Round up of 2016

Hi all

Hope u all had a wonderful christmas .  Mine is a joyful one with family and unexpecting met my close friend this week which makes the vacation even more happy.  Also received a gift from my blogger friend Mini.  My joy knew no bounds.  Thanks Mini.  I will blog about it later.

Looking back of 2016 it's an year of productivity.  On the crafty side I am satisfied and presenting to you a collage of all my works of 2016.

Crochet works of 2016

Cross stitch works of 2016

Embroidery works of 2016

Needlepoint works 2016

Also I have tried my hands on needletatting this year.  Three big projects( A granny stripe blanket, kasuti sampler, Mega cross stitch project) I am taking it as a WIP to continue on 2017. 

Moreover, God has been so gracious this year and He's there on my side when there were some ups and down.  He helped me to go thru all the situations and makes me to come more closer to Him. 

I will meet u all in the new year with the plans for the new year.  Till then, Bye.

HAVE A BLESSED AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.

Tapestry doily

Hi all,

As christmas is  nearing I want to show you one more finish from my side for this christmas.  Last year when I saw this tapestry crochet for christmas post from Nima I have decided to make one for me this year.   Thanks Nima for the inspiration.   I make doilies but without knowing how to display it, I use to keep it safe in my closet.  And if i display it in a table my kids will surely spill something over it.  With that fear I will not display doilies.  When I saw Nima displayed her doily in a canvas, I was happy that I have found a way to display.  So, finally I made the same doily which she has made. But I made a different edging from a picture pattern from pinterest, as I was not able to figure out the pattern from her doily.  And here is my doily,

 

This is the chart which I have worked the edging.  It is from pinterest.  I didn't have the link for it.  This is the first time I am working with the chart and it is easy.

Finally I have managed to buy the canvas and painted it with red color acrylic paint.  I have given two coatings.  I didn't get modpodge in my place.  So I mixed 1 quantity of fevicol with 3 quantity of water and fixed the doily with the canvas and let it dry.  And the result is here.

I am happy with the result.  Since the canvas does not have any holes for hanging it, I've simply displayed it in my table.  Is there any idea to hang it.  After christmas I thought of framing it, otherwise it will get dust and the beauty of the doily will go in course of time.

Also, I have managed to finish two cross stitched pieces into ornaments.

Sorry for the picture quality.  I have taken it in night light.  The first one I have stitched for the smalls SAL last year.  The second one I have finished last month.  For the first piece I have simply glued all the four sides of  the cross stitched pieced in a card board and again glued another cardboard for backing.  Made a twisted cord and glued it all around.  Similarly for the second one I have kept a thin batting foam in between the piece and cardboard and then glued it all the four sides.  The second one looks better than the first one.  Using twisted cord it a simple way of finishing such small cross stitched or embroidered pieces.  While displayed it looks super cute.

I am not able to embroider or crochet as I have planned to finish before christmas, since we have back to back appointments with the eye doctor for my mother.  She is advised to take lucentis injection.  Any body have idea about that injection.  I have learned from the net that it may have side effects.  And we are worried since she has sight only in one eye.  Any way we have to take risk hoping postively otherwise the problem will go even worse.  So this week crafting will be minimal from my side and I have planned to take the WIP's to the next year.  But before this year I will come up another final post with all my finishes and some plans I have for the next year.  

Till then, happy crocheting and cross stitching.

Crochet sofa seat cover - Finished

Hello all

It's time for a Ta da moment.  Yes I have finished the sofa seat cover.  

(Click on the pictures for larger image)

This weekend I have joined all the squares and made three rectangular pieces.  I used flat slip st join.

  Then worked 2 rounds of double crochet around each piece and then joined those pieces with slip stitch with wrong sides facing each other(i.e, the sl stitch on the right side).  It gives a nice joined seam for the two pieces.  Then made a round of dc around and crocheted a simple border for the front side.  For the border I followed this tutorial in youtube.  That's it.  Sofa seat cover done.

One last snap of my sofa seat cover.

For the whole project I have used local brand acrylic yarn and a 3.5mm hook.

Want to see the details of the squares used here. Visit here and here.

