Needles Ready

This year, Bea suggested we embroider some animals, sew them into ornaments, and hang them on the tree. I’m no huge embroidery afficionado, but I have a little practice. So, I figured, why not? And, what better way to practice than on scrap fabric? My lovely friend Nathalie kindly offered me a pile of small felted wool remnants leftover from her beautiful quilted cowls.

Here’s the pile of wool and a wee little doggie I tried to stitch at a local craft sesh last month:

Today, we’re going to gather Nathalie’s remnants, our embroidery needles, floss, hoops, and my heaping bag of tiny, miscellaneous sewing scraps (for stuffing). And we’ll try to make Bea’s vision a reality. I thought we might either hand-sketch little animal templates on cardstock or scan some of our own hand drawings onto fusible wash-away embroidery paper and transfer them onto our felted wool bases. But, for a large part, I think we’re going to try our hand at an improvised craft session. I mean, I’ve heard of improv quilting. Why not improv-embroidery? It’s probably already a thing.

In any case…cue birdsong…we’re just going to wing it.
I’ll post our results as they become available.

Need a little help? Try this stitch guide from the Workroom or this embroidery guide from Country Clothesline.

Not up for a DIY? Try an embroidery kit from Kiriki Press! I’ve made a few of their samplers and can attest that you will be well guided by expert instruction. The kits themselves make for perfect holiday gifts.

Or, if you’re not up for crafting at all, explore your local maker’s markets, or place yourself on the Etsy queue for an artisan piece from @madebyswimmer.

How will you improvise, today?

ON THIS DAY

2024: Winter Bookstore Watercolours
2023: Make-Ahead Monday, Edible or Upcycled Christmas Table Decor
2022: AGO and Dim Sum
2021: Two-Day Giant Crossword and Cookie Baking Challenge
2020: Dinner & Star Wars in the Living Room [with Take Out Fish & Chips]
2019: Kringlewood Lights & Inflatables Tour
2018: Topping Up the Food Bank Box
2017: Breakfast for Dinner
2016: Rewrite the Song of the Summer as a Holiday Carol
2015: Dinner and Star Wars
2014: Throw-Back Thursday: Scramble, Christmas Clue, Shadow-Puppet Theatre,Butterbeer Blondies
2013: It’s a Carol Off! Rewrite an Existing Christmas Carol or “Christmassify” a Popular Song
2012: Make Silhouette Self-Portrait Cards & Send Them to Family & Friends
2011: Trim Another Tree