December Hoopla Along-Winter Hoop

 

I started this hoop in January 2014 for the Craftster monthly Hoopla-Along but it never got finished... It was my first go with doing some fill stitching and I chose a very tedious method.  The hoop sat on my desk begging to be finished for the next oh 10 or so months.  When it was announced that the December 2014 theme in the Hoopla-Along was going to be winter I knew it would be the perfect time to finish this one up. 

The pattern was purchased from Urban Threads and stitched using a chain stitch, back stitch, and straight stitch.

12 Days of Christmas

Monday I got to show off all the awesome goodies that I received in the Mini 12 Days of Christmas swap and now I am going to show off the goodies I sent.  My partner super spoiled me and I hope that what I sent was loved even if it wasn't as much as I received.

The first thing I made was a reusable advent calendar.  I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the design I used on the back.

 

Then I used lots of festive papers to decorate each box.  It was then filled with a few Kisses for each day.

 

I stitched up these mini hoops to be used as ornaments for her tree. 

The pattern is from Kimberly Ouimet on Etsy

 

I have been collecting wine corks to try out some new crafts and decided to make a few ornaments.

 I of course also had to make some jewelry!  I love the way this winter themed cluster pendant turned out.

 

Also a braided Kumihimo bracelet done in Christmas colors.

 

I made this fun felt banner using pre-cut snow flakes and felt circles.  I sewed the snowflakes to the circle by hand then used my sewing machine to get them on the ribbon.  The felt pieces were purchased from Pitterpattery

 

Two fun snowman magnets made from a kit I purchased at Retro Cafe Art Gallery.

 

I stitched up this cute coffee hoop using a free pattern from Wild Olive

 

And of course since note cards are my new favorite thing to make she got a set.  The Thank You cards are my favorite!

 

She had this super cute Santa wreath pinned so I sent that along too.  It's wrapped in yarn and I created the belt with ribbon and the buckle is paper cut with my Silhouette.

 

My partner also had these super cute felt houses pinned.  The Etsy seller actually sells the houses fully assembled.  I messaged her and she was nice enough to sell me a set of unassembled houses that I could put together myself.  These were also purchased from Pitterpattery

 

It's crazy that Christmas is about a week away.  The month has flown by!  I still have lots of Christmas things to share!

November Hoopla Along-Hello Fall

I stitched up this little Fall hoop to help welcome the new season.  This hoop is what I imagine Fall would be like if we actually had it here.  Living in Arizona we don't really get any of the Fall season.   By the time we are having Fall type weather it's already December and full blown winter for everyone else.

Pumpkin spiced everything, beautiful colorful leaves blowing in the breeze, bright crisp mornings and evenings.  That is what I think Fall would be like. 

 

I can still have my pumpkin spiced everything but it's not the same when it's 92 degrees out and we are still wearing shorts and tank tops!  Come on Fall we are ready for you!  

Boo! Hoop

 

I stitched this sweet little hoop up for a friend on Craftster.  She received a ho hum package in a swap and to help make it right I wanted to send her a little something extra.  I asked her to send me a few patterns and this is the one I chose.  I printed it a little smaller than I meant to so the design was too small for this hoop but too big for the other hoops I had... Ooops.  I still love the way it turned out and that I got to use lots of different stitches.  

I used a back stitch, the lazy daisy on the leaves, satin stitching for the candy corn, stem stitching on the letters, and finally the French knot. 

This was a free pattern that can be found here if you wanted to stitch it up too!

September Hoopla Along and a Review of Sulky Sticky Fabri-Solvy

I get emails from A LOT of different sites to keep me updated on sales, crafty happenings, new products, and all kinds of other stuff.  One of the emails I get regularly is from Penguin and Fish who designs and sells super cute embroidery patterns.  One of her most recent emails introduced me to an amazing new product.

I love to embroider.  Besides cleaning like a maniac it’s my own form of therapy.  There is just something about sitting down and doing stitch after tiny stitch and watching a beautiful piece of artwork emerge on the fabric  that helps to calm me down and soothes my soul.   I also love that it is a very portable craft and it’s something I can do while watching TV or a movie (since you know I can’t just sit and watch).   I love looking at and buying all the fun colors of embroidery floss and picking out the perfect colors for a new pattern too. 

 

That being said, I HATE transferring patterns.  I have to drag out my light board and prepare my fabric. Then I have to sit, trace the pattern on the fabric, then hoop it up.  All before I can start stitching.   Some patterns are pretty simple and this isn’t a big deal.  Others are very intricate and have lots of tiny details, swirly lines, and whatnot.  I tend to avoid these patterns because I don’t want to have to transfer them.  

Well ladies and gents if you are like me and hate to transfer patterns I am going to change your embroidery world today.  Introducing Sulky Sticky Fabri-Solvy!!!

You print your design directly on to the Fabri-Solvy…

Peel off the paper backing and then stick the printed design right on to your fabric then put it in your hoop and stitch away

When you are finished take your fabric out of the hoop, fill a bowl with water and plop it right on in.  I let it soak for a few minutes then agitate the water/swirl the fabric around.  The Fabri-Solvy starts coming right off.  Depending on the size of your pattern, you may need to get a fresh bowl of water and do this again to get it all clean.  I then laid my project out to dry and because I am lazy just put it back in the hoop.  You can iron your project before re-hooping it if you are so inclined.

All done!

 

I used this to stitch up my hoop for the Ongoing Hoopla Month.  This is Septembers hoop for the theme Home Sweet Home.

 I loved that I didn’t have to transfer the pattern and that all the design details were just perfect.  I also loved that I can use dark or patterned background fabrics.   The only issue I had with this project is that it does make your needle a bit sticky as you stitch.  It’s fixed by just wiping off your needle on your shirt or whatever and then you are good to go again. 

So thank you to Penguin and Fish for changing my stitching world!!!  

Pattern purchased from TamarNahirYanai 

Sulky Sticky Fabri-Solvy purchased from Amazon