Elizabethan Pin Cushion and Needlebook Finished

I finished the Pin Cushion last night but wanted to wait to take the pics till the sun was up! I am really happy with how this turned out. Since all of the hexes except the top one is lined with plastic it made for a very difficult finishing. Yes, I have a hole in my finger from pushing the needle through but I think it was worth it.There was a few moments there that I was worried that it wouldn't line up at the end. Next one like this that I make will have a different kind of plastic or interfacing or something so the sewing is a bit easier. All in all it is very pretty!

And here is the Needlebook all finished. I am not really happy with how the pages went in as they are not perfectly spaced or centered and they didn't line up on the outer edge and so I had to trim them to match BUT it is only for my use and so as long as it's functional that's really all that matters. I just have to finish the labels for the pages and sew those to the felt and then I can fill it up! Yeah! 

This is also my two finishes for this months WIPocalypse update. Unfortunately I have no clue what I want to start on next or if I want to work on anything started. I do know I am not in the mood for cross stitch today....Maybe tomorrow will be different!

The Process Of Wearing A Hole In you Finger!

Yes I how have a hole in my middle finger from pushing the needle through these hexes! They are laced onto the plastic base hex and then ladder stitched together, then couched with gold trim. I think it is going to turn out bigger than I thought it was...the books measurements are in metric and I am not so good at judging the size of things based on cm.

Here are the pics so far! I will be so happy when all the couching is finished, but it does add alot to the design!

Final Three Side Hexes Completed

Bronge Borage Hex

Thistle Hex

Carnation Hex

I finally finished the sides and now to figure out the top. It says to do needle lace roses but I am just no good at the Single Brussels stitch which is used. I am thinking of do a Stumpwork Rose instead. Or possibly a little Stumpwork Bee.......


I will be taking photos of the construction since it is kinda unique in the way it's put together. I am looking forward to cutting all of these out! They are all sewn together by hand which I enjoy.

Hex Three Complete

I finished this one and now it's onto the Bronze Borage Hex.....

Elizabethan Embroidery Pincushion

Blue Borage Hex

Here is one of the projects from the book " Elizabethan Needlework Accessories" by Sheila Marshall. It the Pin Cushion that is made from eight hexagons. Each of the six sides is embroidered with a flower with an outline in gold. I am finished with two of the sides and started on the Strawberry sections.

Pansy Hex

Most of the stitches used in this are basic embroidery stitches, couching, satin making up the bulk of the design. Along with some beads on each one they move along really fast. I should have the sides finished early next week and hope to get some good up close pics when the sun is out!

Strawberry Hex

Completed Embroidery on Butterfly

Close Up of Butterfly

I finally finished putting on the last few beads and pailettes. She is all done and ready to be sewn into the needle book. I was debating sewing it together by hand but I think the quickness of the sewing machine is going to win out. I let my husband use a water soluble pen and do the writing on it for me. I was just too lazy to print off and transfer something and anyone who has seen my hand writing knows why I didn't do the writing myself!

Finished Embroidery

This is more of the true colors

I'm not sure what I want to work on next but I am pretty sure it will be something embroidered! 

Embroidery! It's fun!

Yes, I am enjoying this butterfly so much I am going a little crazy! I am at an impasse with the flowers on the wings and a good filling stitch for this new area of the wing I just outlined..... I'm not sure I want these flowers to be yellow???? And not really sure about what stitch to fill in this section on the wing (outlined in stem stitch with a Silk n' Colors)  What do you guys think????

Embroidered Butterfly Update

I don't think I mentioned why I was making this! I need a large multi-page needle book since we are going to be moving soon and some of my things will need to remain in boxes for a while so I need one large enough to hold every type of needle I own! (It's alot!) So this will end up being about 4 x 6 x 1 when finished and have about ten pages for my needles. The Butterfly is about a quarter of the way finished and I am looking forward to the finishing but I am moving on to Happy ever after for the final page up the right hand side first. I haven't embroidered in awhile and I am wearing a hole through my finger from non practice!

Yet Another New Start!

needed something a little different to work on besides just HAED's so I decided on a Needlebook since yesterday was the Festival of Broken Needles.   Inspired be a butterfly I saw in one of my Inspirations magazines I went in search of an Owl to stitch but ended up with different Butterfly!