Oct. 3rd

Because all of my hobbies apparently aren't good enough, I've decided to take up another. Cross-stitch. I think I might like it even more than embroidery to be honest... I suppose they each have their perks. I love how simple cross-stitch is. No frills.

Anyways, here it is! I got the frame super cheap at one of the thrift stores in town. It only took a few hours to do.

My next project might have to be THIS. A sampler using a quote from Always Sunny.

August 28th

I am an avid Pinterest-er, and as soon as I saw this project I knew it would be useful and something I would want, so when I got engaged it was one of the first DIY's on my list.

Turns out it's super easy, all you need is a small frame, the cardboard that came in the frame (glass not needed, you can find glass-less frames at thrift stores super cheap), felt, and a pushpin. 

Note: I didn't use the white felt at all.

I cut out a piece of felt the size of the cardboard in the frame, figured out where I wanted the ring to hang and embroidered a little leaf pattern around it. 

Stack your embroidered felt on the cardboard and stick your pin in the right place, bending it 1/4-1/2" away from the ball at about a 45 degree angle. Tape the pin to the backside of the cardboard, put it back in the frame, and voila! 

You got yourself a ring frame.

I put mine above the sink so I don't have to wear my ring when I do dishes.

Nov. 30

The holiday season is starting! Pretty lights are up on all the trees downtown and there is frost on my car windows in the morning. I can also tell it is getting on winter by the attention given to my little Dala horse ornaments! Here are some of the treasuries I've been in the last week or so... definitely check out some of the other items too, there is some really good looking stuff here.

Sept. 13

If you follow many embroidery blogs, you have probably come across Feeling Stitchy. Great site. They just announced a little contest that I am quite intrigued by... embroidering a book cover! I'm quite excited.

The big question though, is what book? 

Jane Austin? Moby Dick? Roald Dahl? Harry Potter? Raptor Red? There are so many books! I wonder if I would be limited to one entry? I wonder if I will have enough time to even finish one?

Sept. 7

I finally got pictures taken of the magazine I'm in! I'm quite stoked.

It is the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts magazine and I'm on page 66!

They changed a bit, like the order of how I do things and using twine instead of ribbon, but I think it looks nice anyways. Here's the cover of the magazine so you can be sure to take a peek!

Aug. 13

I meant to get this out yesterday, but it turned into a late night, so this morning will have to suffice.

I spotted these on my way to Topeka, they were so smooth and painterly I couldn't resist a photo.

Just throwing some pottery... it's a new clay so let's hope it does okay.

And lastly, I went to Hobby Lobby and remembered to look for the magazine my Dala horse ornament is in! Right there on the front page of the segment and everything. I'm most pleased. I didn't have a chance to look through it all, but it seemed full of cool things to make, so I would recommend checking it out. Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts mag, it'll be on the stands for a few months I believe.

I hope everyone has a great day!

July 31

I had a good day.

It started out with me working on a drafting project and anticipating a BBQ date with some good friends in Kansas City, but due to some unforeseen circumstances, ended with me moving a friend into her new place aaaaaaaaaaaallll afternoon. Hard work, but well worth it because I got a margarita out of the deal. 

Just kidding...

...but seriously... 

...that's only part of the reason. The real reason was because I could give her her housewarming present! One of the secrets of my last post no less!

This beautiful creature is the product of my dear friend's creativity. His name is Craptor and he is her constant companion through the drudgery that is life. Here are the two of them with some other friends:

Visit her Tumblr for more Craptor and other joys.

Hopefully tomorrow I can finish my newest sewing project and get a post up. Finger's crossed!

July 28

I'm in full organization mode here at home, I just was introduced to the music program Spotify and I have been exploring it, along with going through my closet and trying to get rid of some things I don't wear anymore... but I've also still been embroidering some gifts for people, so here's a preview:

Hmm, well it looks like it is still a secret... What about this one:

Oh gee, well I guess that one is still a secret too. 

How about this?

This fellow will hopefully very soon become a wall hanging that will have the cities I've visited in french knots, and possibly even highway routes that were taken on road trips? I still have yet to figure out what exactly to do with it.

I hope everyone has had a lovely week and a great weekend! I will be helping quite a few friends move on Sat and Sunday, so hopefully it won't be blistering hot. I suppose there's always ice cream to make the day feel better, eh?

