embroidery – Stacey Stitch

Embroidery: Christmas Table Crafting

Published on December 28, 2014 by Stacey Stitch4 Comments

Hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas Day! Here are a few pics of my table cloth and napkin embroidery (which I finally finished on the 23rd – phew!). All patterns are from the excellent Doodle Stitching the Holiday Motif Collection book, which is really great value for money for anyone who likes to embroider for occasions.

It feels odd to think it’s all over and done with now, but I am looking forward to a new year full of sewing and craftiness and fun. Wishing you all the best in 2015 from Stitch Towers.

Simplicity 2602: The Christmas Edition

Published on December 23, 2014 by Stacey Stitch12 Comments

Christmas eve is almost upon us and here I have a festive feast for your eyes.

The Simplicity 2602 all made up and worn for my work Christmas party (and soon to be seen on Christmas Day!).

I know I’ve been a bit slack on the stitching over the recent months but I have fantastic news to share, I’ve been making changes to my life and will be starting a new post in my current job in the new year. It’s the perfect way to round of what has been a wonderful year.

That’s the main reason for the lack of updates and besides that I decided to literally work my butt off after I found myself in a position where I couldn’t fit into my beautiful pink boned dress that I made back in June. I’ve been working out day and night and haven’t been in this good shape for years, but enough of that, lets get on with this fantastically festive frock!

I have to confess that I made the choice based on something quick to whip up (relatively speaking) and the lack of messing about with sleeves when I knew how busy I’d be in the weeks running up to the date I needed to finish by.

I picked a medium weight cotton from Benartex (Let It Snow) available from Plush Addict. I went for a good 4 metres and I was very happy in the end that I did.

I pinned out the pattern and up came a quandary, mainly that the pattern doesn’t repeat itself often enough.

It meant a lot of pinning and re-pinning before cutting and I had to deal with the sides seams not matching (I decided the back was much more important due to the side closure and the split).

So after holding my breath and cutting while crossing my fingers and every available part of me (I don’t often sewing with patterned fabric!) it was done.

I pinned the darts and pinned to my dressform and was already very happy before I even started to sew it up. Sewing was relatively easy apart from the back, which I had managed to get a tiny bit out of sync.

Yet again my seam ripper became my best friend and I opted to sewing on the fold down the back rather than try (for the umpteenth time) to match the seam.

I don’t think you could obviously see it due to the pattern but decided even if you could I’d give myself a break and not give too much of a monkeys.

So on I went, and the rest was relatively easy, the split was a breeze and the side zip went in with ease. It seems that a break away for a while has done me some good. Eight and a half hours later and I was done, pressed and ready to go.

I wore at the office party, looking way more dressed up than everyone there BUT it’s Christmas and if you can’t wear a lovely sparkly dress for a party what can you wear it for? Here it is in all it’as glory!

Better photos to follow after Christmas day – wait until you see my hand embroidered napkins and table cloth!

Wishing you all a fantastic festive season, a wonderful Christmas Day and much love and happiness with your friends and family. I’m off to ice my ridiculously boozy cake!

Merry Christmas!

Embroidery: Wild Olive Spring Stitching Project Quilt

Published on July 26, 2014 by Stacey StitchLeave a comment

I’ve been a huge fan of Wild Olive for years and have downloaded (and embroidered) a fair few of the free patterns but this year I decided to give her Spring Stitching Club a go. It was a very important little chap’s first birthday coming up and when I saw the preview of the club I just knew that I had to start this project for Noah.

In total this project has taken me around four months and it has had to have been very hush hush because I really wanted it to be a surprise, hence the lack of posts and updates. There might have been a few days where here and there I’ve posted a hexagon on my Instagram but nothing massive.

It was fun to make but not leaving myself a good and proper few weeks at the end and the amount of hand sewing it took to do meant that even the day before I was up at the crack of dawn getting it finished. But boy oh boy when I finally did, I was so happy with how it came out. Hopefully it’ll be something that will bring comfort and joy for many a year to come. My only regret is that some of he edges weren’t as well finished as I would have liked, but you live and learn and the Strong family were very pleased.

Oh and we even made Noah’s cake (baked by me, decorated by Tim).

We had the best time at his birthday party and I can;t quite believe that this little ray of sunshine is one already, where did the last year go?! Happy Birthday Noah!

