Tips and Tea on Tuesdays and A Heart a Day: 28 Part 1

Feb28

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Tea today is Watermelon and Lime Zinger, an unexpected blend of hibiscus with notes of watermelon and lime, well just like the name I guess it is a “Zinger”. I paired it with some oatmeal and fruit today.

Today’s Tip: Is one that I think is worth repeating, keep those you love, close to your heart, treasure and treat any gift given to you as one coming straight from their heart.

Lady Rose

Is an art doll that I made from a variety of components. The base of the body is made from felt, with two heart-shaped crochet doilies, and one embroidered heart shape pin, all made by my mom. I painted her face, and added ballerina shoe and hand-shape charms to the body, as well as crochet roses with leaves, also made by my mom. She is embellished with satin ribbons in a variety of widths and colors; vintage rickrack trim and rickrack roses; and vintage and new buttons.

Lizbeth’s Dress for February

Lizbeth is an art doll that I designed, several years ago, for a monthly challenge called Dress UP. The goal was to create a mixed media dress each month. I decided that I wanted to make a mannequin form first, and then create an ensemble for her each month. Her dress for February is primarily made from French wire ribbon; the accents are made from silk bias, velvet, and satin ribbons; with a bit of pink lace, and a heart-shaped button (from my guy).

Rose Marie

This is an art doll that I have made using a paint brush, this one was actually our basting brush from the kitchen. I soaked it too long in the dish pan and all the bristles came out. OOPS! No worries, I knew that I could make something from this fiasco. I painted the brush-base, the wooden heart-shaped body, and the cardboard backdrop with acrylic paints. I painted her face, and added in the “Carmen Miranda”-like tiara made from some crochet flowers made by my mom, and some ribbonwork leaves. On the backdrop, I added in a vine and leaf trim, additional plastic flowers, florist wire leaves, and lady bugs. Why? read on!

Happy Stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Mornings and A Heart a Day: 26

Feb26

In these posts I want to share some of my favorite pieces, which will include wall hangings, small works, pillows, purses, and just because pieces. February is National Embroidery Month, and I would like to share the pieces from some of my books, enjoy!

Week 4 of National Embroidery Month

For the Love of Embroidery! I love to embroider, which is no secret to all of you that follow this blog, or have taken a class from me, or even purchased one of my books. Thank you for that by the way, and thank you for your trust in letting me teach you, and thank you for letting me share this passion with you.

Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T Publishing

The Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, can be purchased from C&T Publishing, here is an index of the chapters and stitches.

This book was surely a labor of love to create, develop, and to write; and I had some amazing editors that helped me along the way to bring this vision to you.

To start with, there are over 500+ stitches listed in the book with images of the embroidered stitch and detailed how-to illustrations. I believe that there are almost 800 examples, if you count the illustrated variations of the stitches.

Certainly, this book should light the creative spark for any embroiderer, and did I mention there are both right- and left-hand directions!

There have been many embroiderer’s who have influenced my journey, one of them was Erica Wilson, her work was so diverse. I also researched many, many, many other books to find the variety of stitches that I wanted to include in this book. I even created a few new stitches that I thought would fit in with the my vision for the book.

When I teach a class on embroidery, I try to explain how the stitch is formed, and explain how stitches can be altered, to create a different stitch. In this book I grouped stitches by stitch families, starting with the individual stitch, that can then be used to create a continuous stitch. These are:

Straight Stitches
Outline Stitches
Knotted, Woven, and Whipped Stitches
Lazy Daisy Stitches
Chain Stitches
Barb Stitches (new stitch family)
Blanket and Buttonhole Stitches
Fly Stitches
Feather Stitches
Fleet Stitches (new stitch family)
Cretan Stitches
Cross Stitches
Herringbone Stitches
Capped Stitches (new stitch family)
Chevron Stitches
Embellishment Stitches

It is my goal as an author/artist/teacher to give you the reader/stitcher/student the confidence to learn and grow and become more familiar with the stitches. I feel a big part of one’s growth is to practice, I suggest working out the stitches for each stitch family, on a 6″ x 6″ (15.3cm) square of fabric. Once you have completed each square, you can stitch these into a Sampler Roll of Stitches as a reference guide and a keepsake.

You can see all of the books and products that I have created here. I wish you all the happiness and hope that you enjoy creating with this beautiful craft and art form.

