Beaded cretan stitch flower

This week’s TAST challenge is Cretan stitch.For more details, please click here.I’d tried this stitch before to embroider flowers and leaves.But, today I’m going to experiment it with beads.To understand this better, please learn the basic cretan stitch.

This flower design is my own creation.You are not allowed to copy the tutorial and produce it as your own whether on print or electronic media, on your blog or youtube channels.You are allowed to show the finished work but please link back to this page for the tutorial.

I began with 3 beads.One bead has to be fixed at the tip of the petal and the rest at the left (the number of beads depends on the width of the area).Look at the position of the needle and beads.Wrap the thread under the needle and pull through.

This is the right hand side of the petal (2 beads here and for the remaining rows).Alternate between left and right.

End the stitch with one bead, at the base.So, the basic thing here is one bead at the tip, one at the base and for the rest, depending on the width.

The completed flower looks like this.The same method can be used to embroider leaves (use green coloured thread).

Aari embroidery

These are some of the aari embroidery works done by Anita of artisticfingers.

She has put together a seven-part tutorial on aari work.Those of you interested in learning this embroidery, please click the following links:

http://artisticfingers.blogspot.com/2011/10/indian-embroidery-aari-embroidery_13.html

http://artisticfingers.blogspot.com/2011/10/aari-embroidery-2-fabric.html

http://artisticfingers.blogspot.com/2011/10/aari-embroidery-part-3.html

http://artisticfingers.blogspot.com/2011/11/aari-embroidery-part-4.html

http://artisticfingers.blogspot.com/2011/11/aari-embroidery-part-5.html

http://artisticfingers.blogspot.com/2011/11/aari-embroidery-part-6.html

http://artisticfingers.blogspot.com/2011/11/aari-embroidery-part-7.html

If you have any interesting articles/tutorials related to embroidery on your blog, I would be more than happy to feature them here.Happy stitching!

Peacock design

Hi everyone!This is my first post of this year.Thanks for all your comments, suggestions etc.I’m sorry for the delay in publishing your comments because I don’t surf the internet daily and sometimes there are other reasons, mainly:

a)Personal problems

b)Technical problems-something happening to my PC.

First, there was this virus problem.Then, the anti-virus corrected itself.Maybe because a few days earlier, I uninstalled many programs and cleaned the system.Last week, the monitor wasn’t working ( my PC is quite old.While most of you own laptops and flat monitors, mine is the box-type.Since I live on a tight budget, I have no plans to replace it yet).It had happened before but after I pulled out and plugged in back the wires it would work, but not last week.Finally, I gave up and was planning to call the technician.On Wednesday night, I gave it one last try and like a miracle-the system was working again!My son was jumping up and down with joy.Scared of losing it again, the first thing I did was to log into my BLOGGER account and there were a few comments needed to be published.So, sorry for the delay.

This year, I’ve decided to join Sharon’s TAST(Take A Stitch Tuesday) 2012 challenge.I doubt whether I could keep up with others but it’s worth trying.Our first challenge is fly stitch.Please click here for her link.Since I’d done a few posts on this stitch, I just had to comment and leave my links.But before this, I’d already stitched a peacock using fly stitch.This peacock can be embroidered on anything – T-shirts, jeans,sarees, dresses….and it’s quite easy to stitch.

Draw a 5cm horizontal line.Then, draw a 3cm vertical line from the middle of the previous line.Sew some sequins on the vertical line to form a peacock’s head and body.The sequins on the fourth row overlap each other.The neck should be a bit tilted.Embroider the peacock’s beak, legs and crest (is it what it’s called?).

For the tail, position the sequins as shown and sew them onto the fabric.

For the tail feathers, I’d decided to use fly stitch.As I embroidered, I realized that I didn’t have to draw the straight lines of the tail.While working the fly stitch, you could use the thread itself as a guide to get a straight line to the body of the peacock.Use sequins that match the colour of your fabric.The choice of thread is yours.After completing this, I realized that the beak and crest should had been stitched with a different coloured thread.

