Felt Wreath Project

I have been working on a applique project that uses felt.  I realize that, for my first project in applique I dove in rather head first.  But that does seem to be my preferred method.

Now, I cannot take credit for this wreath on myself.  It was a tutorial that I found on Pinterest.  Here is the link to the tutorial and the patterns for all of the floral pieces.
http://www.purlsoho.com/create/2010/01/14/pages-felt-flower-winter-wreath/

I chose to use a polyester and wool mix felt for the background squares, but then used a fully polyester felt for the floral pieces.  The tutorial calls for neon colored embroidery thread, and I chose to use shades of blue, gray and white with white and crystal seed bead accents.

To begin, I cut out the background felt squares and connected them, using masking tape to connect them as I used the widest zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine to connect them.  I then drew a guide on the felt, that I used to lay the flowers out in their wreath shape.

I cut the flowers out of white polyester felt and using hand-sewing, I completed the various centers ready for attaching them to their flower counterparts.  Laying out my design, I attached them with straight pins, and then using a simple tack stitch, I tacked each of the flowers and centers into place.

Using an embroidery needle, I then began to attach the flowers more firmly, using a simple back-stitch, which they give instructions to in the tutorial.

While I haven't finished the wreath, yet, I have made significant progress and am well pleased with how it is turing out.  It hasn't been terribly difficult, only rather tedious as the stitch to attach the flowers takes a while.  But, believe me, the end result will be well worth your efforts.

Tea & Embroidery: Grandma Mrs'. Embroidery Pattern Basket & My Quilting Adventure

Last April, my maternal grandmother passed away.  One of the gifts that she had given me, during her life, was her time.  I would spend a week at her house in the summer up until I was in high school and had a job.  I relish the memories of those days.  We wouldn't do much, truthfully.  She lived in a small town in central Illinois.  Almost every day, I would walk the sixteen or so blocks back and forth from the library.  I would choose a movie for us to watch and check out books.  More often than not, you would find us sitting and reading together in the evenings.

One time, I remember, she began to teach me a form of embroidery called Candle wicking.  Which involves creating designs out of small knots of threads, usually in whites with accents of colors.  I still have, and cherish the candle wick pillowcase that she made for me with my initials on it. In many ways, that project stayed with me.  I went home and made a small pillow for a young boy that I nannied during the summer in the late 1990's.  And for the time being, that was it.  I didn't pick up an embroidery needle again until about three years ago.  And I am so glad that I did.

It started with a cloak.  More accurately, it started with a lady that I work with.  You see, I enjoy dressing up, creating characters and costumes.  She knew this.  So, one day she came to me and said, "You know what would be really neat?" I replied, "No, but you are going to tell me." And she went on to describe a picture of me in the snowy woods where we live and work, in a red cape.
I responded, "But, Jean, I don't have a red cape, yet."

So, I found a beautiful crimson suiting fabric and made a cape.  Then, I decided (having been practicing with the idea of creating an embroidered cape for me niece) that I wanted to embroider on this red cape with black.  I had lined the hood with black and used an elaborate tassel in black on the hood. And so I did.  And it turned out beautifully.  And from there on, I was hooked.  I've made pillowcases for family birthday presents, artwork on patterned fabric, and now I am about to embark on a quilt with embroidered squares.

This brings me back to where I had begun.  One of the gifts that I received as we were going through Grandma Mrs. belongings was her work basket filled with embroidery patterns.  As I contemplated this quilt, I knew that I wanted to use some of the designs from this basket.  This quilt is to be something that ties me to my family.  I decided on two designs, which I could mix with a pattern that I already have and love.  So, in this way, I am tieing together myself and my grandmother.

I look forward to emrboidering my squares with her and my designs, as well as find fabrics that will match them and complement them.  I look forward to many other projects, knowing that she would love that I am using her patterns and still embroidering.

The last time I saw her, she was in the hospital over Christmas and my Mother and I went to stay with her.  I brought her a small gift, two pieces of my embroidery hoop art, one with the initial "L" on it (I was named after her) and another with a floral designed tea cup on it.  I also brought her two photographs of myself as a snow queen (one of my characters that my Sister-in-law and I did a photo shoot of).  She was thrilled with the embroidered gifts, and held them, running her gnarled hands, bruised from pulling her IV's out, and when I pulled out a project to work on while we sat with her her eyes seemed fixed on me.

It was a very hard time for me, as I hadn't seen her in a few years, but I am so thankful that I got to see her one more time and tell her I love her, while she was able to see how a little bit of her had indeed passed on to me.