Christmas Pockets

Here's something to get stuck into for Christmas ... all a little late but it has been a very busy month, Here I have tried to design something simple to make, three little Christmas pockets which can be made singly or in multiples to make an advent garland. You can download here 

News coming up of new kits and NEW WEBSITE with the invaluable help of Kirsty from SOSWEB! Any day now ... Lovely new photos too by my chum Vanessa at Pixel Kitchen and last week (Feels a lot longer we moved the studio to a proper premises away from the cottage ... so I have my living room back and a very much more efficient work space int which to pack orders and keep the ever increasing stock levels from overwhelming my home. Now I come home to relax a bit (still no internet at the studio so office and admin have clung on at home). More in a day or so ...

Embroidered Butterflies and France!

it's amazing how many blogs I read start posts with an apology for not writing for a while ... I am joining that throng here but I have an excuse, as do the others but it has been very busy here and writing the blog though very necessary has been a luxury of time I simply have not had ... and there is so much to post too. 

Firstly, the latest fluster is getting ready for Pour l'Amour du fil" which is "An International Show of the Arts of the Thread" Embroidery, Quilting, Knitting and Sewing in Nantes, yes that's France ... so off we go on 20th April with all our good and chattles ... driving in my dirty old Clio all the way to conquer France with the kits! It's all quite exciting. 

See here a short video of last year's event 

IF you are in Nantes to come to this wonderful happening please do find me and come and say HELLO! I speak maybe five words in French and I won't tell you what they are, and I am running two workshops so that will be interesting. There will be a lot of smiling and gesticulating. 

Then below are the latest downloadable designs of which there are going to be 10 this year ... The three below are Set 1 click here and the one at the bottom is one of two for Set 2 which will be ready in a couple of weeks.

Use these butterflies on a garment or as a sampler or singly as a small framed gift

Here is one I made for friend's birthday ...

Here I have stitched them on a coloured background

Christmas Bauble Tutorial 2014

I had to do this ... after several trials with felt and cardboard I discovered the craft foam ... I had bought some about 10 years ago and it was lying in my paper stash drawer since then waiting for this moment. What could be better? felt, craft foam and thread, oh an a hand operation on my right hand. I have probably delayed recovery by stubbornly making these, but I had already promised I would design some new ones this year and felt duty bound. My operation was for a trigger release on my middle finger which I have needed for months. It has made doing what I do very very hard for all that time, getting increasingly painful and stiff. All I have now is a small healing wound and hopefully less pain and more agility in my hand, before the next operation on my pointy finger on the same hand ... sorry index finger. So the execution is not perfect but I did my best ...

Enough moaning! This tutorial is now available on the website and is for all four decorations with full instructions, stitch library, templates, and stitch guides. 

It has been a busy month too ... Christmas orders are rolling in (thank you to all who have toiled for me while I have been less able!) 

And I now think I can reveal that i am supplying THE NATIONAL TRUST! Yes it is true! Or have I already said ... anyway do let me know if any of you spot one of the kits or Interactive Stationery in a NT property near you! I don't get out much you see ...

ALSO! I am shutting up shop on DECEMBER 10th, so no orders after that date. 

Thread ... and NEW EMBROIDERY KITS

We had such a happy time at Thread in beautiful Farnham. My lovely assistant Amanda was a complete hit with everyone and handled sales and friendly chatter as if she'd been doing it for years! Only 19 but ready for whatever the world has to chuck her way ... very proud surrogate mum (I borrowed her from my dear friend Bobby to whom she really belongs!) We were so impressed with the whole event, organised beautifully, even down to the frequent passing round of chocolates for the stall holders ...

And the first evening saw us living it up at Cote Brasserie in the town and I have to say it was so fabulous I want to recommend it. Apart from the wonderful food we had such wonderful service by the very lovely staff ... 

And after much hard work I can say that the new kits went down so well ... Thread was their official launch, and they are as follows ... 

Birdie 1, Birdie 2, Birdie 3, and a lovely Celebration Cake. They are not available in the shops for at least a month from now. So here they are with some details but go and have a look at them on the website. To follow very soon is a new teapot, well, a re-design of the older one ... to go with the cake of course.

Celebration Cake Embroidery Kit ... designed with Birthdays and Weddings in mind, or any occasion worth making a fuss about!

