New Embroidery Kits sneek peak

The new embroidery kits, four of them, are not quite ready but can't resist showing a couple of details. These are just home photos and nothing flashy, but some flashy ones are one their way ... of all the new things. If you would like to order one of the new kits please email me so I am aware of you and can give you priority. Once they up loaded onto the website we'll be in business, but because of Makegood preparations we are a few days behind.

I will be doing some online tutorials on the cushion kits so look out for those. Right now, the van is packed and we will meet them in London to put up the show tomorrow. So time to relax for the first evening in weeks, some lovely bream and new potatoes, watercress salad, telly, no embroidery! Or crochet.

Long Tail Bird Embroidery Cushion Kit Detail

Pigeon Embroidery Cushion Kit Detail

Makegood Festival

I have neglected you all ... but it is only a week now till the Makegood festival

Please do come if you can as it is going to be quite brilliant! An amazing showcase for 200 creative businesses many who I can say are very cool people indeed as they have been my fellows on this journey we all have been taking at School for Creative Startups. This all reminds me so much of my degree show and I still have nightmares about that! The lists are everywhere, and today is the last day I have in the studio to get the last things packed and ready, then into the car ... on Sunday we will drive there to put it up (there will be photographic evidence) and then it starts on Thursday for us with Press and VIPs coming. Open to public on Friday! YIKES! As I have barely had time to look after myself this last two weeks or more ... I am a little worried about the bloodshot eyes and lack of smartness when meeting the press. I don't do "smart" very well, even when I try really hard.

The photos below are of the work in progress. New embroidery kits which came in huge great rolls which I can hardly lift, mad frantic stitching to complete samples for the show, the colour dilemma, choosing threads for the kits. Many early mornings and late nights.

And I still have inappropriate shoes to wear to this event! I long to wear my Birkenstocks but not sure it would be right. That will be worth a visit if nothing else, to see what I finally manage to cobble together to wear and whether I have had the mental where with all to brush my hair and not put mascara on only one eye. Seriously I would be chuffed to bits to meet anyone who reads this blog. And here I want to thank any of you who have helped with the frantic stitching of samples ... you know who you are ... THANK YOU SO MUCH!

New kit ... Little Bird No.2

Detail Long Tail Bird Cushion kit

Little Bird No.2 new kit detail

New Kits on the roll!

Long Tail Bird and Pigeon Cushion Kits on the roll

Embroidered Greek Costume

I just want to share this beautiful thing ...

Bank Holiday Monday and off we go to Sissinghurst Cricket Club boot fair! The day was sunny and the temperature was kind. My first boot fair of the season, though some of my friends are champing at the bit earlier in April, eager for the first ones ... the thrill of the unexpected treasure, always guaranteed to get the blood racing. This boot fair is a large and unruly one. There is obviously some kind of plan in the general layout but as the stall holders arrive I feel it all goes to pot and ends up being rather a maze, which I suppose adds to the thrill of the hunt. It is fatal to be indecisive because you will never find which stall that treasure was in again ... was it by that foot bath or next to the pink leopard onesey? Argh!

Anyway I had begun to feel quite smug about my purchases so far, a tiny painted lead monkey, I think an old Britons toy animal, and Ingmar Bergman DVD for a joy evening's entertainment, two duck egg blue 1950s melamine bowls ... happiness. Satisfied we were ready for a stewed cuppa in the pavilion then off home. But then I spotted a real treasure.

It is a tiny little embroidered traditional Greek Costume, a shirt, wool jacket, wool trousers, and a little hat with a blue silk tassel. It is quite the most beautiful thing. The ladies selling it told me it belonged to their son, and was in the dressing up box for 40 years, the son now being 46, but it looks older to me. I shall treasure it ... Does anyone out there have a similar item or any information to share? I took the sellers name so I can relay any information to her ... but I am so enjoying marvelling at the workmanship at the moment ... please enjoy also

Now back to work. I have a press event at Somerset House next week and still waiting for the new kits to arrive ... it is all getting very stressful! The stitch cards are also expected today ... I missed the post on Saturday when they tried to deliver them ... how exasperating!

Embroidered Wool Jacket

Embroidered Wool Jacket

Embroidered Wool Jacket cuff detail

Embroidered Wool Jacket

Embroidered Trouser 

Embroidered Trouser Bib

Embroidered Hat

Embroidered Hat

Hat and trouser detail

Embroidered shirt and hat

Embroidered shirt

Embroidered shirt hem detail

Embroidered shirt collar detail

Embroidered shirt detail

Red Sampler!

Also I am so thrilled with this version of the Sampler 2014 worked by Jenny, one of my lovely ladies! I love it better than the original actually! Thanks Jenny so much! A lovely job.

Needlework Development Scheme

I have recently lost then found this little pamphlet belonging to my mother from The Needlework Development Scheme for which she did many designs. as I gather it was to encourage women and children to take up embroidery and stitching generally, teaching how to use the basic embroidery stitches to embellish home dressmaking toys and articles for the home. Where could you be without a hand embroidered antimacassar, needle case, or exquisitely decorated, starched apron? It must have been a constant worry... Sadly the front cover is lost ...

I thought the whole leaflet had been thrown away with a stack of old magazines which I had taken to recycling, and an afternoon was wasted searching through books and mag stacks, ringing Ashford Borough Council to see if they would let me rummage headfirst in the recycling bin, to no avail, then it turning up with a grin on it's face saying it had been there all the time, and the relief was huge. I do love these old treasures.

