Rococo Pillow was a gallery example that I created for my book, Ribbonwork Gardens, by C&T Publishing. I used a variety of ribbons in the piece including: silk bias ribbon, woven ribbon, and vintage jacquard ribbon. I embroidered the flowers with silk ribbon embroidery stitches.

Blue Jean Baby was also a gallery example that I created for my book, Ribbonwork Gardens. I used a heart-shaped applique for the base, and filled it with ribbonwork rosettes, posies, and leaves. The tiny quilted kitty was a gift, and I think that she is quite happy here in her forever home.

Lace, Doilies and Appliqués is one of the Projects by Design, from my new book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old with the New. I combined ribbonwork flowers, with fabric yo-yo’s, buttons, charms and beads to create a floral display. The project has two block designs, which are repeated, and then stitched into a 4-block wallhanging.

Champagne and Pearls and Welcome Home are gallery pieces from my book Beaded Embroidery Stitching, by C&T Publishing. These pieces are variations of Feminine Fancies, Project A: Bouquet of Flowers. I used buttons for the base of the flowers, and embroidered the petals with beads, and beads, and well dare I say, more beads!

Tatiana’s Garden is a design example that I created for my book, The Embroidery Book, by C&T Publishing. I used two vintage cuffs and other pieces of flat lace to create the basket and the handle. I embroidered the piece with silk embroidery ribbon in sizes 4mm and 7mm, buttonhole twist, rayon twist, perle cotton #12, seed beads in a variety of sizes, glass charms, and buttons.

Flowers in a Cuff is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece, from my new book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old with the New. I died a vintage lace cuff and grosgrain ribbon with Colorhue Dyes. I filled the basket with rosettes made from the grosgrain ribbon, cloth and mother-of-pearl buttons, and a few glass charms. I embroidered the piece with a variegated #8 perle cotton thread.

Sage and Cornflower is a new gallery piece that I created, based on the Projects by Design: Lace, Doilies and Appliqués, (see first row of images above). The base started as half of a stained doily, which I dyed with Colorhue dyes, as well as the lace and rickrack trims. I used Finca Mouline perle cotton, Valdani variegated perle cotton, and dyed perle cotton by Artfabriks. I embellished the piece with seed and larger glass beads; vintage glass and celluloid buttons; and brass charms.

Happy Stitching! ~Christen

What more can I say? I have a selection of pieces to show you today, from my upcoming book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old With the New, by C&T Publishing. Some of the pieces are gallery examples, some are examples of the projects included in the book. All with wonderful buttons!

Vintage linens like napkins, hand towels, embroidered cotton doilies with lace edges, can be combined with lace doilies and trims to create a collage base that can also include fabrics, ribbons, and trims.

Faded Shades of Rococo Days: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece. I pieced a base of a charm packet of Moda prints, and additional printed cotton fabrics. I stitched with a nine patch square for the center, framed this with a strip of a printed cotton fabric, then finished off with a pieced boarder of the remaining charm squares. I placed a lace doily in the center section, and layered cotton flat lace throughout the base. I highlighted the center section with a velvet ribbon. I embroidered and embellished the base with threads, beads, buttons, and ribbonwork flowers and leaves.

Butterfly Fields: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece. An old Battenburg lace doily was cut into sections to form the three trees that are stitched to a batik background framed with a strip-pieced border. Embellishments include ribbonwork and lace flowers, beads, sequins, buttons, and charms.

Doily Bunting: This is a Stash Project, that is a great way to use up your collection of embroidery and printed doilies.

Girly Girls: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece. This entire collection of doilies, napkins, and small serving placemats was given to me by friends and family members. The kid glove belonged to my grandmother, and my mother stitched the oval floral pieces. The earrings came from my husband’s grandmothers and the jacquard ribbon from his mother. The vintage buttons, jewelry, perfume vials, and glass beads were purchased at thrift stores and online.

Here is a video that I shot at the C&T Publishing Studios, that focuses on the new book, and some of my favorite pieces.

Happy Stitching! ~Christen

What more can I say? I have a selection of pieces to show you today, from my upcoming book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old With the New, by C&T Publishing. Some of the pieces are gallery examples, some are examples of the projects included in the book.

Vintage hankies can be layered to create a collage base or can be combined with other fabrics. These are often made from cotton, cotton batiste, linen, and silk fabrics.

