New cross-stitched items

My cross-stitched collection is slowly coming together.... I love notebook covers and made a few with the same hedgehog embroidery that I used for the keyrings. They actually make a nice set.

I used ribbon, lace and little bow bronze charm that you can find in my shop.

Hedgehog went to the forest to collect mushrooms and found a juicy green apple and I thought his little story will make a nice embroidery;)

Today, I am making a few more keyrings in different colours. That's how they look from the back. All my lovely linen scraps found their purpose and I am very happy about it!

I also found a few projects I want to make in the new Cotton Time issue. I am thinking that this top will look nice on me....

Cotton Time always inspires me and there are so many projects to try. These felt Russian dolls on the cover look are so cute! There are instructions on how to make a set of 5. A few issues of this magazine are available in my shop if you want to make them;)

Hope you are having a lovely Friday!

64 days left till Christmas...

...that is why Plushka started making Christmas decorations

and sending them to the Shop Handmade (but left a few for herself!):

Are you having a handmade Christmas?

Pillow project (stage 1)

Sunday morning is a perfect time to try something new! I've started my pillow project from the cross-stitched balloon and Japanese linen. I am thinking on using some applique and maybe hand-stitching.....

But, for now, stage 1 is to cut, pick the fabric for the back, make a border and pick the applique pieces....

That's my Sunday project! What is your plan for the day?

Plushka's first cross-stitched pattern!

Finally, I can reveal one of my patterns I've been working on all week! It's my second pattern but I ended up finishing it first as I just couldn't wait to see the final result!

The advantages of the Bulgarian/double cross-stitch:

double the size of the pattern

the stitches are bigger and easier to do if your are a beginner

perfect first project to make with kids and introduce them to cross-stitch

The PDF pattern is now in my Madeit shop if you want to have a go and make your own cross-stitch mushroom house.

I am thinking of making a pillow, use it in a quilt or just leave it in a hoop and make a wall decoration.....

What would you make?

My creative space...

In my creative space, I am going back to my childhood favourite - Bulgarian cross-stitch (as we call it in Russia) which also known as Double cross-stitch.

When I just started learning different embroidery styles, it was my favourite type of cross-stitch. My first big embroidery project was this sleeping bunny.

It's hard to believe that I made it more then 10 years ago!

Looking at it now, I can see that the actual Bulgarian cross-stitch wasn't done properly but it doesn't make it less special. My mum made this embroidery into a cushion using a vintage fabric that used to be her dress.

I was recently inspired by a beautiful nursery and created two cross-stitch patterns specially for this type of cross-stitch. I will reveal them later as I still got a few hours of stitching to do!

Join the creative space fun with Kirsty!

Have a creative Thursday!

Slightly more creative week....

After trying to have a break and limiting myself to the crochet, I feel an urge to sew and I desperately miss cross-stitch! The book, that I received yesterday, added to my craving for some embroidery:

"Embroidery companion" by Alicia Paulson

So, after a week of slowly working my way through my yarn stash.......

I could not resist finishing off the bunting that I started a while ago.....

The embroidery book inspired me to design a few patterns so that's my plan for the weekend!

What's yours?

Packing and stacking...

I've being trying to find a better way to package my buttons. I love photographing them on the cupcake stand but, unfortunately, it won't work for the market that is coming up just in a few weeks. After a long time playing with different fonts and fabrics, that what I came up with:

What do you think?

Sunday Stash

I had a look in my stash this morning for some matching fabrics and realised that I've got quite a few fabrics for boys accumulated during last year. I also found an embroidery that I've done a while ago just because I liked it....

The linen with trains doesn't really match all the flying theme but I could not resist showing it to you:) Can you see a project shaping up?

Have a beautiful Sunday!

Sunday Stash and more button baking

This week in my Sunday Stash, two of my favourite linens that I picked up from Amitie's stall at the Craft & Quilt Fair.

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I baked a few more buttons this morning. I love the one with a green apple.

Which one is your favourite?

P.S. Only 2 days left till I will draw a winner for my giveaway. For your chance to win a cute Japanese embroidery book pop over here.

Have a great Sunday!

Hexagons + buttons

Last night after very loooong day at work (yep, I work some Sundays), I could not wait to get to my hexagons and a few other projects! Here what I finished last night:

I had a few embroideries waiting to become buttons:

Today, since I am down with a cold, I've got a few projects in mind to keep me busy:

- new soft toy pattern that I designed last week need to be tested

- to sew buttons on the backing and pack them in a parcel

- put fabrics together for the pillow project

- a few more headbands and hair ties to make

Have a great Monday everyone!

Little red riding hood....

