Free-stitched Chinese Lantern Cards

New embroidery design--free-stitched Chinese Lanterns.

Hand-dyed felted wool, cotton floss. 2.5" square

 Previous design, mounted and

                                                               placed with a mailing envelope in a cellophane envelope.

This is a great on-the-go project. The designs are small and free-stitched, making it easy to grab a few fabric scraps (I prefer linen or wool, but anything could work), floss or crewel yarn, needle, hoop and scissors and go. 

The first set of cards is finished. I mounted them by fusing a fabric backing and then using double-sided tape to attach them. Japanese paper tape was added as a functional frame to secure the fiber to the cardstock.

I'm working on putting together a tutorial of all the steps along the way. These are really special cards for special people and occasions. 

Watch for the directions...coming soon!

Chinese Lanterns, Part II

Orange wool, black floss on 6" hoop

Step two: Play around!  Lacking crewel wool and impatient as ever, I found scraps of wool and embroidered this outline (free hand) as a sample of sorts.

New Inspiration

KRISTIN NICHOLAS

I just received, via parcel post, the new-to-me, but clearly very-loved-by-someone before me, book titled Colorful Stitchery, by Kirstin Nicholas.  Published in 2005, I'm not sure how I missed this gem from my southern "neighbor" on her sheep farm in Amherst, Massachusetts, just over an hour's drive from my house in south-western New Hampshire.
Here's just one of the inspired and inspiring pages from this book.




Some of her designs are really funky and fresh. I'm especially enamored with her seemingly sashiko influenced pillow embroidery designs.

Check out her work and her gorgeous wools and patterns!

Watch for my Nicholas' inspired work here soon.  I may not be able to get around much with this eternal cast and crutches, but I am finding a silver lining in the extra time to create and keep the dining table cluttered with materials and projects.

http://www.kristinnicholas.com/julia.htm

http://getting-stitched-on-the-farm.blogspot.com/