Cutwork: the basic techniques

Cutwork embroidery is an enchanting and eye-pleasing form of needlework where portions of the background fabric, as the name suggests, are cut out and discarded, while the edges are worked over in variety of stitches - satin and buttonhole stitches being the ones used the most.

There are many kinds of cutwork, the simplest being Broderie Anglaise while the most elaborate of all is the Reticella cutwork. Reticella cutwork is the ultimate and most elaborate of all cutwork. It is just one step away from needle made lace.

The basic steps into employing cutwork are the following:

Transfer the pattern onto a cotton or linen which is the best fabric for cutwork.

Use the reinforced stitch to stitch all around.

Work the bars exclusively on the surface of the fabric. Make two or three strands. The more strands the thicker the bar. You decide the size you want.

Start filling the bars. When you come to the other end, secure it by intertwining the embroidery floss into the neighbouring stitches.

Next, you are ready to cut into it.

Cut carefully, and mind not to cut the bars.

Use the buttonhole or satin stitch to embroider the piece tucking the cut-out piece underneath. Some people do all the needle work first and when finished do the cutwork, which should be immensely precise or you may cut into the stitched part and ruin the work. However, I find the tucking method much safer and the look neater.

This is it! As easy as sewing a button!
Tomorrow I am having a tutorial for making multiple bars. Do come over if you like cutwork.
Also I would like to thank you all for the lovely comments left on whip up and the e-mails that encouraged me to dwell more into this lovely segment of needle work. See you tomorrow.

Guest blogging at Whip Up

Well, I am definitely over the moon!!
Check out my guest post at Whip up today!

Values ...

To realize
the value of a sister/brother
ask someone

who doesn't have one.

To realize
the value of ten years:
ask a newly
divorced couple.

To realize
the value of four years:
ask a graduate.

To realize
the value of one year:
ask a student who
has failed a final exam.

To realize
the value of nine months:
ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
the value of one month:
ask a mother
who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize
the value of one minute:
ask a person
who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
the value of one-second:
ask a person
who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.
treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when
you can share it with someone special.

.•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•. •:*¨¨*:•.

You realize the value of a friend or family member when you lose one. We appreciate values, especially the value of life.

I made these chokers at Eva's request for a fund raising event at her school aimed for children having life-threatening diseases. We also included several of the crocheted rose brooches to go along as well as little paper ornaments Eva made herself.

Warning: I am having trouble with the fonts, as you can see, I just hope this post didn't pluck your eyes out!

Crochetted Bohemian Necklaces

I have enjoyed the weekend creating crochet necklaces. These ones are quite simple but give a fabulous look when combined into color swatches.
Made several more uses of the same but I'll save that for another post. Let's this just be a tease.
The pattern for these can be bought here

Name that color if you dare!

 

Well... 
 
Have you had the trouble of explaining someone the exact hue of color you need? I am good with colors, hues and shades and even tones. You didn't know there was a difference? It seems there is according to this. 

I have always been proud of my ability (or gift) to find just the right hue or shade of color I need. I never go shopping for buttons carrying a piece of the fabric I need the buttons for because I always know the exact hue! 
 

But how could you name a color for visualization through the Internet when colors vary from monitor to monitor? And I didn't know but the palette of colors on the Internet is called HTML colors.

Also, according to Wiki, color naming is fuzzy and arbitrary, and varies among people and cultures, with no single swatch adequately representing any particular color name. Computer displays have a somewhat limited gamut, so many colorful pigment cannot be represented on a screen at all and computer simulation of the natural world is, at best, a rough approximation.
There is also a list of colors offered here and here.
 

So when I listed these crochet hearts in my shop, I offered the above list (first picture).
What do you say? Did I name them accurately?

During my research of names of colors I found some names I heard for the first time and sometimes I couldn't associate the name with the color. Check the offered links for immense fun!
Also I looove this color related post by Aunt Peaches. It's incredible!!

No knit braided scarflette

The minute I saw the fragile snowflakes fluttering about this morning, I knew the "springlike weather" was just a tease and that this requires a nice pre-spring project.
I have had this tutorial on my mind for a long time and I am glad I made it.

Now, this is for all you non-knitters and non-crocheters out there. It doesn't mean that if you don't knit or crochet you cannot make yourselves a nice scarflette. It's so easy you'd wonder why you didn't make this earlier.

All you need is a couple of good braids. Actually I made five of them, but you can make more if you like. (And to be honest I cheated a bit and crocheted them because it was faster.) Here you also determine the length of your braids. I made them short (to resemble a choker) and I left the tassels. However you can make it as long as you like .

When the braids are ready sew them together.
I didn't say anything about no sewing :)



This is what it looks like finished.
All five braids sewn together.



Even out the tassels.

Now, this is for the closure.

I didn't include any buttons or ties because I had something else on my mind.
I divided the tassels into two equal parts and tied each piece at the base.

Then I tied them both below, leaving just a small hole through which

you are going to slip the other part of the scarflette.
I could have easily left an unsewn piece in the scarflette for the closure (i.e the hole),
but I liked it this way better.