Happy Stitching to you all! ~Christen

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning and A Heart a Day: 19

Feb19

Week 3 of National Embroidery Month

Beaded Embroidery Stitching, by C&T Publishing was the third book that I wrote on embroidery. I have always been inspired by the magic of beads, those shiny, tiny, treasures! I also do love buttons, sequins, and charms!

From seed beads to larger beads, all sizes are welcome in my workroom. I love to work with them in any type of creative project, whether it be stitching the beads into a piece of jewelry, or stitching them onto fabric.

In many instances beads can be worked into stitches that resemble traditional thread embroidery stitches.

The book includes 125 bead embroidered and bead woven stitches, each stitch categorized in the Visual Guide index by style, with a second alphabetical index to keep at your fingertips.

Lazy Daisy and Chain Stitches
Fly and Feather Stitches
Continuous Bead and Blanket Stitches
Cross, Herringbone, Serpentine, and Cretan Stitches
Flowers and Extra Stitches
Decorative and Detail Stitches
Button and Sequin Flowers
Beaded Edges
Even Peyote and Free-Form Peyote Stitches
Circular Peyote and Netted Stitches
Brick Stitch

This book includes 8 beadwork projects from brooches and bracelets to sewing caddies and wallhangings.

I have also included gallery pieces that I hope will inspire crafters of all skill levels, from embroiderers and sewists to crazy quilters, mixed media artists, and jewelry makers.

You can see all of the books and products that I have created here. I wish you all the happiness and hope that you enjoy creating with this beautiful craft and art form.

Happy Stitching to you all! ~Christen

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning and a Heart a Day: 12

Feb12

Week 2 of National Embroidery Month, 2023

The Embroidery Book was the second book on embroidery that I wrote for C&T Publishing. This book is jam packed with design and gallery examples that showcase how you can use color, design, and construction effectively.

The book includes 149 step-by-step embroidery stitches, motifs, and extras, that are worked in a variety of materials including perle cotton, cotton floss, silk ribbon, buttons, charms, sequins, and beads.

Included in the book, is color board with fabric, thread, and beads, with a section on Color Theory, suggestions on how you can choose your own color palette.

Let’s Get Colorful!

I have provided examples of the eight different color disciplines that I most often use in my work. The number reference in the name of the discipline refers to the number of fabric or component colors and threads that I use.

Embroider, Embellish, and Explore

There are a variety of examples of Embroidery as a Seam Treatment, and Embroidery as a Design Element. These examples show how embroidery stitches can be worked following a seam, following a shape, or an imaginary line, or to fill in entire areas of fabric.

*Embroidery as a Seam Treatment*
Straight Seam Embroidery

Embroidery Journal Project: Each of the embroidery sections shows a sampler that you can copy so that you can practice your stitches. The book also has directions so that you can make your own book of stitch samplers.

You can see all of the books and products that I have created here. I wish you all the happiness and hope that you enjoy creating with this beautiful craft and art form.

Happy Stitching to you all! ~Christen

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning and A Heart a Day: 5

Feb5

Week 1 of National Embroidery Month, 2023

Embroidered and Embellished Small Projects

The first book that I wrote on the subject was called Embroidered and Embellished, by C&T Publishing. I chose to categorize the stitches into groups, that I named Traditional Embroidery, Silk Ribbon Embroidery, Raised and Textured Embroidery, and Bead Embroidery.

Each of these groups includes 20 related stitches. I photographed the steps of the stitches for this book, like I did for my two ribbonwork books. My daughter pitched in and offered here lovely hands in a few of the how-to-directions.

I created a sampler and two projects for each of the four categories included in the book. The projects have detailed directions with diagrams of the assembly steps and stitches that I used.

Traditional Embroidery: the stitches in this chapter include: chain stitch, zigzag chain stitch, chain stitch vine, straight stitch, outline stitch, outline stitch vine, blanket stitch, short-long-short blanket stitch, buttonhole circle, heart, lazy daisy stitch, lazy knot tip, lazy daisy flowers, looped tendril, tulip, sunflower, button flowers, fly stitch, wisteria, wild ginger, French knot, French knot flowers, and couched stitch.

All of the stitches in the sampler and the directions were worked in Finca perle cotton # 8 and Finca Mouline cotton floss by Presencia.

Silk Ribbon Embroidery: the stitches in this chapter include: feather stitch, feather stitch vine, split ribbon stitch, pistil stitch, couched ribbon, padded straight stitch, ribbon stitch, peony, colonial knot, pointed ribbon stitch, wildflower, ribbon loop stitch, ribbon loop posy, vine flower, twisted ribbon rose, woven ribbon rose, woven ribbon rose variation, rosette, gathered bud, and pin rose.

