Wednesday 22 August 2012

Love Heart Pin Cushion

I have been brewing a little idea about how to make and present a pretty pin cushion. This is partly in response to the fact that I don't have one yet (or at least I didn't until now!) So when I decided that I wanted to try the TAST (Take a Stitch Tuesday) Challenge from pintangle.com I thought I would combine the two ideas.

The TAST challenge, challenges you to try a new stitch, and there is a chance to get involved each week. This week is the Linked Double Chain stitch. It provides an unusual effect and I really liked the way that it created an element of texture to the piece - especially with my uneven stitching!

The first stage of the project

With the linked double chain stitches, I kept them quite narrow, which meant that it is more the weight of the stitches that shows rather than the shape of the chain. I should try again giving myself more space, but for this project, I enjoyed the texture and the handcrafted feel that this gave.

As I was getting excited about texture, I decided to finish it off with my other new skill - french knots. Lots of! 
The finished motif
I chose an ombre pattern with my french knots, I don't mind admitting that I got knotted up all over the place doing these knots, front and back of the fabric and everywhere I didn't want the knots to be. But we got there in the end! And now I have a lovely new pin cushion:

The finished article
I mounted it on a glass bowl, I think the whole lot looks like a fancy ice cream!

God bless,

Naomi
xx

P.s. If you are in London anytime soon, pop down to the crypt at St Martin in the Fields, where there is a wonderful exhibition of embroidery created to celebrate the Olympics and Paralympics by members of the Embroiderers Guild. I loved it and found lots of great ideas there.


2 comments:

  1. welcome to TAST Naomi! your little heart of double link chain is beautiful - and I love the french knots filling them in! and yes, mounted in a glass bowl it looks like a sweet ice cream ! well done!

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  2. You know what? The french knots really make this beautiful! The red, pink and white are perfect!
    xoxo- Julie

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