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I've been very busy getting ready for City of Craft! Here's a sneak peek..
I sold my last crocheted pincushion at Crafternoon Tea, so I decided to make some new ones. These are crocheted from my own handspun wool yarn combined with vintage feedsack floral fabric tops and vintage buttons with wool flowers or leaves underneath. They come with their coordinating pins! They're all stuffed with 100% wool fleece.
I've also embroidered lots of new brooches. These are made from thick white felted wool circles embroidered with crewel wool with a brooch clasp sewn on the back. I love making these! I generally just make up each picture as I go along.
And lastly I have some new necklaces. These are based on a new idea I had last year but I didn't have time to make more than one. I've added wool felt flowers to the usual beads and silver charms I use. I love the textile element and I've used lots of my favourite aqua and mustard. I'm just not tired of this colour combination! p.s. I only bought one pony charm (why? why?) so there is just the one pony necklace.

I hope I've tempted you to visit my table at City of Craft! I'm going to be inside the theatre in front of the stage steps close to my spot last year. If I have time this week, I'll show you another sneak peek. In the meantime, here's all the info:

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Here's a free pattern I found on Sew4Home! I love that site!!! It's supposed to be a travel sewing kit, but what I really needed was a new needle book. I have so many needles!!! I just had to make this cute kitty since I used to have a black and white cat. I just realized that I forgot to put the button on his tie, oh well. On the right is a special place for my grandma's beautiful scissors. I really enjoyed sewing by hand and doing some simple embroidery. I got some of the felt from Heather Bailey. Great stuff!

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Two very talented ladies (”very talented” doesn’t even begin to describe them, actually) are coming out with new craft books this year.  I’m very crafty myself (um, yea?) but I don’t own very many craft books.  Nowadays I tend to only get the ones I really, truly want; too many craft books in my collection have ended up on the local library steps (figuratively speaking) and that can get expensive (although I’m always happy to donate useful things).

And the books I’m referring to are about two of my favorite things: embroidery and paper dolls!  Both so dear to my heart, perhaps because they remind me so much of my childhood art-making.

My friend Alicia’s “Embroidery Companion” is such a beautiful book, due out August 10th.  I mean, look at the cover!  Sheesh, I love that skirt.  I want that skirt.  We need to embroider more, don’t you think?

Emily Winfield Martin (I just had to mention her middle name, as it is the best ever), also has a book coming out on November 2nd called “The Black Apple’s Paper Doll Primer.”  This book looks like so much fun for both little and big kids (I.e. moi).   I bet you could get lost in it (which is fine by me, especially if that sweet little white bunny led the way).

Both books are available for pre-order if you want to make sure you get a copy.  And don’t forget to click the above links to find out more info and see some sample projects!

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We’ve linked to Aya Kakeda before, but never to her embroidered illustrations before. You’ll find more like this scattered throughout her illustration portfolio.

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Posted by John Martz on Drawn! The Illustration and Cartooning Blog | Permalink | No comments
Tags: Aya Kakeda, embroidery

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Last weekend i went to the Church of Craft meeting at the Etsy labs. It was fun chatting with my friend, she's such a craftaholic! It was a rainy day, so what better to do then sit down with some Starbucks, creative people and doing some needlepoint embroidery? (oh we did get splashed by some cars driving by when we went out for coffee!)
I almost got this piece done that afternoon, i had to finish the face of the right pup at home.
The design i took from the illustrations i did for the upcoming ismoyo igoogle theme (more on that later).
Not sure what i will incorporate this in, but probably it will be part of a new patchwork blanket. Like the green and the pink one i made awhile ago for myself and my husband. I now want to be even more brave and work on a huge two person patchwork blanket.
Don't hold your breath, this can take a while... lol.

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Blue embroidery floss on pink wool felt with added flower embellishments.
Just for fun.

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Made these embroidered storage jars for a some sort of personal project i'm working on. Could get quite interesting.

And Monsieur Le Bun invited me over to supercutekawaii for a croissant and some cute conversation. C'est tres jolie!

