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Try it Tuesday – Bargello

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Try It Tuesday was started by the ladies at Trends with Benefits as a way to get crafty bloggers to try out different tutorials. You should head over to Knit Me a Cake to see the adorable jar Leanne made this week too! I was inspired to try Bargello when I saw the amazing work of Kim from a dork with a needle. I saw this R2D2 Bargello piece on Pinterest and fell in love! I started researching Bargello and I absolutely love the patterns. I grabbed a scrap of 14ct Aida and some embroidery floss and got to work. Kim mentions that Aida and embroidery floss are a good ... Read More

Handmade Christmas – Hexagon Hoop Art

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Next up in my handmade Christmas gifts, this embroidered hexagon hoop. I stole this idea was inspired by Mollie at Wild Olive. I had such a fun time making this, it was a chance to experiment with different stitching and different Kreinik metallic threads. I have a variety of orange and yellow fabrics that I used for Evie's first birthday party so I decided to use all the different shades. For the accent stitching I kept with warm colors. Each hexagon has a different type of stitching, I didn't repeat any. And look at how pretty and shiny that Kreinik metallic ... Read More

Friday Favorites – Quilt Blocks and Cute Cats

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I've wanted to do a weekly post of interesting things I've found on the interwebs but always talked myself out of it because I didn't know if anyone else would care. But it's a new year, and this year I'm going to try it anyways! This is a trial run, we'll see what sort of feedback I get and how it goes! I got a message this week from someone that bought my solar system cross stitch pattern on Etsy. She sent me a photo of the finished piece she made for her son, complete with a quote from Interplanet Janet from School House Rock. I also love the added star stitches! ... Read More

Handmade Christmas – Purplework Name

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Here's the next in the series of Christmas gifts I made and one that I'm really happy with the result of. I made this during the &Stitches colorwork challenge and I absolutely loved working on it. I have always worked on 14ct. Aida, and this was my first foray into using 18ct. I used a slightly darker purple for the outline and then a lighter shade for the actual blackwork. I was torn between using different patterns or keeping the same one. I wanted to experiment and use different patterns, but I worried it wouldn't work because of the letters being joined on the ... Read More

WIP Wednesday – Hexagons!

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This week there has been a lot of hexagon making! I have been focusing on two main projects, first was getting caught up on the Wild Olive Winter Stitching Club. (You can still sign up!) I had five weeks to catch up on, I hadn't started them because of all the Christmas projects. I love stitching these little designs, they are so cute and stitch up really quickly. I haven't done this week's yet, and I still have to finish the hexagons. I ordered the Moda In From the Cold charm pack, but it hasn't come yet. Then I've been making hexagons like crazy. I got Quilting ... Read More

Review – My Crochet Doll

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I was really excited to review My Crochet Doll by Isabelle Kessedjian, the adorable cover was enough to catch my eye. This book serves one purpose, to give you a fantastic doll pattern and then all the tools you need to personalize her and make her your own. In the introduction Isabelle talks about her childhood and the quest to find the doll that was especially for her. This book provides everyone with the opportunity to do that, and does a great job of it too. The book feels so personal, I can tell that Isabelle put a lot of herself into making it. The beginning ... Read More

Darby Smart – A Giveaway!

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I'm so thrilled to be partnering up with Darby Smart for this giveaway! I reviewed the November to DIY For kit, and I have the December kit waiting to be done too! Darby Smart has a variety of kits created by independent designers where you can make fun and gorgeous projects. I'm also currently in possession of this awesome cross-stitch tote kit, I just need to settle on my design! They also have the DIY kits which are an exciting surprise, you don't know what you're getting! One reader will win a 3 month subscription of the monthly TO DIY FOR box, a $57 value! The ... Read More

Free Pattern Friday – A New Year!

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Here we are at the first Free Pattern Friday of 2014! I'm really excited about this pattern, hopefully you are too! I haven't stitched it up yet, but I think I'm going to start this weekend. I think this would be great in any number of color combinations, so have fun and experiment! This is about 5x5 inch when done on 14ct Aida and fits nicely in a 6 inch hoop! Download the PDF here - Free Pattern Friday - January 2014 There are more free patterns to download here, and patterns to purchase here at my Etsy. Shared on the Natural Suburbia and Craft Dictator ... Read More