Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Daisy embroidered needle case


Hello, hello, how is everyone doing? I hope you all are enjoying your great week ahead! The last few days have been so busy for me to blog... Thank you so much for your visit and the kind words you have left on my blog meant so much to me. I do appreciate!

I have embroidered these lovely daisies over the weekend...

And sewed a small needle case covered with these lovely daisies...

Have a look at the inside...

Closer...

That's it, my small needle case! A new place for my needles, they were put on the pin cushions all the time. I hope they enjoy their new home!

~ Thank you for your time, wishing you a wonderful day!!!

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Organizing embroidery threads

Hi everyone!

Thank your for your words of encouragement on my embroidery, that meant so much to me!

As shared in my previous post, I had intention of organizing all my embroidery threads. I bought a storage box, some sets of plastic bobbins and this plastic bobbin winder by DMC, all were ready for my organizing task. But after a few times using this tool to wind them onto bobbins per the instruction on the label, I found that it took a lot of time, especially when I had to do that with hundreds skeins of thread...


I tried to figure out if there are any way faster, easier to wind all my threads instead of spending hours and hours hand winding. My sweetie suggested that I should try with my sewing machine, he thought it might help. Oh what a wonderful idea! I did it and the result was just GREAT! So, I'm very happy to share with you how I organized my threads with my sewing machine!

Okay, let's start. You will need:
  • These 2 pieces of the bobbin winder (just take it apart - very easy).
  • Floss bobbin (plastic card) which you have written the thread color number on.
  • A small plastic tube that is about 1 inch (I cut from a bag handle the craft store gave me for storing yarn). 

Now put the card holder piece into the plastic tube. You may need some fire to get it closely fit together.

Put the rest of the tube on the bobbin winder shaft of the sewing machine, slightly press to be sure it fully covers the bobbin winder shaft and the card holder piece is right on the shaft (no space in between).

You also need to unwind your thread by using the sewing machine handle, hold the thread and pull slightly, very quick and easy. Believe me, you don't want to get any tangle during the winding process.

Insert the card in between the card holder piece and push the peg tightly to secure it.

Wrap the thread around the card a few times and slide the bobbin winder shaft to the right. You are ready to go!

Hold the thread with your hand, start the sewing machine as if you are winding the bobbin for sewing. For the first few times, you may want to set the speed of your sewing machine at low level for easy winding, when you "master" it, you can set the speed at higher level and your job will be done much faster! 

Wind as many threads onto bobbins as you want... You will get into it!!! :)

My organizing task was done and here is my storage box...

I don't throw these floss labels with color number away, I'm keeping them in a small box just in case...

Still have some more but the box is full, I need to try to put them into as well, or I may need to buy another box!

Thank you everyone for your visit. I hope this helps you to have an idea on organizing your thread.

~ Wishing you a happy weekend! ♥

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Favorite craft returns!!!


It's embroidery and also my first craft. I learned to embroider when I was twelve or so, from the sisters in my area and did embroidery for some years. I used to embroider on traditional costumes and other home stuff...

It's been almost 15 years I didn't embroider, but the love for embroidery is still in my heart. I have a very special feeling each time I see someone working on their embroidery projects, or enjoy someone's projects on their sites. That is such an inspiration to me and I decided to get back! Yeah, my embroidery!

My sweetie took my to the craft store for these little cuties...

I don't do cross-stitch, so I don't have to follow any charts to select my thread, I picked many colors which I can play with later on.

I cannot take all over 400 DMC color codes (too many for a re-beginner like me), so I picked these colors based on my new book: "A-Z of Embroidered Flowers"...  More than 130 skeins in different colors which I think it's good enough for me!

When looking through this book at the store, I realized that there are so many stitches I've never used or known before! I need to learn about the stitches from the basic ones, I believe this book helps!

And here is the book I mentioned above. There are a lot of beautiful flower patterns with clear pictures of demonstration, and the instructions are very detailed and easy to follow. The authors also listed what kind and colors of thread were used per each pattern so it's really helpful. I have enough colors the patterns in this book call for, but I know it's a good reference, I love creating myself.

Well, it took us almost half day for all those things, but it didn't matter with my sweetie :). He had to wait for me so long playing around the store many times before and always was with a smile when I showed him this and that in the store! My awesome man always encourages me greatly to do my crafts! He made this one for me when I told him I would be back to embroidery and wanted to have such a thing. Cool?!

It's a frame to hold the embroidery hoop in place when I'm stitching. Oh how I love it, thank you honey, you are sweetest!!

My threads need to be organized to get ready for my needlework projects. I found this DMC storage box really good and easy to carry. I will take on the task of organizing my embroidery threads as soon as I can!

But let me play with them a bit before getting them organized... I love colors!!!

Thank you very much, my bloggy friends for your time with me today.

Have a wonderful new week!!! ♥