Prior to and during my break from blogging, I was inspired to take up a form of needlework I hadn’t spent much time with: embroidery. Between this lady’s cute pin ups she’s been working on, and my love of vintage embroidery transfers, it was only a matter of time before the stars aligned and the siren call of creative exploration could be resisted no longer.

Let me just say: I’m head over heels in love.

I dare say that embroidery will be somewhat like knitting and crochet for me: a craft I take up off and on to occupy my hands in the evenings and at odd moments. It’s not at all like sewing or knitting (and crochet) for me though: my brain isn’t as engaged as it would be with the other crafts. When embroidering I fall into the zen-like state I remember being so pleasant when I used to paint. It’s quiet and allows me to just enjoy the process, colors and design. Sure, there is a technical aspect to it (as with painting), but it’s more about creating art than precisely following directions.

Funnily enough SH thinks this newfound mania is rather amusing, and keeps watching me while I stitch each evening with sidelong glances. I think the lack of utility about embroidery (as opposed to sewing or knitting) is what confounds him—it just doesn’t seem as practical as most of my handcrafts; it’s far more decorative. Though I did assure him that if I become confident enough in my stitchery, this could be used for making Christmas gifts for the mothers (just forget I said that if you’re reading this, Mom!). A good use, I think!

The first piece I stitched up was the little sailor on a hand towel. (Pattern here.) It’s currently gracing the front of the oven in our kitchen and making things look a bit more cheerful (and breaking up the beige…). I also started on a pretty 40s “southern belle” last week as well (pattern here). She’s going much more slowly, but I’m having a great time on this. I’m just stitching her on a piece of cotton, which I plan on framing for the guest bathroom once it’s done. Or maybe she’ll go near my sewing space? I don’t know!

Do you embroider? What sorts of items do you like to embroider on? Clothes? Household things? Pieces for framing? Paper?

Don’t forget the giveaway for the vintage Dritz bound buttonhole tool ends this evening!

With the restriction on clothing items for this month (plus a few other projects I’m working on that are taking up sewing time), I’ve become interested in creating my own accessories. I’ve dabbled here and there with jewelry making, but am by no means proficient or consistent about it. The box of supplies comes out only when I am struck by an idea or see a tutorial that appeals; which I don’t usually go looking for, so it rarely happens. Over the weekend I found a series of tutorials for jewelry making that I became quite excited about: a large selection of tutorials for Anthropologie-inspired pieces. I don’t know about you, but the accessories at Anthropologie are often what catch my eye when I’m in the store, but rarely fit my budget. So the idea of making my own versions is quite appealing!

I picked out this necklace to make Sunday afternoon, since I had all the supplies on hand. I varied the design a bit to suit my own aesthetics though; I do prefer a bit more simple pieces of jewelry devoid of things that are too “twee” for my own tastes. (I find these details darling until I put them on, and decide I just don’t like them on me! So frustrating! lol.) So mine is pared down and also has the twill tape necklace swapped out for a simple chain. For the “ribbon” to string the wood beads on I found a bit of vintage bias binding with a sweet floral print. It gets a bit lost, but the subtle difference in colors at the knot points mixes things up.

I’d really like to make a couple other Anthropologie-inspired pieces, as well as this darling flag bunting necklace I spotted on another blog (I’ve got some leather scraps and paint lying around…). I think maybe a foray into earring-making might be in order as well; I really do not have a lot of earrings at all. Which is getting a bit frustrating as my necklace and brooch collection continues to grow, but I’m stuck with the same 10 pairs of earrings I’ve had for years! (Guess that shows you where my accessory-buying priorities lie.)

Do you have any favorite resources for jewelry making? Tutorials that tickle your fancy? Pieces that you’ve crafted up yourself?

Besides dress refashions, I have lately been on a bit of an accessory-making binge. They’ve proved to be the perfect things to squeeze in on rainy evenings or pick up while we’re watching a movie (since I tend to get fidgety). Plus there have been plenty of little projects popping up ’round the blogsphere that have begged me to make them!

First up is a necklace crafted using Tilly’s tutorial. I knew as soon as I saw her guest post, I had to make myself one. But instead of a complete fabric necklace, I decided to attach it to a length of chain. A sort of mixed-media look done by simply stitching the edges of the fabric tube to large rings, and then attaching those to jump rings and then the chain. The floral fabric is scraps (leftover from cutting out) of this dress.

