Link - Gingham Embroidery Booklet

I love vintage needlework books! I recently found a link to a small booklet by Coats and Clark on gingham embroidery. The booklet gives directions for four embroidery stitches: cross-stitch, herringbone stitch, lazy-daisy stitch, and the french knot stitch. There are pages of project ideas for each stitch as well. The booklet was written for youth, but everyone can benefit from the simple instructions and fun project ideas. Renee, on her blog at My Vintage Mending, has saved each page of the booklet as a jpg image. I just recreated and printed out the little booklet as a resource for Abigail’s hope chest. Here is a second leaflet by Coats and Clark with patterns for cross-stitch on gingham embroidery.

If you haven’t tried gingham embroidery, I hope you will. It is so fun, especially for beginning stitchers! The woven checked gingham provides a natural guide for working the cross-stitch and many other embroidery stitches. Sometimes I have a hard time making a nice, straight feather stitch, for instance. The herringbone stitch, likewise, is difficult to make even and straight. On gingham, however, these stitches are easy! All the designs and stitches will be larger or smaller depending on the size of the gingham squares. Almost anything that can be made from checked gingham fabric can be embroidered with a suitable cross stitch design. An easy hope chest project might be a set of hot pads or snack napkins, a bread cloth or bun warmer, curtains, an apron, or a pretty band to trim a towel.

Another Freebie!

I just found a link to a beautiful new e-mag, published by Homestead Drying Racks. I immediately wanted to share it with all of you who are as interested in self-sufficiency as I am. The Homestead Community Post is available as a free download, for a limited time. It covers many topics related to homesteading and provident living. Don't miss it!

To promote their new magazine, as well as the other products they carry, Homestead Drying Racks is sponsoring a big giveaway as well. You can join in by following this link to the giveaway.

Knitted "Plarn" Dish Scrubbies - A Link

Miss Abigail and I bumped over the muddy ruts today for an important practice competition in anticipation of her robotic tournament at the end of the month. She has been on a team associated with First Lego League. Building and programming robots is sooooooo different from what she usually is involved in. The experience has been really good for her in a number of ways, but I digress. Robots are a long way from hope chests.

Although I didn't intend to post today, we did stop at the library to check on things. I follow the blog of a lovely young woman who is working on her hope chest. Hannah (These Little Hands) has a very interesting post describing how to knit dish scrubbies with "plarn." I didn't know there was a name for yarn made from the plastic grocery bags! Hannah's post was so interesting and her project is so practical. I know some of you will be interested to check it out. So here is the link. Say hello from me.

Darling Baby "Puff" Quilt - a Link

My first grandchild will be born in just about a month! So I have all things baby on my mind and in my workbasket. I've been crocheting and sewing and embroidering, but do not have anything quite finished. And I am having such fun making my first (of many, I'm sure) Grandma purchases. But here is a link to a darling quilt that one of my very talented daughter-in-laws has made. Sooooo cute. I can just see our sweet baby boy squirming around on it. Take a quick peek...

A Lovely Magazine - a Link

Remembrance Press is the publisher of a beautiful magazine called The Girlhood Home Companion, as well as other resources designed to encourage both mothers and daughters. They are hosting a giveaway this month for a recent print issue of the magazine. Also, Linda Stubbs, has designed a redwork embroidery project to help publicize the giveaway.

I delight in all of Linda's designs and her blog, Prairie Flower Farm and am anxious to get to know her better in an audio interview with Jill Novak, the publisher of The Girlhood Home Companion. So, if you're interested, go here to see what the excitement is about.

I love the term companion; the idea of a loving partner, helper and friend. I want Miss Abigail to have worthy companions, who will encourage her and help her learn. This magazine could be useful to that end.

Quilted Potholders - a Link

This beautiful photo belongs to Miss Susannah at Seven Sisters

And speaking of hotpads, or potholders, in this case, I regularly check up on the Seven Sisters blog. Miss Susannah, has recently posted a great tutorial showing how to make quilted potholders. She often writes a guest post for the Feelin Feminine blog and you can find her tutorial here. Susannah shows three different kinds of pieced quilt blocks, a Morning Star (or Ohio Star), a Pinwheel, and a simple Nine Patch. You will need some sewing skill to accomplish the star and pinwheel blocks, but even beginners can attempt the nine patch.

These potholders are an easy introduction to quilting, at least the piecing part, and are quickly finished. I can attest that finishing a project is important to beginners! If you like to sew, take a quick look at this lovely tutorial.

And speaking of the Feelin Feminine blog, "A Chest of Hopes" is a weekly topic on the blog. You'll want to take a few minutes to look at the previous articles posted under this topic. Here is a link to the topics page.

Link for a Great Hand-Sewing Project

This beautiful photo belongs to http://simplyvintagegirl.com/blog/

I sometimes lurk on a great blog called Raising Homemakers. Several women contribute to this blog, dedicated to helping moms "teach and prepare daughters in the art of homemaking." Believe me, I can use their help. Recently, a post appeared with a darling hand-sewing project called Little Bag Sewing Tutorial. I am always looking for simple (meaning do-able) projects that will help me teach Miss Abigail and give her a way to practice her skills at needlework. I think she will enjoy making one of these useful, pretty little bags. We can always use another way to organize her stuff, even beyond the practice with hand-sewing.

Using a needle can be surprisingly difficult for those who do not have long years of experience! Making small, even stitches can be a challenge. As I have worked with Miss Abigail, I have discovered that she is more willing to try when her efforts produce a practical result. She doesn't like to just sit and practice with nothing to show for it but a line of stitching on fabric. Who would, really? I have had her stitch on a dishtowel, since that produces a useful item for the kitchen. I also have the most beautiful flannel dust cloths! This project will be different and easily do-able. Did you notice the fancy ribbon ties? I would never have thought to add that extra ribbon. So cute.

I'll give Miss Abigail the opportunity to dream up her own design and follow the directions given in the tutorial. I wonder what she will come up with. Thanks to Robin at http://www.resolvedtobe.com/home/ for this wonderful tutorial.