The hard decision I wrote about in my last post

has been made, and as a dear friend recently told me, this kind of decision can be a mixed blessing.  I have quit my overwhelming job, and for a while am back in my studio, stitching the hours away. I now have time to pursue my dream of working on my designs and handwork as well as my "one day book" ...........but will not have the (play dough) as my friend calls it. 

I know right now, with the way the economy is, it may not be the greatest decision, to walk away from a steady job, however, the pressure, and the way things were just not right for me, is why I have chosen this path...................what a way to end the year and start out the new. {:

Have you ever been there??

I am also trying something new in the work I do. I am going to embellish jackets and shirts with my hand embroidery..........and hopefully find a market for them on my Etsy shop. The jackets and shirts are purchased new..............

and I will draw the designs on and stitch...............I am trying the pearl cotton on this jacket.....I can't wait to see the results,which I will show to you when I have finished.  Have any of you used pearl cotton floss before? Were you happy with the results?  

I was so disappointed when I discovered on my last post that the design I posted would not enlarge when clicked on. I am hoping that this one will. This design can be stitched with regular floss and in basic stitches, however, it is wonderful for larger threads, such as the pearl cotton and will be beautiful done in crewel needlework. So once again, try to click onto the above photo and it should enlarge for you to have a decent size pattern to work with. I will be spending the last of this year and the new year morning hours..........stitching. I say to you all..........

Have a wonderful and blessed New Year!



A new year, a new design, and a few new stitches

are what I am sharing with you today. First of all, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday and are looking forward to the new possibilities that the new year will bring. At this time, I am at a crossroads in my life.............not sure on what I should do to handle a difficult situation and not sure what the new year will bring if I go forward with the decision I am about to make............however, my passion for hand embroidery is still as true and strong as it always has been and it will always be shown here on my blog.

I am sharing this design with you...............I am hoping that if you click onto the photo above, it will enlarge for you to copy it off. This is a vintage design that I have had in my stash of vintage goodies. I am at this time embroidering many of these designs onto pillowcases, as well as bath and kitchen linens to offer on my Etsy shop.

I also want to share information on how to do two stitches that are in this design that are not always common to basic hand embroidery. The first is the eyelet stitch.............( if you look at the above photo, you will see the cluster of flowers in the middle, stitched in ultra dark dusty rose, and light dusty rose. The little holes between the light dusty rose are stitched eyelets, done in white. Here is a link to click onto that will show you in clear detail as to how these are done. I promise, once you learn how, you will want to do eyelets in all of your embroidered projects................http://www.curiousfrau.com/tutorials/44-tutorials/88-how-to-make-beautiful-hand-bound-eyelets

The next stitch is the Fishbone Stitch. This stitch is useful for filling in small leaf shapes, as you can see in the photo above. I love the way this stitch makes the leaves look textured.

Bring the thread out at the tip of the leaf...1.........and make a small straight stitch along the center line.Bring the needle out at 2........ make a slanted stitch and go down on the right of the center line. Bring the needle out at 3.......make a slanted stitch and go down on the left side of center line, overlapping the base of the previous stitch. Continue working slanted stitches alternately from the left and the right, close together until shape is filled.

Now..........how about you? Are you facing hard decisions to make in the new year coming up? Are you planning on lots of new and wonderful things to make? I would love to hear! 

Merry Christmas

to each and everyone who visit here........

and have yourself a happy new year!

After almost 8 months of stitching

and drawing up designs, I sent off my book proposal!.........via email..........as was suggested. I got myself ready to wait 8 weeks, as was stated in the proposal guidelines...................yet, I already got a response...................

rejection............sigh.

I noticed that the proposal papers I downloaded was dated 2008, and wondered why they had not updated it, without giving it any more thought, I went ahead and sent it in

. The rejection letter stated that they no longer publish books that are of needle work interests...........sigh again. But I will just keep trying until I find my fairy god publisher. In the meantime, I have neglected my Etsy shop.........mostly because of my work schedule and working on the proposal. I pulled out all of my linen stash and my vintage embroidery designs............. 

and have spent each night.........up until the wee hours, tracing the delicate swirls and flowers onto the linens.

These designs and my embroidery is what Yesteryear Embroideries, (my little business) is all about. I want to embroidery these vintage designs from yesteryear onto new linens to be enjoyed today.......throughout the home. I have linens for the kitchen, bedroom, and bath............plus something for baby sweet, in the making. How about you? Do you have an Etsy shop? Do you work constantly to put things in it? or are you sidetracked with work and life?

I would love to hear..............and let me know the link to your Etsy..........I will stop by to visit!