There you go. Your own scarflette.

You can wear it with the closure at front.



Or at the side.

The project is easy and quick. You can even involve your children into this activity to make their own scarves and don't meddle with needles.

A Twinkle in your Wrinkle

DON'T EVER LOSE YOUR TWINKLES!

Crochet delight necklace tutorial

This is the tutorial with which I presented myself at Maries Cozy Corner.

I call it the Crochet delight necklace tutorial.

For this necklace I used some wooden rings left from a model making project.

I crocheted all around the rings .

As you can see, I used all the pinks and purples for this one! Work on the colors and the design.

When I work on my necklaces I want to step out a bit further and make it unusual so this was no exception. It is tilted on one side. When you finish crocheting, sew the pieces together.

Attach jump rings and that's it!

Your new exciting necklace is finished in less than 30 minutes!

This project reminded me of my childhood when we used to do this with plastic rings for intricate wall ornaments. I hope you enjoyed it!

Guest posting at Marie's

This is exciting! I am guest blogging today at Maries Cozy Corner with a crochet tutorial! You are invited to visit!

Recipe for a Happy Marriage

Grandpa Rabbi Neeman's Recipe
for a Happy Marriage

250g love
250g humour
250g sexual attraction
500ml admiration and respect for
one another
500g intellectual parity
1 small pinch of in-laws, unless
to your taste, in which case add
more
1 reasonable budget
A generous dash of team work
4 tsp. readiness to admit fault
250g quick and easy apology
250g each confidence and encouragement
1 large or several small interests or hobbies in common
250g delight in each other
Separate bathrooms (budget permitting)


Sift all ingredients and remove any lumps of jealousy, accounting of wrongs, grudge bearing, point scoring, temper or accusation. Stir in frequent portions of healthy and satisfying marital sex. Pour into generous servings of love and bake over many years in the steady warmth of affection, mutual respect and desire.

Can you find any fault with the recipe? I couldn't .
(Recipe taken from Olivia Lichtenstein's 'Mrs. Zhivago of Queen's Park' . A book that is quite hilarious and refreshing. Or as pointed by the critics 'an unashamed feast of deliciously earthly delight'. )

Your perception is your reality

A couple of days ago my sister sent me this and I simply had to share.

The situation

In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.

About 4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

At 6 minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

At 10 minutes:A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.

At 45 minutes:The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

This experiment raised several questions:

*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?


One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made . . ..

How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?

Enjoy life NOW ... it has an expiration date

I was sincerely touched by the story but felt very satisfied since I try to perceive beauty and walk through life with all my senses open.

10

My first-born came as a gift for Valentine for me and my husband!
Today she turns 10! Ten years and it still feels as if I had her yesterday!
This is a very special number if you do remember yourselves!

When you think you are all grown up and know all :)

(Eva age 5)

As a mother I am content. It is a pleasure watching her grow, discovering the world, learning through experience. Walking the path leading to teen age. Giving her strength when puzzled with all the changes of the 'great unknown'. Being there for her every step of the way of getting all big and knowledgeable.

But until then ...
Be my little girl for a while more....

A sprinkle of goofiness allowed ;)

Happy Birthday Valentine girl!

Waiting for Valentine

We've been making some cards for Eva to take to school tomorrow.

We've surfed the web and flipped through magazines to find the "loveliest" Valentine messages.

In no particular order we chose these "few":

Q: What did the baker say to his sweetheart?

A: I'm dough-nuts about you!

Q: What did the silver polish say to the bracelet?
A: I've taken a shine to you.

Q: What did the baseball bat say to the homerun ball?
A: You're a big hit with me!

Q: What did the finger say to the ink?
A: You're my 'Prints' Charming!

Q: What did the stamp say to the envelope on Valentine's Day?
A: I'm stuck on you!

And I wouldn't be worth calling myself a seamstress if I didn't share this one:

Q: What did the pants say to the sewing machine?

A: You leave me in stitches!

Happy Valentine all!

Taken from Captain Corelli's Mandolin:

"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two."

Satellite necklace

Would you be shocked if I tell you that I am not doing anything crafty for Valentine? No, Sir! Though I love looking at other people's projects! And I have bookmarked several but somehow I just don't have the desire or the will to commence even one!

There is a reason for that -don't hate me :)
You'll soon be reading about it here.

However I still couldn't escape the most popular color nowadays and made this Satellite necklace. I love my satellites especially the color combination. Tranquility on fire, don't you agree?

Take care. I'll talk to you later.

How about some blues?

Thank you all for the lovely comments regarding the condition of my sewing machine.
The Master replied he will tend to it in the course of the week (eyes raised in disbelief!).
However, I had to substitute the sewing with other crafts and I am not sorry at all because I made a lot of lovely things.

When I made the first bra necklace I had two more started with it and left them half the way (as it usually is with me nowadays) so I decided it's high time I finish them for good.

This one's in the blue mood with little joys of pink.

The third one turned more of a brain cracker and I dismantled it to work on a fresher idea I got along the way. I hope it will turn out as good as I have it pictured in my mind!