Yes, it's those lovely Spider's Web Stitches again

Celebration Cake detail ... showing some of the new stitches you can learn on this sampler ... my stitches are a little wobbly as I was in such a rush to finish the samples for the show.

Another detail ...

The three new Birdie embroidery kits ... from left to right ... Birdie 3, Birdie 1, and Birdie 2.

I have framed them in embroidery hoops but you can just as easily pop them in a standard frame, or use the finished panel as a cushion centre piece ... might try that myself later.

Detail of Birdie 1 ... lovely Buttonhole Wheel Stitch for the border

Birdie 1

Detail of Birdie 1

Birdie 2 framed in an embroidery hoop

Detail of Birdie 2. This one is especially good for a beginner

Birdie 3

Birdie 3 Detail, French Knots, Fly Stitch, Lovely simple Running Stitch and Detached Fly Stitch

Embroidered Bracelet Tutorial

Here I show you how to create the felt bracelet I have been teaching. It is a great way complete an easy project in a short time, so a quick and satisfying little thing to make, and can be as varied as you like ... experiment with different coloured felts and threads, and a variety of hand embroidery stitches ... even the simplest stitches look effective. I am so influenced by folk art embroidery so it was an obvious choice for a workshop/tutorial. It is perfect for children learning to sew and beginners new to embroidery. I will be teaching it at Hoop September 12th.

YOU WILL NEED:

Felt in your choice of colour  2 x 22 cm x 2 cm  + another strip 21 cm x 1 cm

Coloured elastic 6 - 7cm long

Button of your choice

Stranded embroidery thread

Embroidery needle

Tacking cotton.

Scissors

Step 1

Cut out a back, front and re-enforcing strip (red) I make them about 22 cm long then cut them to size later (you will see!) but at this stage measure your wrist and add a couple of cm.

Step 2.

Tie a knot in the elastic and pull tight. Snip to tidy ends.

Step 3.

Stitch in place onto the back section using a thread the same colour as the felt. Secure firmly.

Step 4.

Tack the re-enforcing section of felt in place (as shown) and tack in position.

Step 5.
I would advise taking some time to decide decide which stitches you are choosing and where they will go. A simple sketch will only take you 5 mins but will save you lots of unpicking! Even have a practise of your chosen stitches if needs be. Here I have used Spider's Web Stitch ... because as you may have realised it is a personal favourite, and Fly Stitch. Both are demonstrated HERE.  Always fold the fabric to find centre to start, and keep checking to leave enough felt to trim, rather than taking the stitches too close to each end (see below)

Step 6.

Once you have completed your embroidery get a stitch buddy to snip your bracelet to the correct length.

Ah! very pleasing ....

Step 7.

Put the three parts together and join using a simple little running stitch (or could be more elaborate like Whipped Running stitch, Stem Stitch, Laced Running Stitch ... Tutorials HERE and HERE 

Step 8.

I am hurrying now as my nut cutlets are ready ... Here it is, button sewn on and ready for parading around!

Many Thanks to my lovely friend Vanessa for doing the fabulous and very exhausting wrist modelling

and thread pulling for the kits. SO there you have it ... please enjoy this tutorial and let me see what you have been making by sending pictures into my Facebook page HERE or email me at nancy@nancynicholson.co.uk

Fly Stitch Tutorial No.2

Come up from the back with a knot to secure, and down the distance you want for your "stalk". Here about 5mm. As you go down turn your needle to come up to the side of where you came up. Pull the thread through and ...

down at the Right side of top stalk and, working thread under (as shown above) push your need up at the base of the stalk. Repeat all steps for the length of fly stitch you need. See HERE for further information and instruction on Fly Stitch tutorial 

Spider's Web Stitch

1. Here I will guide you through the lovely Spider's Web Stitch. I use this a lot in my designs especially in the Pigeon cushion kit and here in there bracelet tutorial above.

A detail of the Pigeon Cushion showing Spider's Web Stitch seen here with Buttonhole Wheel Stitch

1. First with a knot to secure, come up through the back of your work and make a star using a simple stab stitch. I have used a five point star but it can be any amount of points you like.

2. Come up at the centre of the star, to the right hand side of the base of a point (as shown).

3. Take your thread behind and under the stitch to the right and then under the next stitch (as shown above) and drawn the thread through but do not pull tight. The thread should be a lovely close loop over that right hand stitch.

4. Repeat this over lacing movement all around the star .... always going under two stitches .... 

Until you have filled the star and formed the Spider's Web!