All of the stitches in the sampler and the directions were worked with silk ribbon or buttonhole twist from YLI; Wildflowers thread from the Caron Collection; or Silk Mori floss from Kreinik.

Raised and Textured Embroidery: the stitches in this chapter include: open chain stitch, couched Japan thread, fly stitch leaf, feather fan, whip-stitch rose, whip-stitch rose variation 1, whip-stitch rose variation 2, spiderweb rose, petite twisted rose, bullion stitch, bullion posy, cast-on buttonhole stitch, buttonhole rose, cherry blossoms, tatted stitch, tatted posy, spiral tatted stitch, tatted rose, Chinese knot, and Christen’s shisha mirror.

All of the stitches in the sampler and the directions were worked in Finca perle cotton # 8 or Finca Mouline cotton floss by Presencia; buttonhole twist from YLI; Silk Mori floss or fine braid from Kreinik; or rayon floss from DMC.

Bead Embroidery: the stitches in this chapter include: continuous bead stitch, beaded vine, lazy daisy stitch, lazy daisy variation, lazy daisy loop, lazy daisy flowers, beaded stamen, sunflower, button rose, French rose, sequin rose, sequin rose variation, flat leaf, lazy daisy leaf, stacked bead center. picot tip, bead cascade, single bead, bead combinations, and charms.

All of the stitches in the sampler and the directions were worked in size 6°, 8°, 11°, or 15° size seed beads; or larger beads in a variety of sizes; or sequins.

If you would like to stitch each of these samplers, you can find the template here.

You can see all of the books and products that I have created here. I wish you all the happiness and hope that you enjoy creating with this beautiful craft and art form.

Happy Stitching to you all! ~Christen

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning

Jan29

In these posts I want to share some of my favorite pieces, which will include wall hangings, small works, pillows, purses, and just because pieces, enjoy!

Gentle Ladies Needle Keep

The needle keep and pincushion roll were created for my book, Hand Embroidery Stitching, by C&T Publishing. The crazy-pieced needle keep is comprised of both solid and cotton prints with grosgrain ribbon and rickrack trim. The embroidery stitches were worked in cotton floss, perle cotton #8 and #12, and glass seed beads. Additional embellishments include fun novelty shaped buttons. The pincushion and roll are made from felt, with a wooden spool as the base. Both are embellished with rickrack trim, seed beads, and novelty shaped buttons. Here is a handout for Free Pincushion Instructions.

Needle Keep: Embroidery Stitches Used

Border rows: feather stitch with chain-stitch edge, fern stitch modern, running stitch, chain stitch feathered, blanket stitch short-long, blanket stitch, chevron stitch, cross stitch row, blanket stitch locked zipper, stem stitch, herringbone stitch overlaid, blanket stitch crossed, petal stitch, backstitch, string of pearls stitch, fly stitch netted, fishnet stitch, blanket stitch angled, rickrack trim with straight stitch details
Decorative stitches: Fly stitch, lazy daisy tulip stitch, straight stitch, fly stitch with lazy daisy stitch, lazy daisy stitch
Detail stitches: French knot stitch, straight stitch
Vignette stitches: Spiderweb corner stitch, button spider, grouped French knot and straight stitches, stacked bead stitch, clustered buttons

Pincushion Roll: Embroidery Stitches Used

Border row: rickrack trim with bell flower stitch, seed bead details
Stem and flowers: chain stitch, lazy daisy stitch, buttons

Happy Stitching to You! Christen

PS: If you wish to see more of my work, check out the Gallery section.

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Jan24

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Sitting here and listing to Simon and Garfunkel, with my cup of Darjeeling, thinking, hmm everything IS Groovy! Today I want to share some before and after pics of one of my favorite pieces, Bouncing Button Balloons. This piece was featured in my book, The Embroidery Book, by C&T Publishing.

Tip: Take photos before, during, and after.

I always, well almost always, take a picture of the finished base, and then the threads and embellishments I have set aside to use on it. The focus of this piece, was going to be the buttons, which are two fabric, and vintage celluloid. Here you can see all of the different fabrics, and vintage laces that were used to create the base. The embroidery for this piece was worked in three colors of Wildflower Thread, by the Caron Collection, with seed bead embellishments.

