| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| cecelia |
Posted - May 31 2004 : 3:19:26 PM
I was wondering if anyone else does embroidery work? It's time-consuming but relaxing in a meditative sort of way. I'm talking about hand embroidery (not machine stitching). My mother taught me and I've been doing it since I was about 8 (nearly 50 years ago.).
What do you embroider? When? Have trouble finding patterns and thread?
I'm lucky to have an old time five & dime store a few miles from me, which still carries the old time patterns. In a pinch I improvise with my own designs too. I've done everything from clothing to dresser scarves (does anyone even use those anymore?).
 Cecelia
ce's farm |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Rivergirl_2007 |
Posted - Aug 22 2007 : 08:07:46 AM
I never thought there were so many others doing embroidery. It seems all I see or hear about anymore is machine embroidery. I have been stitching since I was about 7 years old when my mother and greatgrandmother taught me. I am now 64 and still love doing it. It is such a joy to do something as a wedding or shower gift or for a new baby. I recently gave a very small wall hanging as a house-warming gift and the recipient had never had a hand embroidered item before. She was delighted. |
| levisgrammy |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 10:06:34 AM
I have never had dmc floss run. Is this the kind you are using? I believe they say dmc is colorfast. I have never used vinegar in any of mine. I will tell you that I have had some of the tea towels that have red or blue stripes on them run and I just soaked them in oxyclean. Took care of all of the spots.
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof and all that dwell therein."
www.torismimi.blogspot.com |
| janetinva123 |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 09:52:34 AM
For my hand embroidery I use dmc floss and have never had a problem. I wash everything in cold water too
Jc
http://beloved-creations.blogspot.com
http://beloved-creations.com |
| Luzy |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 09:44:54 AM
I too love to hand embroider and my Mom taught me years ago. I'm currently having trouble with my redwork though. Even though I set the floss with vinegar water, it still runs slightly and looks like a rust color halo around the image. Any ideas on how to correct this?? Thanks, Lu
--
May I always be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.
http://luzy.etsy.com- My etsy store! |
| janetinva123 |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 09:22:41 AM
I have a wonderful bernina artista 730e embroidery machine but I still hand embroidery almost every day. I find it relaxes me. I have embroidered since I was in my early 20's so more than 30 years now. I love doing pillowcases, tea towels, and baby sheets. I have done a 60 inch round table cloth by hand you can see it on my web site. I have a childs pillowcase for sale in my etsy shop but it hasn't shown up yet. Most of the time people are amazed at the work involved but I think it is easy.
Jc
http://beloved-creations.blogspot.com
http://beloved-creations.com |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 11:43:02 PM
I am stitching a little tablecloth with stamped cross stitch flowers and vines around the edges right now (a gift from Elizabeth!!) and loving it. I do alot of tea towels and things smaller and it is fun to do a little bigger project. It is just the right size for a card table.
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| Cheryl |
Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 7:35:58 PM
I am just now getting back to doing embroidery. It has been a few years. After reading what all the Farmgirls have been doing made me get back into it! Thanks! If anyone is interested in a Tea Towel swap you can count me in.
Cheryl :) |
| candismom |
Posted - Jul 16 2007 : 09:02:36 AM
Hello,
I do lots of handwork. If you visit my blog you will see what i do. I just posted somethings I made over the week end.
Happy Stitching.
Elizabeth
www.elizabethsclothesline.blogspot.com
My shop www.theclothesline.etsy.com
I sell Crabapple Hill Studio and other Patterns. Pluse lots of other handmade items.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
|
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 15 2007 : 9:43:50 PM
I thought I would bump this since so many of us will be embroidering pillowcases for the pillowcase swap here soon :)
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| Eileen |
Posted - May 31 2005 : 10:18:12 AM
I went to www.bizrate.com and did a search for flour sack towels. I came up with several choices. This one looks good because they have different sizes all prewashed and preshrunk in quantities of 10 or more. Check them out. The prices are very good. Most places I have found them want $4 each.
http://www.americanchairstore.com/floursack.html
Here is another one. They have two sizes on sale right now for around $1 to $1.50
Eileen
http://www.midwestrobesandtowels.com/Specials1.html?sid=99ba70506efa6233efd280064a498a5a
songbird; singing joy to the earth |
| Clare |
Posted - May 29 2005 : 7:50:10 PM
Thanks Meadowlark!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - May 29 2005 : 7:18:45 PM
Clare, Try this link, http://www.americanchairstore.com/floursack.html They have 10 plain flour sack towels for $8.50. I may order several sets for the Vitamin Ball embroidery.
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - May 29 2005 : 5:10:07 PM
Clare sounds like you hit the mother load! My mother has the flour sacks and I will ask her where she found them...not sure if they are vintage but I will let you know!!
