More hearts - for Valentine or not

As I was browsing through my files today, look what I found. These heart designs I made last summer, and somehow forgot about them. Funny, isn't it, that I would find them just a few days before Valentine's Day.


There are two versions in black and white: a smaller and a bigger one. And then the smaller one I also made in colour, with two different colour schemes. I really like these unusual colours, but feel free to use whatever colours you prefer. Looking forward to seeing your versions. :)

Happy stitching.

Subversive Valentine

After yesterday's broken heart post I got some criticism that I am becoming kitschy… or mushy… and perhaps there is something in it. :)

So, as an answer, I came up with a simple subversive cross stitch pattern for those who have different feelings about Valentine day. And it is anyone's guess which one I truly agree with ;)

Happy stitching :)

Broken heart - free cross stitch pattern - and knitting

My dear readers,

I owe you a sincere apology for abandoning you for so long. I didn't even post anything for Christmas or new year. I know… So sorry.

Remember, I am doing a university course in textiles, and it was extremely busy during the last few months. It is not much better now, but I simply had to find some time to write on my blog.

So, to start with, I am posting a cross stitch freebie for Valentines day. Love can mend a broken heart. Well, I made it as a statement and not a question, that must mean I am a very positive person, right? Optimistic and all that… :D

I made it all in red, but I am sure it would look lovely in pink, even in different shades, or in a red-pink kind of variegated thread. Please, enjoy.

Remember, a click on the picture takes you to the pdf file. If you cannot download it (e.g. you have no google account), write me an e-mail at palkoagi @ gmail . com and I can send it to you.


And I thought I would share with you my knitting experiments I did for the university course.
We had a task to choose a topic, anything we wanted, and take a "close look" at it, as I understood, as if we were looking at something through a magnifying glass. Make sketches and do experiments based on them.
I chose some Hungarian embroidery motifs from a cushion that my mum made. Isn't it just beautiful?

Here are some of the sketches I made - and this is a great development for me. I have always thought I was rubbish at drawing, I never did good sketches and was kind o f embarrassed about it. But they showed us different methods and it was so good to realise that it is not only drawing, there are many other methods.

And based on this, I made my experiments. First, I played with colour and love the results:

Then tried some structural experiments, but those did not turn out good. I would like to continue trying out different methods, not sure I will have the time though. Here I tried playing with knit and purl stitches, and also making the pattern more prominent by using short rows, like in bubble-knitting. Not working. I also made my first ever lace pattern (not the first I knitted but the first I designed myself). I don't think it is good, but perhaps not too bad either. Worth more experimenting.

And I learnt how to do double knitting.

I learnt this from the net, looking at several tutorials, mostly videos. This was the one that I liked the best, in case you want to try.
I am sure I will do more double knitting in the future, it is so much fun and looks so good. Imagine lovely colourwork without having to carry all that thread in the back!

I also though I would share with you the patterns I created for these knitting experiments. I used my cross stitch pattern making program. I did not knit all of these, I was mostly playing with the patterns. Feel free to try them out for knitting. Or perhaps they might look great in cross stitch, too.

Just one thing though: if you knit them, they will look a bit flattened, because we don't have real squares in knitting. See the pattern for the circle I knitted for my colour experiment? It is not a circle, I made it look like an oval in the pattern - so that it turned out circular in the knitting. Actually, my program does this for me, cool, isn't it?

I have more to show, but that will have to be another time. Hopefully soon. :)

Until then enjoy the freebie and try experimenting with knitting - or any other crafts you do. It is really uplifting.

Happy stitching.

Agi

Geometric cross stitch pattern

Hi, everyone!

I have started sewing for the christmas fair. I am making lots of things that are hand-sewn, so it is good to start early. Here are a few of my small felt figures:

I have also put them up in my webshop and have already sold two kitties. :D Want to go and have a look?
It is a Facebook shop, I don't know what happens if you click on it and you have no FB account. I would love to hear about if you try.

I have also started my university course in textile. The first topic we do is felting. Here are a few pictures of the things we did at the university, and the experiments I have been doing at home. It is a distance course, with only a few meetings and lots of homework and so far I am loving it.

We have died some wool yarn.

This is the example I made at the course, trying different types of wool and also a bit of needle felting.

This was an experiment: uncarded wool locks woven together and felted - creating a lovely lace-like effect.

Some more experiments I was doing at home.

And even more, trying nuno-felting on silk, and different organza and other synthetic fabric.


And finally, since I haven't had much internet lately, I was playing with my cross stitch program again. Remember the geometric patterns I was posting not long ago? I continued along those lines, and here is a new one: a smaller and a bigger version of the same motif. Feel free to change the colours, have fun with it.

Happy stitching. :)

Hungarian embroidery - on felt

I was at home last week with a really bad cold, and I had no energy to concentrate on anything. It was hard to read but I could not just lie idly, my hands need to be occupied with something.

I usually have a simple knitting for such occasions but I didn't have anything this time, and didn't want to start anything either because I have three on the go that are all put aside because I don't like them. Having a knitting block - but more about that in another post.

Anyway, I thought I can try embroidering something where I just draw some simple pattern and then follow the lines. Don't need to think or count. It worked so well that I was doing it all week.

I used some standard elements in Hungarian folk patterns, copying them from a cushion my mum made long ago, then I also tried a few that are not so traditional but I liked them. I used off-white felt and just some basic colours.

Here is the result:

Sorry about the hazy picture. There are a few that I embroidered again because Stephen liked them :)
They will be backed with red felt, the edges cut with zig-zag scissors, and I will add some stuffing and a cord. They will be featuring on the Christmas market. I know, it might be a bit early, but I start university next week, so I might not have too much time to prepare for the market.

I have also been doodling a bit on my cross stitch program. Soon coming back with another freebie.

Happy stitching.

Ági

And the winner is…

I am so sorry I didn't post earlier, I have been sick with a nasty virus or something, still not feeling very well.

Anyway, we have a winner for the giveaway:

So, Linda S, can you please send me your address so I can post your gift. My e-mail is palkoagi @ gmail.com - without the spaces, of course.

Thank you for all who took part.

As I am not well, don't work and can't concentrate much on reading either, I have been doing lots of embroidery, I will show you in a few days.

Until then, keep safe and don't catch the virus. :)

Happy stitching

Agi

300 000 visits!!!! Giveaway - ajándéksorsolás!

It happened! Here:

Come and comment until Tuesday evening CET, which is your favourite of my patterns. Which do you think the most popular pattern is? You can win a surprise packet.


Ha részt szeretnél venni, kedd estig írd meg egy megjegyzésben, mi a kedvenced a mintáim közül, és melyik szerinted a legnépszerűbb minta. Meglepetéscsomagot kap a szerencsés kisorsolt kommentelő (alias zsákbamacskát :D )