Embroidery Journal 2024

In 2020 I decided to join an embroidery journaling group and document what turned out to be one of the weirdest years of my life. It's a bit of a commitment but I love how my kids will stand in front of the hoop and say "Remember this and remember that".

I did write a list of what each icon meant that is tucked into an envelope on the back of the hoop in case I forget.

I've decided to do it again for 2024.

If anyone wants to join in and needs a template please feel free to use mine.

You print the picture below or download the file HERE

Drummer Boy ~ A THANK YOU for the Nativity Makers

 

This whole pattern making thing has been a BIG, unexpected adventure. I know I've told the story a million times but here it is one more. My dad passed away when I was pregnant with my youngest. My mom came out after she was born and stayed with us for three months. She needed a baby to cuddle!! 

When Mom was here I was making my daughter a hat. Mom asked if I would like her to jazz it up with a few embroidery stitches. My mom is a beautiful hand sewer. She taught herself to smock and then launched her own smocking design business when I was a kid. She tried to teach me to smock once and we quickly put the project away (it was so bad) and never talked about it again. She offered to show me how to embroider but I was a bit weary. She showed me the blanket stitch and lazy daisy. To say "I was hooked" is an understatement.

The Swallow~ My first pattern

The Nativity was a suggestion from my sister and the first set I completed was made for my mom. It's by far been my most popular creation. I've made friends all over the world who have made the Nativity. Getting the photos of everyone's creations has been amazing!! My little Etsy shop helped keep my family afloat during the pandemic lockdowns so I am truly grateful to everyone who has supported me. 

The Nativity

I've had a few Nativity makers ask me for a Drummer. As a BIG THANK YOU and a little Christmas present, I'm giving away the Drummer to everyone on here. My plan was to make a full pattern for the Drummer but time is ticking and Christmas is almost here so I'm going to pop all of the pattern pieces on here and quickly go through the steps. If you have made any of my other Nativity pieces this should be pretty easy for you to put together.

The Drummer Boy

Download the pattern pieces

HERE 

If you have any trouble with the download (Google Drive seems to not like phones and iPads sometimes) please just shoot me an email and I can email you back with the pattern pieces.

elliottsplayground@gmail.com

Supply List

Felt- I used dark grey, avocado green, yellow, red, dark tan, dark brown, black and grey

Floss - Black 310, Chartreuse 704, Red 666, Brown 433, Green 905, Blue 995, Orange 740

Scissors

Stuffing

Small piece of cardboard (approx the size of Piece A)

Some weights like fishing weights or nuts/bolts

Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks

Wire or Pipe Cleaners

 2Toothpicks

2 small pompoms

Attach the embellishments (Pieces K and L) to the Robe (Piece J) with a chartreuse backstitch along the edge. Add chartreuse lazy daisies around each edge.

Close the cone with a black blanket stitch and stuff.

Hot glue a piece of cardboard and waits to the inside of the bottom of the robe (Piece M).

Attach the bottom (weighted side in) with a black blanket stitch.

Add embellishment (Piece D) to each sleeve (Piece C) just like the embellishments on the robe.

Use a black blanket stitch to make the sleeves into cones. 

Stitch the hands (Piece E) together with a brown blanket stitch. Leave the top (wrist area) unstitched.

Cut wire or pipe cleaner to tuck inside each hand then fit inside the length of the sleeve. Hot glue the hands in place with a spot of glue inside the wrist. Then add a spot of hot glue and carefully stick the wire up inside the sleeve.

Fold the arms where it feels like the elbows would be.

Add the drum embellishment (Piece I) to the body of the drum (Piece H) with chartreuse cross stitches. Add an orange running stitch over the middle of each cross stitch.

Add red side by side straight stitches all along the bottom of the drum.

Add green cross stitches along the top of the drum with small blue cross stitches in the centre of each green cross stitch.

Use a yellow blanket stitch to close the drum.

Add the top of the drum (Piece F) with a red blanket stitch then stuff.

Add the bottom of the drum (Piece G) with a green blanket stitch.

Use a cross stitch on each side of the drum to attach the drum strap (Piece I).

Stitch the points of the arms to the top of the cone. Slide the strap of the drum over the top of the cone. 

Cut the point end off the toothpicks. Carefully use hot glue to add a pompom to the end of each toothpick.

Adjust the bend in the arms to have one hand higher at the top of the drum and one hand that looks like it's holding onto the bottom of the drum. Put a very thin line of hot glue under the arm, press against the body and hold until dry. This will also glue the drum into place so make sure everything is lined up the way you like it before you glue.

Add a drop of hot glue inside your drummer's hand then wrap the hand around the drumsticks. Hold until dry.

Give your drummer's face (Piece A) a brown stem stitch smile and black french knot eyes. Attach the front hair (Piece B) to the face with a black back stitch along the hairline.

Stitch the back face (also Piece A) onto the front face with a brown blanket stitch. The chin area will look better if your stitches are a bit smaller than mine were. 

