New Sleepy Fox Embroidery Pattern!

Hello, Friends!

First, thanks for the nice comments about the Halloween cross stitch wall hangings. For those of you requesting a tutorial, I don't think I'll be able to get it posted in time for Halloween. I can't believe this is the last week of October! There were several projects on my creative ideas list that just didn't happen this month, due to personal life issues.  BUT luckily most of those ideas can be adapted to Christmas/holiday projects, including the cross stitch wall hangings! So making a Christmas cross stitch wall hanging tutorial is the new goal.  ;-)

But I did manage to complete one of my creative goals last night. You remember my Sleepy Fox pillow, right?

 

Well now you can make your very own Sleepy Fox pillow! Or tote bag, pillowcase, jammies, onesie, you get the idea!  I just listed the pattern in my shop last night, and it's only $4.00!

The PDF includes 2 versions of the pattern, one facing the "right way" and one is reversed.  Also, this pattern version does not have the fur markings.  I wanted to leave his (or her) body blank, so you can customize it to your own liking and skill level.  But I am working on creating a new image with fur markings to add to the pattern.  Anyone who buys the 1st pattern version will receive the updated version for free.

I hope you like it!  For fun, how about we have a little giveaway?  

I want to treat a reader to the new Sleepy Fox pattern for free! 

Just leave me a comment! What are you or your kids dressing up as for Halloween? Any particular pattern designs you want to see?  Seen any good movies lately? What's for dinner tonight? Just wanna say hi?  Whatever you want to tell me, I want to hear it!

You can score extra entries if you mention this giveaway or my new pattern on your blog, twitter, pinterest, or write it on a bathroom stall.  Just leave a new comment for each mention.

I'll leave comments open on this post until Friday, pick a winner at random, and announce it then.  

**If you purchase the pattern and win the giveaway, I'll issue you a refund.

Good luck! 

Hugs & Stitches,

Amy

Halloween Cross Stitch Wall Hangings

Last week I noticed Heidi Kenney of My Paper Crane had listed a new cross stitch pattern in her Etsy shop.  It's an adorable, vintage inspired Halloween design!

 

I already had another Halloween project planned, but I put that one to the side after I bought this pattern.  I wanted to do something a little bit different, and focus on making new decorations for the house.  So I decided to cross stitch a couple of the designs on plastic canvas with acrylic yarn.  I l-o-v-e how they turned out!

 

I used 7 count plastic canvas, acrylic yarn, a blunt tapestry needle, and the Halloween Frenzy pattern for this project.  I'm happy to post a tutorial or more detailed how-to instructions, if there are enough requests.

This is a really great weekend project. I was able to finish one pumpkin in an evening while watching Mad Men on Netflix Instant.  I am so happy they added that and Breaking Bad to the Instant options! We haven't had cable for a couple of years, so I've been spoiling myself in the evenings.  Speaking of spoiling, I just started Season 3, so no spoilers in the comments please!

Has anyone else started on Fall or Halloween decorating? 

Needle & Thor

I was going through some of my embroidery supplies over the weekend, and I found an uncompleted project I started in the summer of 2010.  It was for a project called "Okie Stitch Along" organized by the ladies of Deluxe Indie Craft Bazaar.  The idea was to embroider a portrait of a famous / well known Oklahoman, and all the finished pieces were on display at the 2010 Oklahoma State Fair.

I remembered that the writers of the newest run of Thor comics made Oklahoma Thor's new home.  I thought it would be fun to embroider something comic book inspired, so Thor was my Okie.  Unfortunately I didn't meet the deadline, so my project didn't make it to the fair. 

For some reason, I hit a wall, thought the whole piece looked like shit, and realized I wasn't going to finish on time.  So I took it out of the hoop, folded it up, and shoved it in a closet.  Today was the first time in a year that I've really looked at it, and I thought I'd let you see it too.

Looking at it today, I love it again like I did before I put so much pressure on myself. I am the worst when it comes to being my own worst critic. Old habits die hard, right?  But I'm inspired to work on Thor again soon.  It's too pretty to be shoved away in a closet, don't you think?

xoxo,
Amy

Little Pocket

In between snacks, meal prep, diaper changes, cleaning dirty little hands and faces, playing pretend, coloring, and letter practice, this is my pocket of happiness for today.

What's making you happy today?

Unicorn Girl & The Floss Box

Today I'd like to tell you about one of my favorite websites for embroidery and cross stitch designs, The Floss Box! Emily is the cute creator behind The Floss Box, and I never get tired of looking at all the designs and saying, "AWW!!"

She's been around for a while, and I remember hearing about her a couple of years ago from my pal Rachel of Average Jane Crafter. If you keep up to date with Rachel, then you're aware that she's not only a craft geek, but a space geek. I think Rachel mentioned "The Planets" embroidery patterns, and I remember thinking how cute and clever the entire series of Science embroidery patterns were.

I'm sure a lot of you have been loving and stitching tons of patterns from The Floss Box for a while now. But just in case you've never heard of her, I think you'll like what you see.

She has lots of embroidery and cross stitch designs, and last week this cross stitch design caught my eye on Pinterest.

Spring Unicorn Girl cross stitch by The Floss Box.

I quickly bought it after seeing it. But last week, she released the embroidery pattern! Yee-haw! I jumped on that project immediately.  Darcy is pretty much obsessed with unicorns right now, and she was pretty excited. 

The one below is the embroidered version stitched by me.

Darcy insisted on lots of pink and purple for the girl and the unicorn. I love the way it turned out & so does my little Unicorn Girl.

Come back tomorrow for another vintage pattern share, won't you?

xoxo,
Amy

Pretty Kitty

First of all, great response on the Mystery Stitch! I think Sue May may have figured it out. She asked if it was a Peking Knot, and after doing an image search on Google, it certainly looks like it.  She even posted a nice little photo tutorial on her blog on how to make a Peking Knot. I had never visited her blog before, and I'm glad she left a comment, because she's made some really cute stuff! Be sure to take a look when you have time.

It's been a while since I've posted a project, but today is "Sew & Tell!" This is the first of a few projects I've finished recently.

Project: Birthday project for Alina.

Pattern: Ryan Berkley Artist Series from Sublime Stitching.

Stitching Time: Approximately 4 hours.

Date Started: May 2011

Date Completed: May 2011

Well, OKC is in a tornado watch this afternoon, and I'm keeping things short and sweet around here. Wish us luck, and send lots of love to those in Joplin.

xoxo,

Amy

Mystery Stitch

Hey-oh! I'm glad so many of you like the bike pattern. Your kind words, re-posts, and links to the pattern are encouraging. Be on the lookout for pattern shares to be a regular theme around here.

The other night my friend Alina came over for a crafty brainstorm session, and I brought out my Japanese embroidery books to share. These are always my favorite source for designs and inspiration. She reminded me of one of my favorite images in the book and asked what stitch was used. I told her I didn't know, but I've always admired it and wondered what it was.

So I'm asking you stitchy friends, can you name this stitch?

 

We played around with a few moves, and Alina almost had it. We think it's a really l-o-o-s-e French knot.  But does it have a name? An official technique? I'd love to know more about it. It's too lovely not to incorporate it in to more projects, don't you think? I'm not giving up on figuring this one out. 

xoxo,

Amy