I am happy that I have completed it before christmas and I have started to crochet the other sleeper seat(It's a L shaped sofa).  For that I am not doing square but started off with hexagons adding a little bit of colour in each hexagon along with brown and cream.  I will try to finish it before christmas but that is not on my priority list.  The next priority is to finish a few embroidered bands which I have started. 

I have finished two of my cross stitched pieces into ornaments and I will come up with that and a crocheted doily in my next post.   Till then, happy crocheting.

Crochet squares - second set

Hello all,

Just a quick post today.  These are second set of squares made for my sofa seat cover.

Here are the links(from top left, flower button granny is repeated once)

Smooth fox flower button granny

Smooth fox charity square

Posy wheel square

Primavera flower square

Smooth fox May flower square

Pattern mum

Smooth fox celtic granny

I have started to join these squares and expecting to this project will be finished within this week.  After that I will be trying to finish the projects which are halfway within this year end(except Mega cross stitch and granny stripe blanket), so that I can start some thing new in the new year.  Will be back with another finish in my next post.  Till then happy crocheting and have a nice day.

Two finishes for christmas

Thank you all for your wonderful comments on my previous post.  I am here today with two of my finishes for christmas.  First one is a small cross stitch wreath.  It is a free pattern from here.  It is a simple pattern with only 5 colors. you can finish it within a day or two.  

I will be finishing off into a small pillow or I will mount it in a cardboard.  I trying to make a twisted cord. If I succeed I will be mounting it in the cardboard otherwise a mini pillow.  One more idea came into my mind when I was photographing it.  I kept the cross stitched piece on a red cushion and was taking photo.  The red color border also add beauty to the piece. 

 So an idea of making borders in red color and then quilting it also there.  What's your idea? Mini pillow, mounting on cardboard or quilted square?  Suggestions are welcome.

I have crocheted a small mandala or coaster in christmas colors.  It is a free pattern from here.  I have completed this within half an hour.  It is hanging in my wall near my craft table.

So, how is your christmas craft making going on.  I have completed one more doily.  I am determined to show it only after the finishing touch is over.  Otherwise it will be in the WIP list only.  I have completed all the squares for sofa seat cover.  Will come up with the second set of squares in my next post.  Now joining part is going on.  I am also working on some embroidery bands on kasuti and needlepoint.  Will show u one by one.  

I have almost forgot pinterest this year. This week when I was going thru the blog posts one of the post took me to a pinterest board.  From that time I was addictive to it. Lots and lots of patterns. saving it.  Everytime when I shut down my laptop I will say I will not visit pinterest again.  But again when I open the laptop I will be again opening it and browsing thru the patterns and time flies only browsing thru the pinterest boards.  So I was not that much productive for the past two days.  How about you? Are you get addicted to something without knowing that time is running?    Do share it.

Another Kasuti Finish

Hello dear friends

Thanks for your lovely comments in my previous post on two color granny squares.  I thought of finishing those crochet blocks into a cushions but when I add one more round with granny squares the width if the block exceeds the width of the cushion.  Wrong calculation on my part.  Now I don't want to unravel the joined squares and so I am going to finish it into a runner for my old computer table which is also my ironing table now.  So that work is in progress. 

Yesterday the sun was shining brightly and I managed to take some photographs of the kasuti kurti which I have finished two weeks back.  This one again is done on silk cotton fabric with three strands of anchor embroidery thread.

Lower border for the front.

Border for sleeves.  I reduced the height of the pattern for the sleeves.  Otherwise it is same as the front border.

I have completed all my custom orders.  And now I am doing some crochet sofa cover to be finished before christmas.   Also I am practicing long and short stitch, and doing small embroidery designs now and then.  Will be back with a small cross stitch finish in my next post.  Till then, Happy embroidering.

Two colour granny squares

Hi friends,

In this post I wanted to show you my embroidery finish.  But, since it is cloudy here I was not able to take clear photos of it.  So I am showcasing a crochet WIP.

All crocheters are familiar with granny squares in different forms.  Traditional granny, flower in a granny, granny stripes, ripple granny.  I have also done some projects with these grannies.  During october I watched a youtube video from crochet crowd of making two color and four color granny squares.  I immediately tried it and got hooked on making those grannies and after a month this is what I have come up with. 

This again is inspired by quilt blocks.  I have selected star patterns coz these are going to get displayed during the month of December.  

