New in my embroidery floss box - pastels and neon love

Although my boxes with embroidery floss are overflowing with gorgeous colours, I had an idea in the Spotlight today to pick 5 matching ones in pastel colours and other 5 in neon colours. Here what I came up with:  

I love pastels! Which set of 5 is your favourite?

Embroidery floss love

If you have as much embroidery floss as me, you probably know how hard it can be to find a new colour...

one box of three!
Most of the time I come home with yet another orange or pink but not this time! I got a few new colours and I wish my camera would capture the exact shades of them as they are just stunning!

These colours are for the rabbit embroidery:

These ones are for the squirrels and the new embroidery design I am working on. 

Do you have a favorite colour of the embroidery floss that you always use? 

Embroidery floss and pegs

I just cannot have enough of this lovely blog and the beautiful pictures! I am working on the new cross-stitch design today and, although I love the way my embroidery floss is very nicely organized, I am always on the look out for the new ideas!  These pegs are so cute that I couldn't resist sharing them with you.... Aren't they bright and colourful!?

Have a beautiful Wednesday! 

Wordless Wednesday: embroidery threads love

Join Wordless Wednesdays here

From tangled to pretty and organised

Last month of Winter and it feels like this year is flying by! I am looking forward to another month with my diary full of exciting plans....I would normally write a list of things to achieve on the first day of the month but I'll do it tomorrow. Today, is another day at work so I hope to start this month efficiently with all bills paid and paperwork organized:)


I am also starting a new month with a little bit more organized space - tidier embroidery floss box to be exact! 

I went through countless threads which were in a very bad condition, all chucked in the plastic bag! I finally know which colours I have. There were so many of them that I bought twice just because I thought they run out... Hopefully, this won't happen again. 

Even the new floss went straight to the cards and into pink storage box. It's a very nice feeling when they are all lined up and the only thing left is to sort them by colour. 

How do you keep your embroidery/sewing threads tidy? 


Have a lovely day! 

Things I am loving....in the end of July

*Spending a creative day with a friend who encouraged me to get my embroidery threads pretty and organized! I am loving my new box that slowly gets filled up with colourful threads.

*Cross-stitching cute rabbits and chatting!

* New issue of Country Style magazine with pretty heart pillow project!

*Getting up early and going to the Pilates lessons!

What are your loving at the moment?

Click on the button to join:

doing what I love....

I spend all day yesterday cross-stitching and here is the result! I am building a little stock pile for the market next month and the Madeit shop.

Happy Wednesday!

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?

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!

Hexagon+Embroidery

Everything new usually starts with "What if....". What if I put embroidery in the middle of the hexagon? Will it work? Will the linen fold nicely? I pick two embroideries that I made last night: pear and Russian doll, then some fabric squares from Bliss Charm pack:

I finished my first flower and I didn't have any problems with using embroidery so far. However, I admit I've used thicker paper for the hexagon just to make linen fold easier.

Next step is to finish the second one and sew the hexagons together. So I am off back to my craft corner.....

Have a lovely evening!

Notebook, The Craft room: Embroidery class

I just came from the Notebook magazine's Craft room where I taught embroidery. It was so much fun that I could not wait to share some pictures with you!

Everyone picked the designs to stitch and we started slowly....

I was very excited to see how well they did and while they were practicing chain stitch and French knots...

I draw Katie's and Tona's kids names for practicing stitches at home!

Thank you ladies for the lovely evening and being such a great students! Hope to see you on Friday 18th of June On the Etsy's birthday party! I am going to be there as well as other teachers and crafters! More details here:

http://www.meetup.com/Etsy-Craft-Party/7389/

Colour inspiration: Strawberry field

This is the last blanket that I want to finish before moving on to the next crochet pattern. Next I am planning on learning how to crochet snowflakes and flowers:)

I also made little embroidery last night. Using just simple stitches.....

Have a great Wednesday!

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!

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:)

Slow Tuesday....

I love days off when I can just go to the beach in the morning with Mr Plushkin, make breakfast and read a new issue of a magazine.... It doesn't happen too often so it makes it even more special:)

I also finished 2 of my embroideries that were waiting for me since Sunday so that's two ticks from the list!

This afternoon, I am planning on using a paper patterns from the japanese book that I bought a while ago. I've never used them before but I heard it's quite easy and I just have to learn a few new sewing techniques for my new project this evening.

My creative space..., Stitches and cross-stitches

Today, at my creative space, I've done some cross-stitching

and learned a few new stitches:

Rambler Rose Stitch: The outline stitch begun as a single stitch for the center of the flower and continued around this center point (C 5). Always point the needle to the left and keep the thread below the needle.

Whipped Stem Stitch: Outline design in stem stitch; then, whipstitch over stem stitch (C 6).

from "The Good Housekeeping Needlecraft Encyclopedia", 1950

More Creative Spaces at Kootoyoo.

Half way...

I got carried away with online shopping this weekend:) I went to the Kelani Fabric Obsession online shop looking for blue fabric that will match my embroidery and found some! It took only two days for it to arrive! Great! So my new project - the market bag is already past the halfway mark….

This Japanese fabric 'Bird of Wind' has an adorable reverse print making it perfect for my bag.

I am looking forward to my creative evening.

"Made in France:Cross-stitch and Embroidery in Red, White and Blue" is a great find for those who just love beautiful simplicity of French style and can be found on Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Made-France-Cross-stitch-Embroidery-White/dp/1741963869

I will be posting other embroidery that I've done from this book later.