Tip: Before you stitch buttons and embellishments in place, audition them on the base. Once you have your design, and the audition is complete, take a photo with your phone, that way when you go to stitch them in place, you will have something to refer to.

Tip: When embroidering around a button, use stitches that will curve easily, like the blanket and the chain stitches. Here, I embroidered through the buttonholes first, then around the base of each button. I stitched the detail stitches with the lazy daisy, fly, French knot, and single bead stitches Then I embroidered the feather stitch coming out of each balloon, to look like the attached string.

Here is a close-up of the embroidery and embellishment stitches. This was a fun piece to work on, and it gave a new life to some old, funky, buttons!

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning

Jan22

In these posts I want to share some of my favorite pieces, which will include wall hangings, small works, pillows, purses, and just because pieces, enjoy!

Sweet Caroline

This little purse was created for my book, Beaded Embroidery Stitching, by C&T Publishing. The base was created using my Scrumptious Scraps technique, along with a piece of silk habotai fabric, that I pleated and then dyed. The embroidery was worked in vignettes, vines, and border row sections, with couched cord finishing details. I used glass seed beads in sizes 6°, 8°, 11°, and 15°, and three sizes of flower rondelles.

Embroidery Stitches Used

Vignette stitches: French rose stitch, chain stitch continuous loops, stacked bead stitch (large and medium rondelles)
Decorative stitches: flower with petite petals, lazy daisy stitch with loop, lazy daisy stitch
Detail stitches: hippie flower stitch, floret stitch, stacked bead stitch (small rondelles and stacked seed beads)
Border rows: Spine vine stitch, even peyote stitch row curved, continuous bead stitch curved

Happy Stitching to You! Christen

PS: If you wish to see more of my work, check out the Gallery section.

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Jan17

On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

While I was sipping my chamomile tea today, I got to thinking about crochet lace gloves and accessories, imagining a ladies’ tea from an era when you actually wore gloves. What a nice thought to have! I was lucky enough to find the gloves and reticule on eBay, for a moderately reasonable price. I was also lucky that they were not discolored in anyway, which I can’t say for other pieces that I have rescued! That brings me to today’s tip, cleaning your vintage laces.

Tip: Cleaning Your Cotton Laces

Clean like colors together in the same wash bath. Use a medium/warm water for light colors, warm/cool water for bright colors, and cold water for dark colors. Use a delicate cleaner such as Restoration Linen Cleaner or Mama’s Miracle Linen Soak.

Fill a tub full of water, add the cleaning product, swish the water.
Place the lace in the water, making sure there is room for the bits and pieces to move around.
Soak the items for 25-30 minutes, then RINSE well.
If the water is still dirty, repeat the wash and soak process.
Once the lace is clean, drape each length over a plastic hanger, or lay out on a cotton bath towel.
If pressing is necessary, use distilled water in the spray bottle with your iron set on the lowest temp.
Press with the wrong side down, and be mindful to not crush any raised pattern.

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning

Jan15

In these posts I want to share some of my favorite pieces, which will include wall hangings, small works, pillows, purses, and just because pieces, enjoy!

California Dreamin’

This piece was created for my book, The Embroidery Book, by C&T Publishing. The inspiration for the base were the two hand-dyed marbleized fabrics, and I used every last bit here! I cut them into strips, and pieced the remaining sections with bleached muslin fabric. I used left-over strips of a batik fabric for the binding and back. The center square, and the third row of muslin fabric is where the bulk of the embroidery stitches are worked, I love how only a bit of that fabric shows through the stitches. The stitches are worked in four skeins of perle cotton #5 and nine skeins of cotton floss, using solid and variegated colors. Vintage green glass beads were used for the accents.

Embroidery Stitches Used

Decorative stitches: Gwen’s rose stitch, Jill’s flower stitch, lazy daisy stitch flower, French knot flower, fly stitch side-by-side, buttonhole circle stitch, barnacle stitch, whip-stitch star
Detail stitches: French knot stitch, lazy daisy stitch, fly stitch
Border rows: chain stitch, French knot stitch

Happy Stitching to You! Christen

PS: If you wish to see more of my work, check out the Gallery section.

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Christen's Creations

Creative Expressions from a fiber artist, beader, ribbon artist and embroiderer.

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Tips and Tea on Tuesdays and A Heart a Day: 28 Part 1

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Mornings and A Heart a Day: 26

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning and A Heart a Day: 19

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning and a Heart a Day: 12

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning and A Heart a Day: 5

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

Slow Stitchin’ on Sunday Morning