I didn't have much time for the last few weeks to get ready for the Mathilda's market this Sunday so, with some of my stock traveling to the Handmade shop, this week will be very busy. More headbands, cross-stitched buttons and something new!

I made this red riding hood brooches last week. I first thought they will be just cross-stitched buttons, but Jennie's idea of using shepherd's crook to make a brooch from one of my buttons inspired me and I saw them looking very cute on the knitted cardigans or coats. These two are going to the Handmade shop this afternoon so I am going to make a few more this evening for the market.

If you haven't already, be sure to enter my "Macaroon" giveaway for your chance to win one of my macaroon buttons and some fabric! To enter for your chance to win pop over here.

A quick update....

This week I had my crayons out and finished off one design for my Notebook's craft room embroidery class. My first design just had to be a little matreshka doll...

I've also started on the actual embroidery last night and it's coming along pretty well....

I also finished one of the journal covers. I used a soft french themed gauze for the back and one of my hand stitched strings as a bookmark. See picture here.

Have a creative weekend!

Fresh from the hoop....

I've just finished my third embroidery for my new collection of notebook covers (first & second). Unfortunately, it got a bit dark so the picture didn't turn out too good so I will post some more tomorrow morning in my flickr. I just had to share my excitement of finishing this cute balancing bear!

See you tomorrow at my creative space!

Cross-stitched Sunday

This week I had an idea.... How do I make a pincushion from the cupcake mould?! It certainly proved to be a challenging task as even after plenty of stuffing it still wrinkles! Here what I achieved so far....

After writing the Getting to know Plushka post, I thought that I really need to refresh my French and after this embroidery I will definitely remember this four words....

Here is a way to remember foreign words - stitch them!

Enjoy your Sunday! I am off to the market to walk around...

My creative space...

In my creative space this week, I am back to making felt flowers. This time in autumn colours:)

My owl embroidery is finished and waiting for me to turn it into a notebook cover. I am still deciding on the fabric to match. It will need to be brown, red with a touch of green....

New red riding hood linen buttons, that I made during Easter, are finally in my shop.

Join the creative space fun with Kirsty!

Have a creative Thursday!

Something made from felt and more headbands

I can not believe it! I finished the tag for the Sew it Together swap last night and posted it this morning! That's a finished project way before the deadline:) I can not show the name on the tag yet, that a swap rule, but here it is my felted creation with the cross-stitched name carefully covered:

I also had a moment last night for designing a few more headbands. I can already see them, all looking pretty on Corrie's new tree...

Progress...

After a busy day in my creative corner, it's time to sum up and see what's left to do.....

- 4 skirts almost finished, 4 to go

- new button elastics (love the colours!) My new addiction - metal buttons, I still need to practice with getting the designs straight...

- I started to fill my glass jar up with yo-yo elastics.

- stitched a few appliques. I've been experimenting with background and stitched hedgehogs on pink and blue as well as natural linen.

So, it's been a busy and productive day!

Hope you're having a creative weekend so far!

New shiny packaging....

I really enjoy receiving mail! A few days ago I ordered a new packaging for my appliques and it arrived just on time for another market this Saturday. It's the Holy Family Art & Craft Show that I am really happy to be a part of as 20% of all sales will go to the charity!

(see Corrie's blog for details).

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Last night I made a few more appliques adding a cute lamb and a rabbit in my collection. I find it really rewarding stitching animals especially as cute as those ones.

If you haven't already, be sure to enter my "All buttoned up" giveaway for your chance to win three of my cross-stitched buttons! To enter for your chance to win pop over here.

My creative space.....A few finished projects

I like gloomy and cold weather especially when I am in the cross-stitching mood! I already finished a few embroideries today.....

I've chosen one of my favorite thread colours number 166. It's a nice bright lime colour which to me is a perfect colour choice for the pears.

I just love this Japanese embroidery!!! So cute:)

Join the creative space fun with Kirsty!

Have a creative Thursday!

Productive morning = Grey skirt and brown owl embroidery

Going well so far - already finished two more grey linen skirts with Eiffel Tower applique and crossed one more embroidery from my "To stitch" list! I love the way cross-stitched owl matches the ribbon (absolutely by accident I must add) so I will certainly make a skirt with them and maybe dark blue or yellow ruffles (Which colour would you choose?).

Last night I've done my first girl's top following an instruction in japanese that was quite tricky I should say. Although, it's quite clear, I got confused when it came to connecting all parts together. Mainly because it's my first ever! It still needs a second string to be attached....

However, i am quite happy with the result. I hope with a bit more practice and using some cute japanese fabric it will look really lovely:)