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So i'm working on a few small projects involving a bit of embroidery work, this was supposed to be one of the pieces involved. But now that it's almost done i'm not satisfied with it. Not for this project. The stitches are not 100% perfect and i think i should have made some other decisions with the floss colors. I won't throw it out, it will go in 'storage' and will be used one day for another project.

And what do you think? In 'storage' was another little embroidery project patiently waiting to be used; little cherries on a polkadot fabric! Cute and the perfect size to use now. Problem solved!

This is a very special project i'm working on. For my best friend. Yes, there is a change the surprise will be spoiled, she visits my blog from time to time, but tomorrow she will get on a plane to Bali, so i'm guessing she has other things on todo than to check in here. She will move to Bali, is building a home there and you can guess by the project, she is getting married there too. I will miss her, but then again, i already do, we had to say goodbye already when i moved away to NY.

I used a smaller sized gingham fabric here, but i'm thinking it would have been a bit better if i chose a different background fabric, seeing that the white from the weddingdress doesn't come out too good. But it's also definitely not bad enough for me to start over. It'I will finish it and make it perfect for my friend!

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I've recently been working on making a presentation for my publisher to go with my second book proposal and synopsis. Here are some sneak peaks to what i've been creating. I really hope i actually get to make the book. I will love it even more, work even harder, make it even more 'ismoyo' and will do an even better job on it than my first book. I really love my first craft book, don't get me wrong, but if i get the change a second time, i will take everything i learned while doing the first book and take it to a whole other level with the second. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

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Quick project. Mini embroidery hoop. Only 3 inch. Adding some beads and a button for extra effect.
I couldn't find my cellphone yesterday. Glad we still have a landline too.

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My plan always is to first show finished crafts here before i potentially list them on Etsy. But i guess most of the times it's the other way around.
It can be because of the excitement to get it out there as soon as something is finished, or maybe because after finishing it takes me a little bit to gather my thoughts about it and be able to show and tell on my blog.

Like this piece. Maybe you recognize the illustration from when i entered it in the Tigerprint Fashion Illustration Competition.
You know, i really love it, but i do think that if i would enter a similar competition right at this moment, it would look totally different. Reminds me to make more time and spend it making illustrations. There are so many ideas floating in my mind, i just don't know where to start i guess.
But back to this new piece, so i transferred the illustration onto white wool felt. And then i embellished it. Added the bead necklace and the fabric flower, embroidered a backstitch line around the woman's hair.
I took the glass out of the pink frame. I like the way the contrast stands out between the soft felt and the smoothness on the illustration. And you couldn't have the flower and the beads with the glass in it.
Hope you like!

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I took a leaf from Jenn’s book today and raided our scrap bin to make a spur-of-the-moment flannel quilt top for Rilla. We are in the process of transitioning her to her own bed in the girls’ room. (My three big girls share a room, and we’re adding a trundle for little sis.) This is something that’s always on the to-do list during a pregnancy, moving the toddler out of our room to make way for the newborn, but I admit I’ve been a bit lax with it this time around. Rilla still nurses a little at night; that’s part of it. And also, she’s very cuddly. Toddlerhood passes so quickly, and I like to savor every breathy little snore of it.

A month or two ago, we set up a (bedraggled old) child-sized futon next to our bed, and Rilla has been starting out her nights there. At some point in the night, she climbs into bed beside me. She’s like a cat, the way she sort of pours herself under the covers and curls up next to me with a contented sigh. She’s also like in a cat in the way she’ll turn on a dime and hiss and snarl at the blankets because they have offended her somehow, and she’s all flailing paws until the malevolent covers are no longer touching any part of her body. A mercurial little creature, is my Rilla.

Yesterday we moved the futon into the girls’ room. She thought this whole “sleeping with the big girls” thing was a pretty swell idea right up until bedtime, when suddenly it was The Most Offensive Idea Anyone Has Ever Had in All of Human History. But I snuggled up beside her in the dark, and her sisters whispered to her, and the devious plan I’d carried out earlier in the day—feeding her marshmallows at naptime instead of putting her down for a nap—paid off pretty quickly. She sighed, and sank, and slumbered, and when her limbs began lashing at the covers I knew it was safe for me to slip away. (Sob.)

