Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
Work with the colors that you LOVE! That’s what I tell my students when they ask me about color, and which colors to work with, I tell them to work with the colors that you love. Color always has the ability to make me smile! And when you are content, you can enjoy the process, and then the creativity will flow.
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
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 PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand 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!
Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T Publishing
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.
Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T Publishing
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
Hand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T PublishingHand Embroidery Dictionary by Christen Brown, C&T Publishing
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.
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 3 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.
Wild Persimmons, 13 1/2″ x 13 1/2″Sizzle and Pop
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.
Scrap Roll ProjectPansies and Sunflowers Scrap Roll Gallery Piece
In many instances beads can be worked into stitches that resemble traditional thread embroidery stitches.
Sashiko EmbroideryCross StitchBrazilian EmbroideryThread Embroidery Stitches vs. Bead Embroidery Stitches
Primarily Crazy for Kevin
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
Cogs and Gears Gallery PieceBlowing Bubbles ProjectTidal Pools Gallery Piece
This book includes 8 beadwork projects from brooches and bracelets to sewing caddies and wallhangings.
Champagne and Pearls Gallery PieceSpiders Hide in the Dusk ProjectWelcome Home Gallery Piece
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.
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
My Crazy Valentine
It takes more than lace and ribbons, And lovely verses too, To make a Valentine that is nice enough for you. It takes a world of special thoughts, Tucked into every line, And that’s exactly what you’ll find inside this Valentine.
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
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 2 of National Embroidery Month, 2023
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.
Lady Bird’s Bzzy GardenLady Bird 2
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.
Color Discipline Mono y MonoColor Discipline Double DownColor Discipline Triple DelightColor Discipline Four SquareColor Discipline Five and DimeColor Discipline Colors and More ColorsColor Discipline Piggyback JackColor Discipline Follow the LeaderColor Disciplines
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 EmbroideryEmbroidery as a Seam Treatment Crazy Pieced EmbroideryEmbroidery as a Seam Treatment Applique EmbroideryEmbroidery as a Seam Treatment Embroidered TrimsEmbroidery as a Design Element Shadow EmbroideryEmbroidery as a Design Element Bordered DesignEmbroidery as a Design Element Vignette DesignEmbroidery as a Design Element Overall DesignEmbroidery as a Seam or Design Element
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.
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
One love refers to the universal love and respect expressed by all people for all people, regardless of race, creed, or color. Its all good. One love…….
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
A collection of Mother-of-Pearl Treasures
“There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.” – George Sand, Author
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
Heart Felt Wishes to you all! I love hearts, I love the shape, I love to decorate the house at Valentine’s Day, and I have a lot of hearts… so I decided to post A Heart a Day for the entire month of February.
Heart Garland
“The love you take is equal to the love you make.” – The Beatles “The End”
Happiest of heartfelt wishes for a wondrous day! ~Christen
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 1 of National Embroidery Month, 2023
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.
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 Stitch SamplerVintage Redressed Wallhanging Project
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.
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 Stitch SamplerFramed Lace Wallhanging Project
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.
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.
Christen's Creations 