So just for now here are some images from this little work. The dolls are incredibly frightening but worth examining. And the best of all pictures, the two demure little girls, Morag and Elizabeth, in their ankle socks earnestly contemplating a piece of gingham in their little drapery store. I can't help thinking what our modern equivalent would be, though it's great to have so much interest in these skills now. (I managed to stop myself being scathing and strike a more positive note there did you notice?)

Anyway hope you like them ... comments always enjoyed! Incidentally, I have a backlog of blogposts to post, as I really am going hell for leather to get the new kits out there. But they are on their way! My lovely ladies will now be receiving some kits to sample for me (this week hopefully) and the Colour/Stitch cards are coming in the next day or so. Pictures coming as soon as I have them! There are three packs of three cards to colour and stitch!

The Shirt Collar Project

I have been working for two days now on a secret project The Shirt Collar Project run by lovely Kathleen from Murgatroyd and Bean. Though we were sent our collars back in the mists of time (I really can't remember!) the momentum has recently been building as we approach the deadline.

Here is the brief ...


"The Shirt Collar Project 2014
This inaugural collaboration involves ten, British, female artists and begins with a common starting point; the humble shirt collar. 

The Brief: 

"The 2014 project is about your response to a base material which someone else has chosen for you. In this instance, a detachable, pre-worn shirt collar.

The collar doesn't have to remain collar-like, you might choose to rip, deconstruct it or add to it. Any medium goes; dye, stain, rivet, bury in earth, paint, stitch, print..."

There have been tantalising glimpses of the various artists work in progress and I am curious to see the variation that evolves. Will post details of big reveal soon .... but do take a look at the activity and the other artists while you wait!

The other artists involved are ...

• Christine Kelly
• Anya Keeley
• Angie Hughes
• Alice Fox
• Cathy Cullis
• Jenny McCabe
• Kathleen Murphy
• Ella Robinson
• Viv Sliwka
• Nancy Nicholson

Cat ... pattern for embroidered cat

Sewing cat together

Side View and stitch detail

Back view showing Feather Stitch detail

 I am experimenting with a three dimensional cat as one of the new kit design possibilities. So came up with this rather aloof gentleman. A Cat made in white felt who stands 14 cm high and is easily made up and uses a few stitches to bring him to life. I really enjoyed designing him and hope you will enjoy making it too. Sadly and mysteriously my camera just stopped working this morning after I had set everything up for a whizzy photo shoot! So these are only taken with my iPhone ...
I am cutting out a more sinister Cat in dark colours today so keep watching this cat space! More work in progress! But this pattern can be completed in any personal colour choice of course, and I always love to hear how you get on and might even run a small gallery of finished cats, if you are brave enough to submit photos of your work ...

You can download the pattern HERE
With that download you will not only have the pattern but all the detailed instructions of how to assemble the cat and a stitch library show the stitches used and some more to try. There is also a stitch guide to show you where to apply the stitches I have used. All for only £5.00

Stitching whiskers!

Embroidery Kits ... New Photos, and Mother's Day download

I had to pop these up as I am so pleased with them. Lovely Vannessa from Hoop ... a very fine photographer as well as wizard wool shop owner, of Hoop Haberdashery took these photos of the embroidery kits for publicity purposes and because I have only ever had my own rather homespun ones.

With the new designs coming along nicely (I am awaiting funding to produce them) I have rather neglected showing these kits off a bit. Not sure how long I will produce these once the new ones are up and running. So to promote the coming of the new kits I am offering a lovely free download for every one of these kits ordered for the next two weeks. Click on the caption below each photo to take you to the relevant webpage. Once you have ordered your kit via the website, send me an email to info@nancynicholson.co.uk with the code DL314 in the "subject box" so I know you qualify for the free download.
See pictures of the design you will receive below .... A great present for Mother's Day!

TEAPOT EMBROIDERY KIT

LOVEBIRDS EMBROIDERY KIT

BIRD EMBROIDERY KIT

This is how your download could look ... perfect present for Mother's Day

Iron on Transfer Pens

Why does it take me so long to find answers ...

Many of you have I hope had success with printing one of my downloads onto fabric so you can stitch the design without the need for other transfer methods. But there is an alternative for those who may not have a printer or just want a more direct method. Especially for linear designs. It also means you can transfer designs to other weights of fabric and other colours ... even patterned fabric!
The answer ... Iron Transfer Pens. I just received a pack of eight colours made by Sulky bought from Amazon

As a start though I am offering a FREE download of this design (below) for every kit ordered this next two weeks. The next blog post will explain more ...
It is the same bird as in the Sampler 2014 but larger and uses 6 strands of stranded embroidery thread. This was a happy experiment for me also!  See following blogpost for finished article ...
All instructions will be on the download.
As you can see I am still working on this one and will post when finished.
I am designing lots of motifs for this method as it is quite addictive and has endless possibilities!

Print out the design ...Draw around the design carefully using an appropriate coloured transfer pen.

Pin or tape the design drawn side down onto the chosen fabric and iron using a hot setting, checking that it is transferring and does not moved. 

Keep going until it has left the design clearly on the fabric then you can begin embroidering! 

The drawing can be used several times. So if you have downloaded a motif it can be placed in a repeat across the fabric, as shown. When it will no longer print you only have draw around the design again using the transfer pen ...