I finally closed my old tripod site

 

 The old Tripod site I've had for decades is now only an index page that has links to here and my Etsy store. I even removed the free patterns. Their ads were covering more and more of the pages so I just finished deleting them all. I do plan of putting them up somewhere again but they could use some work since they are so old. For now you can still find free embroidery patterns here, a new one every month.

The above header was one I used at the old site. All my graphics were red, white, and black with the checks and ribbons you see on this one. I really liked them but I've gotten used to the blue ones I made for here. 

Two New Patterns Up at Etsy Store and on SALE!!!!!

 

This is Emily Jane, a tiny 8" shabby chic rabbit. The pattern also includes the tine cone basket she holds and the felt carrots that go in it. Perfect for sitting in a basket, perched on a shelf, or even sitting among flowers on a wreath.

Fall is coming and that means thinking about "Halloween"! Hazel and Maddy are cute little witch cats sitting (sewn) in felt pumpkins. Use them for pincushions or holiday decor. Hazel, the gray cat, is sewn into a white felt pumpkin that is then sewn to a dotted fabric pumpkin. That pumpkin is then attached to a metal candle stand. The stand is actually upside down so the pumpkin could be sewn to the legs. Any type of holder would work but one for a pillar candle looks best. If you don't want to use a candle stand then look at Maddy, the black cat. She is sewn into an orange felt pumpkin that is attached to the lid of a plastic jar. I filled it with tinsel, tiny pumpkin, and table scatter.

Like the idea of having a kitty pincushion  but not decked out for Halloween? Just change the Halloween items for your choice of fabrics and decoration. Leave off the hat and attach pretty bows to the heads.

They are both at my Etsy store and will be 20% off thru October 31!

Here's the link to the store: 1creativestitches

Wanna see last year's stitch-a-long done?

 It took a while but here is what I did with all of last year's stitch-a-long. The only quilting was stitch in the ditch around each block and by the binding. Beads were added to all the blocks and some buttons were sewn on, too. I did a simple fabric tube to slide a dowel thru to hang it.

I'm getting ready to update the blog, delete the old tripod site, and put up 2 new patterns for sale. Also I was ok'd to sell on Micheal's Makerplace site. I've got the graphics done and a new updated bio wrote, now it's making time to do it all. I'll put links to Makerplace once it's ready.

BTW, I'm finishing up a new crochet lucky penny pattern. It should be done by Sept.

The August Free Embroidery

 

I don't know about you but I'm happy to see August because that means autumn is close and all this super hot weather will be gone. I'm also happy I managed to get an embroidery up on the first of the month. No putting it off even though I'm still dealing with really bad allergies, migraines, and I'm soooo tired.

So here's the pattern. Follow the photo for flower placement or put them where you want.

I'm giving you some directions for the embroideries. You will need to know basic stitches and there are a LOT of youtube videos that can teach you any you don't.

1. Cut a square of your background fabric 5" x 5". This will be cut smaller later but this fits my fav 4" hoop. You can cut the fabric so it will fit in the embroidery hoop you like but make sure the birdhouse has enough room for the embroidery.

2. This step in optional but I like the stability. Now I add a square of Pelon Shape Flex interfacing. This is my favorite to use for all my embroidery designs because it's not stiff and it's easy to embroider thru. I cut the square of it slightly smaller the the entire piece. You can just add it to the center square if you prefer.

Most important!!  If you went ahead and traced the birdhouse do not use steam this can smear your tracing. I've used Pigma pens and had them smear slightly.

Note: I never use steam to apply the interfacing and it sticks fine.

3. Using a permanent marker like a Pigma pen or a Pilot Frixon pen, trace the design. You can just trace the house and roof. Use you own judgment for placement of the flowers.

Note that the Frixon pen will disappear when heat is applied. This is great if you made a mistake, just iron the fabric and start again.

4. The house can be appliqued like I did or just stitched with your favorite embroidery stitch.

-Trace the house on Heat n Bond by Therm-o-web. This is a product that makes appliqueing small pieces so much easier. TIP: Hold the iron on for just a few seconds or you will also melt the other side.

-Once it cools peel off the paper.

-Lay the fabric over the tracings and iron in place.

-Do a small blanket stitch with 1 strand of floss ( I used DMC white) around the entire house

5.  For the roof, divider lines,and base use 1 strand of floss (I used DMC 310) to make cross stitch X's over narrow ribbon to hold it in place.

Tip: you may want to baste the ribbon first. 

6. The openings are filled in with straight stitches using 3 strands of floss.

-Then use 2 strands to go around the circle with stem stitch.

-Use 3 strands to make a 3 wrap french knot. (I used DMC 310 for all 3 stitches)

7. Start with the greenery. Stem stitch the vines with 2 strands of floss ( I used DMC 904). Make as many as you want following the photo.

Tip: Use a Frixon pen to draw the lines to make it easy to stitch and to remove any lines that show.

8. Use 3 strands of floss to make lazy daisy stitches along the vine stems. Notice that there are single petals and others with 3 lazy daisy stitches.

9.Using the same thread as the stem, make lazy daisy stitches for the leaves. Notice that some are stitched to go around the single flower petals. 

- Use 3 strands to make french knots at the base of all the leaves in a V and at the base of the 3 petal flowers.

10. Fill in around the flowers and leaves along the vines with french knots using 2 strands of floss ( I used DMC 727).

 Right click the pattern to save it to your hard drive. You'll need to print a pattern for tracing.

©Billie Jo Heisler 2023

All rights reserved

 Disclaimer:

I drew this design by hand then used a software program to edit it.

Please consider the drawing copyrighted. You have my permission to print copies of the drawing in any size for your own use but not to share or sell. If you want to share the pattern please link to the blog pages.

The embroidery design is my own. I have not knowingly copied anyone else's work.