Traditional Eight point star block

For this block I made 4 granny squares in white and 4 white and red squares, 4 orange and white squares, 4 red and orange squares. Each square is made up of 4 rounds.

Saw tooth star block

For this I made 4 white color square, 8 red and white squares, 4 orange color squares of 4 rounds.

I have decided to finish these squares into cushion cover.  To make the cushion cover one more row on all sides.  So totally 40 more white color granny squares has to be done for both the cushions.  For the back I am going to attach a fabric.  For the time being this is the only project in focus and each day 100 stitches on mega cross stitch project are also done.  

When I get bored of doing the same craft I switch over to another craft and this is what I have done last week.  Quilled wall hanging.   It's easy and I have to frame it. For the next years sale in the church I thought of doing one or two quilled wall hangings.  

Since I am not doing any big embroidery projects I am learning Long and short embroidery stitch now and then.  Now I am following the lessons of Mary Corbett of Needlenthread.  I have also purchased One of the Trish Burr books.  So in 2017 I will take up a project with long and short stitch which is a dream for me.

Hope all of u r busy with your crafts.  I will be back with my embroidery finish if the weather allows me take good snaps.  Till then, Happy crocheting and have a nice day.

Needlepoint block inspired by a quilt block

Hello readers

Thanks for your lovely comments on my previous blog post.  I always envy the quilt patterns.  I always wanted to make a quilt.  But in my place we don't need a quilt as we have mild winter here.  A cotton bed spread is enough to wrap us during that season that too only in the night.  But I was always attracted towards the half square triangle quilt block.  I was searching for a star pattern with half square blocks(for another project in crochet) I came across a block with so many quilt blocks with just half square triangles, that too in black and white.  I always go for solid color cotton cloths while shopping and those blocks attracted me.

I am in a plan of making a tote bag with a touch of embroidery in it and then a spark came into my mind, why not I try this block in needlepoint stitches.  And This is what I came up with.  I used single thread canvas and embroidery threads(all 6 strands).  I really liked the outcome.  Now I am making a band with different half square pattern blocks for the bag.

The center square with orange and red colors has been done with the help of that quilt block.  I have added borders with yellow and green.

Do you want to see those blocks.  See here.  Totally 72 different blocks are there and a finished quilt. 

On my crochet hook now

I have completed all  my embroidery kurti orders.  So now I can concentrate on my mega cross stitch project.  And some projects for christmas is also half done.  Will be back with an embroidery finish.  Bye. 

Crochet squares - First set

Hai dear friends,

Thanks for your lovely comments in my previous.  During last month when I crochet some purses for the sale in my church I had 5 FO in a week and I from that time onwards I was feeling crochet as my comfort zone.  But I always wanted to do embroidery than crochet.  I had some embroidery projects on my hand and when I get bored I switched over to crochet.  

Last month we bought a sofa.  It was beige color and the seat of the sofa needs a cover.  Other wise it will become shabby soon, coz both of my kids being naughty boys.  They used to jump over it and sometimes I will go crazy When I see them doing such things.  Also we cannot stop the kids from doing such naughty things coz as parents we can only be happy, if they are active doing such things,  If they sit in one place for  more than 10 mins or if they lie down on the sofa I will be keep on asking what happened to you? So me and DH allows them to do such things at home to a certain limit.

So,coming on to the crochet side, I decided to crochet a cover for my sofa seat.  I wanted to embroider one.  Since it will take a long time I decided to crochet a cover, in an idea to finish it before christmas.  I started with different granny squares which I have bookmarked ages ago and I have finished ten of them.  Here are they.

Links to the patterns

---------------------------

1) Circle of Friends - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/circle-of-friends-square

2) Charming square - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/charming---6-square

3) Long wave crochet stitch - http://www.marlybird.com/long-wave-crochet-stitch/

4) Center cross square - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/center-cross-square

5) Grecian tiles - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/grecian-tiles-afghan

6) Mitred granny square - http://karenwiederhold.blogspot.in/2013/02/mitred-granny-square-blanket-free.html

7) Little dhalia - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-dahlia

8) 6-7-8 square - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/6-7-8-square

9) Blooming granny square - http://newstitchaday.com/how-to-crochet-the-blooming-granny-square/

10) Maybelle flower square -

                    http://myrosevalley.blogspot.in/2013/02/the-maybelle-crochet-flower.html

                 http://myrosevalley.blogspot.in/2013/06/maybelle-square-crochet-pattern.html

Totally I need 45 to 50  squares(rough calculation).  I thought of alternating these squares with traditional granny square in dark color.  This is for the 3 seater.  I am going to do it as a single piece by joining these squares.  Then for the single seat(I call it as sleeper seat) I am planning to do shell stitch or v stitch.  

