I used an Etsy gift card to purchase three Dropcloth Samplers. Rebecca has a lot of fun samplers. The problem with samplers is that I haven’t quite figured out what to do with them once I’m done.
I’m very happy with how the colors turned out. Worrying about colors was one of the things that has kept me from embroidery. But thanks to the six different combos I put together using Stitch Palettes’s color combos, I think things look good.
Et voila! This was fun. New to me were the whipped wheel (needs some work) the feather stitch, the buttonhole wheel, button knots, and couching. I used the Little Dear summer colors again, though I needed to add extra colors. I chose orange, to no one’s surprise. Also some purple.
I pricked my finger (that needle is sharp!) and so there was a bit of blood on the embroidery. You can see it by the purple satin stitched flower and on the green stem below it.
So I added a bit of stitching to cover it up.
I really enjoyed the button knots. For something that looks a bit like vermin, they did pretty up into a flower-like substance.
And I enjoyed couching so much that I carried on into the whipped stem stitch without even noticing.
Another great embroidery from Little Dear!
I sewed my Little Dear mandala embroidery pieces into coasters. I enjoy how they turned out, but next time when I’m feeling too lazy to get out the sewing machine (or even if I do) I will trace a circle before I start sewing the layers together. A freehand, hand-sewn circle is not a skillset I have, at this moment.
I also used my grandfather’s overalls as backing. My plan was to have the worn side show so the bits of paint would be visible. You can see that I was successful one out of two times at this task. It’s because you have to put the outsides on the inside and I tend to get confused at that point.
I’m excited I found a use for my hard work.
Here’s my second Mini Mandala pattern from LitteDear. I like how it turned out, though looking at the example in Aimee’s shop, I’m amused at our different approaches.
For instance, I viewed that center part as an open circle, whereas she has made it the center of a flower. My initial satin stiches were horizontal, while hers were vertical
Still, I’m pleased with this, though I need to find something to do with it.
Stiches I enjoy: French knots, chain stitch, daisy stitch, straight stitch.
Stitch that needs work: satin.
I finished my first sampler from LittleDear. I really love it. The “spring” colors Aimee sent me in the sewing kit are just my type, and I enjoyed doing the stiches. I think the sampler looks pretty, too. I need to work on my satin stich and the fishbone stich was mostly a disaster. But look how pretty that woven spider’s wheel turned out!
This is also from LittleDear. It’s the first of two mandala-inspired patterns. I thought the colors looked great here too!
Now, whatsoever shall I do with these?