Jane and I thought a special new blanket for her special new bedroom might help ease the transition. Rilla doesn’t have a blankie she’s attached to, though she does like the little patchwork baby quilt I made her before she was born. It’s way too small now, of course. So this morning Jane and I pieced together the remnants of the same cozy flannel plaids and prints I’d used for that baby blanket nearly three years ago and came up with a sort of wonky, large-patch quilt top. We’ve got a big piece of pink plaid-and-polka-dots to use for the backing. I’ve never actually quilted anything before, mind you—the baby quilts I’ve made are just patchwork tops with flannel backing, no batting in between. I need to go buy some batting tomorrow and we’ll see if we can pull this thing off.

In the meantime, the quilt top seems to have passed Miss Rilla’s muster.

The little embroidered kitty with flower umbrella at the bottom is a pattern from the Wee Wonderfuls “Tulip Fairy” Stitchette set, which I bought a while back and forgot about until today. That blank pink patch was just begging for a bit of embellishment. And I have to say, I am completely enchanted. The Stitchette pattern is a reusable iron-on which took all of ten seconds to transfer to our fabric. Suddenly everywhere I look are blank bits of fabric crying out for a little Wee Wonderfuls snail, or the mice pouring tea from that cunning acorn teapot, or that kite-flying ladybug, oh the cuteness of it all.

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My favourite watch is a Swatch that had a red satin embroidered strap. Unfortunately after tons of wear it became pretty worn looking and then finally the buckle broke. I was inspired by this blog post to make a new strap for it.
First of all I used the old strap to make a paper template and cut out wool felt pieces from it - two for each side. Then I used a piece of twill fabric (with anti-fray) to make pieces shaped like forks with 3 strips that fit through the slots on the watch and stitched them in place. Then the wool straps sandwich the twill piece, top and bottom and get sewn together.After trying it out I realized it was a teeny bit scratchy on the wrist, so I added a ribbon lining. I used anti-fray to the ends. The last step is a snap closure.
The embroidery is done with wool, just a simple flower pattern.
Now I can wear it again!

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This year has been so busy, so this Christmas seems to have arrived quite suddenly and we're barely prepared! We've managed a little tree in our front window, with our presents underneath and a little row of fairy lights on the front of the house. My parents are coming to lunch Sunday, so we've rushed around trying to make the house look its best while also working on some of the painting and furniture rearranging that needed doing now that the floors are done. It's a good motivation when we're really quite tired because we'll enjoy the house being tidy ourselves over the holidays.

The kitchen is really quite liveable despite the lack of fitted cabinets and sink since we have two sideboards for storage and a table for counter space. Most of my time lately (after getting illustration work done) has been spent moving furniture and things and patching up the bathroom walls. We removed so many shelves and cabinets from the walls in the bathroom since we've moved in that it left a lot of marks. Then the workers (as would be expected) left a few scratches and chipped paint patches here and there. But now it's finally ready for the ocean blue paint. I painted a few large areas to live with the colour for a bit before going ahead. And I think it will be nice.

But one of my favourite holiday things to do is finally have some time (sort of) to do crafts just for the fun of it. The embroidery hoops are from the shop I mentioned before, The Workroom. My friend and I went to the stitch n' bitch hosted by Karyn, and were inspired by the gorgeous fabric hoops that she has decorating the walls. I bought a few hoops while I was there (so affordable!) and chose my fabrics and made them up tonight. It's a really simple project with quick results. These are now decorating our hallway.My other project is a hat with a "wheat sheaf" pattern in light grey wool. I'm going to work on that over the holiday and will show you when it's done. When I'm always so busy I feel I always have to be doing something. I can't just watch a movie on tv without feeling guilty for not being productive. So I knit.

Happy holidays to everyone and see you in the new year!

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