Doodling With Thread - Embroidered Easter Eggs

This half term has been all about using thread to make designs at our sewing clubs.

Our sewing club members have been using stitches to create adorable faces on their bunnies and chicks and we have also been using decorative stitches to add a design to the egg "sleeping bags" that were made for the chicks.

Using thread to embroider a design can be very therapeutic. Today I got carried away with a box of brightly coloured thread and some felt Easter Egg shapes. You can see the result in the picture above. It's also an inexpensive was to add an individual touch to handmade decorations. These are going to have a loop threaded through the top to hang over door handles as decorations this Easter.

Once I got going the designs just grew by themselves and I would highly recommend just sitting down and "doodling" with thread. I was really pleased with the results particularly as I only used very straightforward stitches to get the effects I was looking for. With this in mind I have added a new page to the blog "Super Simple Decorative Stitches" and you can find it in the menu on the right hand side of the home page or by clicking here .

The paisley design is something that I have been meaning to use as a motif on something for ages - so why not an Easter decoration? Paisley doesn't have to be confined to the late 80s as a pattern and I read recently that it's due to make a fashion comeback.

It's a pattern that's been used in art and design since 200AD and originates in Persia where it was known as Boteh Jejheh. It was brought to Europe by the East India company in the 1700s and became know as "Paisley" as the design was used in cloth manufacture in this Scottish town.

Examples of Paisley Pattern

Here's another one I've started. Why not give doodling with thread a go - you never know where it will take you.

Reverse Applique - Floral Fabric EAster Egg - Tutorial Number 3

So school is now out for Easter and I have three very excited Easter Bunnies in my home - looking forward to just over two weeks of relaxation, playing with friends as well as numerous days out and visits to and from family and friends and of course the inevitable tonnes of chocolate!

It's two weeks until the big day - time enough to get busy with your needle and make the next in my series of floral fabric Easter Egg designs. This week's technique is reverse applique. It's a really lovely way to bring a touch of colour and pattern to the basic egg design and gives a lovely vintage feel. Here's how to make one:

Step one:

Cut two basic eggs shapes as in tutorial number one. On one of the egg shapes draw and cut out a simple five petal flower shape.

Step two:

Choose a scrap of pretty floral fabric that will cover and slightly overlap the edges of the cut out flower shape. Pin in to place on the back of the felt egg shape and sew around the edge of the flower shape using back-stitch to secure the patterned fabric in to place.

Step three:

Sew one or two buttons on to the centre of the flower shape. Pin the second felt egg shape on to the back and and sew around the edges using blanket stitch or over stitch. Leave a small gap and add a small amount of stuffing to give it depth and then sew up the remaining gap.

Your third felt egg is now complete. The final floral fabric egg tutorial egg will follow next week. In the meantime Happy Easter Hols!

Floral Fabric Easter Egg Tutorial Number 2

So here as promised is the second design for a fabulous Easter decoration. This week my inspiration came in the form of the gorgeous, happy, yellow daffodils which are bringing Springtime cheer in our garden at the moment. Love them!

To make this egg you will need:

2 felt egg shapes, (see last week's post for sizing), 15cm ribbon, 1 orange or yellow button, 1 orange felt circle cut with pinking shears slightly larger in size then the button, 1 yellow daffodil shape approx 5cm x 5cm

Step one:

Pin and sew the ribbon across the centre of one of the felt egg shapes wrapping the ribbon around each side to give a neat edge.

Step two:

Place the daffodil shape in the middle of the ribbon, the orange circle in the middle of the daffodil and the button on top of the felt circle. Sew all three together and through the ribbon and felt egg to attach the daffodil to the egg shape.

Step three:

As in last week's tutorial (click here to view) sew around the outside of the egg leaving a small gap on one side, (I have used blanket stitch for this one), add a small amount of stuffing and sew up the gap.

Ta dah! your gorgeous second Easter decoration is now complete. Number 3 to follow next week.

Sew Fabulous, Easter! - Floral Fabric Easter Egg Tutorial Number 1

After a long and wet Winter, Spring feels like it is just around the corner- hooray! I for one am ready for some sunshine and colour.  There is gorgeous colour bursting through in our garden in the form of blossom, crocuses and Daffodils at the moment. It is a delight to see and whilst it is not quite time to throw open the patio doors and eat outside every day, it is the perfect time of year to bring some gorgeous Spring colour indoors.

Easter is on its way and its time to think about decorative touches here and there that herald this springtime celebration.We have already been thinking ahead to Easter in our school sewing clubs and have been making felt eggs as well as cute little chicks, rabbits and lambs (see the header image).

I am busy designing fabric eggs to decorate our home using different sewing techniques and for the next four weeks until the Easter weekend I shall be adding a new felt & fabric egg tutorial each Sunday. These eggs can be hung individually as decorations on an "Easter Tree" like this one that I made last year.

They will also look gorgeous hung over door handles around the home or make lots and hang them on to springtime coloured ribbon to make Easter Bunting.

