My Secret Santa had Very Busy Fingers!

The gifts are opened and the children are busy playing with all their new toys. Christmas was a wonderfully joyful time in our household yesterday, and will continue until January 6th when we un-decorate and return things back to ordinary. The last gift I opened yesterday was from my Secret Santa, Australian Rachel of Four Wise Monkeys. Rachel is quite the stitcher and spoiled me terribly with lots of beautiful handmade things.


This is what greeted me upon opening the pretty paper package that had been waiting under my tree since its arrival two weeks ago. I recognized those birds! I remember seeing them on Rachel's website a while ago and admiring them.


This lovely wall hanging is the first thing I looked at, and the more I look at it, the more I see in it. The detail is quite amazing and all the stitching is perfect!

Take a look...you can click on the pictures to make them bigger.




This star is filled with French Knots! Wow!


The big red heart hanging from the moon, and the red trim along this angel's collar and hem are also French Knots.


A wonderful thought for this time of year, and throughout the new year too!




And here's Rudolph complete with red nose, leading the way!




This is one tall tree!



Two little Christmas love birds!


Then there was this fabulous bag...how did Rachel know I like bags? Maybe I mentioned it here once or twice? Don't you just love the fabric she used?


And check out the button hole stitch around the flower petals...perfect!


I love the ric-rac trim around the top of the bag. It's lined with pretty fabric too! Just my kind of bag and the perfect size to tote a project along.


Under all the other handmade loveliness was this Melly & Me pattern for the cutest little stuffed bears, Bonzer and Beaut.

What a package! Didn't I say that Rachel spoiled me? Now you can see it's true!

Thank you once again to Rachel for all the beautiful gifts of stitchery, sewing, time and talent. Your thoughtfulness and generosity are very much appreciated!

And another thank you to Chookyblue for hosting this swap again. It's a lot of work for one person to undertake so that all of us can make new friends across the world and share our talents with each other.

Happy Stitching!

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The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney with Care...

There is a special kind of charm about family Christmas stockings sewn by someone special and embroidered with each person's name, hanging by the fireplace every Christmas year after year after year. My friend Kathy's family has carried on this tradition now for several generations, as evidenced by the remaking of Bumpa's stocking to be used by the new Grandpa of the family. Now it is time for the next generation to get their own stockings, and other family members as well.


Using one of the old stockings as my guide, I worked up pattern pieces and sewed five more stockings for this wonderful family. Here they are in the picture above, hanging on my fireplace where my own family's knitted mittens usually hang. If the names had worked out better, I might have thought about keeping them!


Each name is hand embroidered using 3 strands of DMC embroidery floss and my very favorite embroidery stitch, the chain stitch.


Donna's stocking got a little bit of a feminine touch with pretty light green organza ribbon, very sheer and has a little sparkle in it too.


Riley's stocking needed a little change from the pretty packages which are on the other stockings. Can you guess by the fabric and the quilting that Riley is the canine member of this family?


Using the very best free-motion quilting that I could muster with my walking foot, I free-handed the word "Woof" and a dog paw and a few dog bones on Riley's very cute red fabric with brown doggy paws all over it.


All the stockings have the same off white trim on the cuff and the toe, but the men got the ric-rac for a more manly touch.


And here is baby Paul's stocking, the first of the next generation, but hopefully not the last! God willing, there will be siblings, maybe even a new uncle or two, and some cousins who will be needing stockings in the future.


I decided to make Riley's stocking first, copying as best I could the construction of an old stocking that Kathy let be borrow to make the pattern. After putting it together, I decided that there had to be a better way to make the inside look more finished...


...so instead of layering the outside of the stocking with the batting and the lining before sewing the stocking together, I saved the lining to insert on its own, thus hiding all the seams and giving the inside of the stocking a much more finished appearance. I also used fusible fleece batting for these stockings, fusing it to the decorative outside stocking pieces, so I felt that quilting through all the layers really was not necessary. I was much more pleased with this outcome, and this is how I will construct any future Christmas stockings.

My Christmas preparations are well under way here, cleaning, baking, decorating, gift making, school projects, wrapping, all the fun of the season. I hope your stockings are hung by your chimney with care too, and that you have a very blessed Christmas season.

Happy Stitching!

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Christmas Stocking Redo

It seems that lately I've been neglecting Hooked On Needles, but I have a good excuse. Really I do! I've been quite busy down in my sewing room, so busy in fact, that my poor old sewing machine is probably wondering what has happened to it! I haven't worked this old machine so hard for a very long time!

Would you like to see one of the small projects I finished recently? It's a little renovation of an old family Christmas stocking belonging to my friend Kathy. You see, Kathy's parents were known in the family as Nana and Bumpa, and they have both passed away. Kathy and her husband are now grandparents themselves so she thought it would be nice to continue using Nana and Bumpa's Christmas stockings. Kathy is called Nana also, but her husband is not called Bumpa, so the old Christmas stocking would need a little redo. That's where I come in! Take a look...


