I’ve been reading craft blogs recently, and got all inspired to give it a go myself. Did you know that people actually doodle with embroidery? Takes some of the fear out of it, calling it doodling. And look at Soulemama’s hoops – a far cry from the old lady embroidery I’d seen before.
I liked the peacocks that Lotta Jansdotter showed a photo of on her blog (no permalinks, entry for May 7), so I traced it onto fabric and started stitching, helped along the away by Purl Bee’s tutorial that usefully reminded me how simple embroidery stitches really are. It didn’t take long to finish the birds in scraps of time – sitting next to Jessica’s bed to pat her tummy when she needed me, falling asleep, or sitting on the couch watching her play on the floor. It was Mum who realised that my red-feathered peacocks must be firebirds, not peacocks. So much more interesting, don’t you think? Then it sat for weeks, untouched, until the other night when I stayed up late to stitch it all together into a doona cover for Jessie’s baby doona. And I love it! Now what more might I embroider?
kari
The firebirds make the sweetest nursery motif! If you’re looking for more embroidery patterns and tutorials, I’m a big fan of Jenny Hart’s Sublime Stitching site: http://www.sublimestitching.com/ I bought her stitch-it kit a couple of years ago and have since then purchased more of her patterns. Embroidering is incredibly relaxing, isn’t it? And I like that it’s a portable activity too . . .
Jill Walker Rettberg
Thanks for the tip, Kari! I do find embroidery very relaxing, and yes, it’s actually even more convenient than knitting, if you’re working on a small piece of fabric. I’ve not started on anything new yet, but I definitely will.
Catarina
Hi!
I was looking for this pattern in Jansdotter blog and I can’t find it. Could you help me out?
Thanks!
By the way: Beautifull baby!!
Jill
Thanks! I just had a look myself and I see Jansdotter’s archives only go back until 2010 – I was inspired by a photo she posted in May 2008, so a while ago now, and I can’t find it anymore. She didn’t post a pattern though, I just drew what seemed a pretty good copy of an embroidered design she posted a photo of, and I guess I mirrored the birds and added some extra tail feathers. The outline is done in backstitch, the red tail feathers in satin stitch and there are red french knots on the crests. It was fun and pretty quick – thanks for reminding me of it!!