July 23

This certainly seems to be a busy blogging week... maybe I have too much spare time... Regardless, I have another finished project that I am excited about. For years (seriously) I have had a cool picture frame with nothing in it. It has even been on display for a good portion of that time... without a picture in it. Maybe I felt that would inspire me to figure out what to put in it? No idea.

Part of the reason it has been empty for so long is that the size is unusual.. how many people have a 2.25" square picture laying around? I figured it would be a good time to try out a little embroidery.

I have had some Star Trek coloring book pages on my computer for a while with the intention of using them as embroidery patterns, and they were already square, so I simply needed to resize it to fit the frame. I'm super pleased with how it looks in the frame, though it's difficult to take a decent picture of it.

I also used a new transferring technique. Since I was using a dark fabric, I simply traced the pattern with transfer paper right on it. It worked great and the detail was really good, though if I were working on it for more than a day or two I would be afraid it would rub off. I actually didn't even wash it off of my fabric and you can barely tell that it's there in this picture.

July 17

It is hot hot hot in Lawrence! My goodness, we are in an excessive heat warning for a whole week! I'm pretty sure air conditioning will be high on my list of necessities when I finally get a new vehicle. For now I'm just staying in side embroidering and re-reading the last Harry Potter book in preparation for watching the movie tonight. (I'm excited.)

While I was watching Twin Peaks last week like a mad woman I was also finishing up an embroidery which I'm pretty happy about. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet, which seems to be the story of my life.

The rocket girl pattern is by Cherry Hollow designs, and I just took the planets from a coloring book page. Here are a couple detail shots:

July 14

Well I'm home and well and happy I went on my trip. I have frittered away a couple good days on the couch watching Netflix and embroidering... I guess that's what summer is about?

After spending so much time in Florida and having NASA on the brain, I was seriously craving some space movies, so I watched a documentary called The Wonder of it All which was quite good. I just may still have to watch Apollo 13 this week though.

I also came across Twin Peaks and decided that I had heard enough about it and I should really just watch an episode.... or two... or three.. or the first season and a half... It is fantastic folks. I am hooked and I have Jennifer Andrews to thank. She has a series of Twin Peaks embroideries that I love and it got me curious as to what kind of characters these people were. I like her self portrait as the Log Lady best I think.

Also, in Sarah news this week, my Mystery Science Theater 3000 embroidery was featured on the website Mr X Stitch! This is exciting for me. I have more MST3K ideas to do... so maybe this is a sign for me to do them. I also just joined a Star Wars themed needlework group on Flickr, so I just may have to do one of those first.... I have also been lamenting my lack of flat pattern drafting since I got out of school. So much to do! I'll put that in another post however.

I just finished an embroidery that I'm super proud of today, but it is for a friend so I can't post anything until August. I'm getting close to finishing a space themed (naturally) one that I don't know what I'll do with yet. What does one do with embroideries that don't fit in hoops well?

Because I don't like having posts without pictures, here is another from my trip that my friend Kim took. How is my manatee impression?

July. 6

Found Here

I'm currently on the road, so I'll just update with a few great embroideries I've found on Flickr this week. I simultaneously want to do all of these. They are just text links because no one lets you save images now apparently. Really guys?

1. Adorable owl reading a book!
2. Lovely whale.
3. Petri dishes.
4. Summery landscape.
5. Muskoxen!
6. Bovine Beauty.

June 26

And also: Mystery Science Theater 3000 embroidery project finished.

June 21

I have recently started getting more into embroidery.... more specifically I have been collecting free embroidery patterns online. Some are absolutely fantastic, I might make a 'favorite's post here soon. I have also been dreaming of my own patterns (geeky, of course) and first on the list is a lovely screencap from the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode Final Sacrifice (which is available on Netflix instant watch if anyone is interested!)

In doing this I also tested out two methods of transferring the design onto fabric - iron on transfer pencil from paper and tracing directly onto the fabric with a wash out pen. The pencil won out hands down, though I'm sure the pen has its uses, maybe on a smoother fabric?

Anyways, here is the original picture:

And here is the beginning of my embroidery of it:

I have some more ideas and drawings of other MST3K patterns... we'll see what the future brings us!