This is Bumpa's Christmas stocking, made with simple fabrics and trim, and a very neatly embroidered name on the muslin cuff. The main body of the stocking is made from double sided pre-quilted fabric. Nana's stocking has the reverse side showing which is an off-white background with the same small floral print. Her stocking also has red embroidery and trim instead of blue. Nana and Bumpa were a good looking pair!


Here you can better see the eyelet trim along the bottom edge of the cuff, and the very neatly embroidered chain stitch lettering. I could not simply pick out the old stitching and stitch Grandpa on the old muslin as that would have left a mess of blue fuzz and holes from the old stitches that had been in the fabric for so many years...


...so I took apart the entire top cuff, preserving each piece to use again.


The muslin was used as a template for cutting the new muslin...


...and marking the location of the writing.

Then I traced the new name onto the new muslin and embroidered it using my very best chain stitch and the same color navy blue embroidery floss that was used on the original.


Using the original trim pieces, I put the stocking back together.


Now this old family Christmas stocking is ready to be enjoyed by a new generation of grandparents and grandchildren. I think Bumpa would be very happy about that!

George the mailman has been very good to me in the past week, so I have lots of fun things to show you. Besides this Christmas stocking project, I have also finished a rather large sewing project which I will share with you, and another smaller project too. A few crochet tutorials will be making an appearance here at Hooked On Needles soon as well. See, I haven't really been neglecting you! I've just been so busy DOing that I haven't had time for SHOWing!

Happy Stitching!

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Embroidered Country Rose Drawstring Bag

Here's another fun little bag, this one made especially for my secret Stitcher's Angel Swap partner. The pattern for this bag was presented as the first of 7 offered for this year's swap. I followed Helen's instructions almost all the way, but of course I had to make a few changes! Why can't I just take a pattern and do it the way it is written? Do you also get the urge to change up patterns, or do you follow them to the letter?

Anyway, here is my Embroidered Country Rose Drawstring Bag, mostly from Helen's pattern and a little bit from my own head...


The simple stitchery pattern for the rose was actually stitched exactly as Helen designed it, using mostly back stitch, and running stitch for the outer row of blue. The only change I made is that I used different colors instead of all one color for my floss.


Another change I made to this pattern was to sew the rose stitchery piece into the bag front which required piecing the blue fabric around the stitchery. I just couldn't get excited about attempting another needleturn project after finishing the needle wallet a few days ago. My hands still have not recovered from that!


I also thought the oval frame of the stitchery would look nice surrounded by straight blue edges.


Helen's design for making the lining of the bag extend several inches above the top of the bag is so clever and makes the assembly of the bag and sewing the casing for the drawstring very easy. The result is a lovely lined bag with a double drawstring, pretty little stitched rose, and a fancy ruffled top, perfect for bringing a small project along in the car, filling with sweet smelling potpouri or soaps to hang in a closet, or ready to wrap up a pretty little gift for someone special.

Happy Stitching!

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Sweet and Rosy Needle Wallet

My first gift for the Stitcher's Angel Swap is complete! It was a fun little project designed by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches for this swap. She called hers Sweet and Spotty, and if you look at her pattern, you'll see why. But I called mine Sweet and Rosy. Here it is...


Here's the first Sweet part, stitched on unbleached muslin using 3 strands of DMC embroidery floss. I changed up the stitches from Natalie's pattern just a little, using some chain stitch for the lines, and instead of satin stitch on the flower petals, I used lazy daisy stitch.


Here you can see the Rosy part of the wallet. I thought this fabric would suit the recipient while still keeping with the rose theme of the swap.


And here's the inside with the other Sweet spot on a rosy background. The solid pink fabric was from my stash, leftover from a quilt I had made years ago as a wedding gift for one of my sisters. The rose print fabric was one of the lovely fat quarters I bought this past summer from Grace Full Creations.

This project was my very first attempt at needleturn applique. I have purposely avoided any projects using this technique because I thought it would be hard to do and I didn't think I would enjoy it. I was sad to discover that my fears were not unfounded. Fine hand stitching is something I used to do quite a lot of many years ago, but now it is hard for me to hold a needle and stitch like this for any length of time. But I think if my fingers and hands could handle the strain, I probably would enjoy doing needleturn applique because I really liked the process of turning as you go, and I thought the results were quite satisfactory.

After doing the embroider on these two little sweet circles, I very badly wanted to complete the project as Natalie had planned it. So that was my motivation to give needleturn a try. I don't think it is a technique that I would use on a large project, but at least now I know I can do it and have it turn out half way decent. This should open up quite a few more possibilities for my stitching pleasure.

Do you use needleturn applique in your projects? If so, do you enjoy it? Have you shied away from it as I had done, even though you love projects that use this technique? If you have not used it, what are some of the reasons you have avoided it? I'd love to know.

