Tag Archives: Needlebook

A simple needlebook

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Remember I said two of the Guildhouse models still had to be made into a needlebook? Well, I decided to do the little stitching that needed to be done before treating myself to my pink alternative version of the course’s first project. I wanted this needlebook to be very simple, with as little stitching as possible, so I’ve been experimenting in the hope that it wouldn’t go so desperately wrong that I’d have to stitch the models again!

First step: work a rectangle around the Hardanger motifs in double running stitch (the picture shows backstitch, which with hindsight is too bulky). Then cut two tiny squares of felt which will only just cover the holes and Kloster blocks and place them on the back. Next, iron a rectangle of iron-on interfacing on the back of your stitching, covering and securing the felt and staying inside the stitched outline. Cut around the running stitch, about four blocks away from it. You now have something looking like the pictures below – as you can see, I used two different colours of felt.

A backstitch rectangle around the two Hardanger motifs Iron Vilene on the back, covering the felt and staying inside the outline

Fold the rectangle double to make a “booklet” and iron the fold flat. Cut two or three rectangular pieces of felt a little smaller than the cover, place them inside and make a spine by working double running stitch down the middle of the book, going through all layers (the cover and the felt). Fray the edges up to the backstitched line if you wish. Ta-da! A needlebook. And I won’t have to stitch the models again *phew*.

Fold into a booklet and iron the fold flat Sew two or three rectangles of felt in place with double running stitch down the spine, and fray the edge Front of the needlebook Back of the needlebook

Having finished the needlebook I could work on my dusky pink Guildhouse variation with a clear conscience. Using perle #5 on 28ct is quite chunky, but I think it looks nice and plump, and I may well use that combination again. I once bought a kit (a very pretty one which I really enjoyed from Victoria Sampler’s Beyond Cross Stitch series) which used perle #8 and #12 on 28ct; because it was white-on-white the coverage was OK, and it looked very delicate, but anything where the fabric and thread are different colours I’d probably opt for #5 and #8.

The design I’m working on at the moment has no cutting at all so it’s just Kloster blocks and satin stitch, which is very relaxing and quite quick too! The colours I’m using are from DMC’s dusky pink range, 225, 223 and 221 to be precise. I just wish DMC 221 came in #8, but 223 is as dark as they go, so I’m going to have to order a ball of Anchor 896, which the New Stitches thread converter assures me is very much like DMC 3721, a relatively dark shade from that same dusky pink series. Oh dear, what a chore, I’ll have to go stash shopping …

Needlebook thoughts and Happy Hour revisited

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A while ago I finished the last two models for the first Guildhouse course. Well, they are two halves of one model, really – two small, simple squares to practice cutting, dove’s eyes and square filets. But as the course is for “refreshers” as well as for beginners, I did want to add a little twist so it wouldn’t be boring for those who had done all this before. So I decided to add a bit of bling. The students can decide whether to have the metallic thread only in the borders, or for some of the filling stitches as well.

Basic Hardanger (with gold) for the Guildhouse course

The reason I stitched the two together is because I thought they might make rather a pretty needlebook; but as we won’t be turning it into one in class, I need a simple method which I can explain in a few lines so anyone who wants to can turn their project into a needlebook at home. Nothing too complicated with whipstitched edges, then, and preferably a method that needs hand sewing only. I’m leaning towards a double running stitch edge, backed with Vilene inside the backstitch line with some coloured felt sandwiched between, and then just cut and fray and sew in some felt pages with double running stitch down the spine. I’ll let you know how it turns out!

Some of you may remember that I wrote a number of posts about how designs got their names; one of them was about Kaleidoscope, which started out life as Happy Hour because the four designs were meant to provide a happy hour’s stitching (if you’re a very quick stitcher …) and then be made into coasters. However, they got renamed and so I was left with a name without a design to go with it. This is not as unusual or as odd as it sounds; in my Notes folder there is a list of names which I hope will one day lead to a design. Last week, the time was finally ripe for Happy Hour.

Why? Because last week Tracy sent me those beautiful Cottage Garden threads. I wanted to do something with them, now – well, very soon, anyway. But what? I could use them for one of the Stitch-Along months, as I’m stitching them all again for the SAL blog using speciality threads, but that didn’t seem quite right. They should have a new design of their own! Something small and simple that would show off the threads. Something like Kaleidoscope … four small designs … lots of satin stitch but also some other stitches for variety … two colours each … why not use a different brand of hand-dyed perle for each one? … but Cottage Garden only comes in #8 and #12, so do two of them on 28ct? … and not much cutting, with the option of not cutting at all … Happy Hour was taking shape! You’ll have to wait and see what threads and colours I eventually decided on, but here is a small peek at what the foursome will look like:

Happy Hour