The pros (and more pros) of embroidery kits

Back in January (see my first post) I wrote about making my own zippered throw pillow with "decorator fabric" and using it to tie together an orphaned Kate Spade coverlet set, and then creating pillowcases from a kit with an altered color scheme. I really believe in these kits for anyone interested in this hobby. As I said before, pillowcases are a great start because they leave their creator with a functional piece to enjoy on a daily basis. The Martha Stewart sets are pricy, compared to others, but they are worth the price especially for first time stitchers. They thread, or "floss" as it is called in embroidery, is sorted and included, and the directions are the clearest I have ever seen. They only extra tool that one needs is a hoop. I have included a link to Amazon's listings of some Martha Stewart kits in the first entry below. Mastering these projects for me, really opened up the door to more complicated ones such as the creation of my own designs and the ability to transfer them and determine proper stitches and patterns on a variety of fabrics.

Finished Pillowcases from Martha
Stewart. Completed in the
summer of 2011, for a Christmas gift. 

These kits rely on a few easy and basic stitches. These include the stem stitch, the backstitch, and french knots. As I enter my past and current projects into this blog, I will explain the stitched used. I have worked the pattern for the pillowcases pictured above twice. The first time I followed the color pattern of the kit. This was an early project of mine and the first one that I did as a present. My Aunt requested pillowcases for Christmas the previous summer, and knowing that if I was going to make one family member something, I best make them all something. Her only specific request was that they incorporate the color red.

The Stem Stitch. 

The stem stitch being worked,
image from embroiderersguild.com 

This kit requires the mastery of the stem stitch. The stem is a common stitch used for outlining all kinds of shapes, not just plants and flowers. This stitch is worked in such a way that it result in a twisted appearance, almost like a rope. It's a strong stitch and can hold up well on materials that are used and washed frequently. With the stem stitch you always want to work from left to right, taking care that your entering and exiting the fabric at even intervals. When the needle emerges, it should always be on the left side of the floss from the previous stitch. This is what results in the twisted-like look.

Pillowcase kit with altered color scheme. 

As with anything in life, once you have mastered it, it becomes more of your own. This kit called for three shades of picks and reds for the petals. Each has their own intentional picked color density to add to the sense of depth in the flower. I swapped these out for shades of light orange and yellows for my own bedding. And instead of using the standard greens for leaves and stems, I used a chocolate brown and golden tan. You're not always limited to the rules proposed by kits and designs, although they offer a great pedestal for beginners.

National Craft Month

A two months gap in between posts was not my intention, nor was not really getting this blog off the ground, but things happen. I don't yet know how or what this will turn into, but for now it will serve as an online journal for myself of my own work. A single location where I can reflect on the projects I engage myself in. I was going to create a hardcopy form, but I have enough stuff, and should venture more into the online arena.

So, I shall begin to complete my backlogged embroidery projects. Nice talking to myself.

Getting Started...

Welcome to my experimental blog on embroidery, learning to sew, and my life! When I type that out, it sure does not sound like an audience maker. But, I hope you have done that work for me. If you found your way here, my hope is that you are part of one of the following communities: An embroidery enthusiast, a would-be enthusiast, or my mom.

But, really, why am I here? Well, a rather rough couple years, culminating in my unemployment this past fall, led me to discover a whole new therapy. I have always dipped my toes into the crafting and art worlds, but less than a year ago I took that one step beyond and threw myself into sewing and fabric crafts. In particular cross-stitch and embroidery. As the blog goes on, I hope to tell you about what specific events happened and how I ended up here, getting ready to tell them to you. I hope you'll enjoy my tales of happiness, sadness, stupidness, and confusion and that you take up crafting yourself. Without further ado, I will describe to you today's pictured project.

This is my bed. (My goodness, this is getting personal fast!) Traditionally I am more of a cottage style/pastel/ shabby chic type of lady, but when Kate Spade (one of my great loves) came out with this coverlet several years ago, I couldn't resist. It was so simple and so bold at the same time. Years later with a bold move that resulted from desperately wanting some change, I bought the pictured sheet set from Target. Browns and yellows are one of my favorite color combinations. (Although, I must admit, it took me until college before I could see them together and not mentally react like a ten year-old boy.) I was unhappy with their matching and really wanted something to pull them all together. After embroidering a pillow kit by Martha Stewart for my Aunt, I got the same one for myself. Only, I changed the color palate to suit my own desire to tie these pieces together. Following her kit's basic color density, I used shades of brown for the shades of green the kit prescribed, and substituted shades of yellow for the shades of red and pink. I had already completed one kit following its directions and using its included floss for my Aunt's Christmas gift, and found that this went much faster the second time around. As things have a tendency to do, right?

The final piece that really ties the set together was a tad more complicated to obtain. The zippered throw pillow a product of both the first time I ever used a sewing machine, and my first sewing class which I took at The Needle Shop here is Chicago. I highly recommend taking a sewing class if you want to expedite your learning. If you're new to the world of sewing and handmade fabric crafts, you're not more than a few months behind me. I had never even looked closely at a sewing machine, much less used one before two weeks ago. And trust me, it was (and is I'm sure) obvious. But the instructor was as patient with me as she could be, and my asking for a whole lot of help paid off. I couldn't be happier with my throw pillow. And, more importantly, got down some basic knowledge that takes me another step closer to buying my own machine. After the four hour class, I also realized that this was something I did want to stick with. There really is something wonderful about producing something functional and beautiful with your own hands.

I have only recently started to iron on my own patters and create my own designs to transfer. I started with pillowcases in sets and I think the simplicity of them, and having all the necessary instructions, really helped me to not get frustrated and give up. If you are just starting out in embroidery, I highly recommend one of these kits. A end result of a pillowcase kit also has the benefit of being something you can truly use and appreciate everyday. There are Several of these available by Janlynn and Bucilla; big names in crafting kits. But you may have to buy your own floss. This can be done at any craft store by following the numbers that code floss/thread colors. This is an extra step however, and if you're anything like me, you want it to be simple to start as not to discourage you. That's why I recommend the Martha Stewart kits. They include clean, easy to follow instructions for every step and type of stitch used in the project, and they include the embroidery floss you need. The only items you will need in addition are a hoop, and needles, and scissors. In the coming posts I will share with you several of the pieces I completed from these kits as background for the stories I want to share with you.

I hope you stick with me and that this path turns out to be as fruitful as the one that led me to embroidery! Here we go...