Side-view carnation

Please follow these instructions to embroider a carnation, seen from the side.The thread used is pearl cotton no:8.

This flower design is my own creation.You are not allowed to copy the tutorial and produce it as your own whether on print or electronic media, on your blog or youtube channels.You are allowed to show the finished work but please link back to this page for the tutorial.

Embroider a serrated-edged (zig-zag) buttonhole/blanket stitch petal as shown.

Work 2 more layers of zig-zag stitches (total 3 layers).

With 2 strands of thread, work buttonhole knots on the 3 layers.

Gather the buttonhole/blanket stitch petal and embroider satin stitch, done from top to bottom to form a calyx.

Buttonhole-knot carnation

Everytime I tried to embroider a carnation, it would end up looking like a rose.So, after a few trials and errors, I came up with the method shown below.

This flower design is my own creation.You are not allowed to copy the tutorial and produce it as your own whether on print or electronic media, on your blog or youtube channels.You are allowed to show the finished work but please link back to this page for the tutorial.

In a circle, draw a spiralling line from the center to the top.Work zig-zag/serrated stitches on the line.

Fill the stitches with buttonhole knots starting from the center to the top.This is how the flower looks like.Since this is done with the 6-strand thread, the petals look too thick for a carnation.Satisfied with this method, I proceeded to try this with pearl cotton no:8 thread.

This is the result.The circle is 2.5cm in diameter.2 strands were used for the buttonhole knots.The spiral line should be made closer compared to the one using the 6-strand thread (more layers).For easy stitching, push down the petals done in the previous line so that the zig-zag stitches could be seen.

In my next post, I will show you how to embroider a carnation, seen from the side.

Free ribbon embroidery pattern 1

After I published my last post, I realized that some computer viruses managed to creep into my PC and paralyzing the anti-virus.Since then, I’ve stopped surfing the internet and only occasionally log in into my BLOGGER account.My PC is now unprotected, so I haven’t decided whether to continue posting or wait till the problem is solved and since the anti-virus licence only expires in March, I am putting off calling the technician so that I won’t have to pay him twice.What I miss the most is visiting other blogs.I promise, I will catch up with you all after the problem has been fixed.

I would like to share with you a ribbon embroidery pattern that I’ve done.

The basket is stitched using beads.Then, I made the spiderweb roses.The leaves are lazy daisy/detached chain stitches.Lastly, I made the 5-petal flowers.

This is the close-up of the basket.

To learn all the stitches and flowers, please go to Carol’s wonderful blog.Please click here for the link.

Happy stitching!

Kamal kadai leaf

I love anything that got to do with weaving.That’s why I love kamal kadai embroidery method.Although I’ve learnt this technique many years ago, only through Deepa’s blog that I found its name.She has given a tutorial on how to embroider kamal kadai flower.Lakshmi has also given a detailed explanation on this method and the threads used.Please click here for her link.

I’ve seen designs which use the same method for leaves, as well.But, since the flower made with this method has a flat tip, I feel it’s not suitable for a leaf.You could try the method shown below to embroider a kamal kadai leaf.

This leaf design is my own creation.You are not allowed to copy the tutorial and produce it as your own whether on print or electronic media, on your blog or youtube channels.You are allowed to show the finished work but please link back to this page for the tutorial.

This is the template of my leaf.

Bring out the needle at B.Pull through.Enter at D and come up at C.Wrap the thread under the needle and pull through.Enter at A (one fly stitch made).

Work another fly stitch connecting D, E, F, A.

The right side of the leaf is done in the same manner.

Embroider straight stitches  at AB, AF and the right side.

Starting from the base, start weaving the leaf.Use the needle to push down the thread as you weave and don’t pull the thread too tight.

Weave all the way to the tip, leaving the 4 pointed tips at the left and right.

Weave the pointed tips separately.This leaf is quite big.

I.ve made a smaller one, here.

If you’ve embroidered any designs based on kamal kadai technique, I would love to see them.Please give a description and leave the link to your post so that other readers could view them, as well.Happy stitching!