'Needlework' Category
Stitching on Things Other Than Fabric!
When I think of stitching, I normally think about stitching on fabric, or paper, or canvas, or maybe plastic. I’ve never, ever thought about stitching on bread! Have you? Em, who does a lot of net surfing, found the most amazing link and passed it on to me the other day, so I thought I’d [...]
Hari Kuyo
Next Tuesday, on February 8, Japanese needleworkers will lay their broken pins and needles to rest during Hari Kuyo. Hari Kuyo images courtesy of Arenamontanus / Anders Sandberg. Hari Kuyo, as I understand it, is a 400-year-old Japanese festival held in Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Broken pins and needles are thanked for their work [...]
Setting Goals
I realize it’s January 4th, but I am still writing, choosing, and organizing goals for 2011. A pessimist might consider that a bad sign, but I am not a pessimist; I think it’s a sign of thoughtful determination and stick-to-it-iveness. According to the only source I’ve consulted, fewer than three percent of adults write clear [...]
Creative Gifts – Day #24
A cardboard stocking form + some glue + fiber scraps + ribbon scrap = ornament. Now, what I really wanted was a tree form, since I had all those green scraps. I would then decorate the tree with beads and sequins, but this is the last remaining form in my stash; I used the trees [...]
Creative Gifts – Day #19
Harriet’s back with another creative gift idea and sketch. This time, she’s making placemats. While a project like this can be the opposite of quick–I know this from experience–she plans to speed things along by using readymade placemats. Smart. She’ll use a shiba dog pattern which she’s created. If you’re not comfortable with freehand embroidery, [...]
Creative Gifts – Day #18
Hmm…let’s see…what shall I pick from the Idea List today? How about this: “Stitch on felt/fleece.” This list is brilliant, no? Perhaps I should explain. Felt and fleece don’t fray, they’re easy to stitch on, and lots of things can be made from them. They lend themselves to quick projects, and let’s face it, time [...]
Creative Gifts – Day #17
On the tattered bit of scrap paper that contains my extremely official, top-secret Creative Gifts list of ideas–yes, that’s it there, below an old sudoku puzzle I tested–uh-huh, right there it says, “stitch on ready-made anything.” “Anything” may be a stretch (or not, I just thought of a way to stitch on a BBQ grill), [...]
Creative Gifts – Day #16
Today’s creative gift idea is 100% Harriet. The idea was nowhere on my list or in my head until she presented it. Check it out: Bottle caps! Harriet says, “For different moods and seasons we can make hats for bottles. Wine, beer, soda, or water bottles–your choice. With pompons or bells on top, with wings, [...]
Creative Gifts – Day #15
HEY! WHAT HAPPENED TO DAY #15? YESTERDAY WAS 15, TODAY IS 16! WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA? Yeah, sorry to disappoint. I know some of you are following along, relying on me to help you make a new gift every day to fill those last 24 blanks space on your gift list. Uh-huh. Well, industrious stitchers, [...]
Creative Gifts – Day #14
Guess what! We’re back to stitchbands. Stitchbands are pretty handy little things, but I’m not always happy with available colors and widths. I may have to start dyeing or painting my own. One thing’s for sure: I’m going to have to order some more. Our Creative Gift idea today is a jewelry pouch. Sterling silver [...]
, by Ellen Ruppel Shell
, by Elizabeth Strout.