So here is the first tutorial - inspired by beautiful spring tulips and using cross stitch, this adorable egg decoration is simple to make and has a gorgeous vintage look.

You will need:

Two felt egg shapes approx 12cm height x 10cm width, 12 count Aida cross stitch fabric approx 4cm X 12cm, embroidery thread, small amount of soft toy filling.

Step one:

Make your cross stitch tulip decoration. To do this I used 12 count Aida, pink and green embroidery thread and a very easy to follow pattern. (You can find the cross stitch pattern at the end of this post).

Four tulips with two squares in-between each one are ideal to place across the egg.

Step two:

Sew the tulip strip on to the front of one of the felt egg shapes using a contrasting coloured thread.

Step three:

Pin the two egg shapes together and sew around the edge using small running stitch. For a colourful decorative touch use a contrasting thread to make this lovely whipped running-stitch. To do this you simply thread the needle under each of the running stitches, wrapping the thread around each as you go. 

Leave a gap of about 5cm. Add a small amount of soft toy filling, just enough to give the egg some depth and then sew up the remaining gap using the same technique.

Ta dah! Your first Floral Fabric Easter Egg is complete. Look out for the second fabulous floral egg tutorial next week.

OK Easter Bunny - Bring It On!

The past week has been truly hectic for a number of reasons. The end of term for Hope & Gloria Sewing Clubs meant overseeing adding the final touches to approximately 200 children's Easter projects to be taken home just in time for the Easter Hols, getting ready for our fabulous Easter Sewing Workshops and also making sure the boys are equipped for the end of term festivities at school - Egg Hunts, raffles and cake sales to name but a few. However, in amongst the chaos of the week has been the thought of the fantastic long weekend ahead when we get to relax, enjoy and spend time with family.

It has finally arrived, but just before it did there was just enough time yesterday to add a a few Easter decorations around the home before the school holidays began.

This Easter garland will greet visitors to our front door over the Easter weekend. The base is made from a willow wreath - one of a few that I bought eighteen months ago with this kind of project in mind. I am delighted to have finally found the time to make it and I am delighted with the results.

I chose bright Spring colours in polka dot and heart patterns for the eggs and a cute yellow ditsy print for the funky chickens.

Both eggs and chickens are very simple to make. The eggs are made by cutting two egg shapes from fabric using pinking shears and adding a simple decoration to the front. I used buttons, bows and felt heart shapes. A small piece of batting was placed in between the two egg shapes and I used a machine to sew around the outside but this could easily be done by hand.

The same technique was used for the chickens but with the addition of a felt beak and head feather placed between the fabric when sewing around the outside.

The shapes are attached by thread stitched through the back of the decoration to remain invisible. I then added brightly coloured large buttons and a gorgeous green spotty ribbon for hanging to match the green polka dot eggs.

In total the project is approximately two hours work.

Here is another Easter idea which takes no time at all to make and looks fun and fab. I found these gorgeous decorations in a half price sale earlier this week at our local garden centre. The twigs, I have to confess, were also bought in the garden centre's flower section as I was feeling too lazy to venture out into our freezing cold garden to find some of my own, but I am sure something similar can be found for this purpose in most gardens.

The twigs were placed in a vase to hopefully keep them looking fresh until Easter Monday and I also added some of my favourite green ribbon to brighten the vase. I then hung my bargain decorations from the twigs and my simple but very cute "Easter Tree" was complete.

So now all that remains is to sit back relax and wait for the arrival of that gorgeous, chocolate delivering Easter Bunny - Happy Easter!

Stitched, Woven and Sewn - Easter Card-Making Ideas For Children

Easter is early this year. Everyone in our family can't help but feel pleased that we only have a four and a half week half term to gallop through and then a two week break - bliss!

On one hand this is great news, on the other it sends me into a bit of a panic as we like any excuse for a get together in our family and tend to embrace Easter as another big event on the family calendar. My side of the family usually joins us for a big lunch followed by an Easter Egg hunt where young and old alike make an unseemly dash around the garden to grab as much chocolate as possible.

As well as providing an excellent excuse to eat tonnes of chocolate Easter also provides the perfect opportunity to send a friendly word to friends and family who you may not be seeing over the long weekend and Easter cards have grown in popularity in the UK over the past few years.

Here are some very simple ideas for Easter Cards for children (or adults), to make using fabric, ribbon and Binca - simple ideas but also very effective.

For these I used cards that I bought in a local craft shop. The oval shapes were already cut out from the card but you could easily cut an egg shape from the front of a blank card or from a folded piece of card.

For the First design I used scraps of ribbon and wove them on the back of the card. To do this stick strips of ribbon vertically down the cut out egg shape and then weave strips of ribbon horizontally through them until the whole of the egg shape has been filled.

For the second I used sraps of floral fabric sewn together in a form of simple patchwork. This was then stuck to the back of the oval cutout using double sided tape. Finally I used some brightly coloured binca and stitched patterns in lovely Spring coloured thread and again this was stuck to the inside of the card.

They only take a few minutes to make and now all that needs to be decided is who to send them to.