A Little Hand Stitching
In between projects and during waiting times, I work on hand stitch projects. I have been working on both of these for several months but I’m not progressing very quickly. I think one of the problems is that neither project is really my style. The reason I started both of these is that my local group is learning hand stitches and I needed a “sampler”. So both of these projects are samplers but I just haven’t gotten very excited about them.
The first project is a little felt book. I had already made the book actually just to do the binding. It would have been simpler if I started with the pages and then bound the book together afterwards but I’m working backward. The flower design is done in all stem stitch. I used blanket stitch around the edges and then further embellished the edge of the blanket stitch with more detached blanket stitch.
The binding is done with raised chain band. I really like this binding and although it looks complex, it really isn’t that hard.
Here’s the second page. I used brass washers and covered them with blanket stitch. I then stitched them down to the page and started adding detached chain stitch to make little flowers. I haven’t gotten very far on this page.
One of the members of our group made us all a crazy patch so we could embellish it with stitches. I have never done one of these before and somehow it just isn’t doing much for me. But I will fill it all up eventually.
This is the first part that I did. Just a combination of blanket stitch, detached chain and French knots.
Here is more stem stitch (light blue line). We are supposed to be using the stitches we learn each month on these. I have a few I haven’t added yet including a spider web stitch and fly stitch.
Actually to me, the most interesting part about this is that the wool threads that I dyed naturally recently are an exact match for the crazy patch. I hadn’t seen the fabrics before I dyed the threads so I had no idea they would match so perfectly. Do you like to hand stitch? I’d love to see what you’ve stitched. Feel free to add photos to Flickr or on the forum.
10 thoughts on “A Little Hand Stitching”
It’s nice you continue to challenge yourself to learn new things. The binding is beautiful. It does look complex. I’ll take your word it isn’t that hard. :-). I do love the thread colors.
I recently started to turn my ribbon felt project into a glass case using the blanket stitch. It’s been quite a challenge to my poor arthritic hands. I started over about four times using different threads until I found a metallic one I was satisfied with. I’ll post pictures when I’m done. You continue to amaze me how you fill every moment! 🙂
Thanks Marilyn! I love to learn so I’m always trying something new. I can’t wait to see how your glass case project turns out.
I think the washer flowers are going to look good – please post a finished pic of those.
The spine binding and dyed threads are beautiful.
But oh dear, I can hear you sighing all through this project – I hope you’ll feel differently when it’s finished.
Hand stitching is great – it’s so calming and a connection to the past with its pleasant sewing memories.
Thanks Lyn – I will post the washer flowers when I get finished, either here or on the forum. I do really like hand stitching and agree that it is very calming but you’re right, I am sighing and putting it down more than I’m picking it up. But I keep plodding along and hoping for the best.
Your stitching is so well done Ruth. You need to figure out why its not working for you. Perhaps you need to move to some brighter threads as we move into winter or more challenging stiches. I like to stitch but haven’t done any in ages.
Thanks Ann – I think it is not challenging enough and too “cute”. I will try more challenging stitches so I at least feel like I’m learning something.
Beautiful work!
Thanks!
I agree that the binding is gorgeous and it all looks really nice so far. I did like learning hand stitches, or more accurately doing them, I found the learning the hard part and just couldn’t follow. The shades of thread are gorgeous 🙂
Thanks Zed – it is always easier to learn if you have someone to show you the stitch. Harder to learn from books or online.