Did you see all the lovely posts Charlotte had for her jewelry theme last week? This little 1950s style pin is one of the projects she posted, and as luck would have it I had all the supplies on hand! I love how it turned out; so adorable (and perfect for springtime showers, no?). It’s one of those novelty style pieces that I love to wear. Can’t go wrong with red and white stripes either!

Last, but not least, is a hat I made using Lauren’s 30s sporty toppers pattern (view 3). I took the time to make a muslin mockup, and I’m glad I did because I made a couple tweaks before cutting out the linen (a medium weight, slightly stiff weave that I’ve had in the stash for years). The way the white linen pops is something that drew me to it and the idea of making a white hat (which may be the most foolish thing I’ve ever done, knowing my klutzy ways!). The ribbon is a gorgeous 40s plaid rayon ribbon I bought last year on Etsy; I absolutely adore the colors!

The pattern was a dream to work with; it went together quite easily and wasn’t confusing at all. Which was my chief fear since hatmaking is something I’m still learning about. The only changes I made were to reduce the peak of the crown a teeny bit and interface the brim (I also lined the hat as was an option for this view). I found this really helped keep it from flopping awkwardly and gave it a crisp line. I’m thinking about making the sunhat view a bit later in the season from a snappy print!

[ earrings made with two long shells and random pearls and beads. ]

I’m a bit nautical-crazy lately, it would seem. Between the rope belt I made*, the seahorse necklace procured at Target, and the seashell jewelry I’ve been working on, I dare say that all things ocean-related have become a bit of a preoccupation! The jewelry making started after we visited the beach while my sister was visiting. We were actually hunting for shark’s teeth, but I’m rubbish at that, so I stared gathering shells instead! I found some really gorgeous specimens–far better and more delicate than anything I ever found on the Mid Atlantic beaches.

So far I’ve made a necklace and set of earrings, using just bits and pieces that I had lying around (beads from old necklaces, chain from thrifted pieces). As with most of my jewelry making projects, I referred to my favorite book on the subject: Bead Simple. Without that book I would have never figured out how to make jewelry properly! I think I really need to get some more beads to add to my stash though; I have been using these pearls for ages, and I’m getting kind of tired of 75% of my self-made jewelry having pearls. lol. Maybe I can find some neat necklaces to take apart at the thrift store? Hmm…

[ a necklace with a bit of a surprise! isn't the shell beautiful? I've never seen anything quite this pretty on the beach before! ]

Some tips on making jewelry with shells that I picked up along the way… Although most recommend using a Dremel tool to drill holes (and this would be useful for thicker shells), I used a bead reamer (found at JoAnns), which worked perfectly. For those not familiar with it (I had no idea what it was beforehand!), it’s an awl-like tool that has a rough point used to smooth the inside of beads. With a little gentle pressure, I found it worked in a pinch. I also did a little research and it seems that spray finish works great for keeping the shells nice and shiny and protecting them. I still haven’t done this with mine, but need to so they don’t discolor (or break as easily, I suspect).

*Thank you everyone so much for the feedback on the rope belt I’ve been posting about! I’m really tickled you all liked it. I would like to do a tutorial on how I made it, as it’s pretty simple and requires few tools (plus I want to remake it anyway). So I’m adding that to my Tutorials to Write list, and hopefully it won’t be too long!

[ these are terribly addictive to make one right after the other... ]

I have recently discovered the joy addiction of making buttons covered in crochet. Credit goes to this .pdf of the essential 1940s Make and Mend for Victory booklet (a big thanks to Susannah for generously scanning and sharing this!) for spurring me on to take up my crochet hook again. It’s been years since I’ve used a crochet hook for anything other than finishing a knit garment, but it didn’t take long for me to get in the rhythm of making these! They’re addictive. Not to mention pretty darn cute and oh so vintage!

[ a vintage dress with crochet buttons. ]

[ the entire vintage dress, picked up at a flea market a couple years ago. ]

I’ve always loved the look of crochet embellished buttons on vintage garments (such as the frock above), but being largely crochet-ignorant, I had no idea how to go about it. It’s one of those lovely details that make vintage pieces special–you just don’t see them on modern garments! But I’m excited I finally have instructions on how to make some–I think perhaps they might be just the thing for a project down the line, don’t you think? Now if only I could find some other vintage patterns for crochet buttons–just to add a bit of variation!