the whole thing done in a little over a month from when I started seriously working on it, just in time for her graduation party. I’m actually pretty proud of myself.)

So like I said. It started with a cross stitch pattern… the message was cute for a recent grad, and it had that boho-feather/dream catcher feel to it that is so my sister's taste. But then I decided I needed to add a crocheted dream catcher as a second piece of wall art to really seal the aesthetic. Then of course, why not just throw some crocheted feathers in the mix? And can’t forget the beaded accents and ribbons!

Remember how I said this went from simple to a whole project? Yeah. After the third trip to the craft store, I realized that was an understatement. But! It turned out better than I could have imagined and she loved it. (Plus, I made her parade all my hard work around her party so every guest could gush over it. And this girl loves her some artistic appreciation and praise.)  So, I’d have to say in the end, it was worth it.

Want to see more work in progress pics and know all the details? Or maybe you just want to enjoy more close up pics of the finished piece?

[amandalyn111]

Y.o.S. Days 6&7

Day 6 fell on a weekend, and I had some time on my hands. So I got most of my next section done: a sea colored key.

If you’re wondering why a key--I mean, other than that sweet antique aesthetic--it’s a play on how my last name is sounded out. Seemed fitting with, you know, my first name right above it. ( Colors used: (800, 597, 3809, 517) Used 3 strands for the fill in color, 1 strand for the back stitch)

Day 7: a crown. Even though I may be called “princess” I promise I’m not bitchy or that high maintenance. I’m a little particular sometimes, and a tad spoiled. But it mostly has to do with my love of Disney--especially the Disney Princesses.

( Colors used: (210, 341, 800, 504, 30415/S415) Used three strands for each stitch)

Public service warning: If you haven’t worked with DMC satin thread before… it’s very misleading. It looks so nice and shiny and it beckons you to use it. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it looks lovely and is that shiny… But that silky texture? It’s a bitch to handle. You really have to be committed to wanting that color to end up dealing with that slip and slide-y thread!

[amandalyn111]

Y.o.S. 8-11

Next came the outline for easy fill in.Next pattern was an easy decision. Black cat for my fur baby.

Meet Estelle, my beautiful, silky, sassy, sweet, midnight inspiration. I do a good majority of my daily cross stitching at work on my lunch break, but sometimes I come home and continue. She likes to loaf on the bed with me and nap (I work third shift, so she’s gotta get those day time naps in). She’s the best shadow a mom could ask for. <3

I used DMC 310, three strands for every stitch. So that’s a very dense black cat forming there.

Started with the tail to figure out placement.

Next came the outline for easy fill in.

Then it was just a string of breaks where I sat adding a few rows to the cat. With it being the biggest individual design added so far, it took me the longest to complete--especially since, like I stated, it was just a dense expanse of black stitches.

Here’s the pattern link. See my Pinterest for more of the patterns used.

[amandalyn111]

Crochet and kitty kind of morning. My idea of relaxing!

[amandalyn111]

Y.o.S. Days 1-5

Here’s the progress of my first five days. 

I decided to start with my name. That’s a pretty obvious choice, right? I chose to go with the “A” from Summer Garden font in a cross stitch alphabet book I picked up at Half Price Books. Feeling my inner granny old school cross stitch books.

A good chunk of day one was picking out colors and getting organized. (Though I still somehow managed to mess up the darker greens, making them one green instead of two. Oh well. End result looked fine.)

Day 2 brought the addition of flowers along with finishing the green.

Day 3. Back stitching. Started outlining the A with the dark green. And added the butterfly... which I only messed up a little.

Even though I’ve been cross stitching on and off for years, it was always basic x’s. Like pixel art. None of this back stitching and three-quarters stitches. So that was a new learning experience... and mostly just winging it. And anyway, this project is not about perfection. It’s about learning and enjoying the craft every day.

Day 4. The “A” was finally finished. Yay. Did not think it was going to take four days of lunch breaks (plus some) to get through one letter... but again... it was a learning experience.

Day 5. Full name completed. 

I did have to pull out the “m” twice before I got the spacing right. I learned another lesson... I actually had to do some planning even though this project is just kind of a hodge-podge collage. 

Also if anyone is interested in the specifics: I used 3 strands (which would be half the “strand ply” how DMC floss comes packaged) for the fill in color in the “A” and the back stitching for the rest of my name. I used 2 strands to do the back stitching lining the “A” and the two flowers. And then 1 strand to back stitch around the butterfly and the leafy back stitching detail around the “A.” The colors I used were: greens (988, 700, 986), butterfly (3689, 223, 221), purples (778, 554, 208, 3746, 333)