Happy Stitching!

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Lots going on, but nothing finished!

I knew it had been a day or two since my last post, but I didn't realize it had been since Monday! Where does the time go? We are finally back into the school routine here but it seems I just can't get my act together here at home yet. Maybe a few more days will do it!

Lots of project are in the works, in my sewing room, by my cozy evening chair, and in Elizabeth's favorite spot too. Here's a little peek at what we have in progress...


This rich red color seems to be my latest choice. The knit lace shawl on the left is still in need of many, many hours of dedicated work. The half-granny triangle shawl on the right will be a fill-in kind of project when I don't have anything pressing going on.

The stitching in the middle is part of one of my projects for the Stitcher's Angel Swap. This pattern is by Natalie Lymer of Cinderberry Stitches with her cute little birds and ladybug. I changed up the pattern just a bit by using some chain stitch instead of all back stitch, and also using lazy daisy stitches for the flower petals instead of satin stitch. The rose fabric, which was one of the fat quarters I received from Grace Full Creations, and the solid pink from my stash will be used to finish off this project.


Also on my list of things to finish very soon is this oddball baby blanket called Tiny Dancer. It is a preemie blanket and oh-so-sweet! I knitted this pink section using the farrow rib stitch, and now I am in the process of finishing the border with a soft yellow and a tiny little picot stitch. When it is all finished, I will show the whole thing and share the simple picot pattern with you.


Another project in progress here is a blue and gold scarf that Elizabeth is working on using the Jacob's Ladder pattern. These are her college colors, and football season will soon be upon us, so she is planning to whip up some of these school color scarves and sell them to her fellow football fans, thus spreading school spirit and earning gas money! Smart!

I have also been planning my design for the Halloween Apron swap and that has been fun. It's a little out of my comfort zone, but I'm enjoying the challenge. I'll be sure to show it to you once it has been received by my swap partner Micki.

So lots happening here in the way of creativity, just nothing complete yet! Stay tuned for lots of fun finishes!

Happy Stitching!

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Religious Embroidery

A few weeks ago while showing off my collection of cotton dishcloths, I mentioned that I would be leaving town for a short visit to Kansas for my mother's 75th birthday. Well, I have gone and come home again. It was a wonderful trip and I did pass out all of my dishcloths. The first two went to a nice lady sitting next to us who was traveling to Texas for her niece's wedding, one for her and one for the bride. When we arrived in Kansas City, we were picked up by a high school friend I had not seen in over 15 years. She got the next four. All the others were distributed to various relatives, and my Dad even got a chance to use his and report back to me while I was still there. He loved it!

But today I am not going to focus on dishcloths. In fact, I plan to drop that topic for a good long time! I must move on to something different!

This friend who picked us up at the airport just happens to be the Prioress of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles in Kansas City, Missouri. One of the things this order of Sisters does to support themselves is make vestments for priests to wear while celebrating Holy Mass. They are also in the process of learning how to do the traditional hand and machine embroidery that seems to be a dying art among even the religious. I had the privilege to see some of their work in progress, and that is what I wanted to show you today.


This is just a small sample of the machine embroidery thread which was given to this little group of nuns by an order of nuns from O'Fallon, Missouri who used to do this type of work and no longer does. I am sure they were quite happy to pass on their skills as well as their supplies so this work can continue. You can read a little about this HERE if you are interested.


You can see how old these boxes are, and there were drawers and drawers full of boxes just like this. What a treasure!


Isn't that silver thread just beautiful?


The gold is even more beautiful in person. And so heavy to hold too!


This is my old high school friend, now called Mother since she is the Prioress, showing off their wall of vestment patterns. The machine in the corner of the picture is an old Singer which is run by foot power! It's a treadle machine and they say it works like a dream.


This looks like a mass of gold worms, but in fact it is only one of the many boxes of different kinds of gold used for decorating vestments. No wonder they are so heavy!


This wall of old library card catalog drawers was full of every variety of hand embroidery thread you could imagine. What a clever way to make use of good furniture that is no longer needed in libraries.


Here are some of the machine embroidered samples that are used on vestments.


This is a very old embroidery stand set up with the piece in progress stretched in the middle. The dove that is being copied was machine embroidered, but the work in progress is being done by hand.


This is a piece being done by hand on another old frame. The detail is stunning.


Here is the face before shading has been added. Still so beautiful.


This is a close-up of Our Lady's Immaculate Heart. The centers of the flowers have not been stitched yet and appear to be drawn thread. Isn't the shading just beautiful?


In this picture, you can get an idea of the little workstation where one Sister spends a good portion of her day with her hands busy, and many prayers being offered for the holy priest who will wear this piece of art on his vestment someday.

In the next post, I will show you another form of handwork that these Sisters do, and which I tried a while back and could not master. It's called bobbin lace.

Happy Stitching!

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