That's all for now.  Will meet you with an embroidery finish in my next post.  Till then, Happy crocheting.

A Kasuti Finish

Dear friends

Today I am here to show you my latest finish in kasuti embroidery.  It is made for custom order.  My co-sisters colleague gave her a self print material and the pattern for neck.  This is the first time I am making a customized neck pattern and I found it a bit challenging because, the pattern which I had with is a diamond shaped motif. But she wants it in a square shape.  So I drew it again in a graph paper.  The kasuti net which I am having is of larger count and the motif doesn't look good after embroidering it.  So I drew the whole pattern in a graph paper and then transferred it to the fabric with red carbon paper.  After that stitching becomes easy coz I don't want to remember the forward and return passes in the design.

I am not satisfied with this embroidery because the embroidery is not prominent in the printed fabric. But she wants it to be simple as such and she selected the green color.  I was not able to take a decent shot of the embroidery.  These are some better snaps.

This the neck part which extends till waist.

This is a bigger motif in the front border.  I worked three such motifs  for the border.

This is the motif which I have worked for the sleeves and neck.  For sleeves I have worked four such motifs and seven motifs for neck part.

Click on the images for a better view.

Thread used: Anchor no.189

No of strands: 3

Design from : Mridulas design book

Out of 4 order I have completed 3 and I am off to start the fourth one which is again kasuti embroidery project.  Fabric, design and threads everything is ready.  I will be starting it this week.

Also before christmas I am planning to do one kurti for myself. But I am in a great confusion in selecting the design.  Disadvantage of having design books in hand.

Also, a simple cross stitch and a crochet project is also in WIP basket. They are for christmas.  So I will be back with another FO. Till then, have a happy time with needle n thread.

Monocolor cross stitch finish

Hello all,

Do you love to stitch in one color? Working with too many colors that too in cross stitch takes soo much time to finish one piece.  The samplers worked in a single (mostly red and blue) colors inspires me to take up a cross stitch project with one color.  And to my surprise I got to know about the blog gazette94.  It has got soooooooooo many patterns from small to big that works up quickly with single or few colors.  I have bookmarked some heart patterns and finally I have stitched one and made into a small wall piece.  

Then I have padded it with a cardstock and worked blanket stitch around it.  Then worked single crochet stitch around and then made a simple scalloped border around,  Then paste it in a corrugated handmade paper using a double sided tape and now the wall hanging is ready.  I didn't hung it Just I sticked it to the wall with double sided tape.  I like it very much.  Planning to make more pieces like this,

Also,  This is how my granny stitch blanket looks now.  Green shades, blue shades, purples and now pinks are in action.  I have 7 more colors to finish the first set and then again I will start with colors from the beginning without changing the order.  So no confusion in selecting and placement of colors.

That's all for now.  Will come up another embroidery finish soon. So keep watching this space.   Bye.

Update:

----------

I am linking this post to Vintage embroidery monday stitchery link party.

Kasuti sampler update 2

Hello all,

Hope all of u r enjoying weekends. In India it's festival time (pooja and dussehra).  Though we don't celebrate these festivals, we enjoy our holidays.  This time it's a six days holidays for kids and they are enjoying a lot.  Festival wishes to those who celebrate these festivals especially my blogger friends.  

Some time back I have blogged about the start of a kasuti sampler.  I have added two more motifs and a border to it.  All the designs are from KARNATAKA KASUTHI DESIGN BOOK IN COLOR (VOL-1) from mridulas .  Have a look at these .  Each motif has been repeated 6 times.

This is a motif from the kasuti embroidery kurti which I am working now.  

Along with the embroidery kurti I am doing some crochet samples which I would like to take up into a project.  Some granny squares are also whipped up as a part of a big project.  Will come up with that in my next post.  Till then, happy embroidering.