The geometric pattern is done

I showed you my improvised cross stitching piece a few weeks ago. As I promised, I have now drawn the pattern for one of the elements, here it is:

Obviously, feel free to use your own colours. I would actually encourage you to print out the black and white page in the pdf file and colour it with pencils to see how you like it best.

I would also recommend trying the free cross stitching, as I did. Sometimes we don't have the energy to concentrate on following a pattern, sometimes we just need the relaxing effect of stitching. If you look at this pattern, you can figure out how it was made. I started with a small square that makes the middle of the pattern. It helps if you start with an odd number, that way you can make the design all symmetrical. Then I took another colour and added triangles to the four sides. And so on.


On other fronts, I have done a lot lately. I resewed the orange blocks for the Bunnie Hunter quilt and put together the blocks. There is still a lot of work to do on this, 4 borders to piece but for now I put it aside and did other things.

I explained how I had to resew the orange blocks. I had to make new string pieces. The old ones I trimmed down to two inches wide, I might be using them later on in some scrappy project. But I felt so sad to see all the trimmings going in the garbage. They looked so pretty. :D Instead of throwing them, I put them on a piece of fusible, arranged them and ironed them down. Made my own fabric from the off-cuts. This looks like the start of something, doesn't it?

I also sewed a few dresses for little girls. They are in my Etsy shop. Some of these are made from up-cycled fabric, some from new. I was trying to combine the fabric so that I can use the leftover bits.

I also made a skirt for my daughter from a curtain I bought in a charity shop. It is a nice fabric but quite loosely woven, so I am not sure how well it will stand up to being a skirt. We will see. The lace comes from my collection of charity-shop finds, too.

I didn't do much hand sewing these days, only a bit of knitting in the evenings. I will show you my knitting next time. I think I messed up the pattern - but no problem, I created another one by mistake. :D This will be the mistery until next time :D


Happy stitching, sewing, knitting - whatever rocks your boat.

Cross stitch pattern for Valentine Day

It's February, and here in the middle of Sweden the snow started to melt. I am sure this is not the end of winter yet, but still, spring cannot be so very far away now. One-two more month...

Anyway, February means Valentine day, and I have made two easy and quick bookmark patterns for you. There is still time to stitch them for that someone special. I hope you enjoy them. Click on the image and it takes you to the downloadable pdf pattern.

I am working on the geometric patterns from last time, I will show you soon.

Meanwhile I am doing lots of patchwork. Bonnie Hunter had a mistery pattern in December, the Good fortune quilt pattern. It consists of lots of tiny pieces, and it requires really good precision. I am struggling, I have to admit, but it is good practice and it will look great. I have just taken apart half of my blocks and sewing them again. Here is a picture from when I thought the blocks are all done, before I noticed that the orange ones are totally the wrong size. I hope to be able to finish them soon and then put the quilt together.

Another interesting thing that I do lately is stitch meditation. I joined a Facebook group where we do a short stitching piece every day, stitching without a real pattern or plan, just for the pleasure of sewing. Some pieces become nothing interesting - and that is OK -, but after a while mine started to shape themselves. I really love doing this.

Here are some of my little pieces:

Aren't they fun? Go ahead and try it! No rules, just enjoy the needle and thread.

That's it for today folks. Happy stitching!!!