Wee Little Stitches: Tim the Enchanter & Scrambling for Tim’s Birthday

Published on May 21, 2014May 21, 2014 by Stacey Stitch1 Comment

One of the first things I said when I was first introduced to my future husband 12 years ago was “there are some who call me…….Tiiiiiiiim?”, which of course I thought was hilarious.

No one else really got it, apart from Tim of course.

So it seemed only fitting that I made him a little cross stitch Tim the Enchanter using a Wee Little Stitches pattern.

If you’re not au fait with Monty Python see the clip below:

He was made up with it.

On Sunday, after brekkie and card/present opening we went off to Yorkshire and I climbed up a waterfall.

I am usually such a scaredy-cat when it comes to things like this BUT I am trying my best to be more brave, as if there ever will be a little one of us running about I really don’t want to pass my silly irrational fears onto them.

So off I scrambled and I felt all sorts of fear, but conquer it I did, and up the waterfall I went.

A few pics from our aventures below. Happy Birthday to my lovely, wonderful soul-mate Timothy

Happy birthday Tim – I was all brave for you! Xx

PLEASE VOTE FOR ME- 9 DAYS TO GO

It’s really close, if I don’t get into the top three my blog won’t be considered.

Every vote, even one really makes all of the difference!

If you liked this blog please vote for me in the NVAs as I’ve been nominated under the Best Vintage Fashion/Lifestyle Blog category. Voting is open throughout May and it’s a simple click to select Stacey Stitch and then enter your email address to confirm the vote (you wont be spammed). Clicking on the photo or links above should take you straight to the website. It’ll only take a few minutes of your time if you have it spare! Thank you!

Sew-Inspiring: My Nana Turns 90

Published on May 21, 2014 by Stacey Stitch9 Comments

I do believe I have mentioned my Nana before but I really feel like she deserves to be mentioned a little more. My Nana turned 90 at the weekend and we went up to Sunderland for a gathering at her house to celebrate together, it was quite the turn out, with many of us sitting in the garden as the living room was packed.

My Nana and Granda brought me up when my folks divorced and I lived with them from age 1 to 7. They were the best parents a little girl could wish for; loving, kind, funny and always with plenty of time for us.

When I moved back in with the parentals in later years I still spent a lot of time with the Grandfolkage, there were the weeks I spent with them in summer and long weekends in the School holidays.

I think my love of vintage probably stems from having a quite an old fashioned upbringing in a lot of respects. I have a fondness for musicals and old films that stems from watching them with my Nana and Granda in the holidays. I distinctly remember begging my Nana to let me watch Gone With the Wind when I was 12 or so years old and being amazed at it, in all of it’s 238 minute glory.

My Nana is the reason for all of this, including this blog. I remember her teaching me how to knit when I was very young (hand knitting is still not my forte!) and she taught me to embroider and hand sew.

My holidays with them were not complete without my Nana taking me off to Newcastle to the craft shops for some craft kit of some kind.

I think she noticed in me at a young age that while I loved reading I wasn’t particularly academic (my dyslexia was never diagnosed at school – even thought I was tested) and so she encouraged me to make things and that’s where my passion ignited.

There isn’t only this I have to thank her for though. I have to thank her for everything; for her and Granda giving up a lot of their retirement to look after me and my sisters, for doing without so we could have things, for making me clothes and party dresses for School, for giving me unconditional and endless love, for teaching me to be kind, considerate and loving and being able to find the light when things seem dark, for being the strong, no-nonsense tough as old boots woman she is but with the kindest loving heart, for showing me that no matter what life throws at you, you should dust yourself off and get on with it.

So Happy 90^th Birthday Nana & lots of love, you’re my sewing inspiration.

I hope to one day be as good as you are, in many, many ways xx

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Wee Little Stitches: Dumbledore

Published on April 9, 2014April 9, 2014 by Stacey Stitch3 Comments

If you haven’t seen the lovely designs from Wee Little Stitches where have you been? The’re a perfect mix of geek and cross stitch and I absolutely adore them.

When I found out my friend was expecting and I saw their fantastic Dumbledore pattern I just knew I had to make it as a present. Harry Potter is something that is very close to both of us and we have shared experiences of, we lived together for a while and we queued up to get our books at the midnight openings in Waterstones then raced to finsih them at home.

I think the quote says it all really. Congratulations Gillibrands can’t wait til your over from Aus so I can meet the ankle-biter, massive loves and fan hands 😀