If you follow Hugs are Fun on Facebook (and why wouldn't you?) then you might have seen the news that I have a project in a magazine! Today Hoop-La is available for sale in the UK. Hopefully you'll be eventually able to find it in stores in the US, but until then you could always get a digital copy. Check out a preview of the magazine, or better yet, go buy a copy and support this amazing new publication for embroiderers! ... Read More
When I got the Doodle Stitching: Embroidery & Beyond: Crewel, Cross Stitch, Sashiko & More book for my birthday, I was really drawn to the sashiko embroidery. I loved the patterns and wanted to try it out, but I had no interest in transferring the pattern. I really enjoy embroidery but I really hate the prep work that comes with it, transferring patterns is my least favorite part. My mother-in-law took a trip to New York City and stopped by Purl Soho, so I asked her to pick up a sashiko kit for me. I wanted one to try out but she showed up with four and let me ... Read More
It's the first of the month, so it seems the perfect time to take a look at my month of stitches for January. I started off doing both an embroidery and cross stitch version, but I had to ditch one. It was just feeling like such a chore to do both, I dreaded it. I felt if I was feeling like that in January that it was a bad sign. So the cross stitch one got put aside and I'm focusing on just the embroidery one. Are you doing a 365 project? How's it going? ... Read More
My space cross stitch project was the "In the Hoop" project over at &stitches. Head over there and take a look at my newest flash card! Nicole over at Follow the White Bunny is starting an embroidery class where she will teach you her techniques for stitching her amazing animals! Her style is fantastic and I love the way she shades her stitching. I know I don't have the time for the class this time around, but she is already planning on a fall class which I definitely want to sign up for! Read more about the class here. I am absolutely loving The Happy Pencil ... Read More
It's time for another Try it Tuesday! Try It Tuesday was started by the ladies at Trends with Benefits as a way to get crafty bloggers to try out different tutorials. This week I chose this felt hexagon tutorial from Nancy at Do Small Things with Love. I used some of the wool felt I got from Benzie Design, I got it with the intention of making these Wild Olive ornaments, but that hasn't happened yet. I have always loved stitching on felt, and this stuff from Benzie Design is amazing. I noticed she even sells felt hexagons in her shop! I also cut out hexagons ... Read More
I was really excited to review S is for Stitch by Kristyne Czepuryk. I love monograms, so the idea of a whole book of alphabet embroidery patterns definitely appealed to me, and it didn't disappoint. The patterns in this book are adorable and a great collection to make some beautiful keepsake pieces! The book has a fantastic collection of information about getting started with embroidery. The photos and information are great and will make any beginner feel comfortable jumping into embroidery. It's very detailed and there are a lot of good tips, even if you're a more ... Read More
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
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