Hanging Hearts

This is another one of those projects I talked about on my first post of the year, it's took me a while to get round to getting some pictures taken!

For our 5th wedding Anniversary (Sept 2011) Kevin bought me 

this lovely little string of hanging hearts

One heart for every year and in keeping with the theme of wood 

(we like to follow the themes for fun :)

I started this new year with a little project, 

and finally got around to putting something nice in them

inspired by a book Kevin bought me last year for Christmas 

The New Crewel Work > see it here

here is a close up of the little stitcheries

I traced the size of the aperture of the hearts into my sketchbook

 and after choosing which patterns to use I sketched them into the squares,

  transferred my sketched images onto a little scrap of white fabric using an embroidery transfer pencil.

I put the fabric into a hoop and stitched them all with embroidery thread rather than wool.

 The finished embroideries were ironed onto fusible buckram,

 trimmed to size and put into the heart frames.

Another little 'to do' job done :)

I'm off to the E.G. Airdrie branch tonight
Last time I was there everyone was making name badges to be finished  to wear for next time

 This is mine worked in Satin stitch, French knots and Double knots on hand dyed and frayed fabric
I wrapped it round a piece of card and slip stitched the back of it and added a brooch bar.
I think we will be starting new projects tonight
I'm looking forward to it :)

Little stitches

Working on my A~Z tags has really got me itching to make more use of all these lovely stitches that I am working my way through ... of all the things I do,

 I still find hand embroidery the most enjoyable, satisfying and rewarding,

little glimpses of what I'm working on at the moment

dwelling

living

 growing

 there is something quite unique in that feeling of watching the thread run its way through the fabric taking its place in order with the next ....