Bella Fleur Mouchoir (Beautiful Flower Handkerchief): The base of this wallhanging is made from vintage hankies that had belonged to my mother. I combined the hankies with scraps of vintage feed sack and new cotton fabrics, and satin ribbons. I embroidered stitches around the edges of the hankies and ribbons and the seams of the pieced fabric. I made ribbonwork flowers using vintage cotton bias tape and woven ribbons. This piece is adorned with vintage and new plastic buttons.

Tea Cozy: This is a Stash Project that uses hankies, ribbons, and bits of fabric. Three embroidered hankies and one printed hanky were combined with vintage feed sack fabrics to create the front and back of the base. Vintage jacquard and satin ribbons were used to cover raw edges and to make ribbonwork rosettes. The embroidery is worked in perle cotton, cotton floss, and silk embroidery ribbons. Vintage mother of perle buttons are sprinkled throughout the front and back of the cozy.

Hanky and Lace Collage: This is a Project by Design, and starts with a printed fabric, a hanky, and varying widths of vintage lace and jacquard ribbons. The collage design is embroidered with silk embroidery ribbon, silk, and rayon floss. Embellishments include rosettes, buttons, sequins, and beads.

For Elizabeth: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece, that started with a white cotton batiste handkerchief embroidered with the letter “E“, pieced with two colors of moire fabric. I dyed vintage lace and appliques with Colorhue dyes. I made ribbonwork flowers from vintage velvet and hombre woven ribbons. I worked silk ribbon embroidery stitches around the flowers and appliqués.

Hankies and Rosettes: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece, that stared with two cotton hankies, one with a crochet trim. I cut the hankies into quarters, and layered them on a vintage knitting pin. I covered the pin with an hombre ribbon, so that it would match the colors of the crochet trim, embroidery stitches, and the ribbon rosette flowers.

Here is a video that I shot at the C&T Publishing Studios, that focuses on the new book, and some of my favorite pieces.

Happy Stitching! ~Christen

What more can I say? I have a selection of pieces to show you today, from my upcoming book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old With the New, by C&T Publishing. Some of the pieces are gallery examples, some are examples of the projects included in the book.

Doilies, appliqués, and wide flat lace can be used as a starting point to make a pretty basket that you can then fill with ribbonwork flowers, buttons, embroidery, charms, and beads.

Notions of Spring: A Stash Idea Inspiration piece. I cut a large doily in half, and used one half for the base. I cut a smaller doily into four sections, which created the heart shaped pieces in each corner. I filled the vase with the flowers and leaves included in the chapter Altering the Past. I even used and old tool that belonged to my mom, called the “Daisy Maker” which was used to make a flower from yarn. I substituted a lace hem tape for the yarn, and it worked out perfectly! I embellished the piece with several sizes of rickrack, a vine trim, a coronation cord, sewing notions, buttons, charms, and bells.

Lace, Doilies and Appliqués: Is one of the Projects by Design. I combined ribbonwork flowers, with fabric yo-yo’s, buttons, charms and beads to create a floral display. The project has two block designs, which are repeated, and then stitched into a 4-block wallhanging.

Flowers in a Cuff: Is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece. I hand-dyed the cuff, and the grosgrain ribbons that I used to stitch the ribbonwork rosettes. I had been saving those fun character buttons for years, waiting for just the right project to come along. I also used vintage dyed mother-of-perle buttons for the centers of the flowers.

Aunt Murt’s Garden: Is an example of the Stash Project called Scrap Pins. I used a section of vintage crochet lace for the basket, and stitched it onto a dyed silk base, finished with vintage flat lace. I stitched machine-made appliqués, vintage buttons, plastic leaves, glass roundels, and glass beads into and around the basket. I used a vintage knitting pin for the hanger.

Hoop Frame: This is a Stash Project. The base is a piece of decorator fabric set into a vintage hoop frame, which is adorned with a beautiful lace doily, and another piece of vintage crochet lace. I embroidered stems with the feather and couched stitch, leaves with the lazy daisy stitch, and French knot stitch details. The flowers are vintage mother-of-pearl and muscle shell buttons, with ladybug and dragonfly charms sprinkled throughout the bouquet.

Happy Stitching! ~Christen