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. |
| Clare |
Posted - May 29 2005 : 4:59:21 PM
The embroidery section of MJ's book also piqued my interest enough to go to my dishtowel drawer in the kitchen and reorganize. I "unearthed" two dishtowels that my MIL made for me about 30 years ago, I'm guessing... they are frayed around the edges, but the embrodiery is still in fine condition. I think I will display them with my aprons! I also went to a yard sale last weekend. This lady had been a quilter, so I found some yardarge that will work for my vintage aprons, as well as a huge bag of thread (many on wooden spools), a huge bag of buttons, and a huge huge bag of embroidery thread. I spent a half day just sorting out all the colors of everything, because I do intend to use it! So, armed with much embroidery thread, I now need to find some flour sack dish towels to use! Any suggestions on finding those? Also looking for an embroidery transfer of teapots. Anyone seen those online recently?
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - May 29 2005 : 3:52:30 PM
I visited my mother today and took Mary Janes book for her to look at. She loved it! She was raised in western Kansas by her widowed mother in the Depression on a rented farm and the book really spoke to her. It makes me smile knowing I have this to share with my dear mother. She is chair bound due to crippling arthritis and she was particularly excited about the "Vitaman Ball" embroidery patterns. We dug out her hoops and threads and needles and I am enlarging the patterns. We are going to make these together on flour sack tea towels.
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. |
| bramble |
Posted - May 29 2005 : 1:27:17 PM
Blessed ---if you do a search for vintage needlework patterns alot of great sites come up. I have mentioned a few times here www. yesterdayscharm.com because they are vintage and very reasonable, but there are lots of others. Happy stitching!
with a happy heart |
| blessed4431 |
Posted - May 29 2005 : 12:45:41 PM
I love to embroidery but can't find any patterns. I just keep looking for some I have done some red work. I have been looking for things like a butter churn, a woodstove, rolling pin. Any ideas where to find opatterns?
Have A Blessed Day
Joy |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - May 15 2005 : 8:38:14 PM
Elizabeth, I sew every day too. I always have a quilt, a sampler, and mending to do, and God gave us the best sewing machines - our fingers.
jpbluesky
O, cease to heed the glamour that blinds your foolish eyes,
Look upward to the glitter of stars in God's clear skies.
from God's Garden by Robert Frost |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - May 15 2005 : 7:47:24 PM
I am so glad to see someone else who loves handwork. IT has been fun to see all the active stitching room topics today..they are my favorites
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - May 15 2005 : 3:50:00 PM
That is what it is all about Elizabeth! Taking the time and doing the craft the way it should be... You ARE a true blue farmgirl!
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Rumi, 13th century. |
| Elizabethq |
Posted - May 15 2005 : 3:05:10 PM
I was in Hancocks buying embroidery supplies and the cleck asked me Do you still that by hand? I replied yes I do. She was shocked. She inforrmed me they had machines to do that. I told her no thanks. Embroiderying is my quite time. I sew evevryday.
Elizabeth |
| bramble |
Posted - Oct 26 2004 : 07:45:30 AM
I've also used double template plastic covered but my favorite is when I get my husband to cut out a piece of luan and then I cover it with lining fabric. Thin but strong, nothing goes through the bottom with that! Thanks! Bramble
with a happy heart |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Oct 25 2004 : 08:32:43 AM
Bramble - to give extra solidity to your totes, you can cover a heavy piece of cardboard with fabric. Cut the cardboard to fit snugly down in the bottom of your tote. Since it is box style, I would guess it has a flat bottom. Use a co-ordinating fabric on the board, slip it into the bottom of your tote, and it will stand alone and be less floppy.
jpbluesky
Love those big blue skies and wide open spaces. |
| deaf-huntress |
Posted - Oct 25 2004 : 07:12:35 AM
JENNY....
That is the COOLEST idea ever!! I love it. And so very meaningful, especially when it is passed to the next generation. Can you see your great grand children looking over that tablecloth in a 100 years....
I embroider constantly too, but I confess I DO own a lovely embroidery machine and about a million software designs for it. It is still creative, though very fast. Crochet is my relaxation thing. Love to make table clothes with very tiny thread.
Magi
It's not what you hear, but how carefully you listen. |
| bramble |
Posted - Oct 05 2004 : 06:49:50 AM
Morning! Jeannie-- Yes the tote bag is quilted on both sides and the construction is like a book, so the shape is similar to a large cereal box with handles on the two face sides. A friend suggested using a stiff batting and medium weight lining to give the bag a shape of it's own. I think she's right, I don't like floppy bags and they don't seem to hold up as well.
Sounds like everyone is getting ready with their winter projects, I am completing a needlepoint piano bench cover I bought at a yard sale this summer half finished. Maroon background with flowers and musical instruments. It will replace a much loved and now shredded seat on my Gram's old bench but I think she'd approve. Funny... she's been gone 20 years but it will always be HER bench (to me). Bramble |
