Category Archives: stitching

Stitching for Spain: Mi Casa

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I’m back in the saddle again! One of the classes I’m teaching for Asociación Española de Patchwork in March is called Mi Casa es Su Casa. We are creating tiny homes using colorful felt fabrics with lots of hand embroidery.

Which means I have to make up lots of thread kits for my students. The kit of thread contains my hand-dyed size 8 pearl cotton threads like these as well as an array of felt fabric colors.

I’m placing a sampler of each thread colorway onto thread rings for my students’ kits. This counting of threads and attaching them on the rings is best done in front of a television screen while watching an engrossing movie.

True, I’ve been watching a lot of TV lately but I am looking forward to what the students create with the threads. It will be worth it!

Year of the Stitch: Herringbone Bark

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In this next Year of the Stitch quilt, the tree gets the royal texture treatment. It takes me a moment but soon I get the rhythm of the herringbone stitch that makes this delicious texture on the tree shape

Crisscrossing the tree shape with the herringbone stitch adds that tree bark texture that covers many of the trees in my back yard. (I’m pretty sure Mother Nature was an embroiderer.)

The size 12 Blueberries thread I’m using changes color along the length from navy to royal blue to purple. The progression of color adds even more interest to the shape and entertains me as I stitch. I bet Mother Nature likes this colorway too.

Year of the Stitch: A Scary Tree

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The next Year of the Stitch candidate is ready for needle and thread. Sure, the tree looks a little threatening like it could fall on the house at any time. But maybe it’s just wants to be friends with the house? Anyway, the stitching must begin!

Ignoring the imminent danger of a falling tree, our jolly little house gets the full stitch treatment. Blanket stitches surround the door, and shore up the rooftop and sides of the house so breakage will be at a minimum. And note that stem stitches securely anchor the base of the house into place. So take that tree!

One more thing. Just in case there is a wind storm, the windows are outlined with straight stitches holding them in place and protecting all from falling branches. Whew! I think we are safe for now.