Seeds of Love bookmark: An adaptation of a Brenda Ryan design

Project: Seeds of love bookmark

Designer: This is an adaptation of a design by Brenda Ryan

(Inspirations Magazine issue 51 for the design

and issue 50 for the bookmark style)

Type of Needlework: Embroidery

Photos: 2

Comments: When I was looking for something useful and pretty to make for a friend of mine, the idea of a bookmark came to mind since she loves to read when she is not stitching, cooking, gardening, working and so on. Once I had decided on a bookmark for her, my next decision was what to stitch on it. I then remembered a little fabric envelope that I had stitched a while back with the cute little flowers, which seemed perfect.

Here is the link of that project.

For those who may be wondering what is the title of the book below, it is called "Embroideries from an English Garden by Carol Andrews" (projects and techniques in surface embroidery). I have not yet stitched anything from that book, but it is definitely on my list of things that I want to stitch. There is no connection between my little bookmark and the book. It just happened to be close by when I took the bookmark photo and the colors went well together (big grin).

Making this little bookmark gave me additional ideas for adapting Brenda Ryan design to other little projects.

Spring Bouquet Tissue Holder: Angela Watson, designer

Project: Spring Bouquet Tissue Holder

(Inspirations magazine project)

Designer: Angela Watson of Queensland

Type of needlework: Embroidery

Photos: 2

Comments: Those of you who have been following my blog know how much I love the Australian magazine called Inspirations. I found this absolutely lovely and practical tissue holder envelope in their issue number 28 

Angela said that a travelling pack of tissues fits in the tissue holder and it perfectly does.

The original was done with Damask but I had none at the time and decided to use some Silk Dupioni instead. I have used the threads I had in my stash instead of the Madeira stranded cotton threads that was in the list of material for this project., so I ended up not having to purchase anything at all to make this project.

The instructions were very very good as always and I had no difficulties with either the stitching or the assembly part of it. I have kept this one for myself but this would also make a very nice gift for someone special.

(Photo showing the tissue holder empty and also a different view)

Faithful Companions: Susan O'Connor, designer

Project: Faithful Companions

(Scissor fobs)

Designer: Susan O'Connor of Victoria, Australia

Type of needlework: Needlepoint

Photos: 2

Inspirations magazine Issue #25 project, pages 28 - 33

Some of Susan other designs here.

Comments: I have made those two lovely scissor fobs designed by Susan O'Connor for a friend some years ago. She was in need of some scissor fobs and I had just seen some in my Inspirations magazine, so I thought of surprising her with a couple. They were fun to stitch and relatively easy to finish too.

As usual I have not made any for myself. Isn't it always the same thing with us stitchers?

Complete instructions for stitching and finishing including the special tassel included in the magazine with lots and lots of steps by steps photos.

(Photo showing the back of the scissor fobs)

Tara: Devaki Parasuramar, designer

Project: Tara

Designer: Devaki Parasuramar of South Australia

Type of needlework: Ribbon work, silk ribbon and embroidery

Photos: 2

Inspirations magazine: Project comming from Issue #23, pages 52 - 55

Embroidery Canada: Framing article from Susan Donn called "It's time to display"

(Issue Spring 2007)

Comments: This is another of those projects that when I saw it, I wanted to make it. Devaki, the designer, said that one evening she was watching the movie "Gone with the Wind" and got her inspiration to create Tara. Perhaps that is exactly the reason why I felt like I just had to make her for myself as I just love that movie.

The instructions are very well written and it was not difficult to make except that some pieces were rather small and a bit difficult to manipulate but I managed in the end.

For the framing, I had read an article from Susan Donn in Canada in the EAC's Guild magazine about doing finishing with fabric. It is a wonderful idea as it looks good and saves a bit of money from having to bring the finished piece to the framer. Anyway, I think that the more ideas we can get about how to finish our pieces, the better.

That is one of the reason that I belong to lots of Guilds as you just never know where you will find great ideas about projects, finishing, meeting new designers, correspondence classes, etc.

Seeds of Love: Brenda Ryan, designer

Project: Seeds of Love

Designer: Brenda Ryan of Victoria

Type of needlework: Embroidery

Photos: 5

Inspiration magazine issue #51 project, pages 66-69

Comments: This is the kind of project that are hard for me to resist, something useful and beautiful at the same time.

Brenda has created two lovely designs in two different sizes with this theme. One is just right to serve as a little coin purse and the bigger one looks wonderful as a fabric envelope to store things inside.

I have kept the little coin purse for myself and made the fabric envelope as a gift for a friend. The project was just as much fun to make as it looks. I have been wanting to make a few more of them using different fabrics and I need to make sure that I do. They are so well worth the time spent on them, which is not that much considering how good they look.

(Photo showing the stitched design - can you see the little flower head on top looking upside down?)

(Photo showing the little coin purse all finished)

(Here I have turned the picture 180 degrees so that you can see the little flower head looking straight at us)

(This photo shows the fabric envelope that I made for a friend)

A Cottage Garden: Kris Richards, designer

Project: A cottage garden

Designer: Kris Richards of South Australia

Type of needlework: Embroidery

Photos: 6

Article about Kris Richards on Country Bumpkin website

Inspirations magazine, Issue 53, pages 24 - 31

Comments: This is my very favorite commercial magazine. Each issue is packed with wonderful projects. I would need  to live forever to stitch all those that I love.

I do love walking in gardens and have visited many during my travels. When I saw this lovely garden, I just had to stitch it. There was not a moment hesitation. I always feel that I never do enough embroidery projects so it was pure pleasure to work on this one.

(Photo showing the front of the finished needlecase)

(Photo showing the back of the needlecase)

(Photo showing the finished needlecase in its entirety)

(Close-up)

(Close-up)

Keepsakes: Beverley Sheldrick, designer

Project: Keepsakes (Bookmark)

Designer: Beverley Sheldrick of New Zealand

Type of needlework: Embroidery

Photo: 1

Project coming from Inspirations magazine #50, pages 58 - 62

Comments: I am an avid reader and I can loose myself for hours in a book, so when I saw this little bookmark in that magazine I knew that I just had to stitch it for myself. Since I already had some lovely silk dupioni at hand, all that remained to do was to find some threads with some silk ribbons that would go well together and do the actual stitching which really did not take long at all. The finishing instructions that came with the project were also a breeze.

There are 2 other projects that accompany this bookmark, which I have not done myself, one is a pen case and the other one a notebook, both lovely.

UPDATE: Yesterday I received Anasazi Song from my framer. It was a very nice surprise as I was not expected to get it back so soon. I have taken a few photos and have added them to the Anasazi Song blog entry here.

*** Special note: We had some thunderstorms during the night and the internet connection did not come back until 8 o'clock this morning, which explains why I am late posting.

Periwinkle Pincushion: Jan Kerton, designer

Project: Periwinkle pincushion

Designer: Jan Kerton

Type of needlework: Embroidery

Photo: 1

Jan's project found in: Inspiration magazine issue #50

Basic tutorial for such pincushion can be found on the WhipUp blog

Comments: Now, I am such a big fan of Inspirations magazine. I think that this is one of the best, if not the best commercial magazine around for embroidery. The Australians sure  know what they are doing. The projects are absolutely fantastics.

I made this little pincushion for a friend as a thank you for all the things she had done for me. It was done in silk dupioni with silk ribbon flowers and lots and lots of bullions all around the side of it.

I have a feeling that she has not really used it but is keeping it as a little souvenir from me. Some things are almost too beautiful to really use them and with Inspirations that is often the case. Their designs are just gorgeous.