Make sure to stuff a little before you stitch shut completely. 

Pop the back hair (Piece N) on with a black blanket stitch. Leave the bottom unstitched.

The back hair will make a little pocket. Add a drop of hot glue into the pocket then slide the head onto the top of the robe. 

Once the glue is dry, your Drummer Boy is finished and ready to join the Nativity!!

A Tomte's Christmas 2023

 

It's that time of year again!!!

Christmas Stitch-a-long!!!!!

Download the 2023 Pattern - HERE!    

If you have any problems downloading the pattern please shoot me a message on facebook or instagram or email elliottsplayground@gmail.com and I am happy to email you a copy. I know sometimes google drive does not like downloading into phones or tablets. Not sure why?? But again, happy to email if you have download problems.

Or you can screenshot from the images at the bottom of this post.

This is the order I am planning to stitch in but feel free to go in any order you want to!!

I can't wait to see what you stitch!!

~Clara

Boo Stitch Complete

The Halloween Stitch-a-long for 2023 is done! Thank you so much for everyone who joined in. It was so fun to see everyone's stitches. 

The main stitches that I used throughout were satin stitch and stem stitch. I filled the icons with satin and outlined with stem.

Colour was left up to each stitcher and we got some beautiful palettes!! 

Here are some beautiful examples from stitchers on instagram. 

Happy Halloween and please join me in December for a Christmas SAL!!

Uncommon Threads

The Jackalope

I'm very excited that two of my cryptid felt sculptures will be included in 

the Naarm Textile Collective Exhibition

Uncommon Threads

Uncommon Threads is a collaborative group exhibition of over 80 textile artists from Victoria.  The exhibition will showcase progressive art forms using textiles and exploring the relationship of textiles to other art disciplines. Our goal is to provide a contemporary exhibition exploring the limitlessness of textile art. 

The exhibition is being curated by Tamara Russell and introduces artists from the Naarm Textile Collective

The Bunyip

The exhibition will be held at FortyFive Downstairs located at 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, a location that has a rich history for textile production, design and innovation. This exhibition aims to update the Flinders Lane story with the inclusion of Contemporary Textile Art.  

Opening event Tuesday 17 October 5pm – 7pm      Closing date 28 October

 

DIY Carnivorous Plant and Mushrooms

 Who doesn't love a cute carnivorous plant???

You can DIY this cute little fella, he's easy and not expensive to make.

Supplies

Small terracotta pot

Aluminum foil

Masking tape

Pipe cleaners

Plaster bandage (aka gauze) - I bought mine from Officeworks but it's usually available in any craft store.

Acrylic paint- I used red, green, white, purple and yellow

Paint brushes

Glue gun with glue sticks

Thin cardboard - I used an old cereal box

Pattern pieces (you can make your own but I sketched some out to help)- Download Here

Cut two mouth pieces and tape together at the back

Cut out the tongue and tape in place

Squish two ovals out of aluminum foil for the bottom and top of the head.

Attach the foil clumps with masking tape. It makes a smoother service if you completely cover the foil with tape. The plaster also sticks easier.   

Cut out one large leaf for the back of the head and two small leaves, one for each side. Curl the pipe cleaner into "vines".

Cut your plaster bandage into small strips. Wet each strip and cover the whole head and tongue. If you rub the bandage a bit along the way, it spreads the plaster and makes for a smoother surface.

Cover each leaf and pipe cleaner in plaster bandage as well.

Once everything is completely dry, paint each piece of you plant. (Sorry my workspace got messier and messier)

Paint the leaves and vines.

Here's a little close up of one of the leaves.

Use the glue gun to stick the plant head into the pot. Attach the big leaf to the back of the head and the small leaves to each side of the head with the glue gun and the vines to the inside of the pop.

Your Carnivorous Plant is Hungry for some Halloween Fun!!!

For Little artists, I found mushrooms are one of the easiest to make and great fun to decorate.

You can even skip the Glue Gun step and just tape the stem to the top if you prefer to keep hot glue away from little hands.

My kids love laying on the plaster strips because it's a bit messy. It also dries relatively fast and very hard. Of course painting and covering with glitter is the most fun!

You can make anything you can manage to shape out of the aluminum foil. I made a spotted sheep with a friend the other day so sky is the limit.

Whatever you make, I sure hope you have fun!!

Halloween Stitch-a-Long 2023

Welcome Spooky Stitchers and Hallozween Readers!!!

Please follow along on instagram and Facebook 

@elliottsplayground 

 You can screenshot the pattern or download the PDF below.

Download Pattern Here

If you have any issues accessing the pattern just shoot me an email elliottsplayground@gmail.com or leave me a comment and I can email the pattern to you.

There are no hard and fast rules! This is just the order I am going to stitch in. There are 23 steps over 31 days so go as quick or leisurely as you like. 

I CAN'T WAIT to see everyone's stitches!!

Please don't forget to hashtag your pictures on social media #boostich2023

and tag me in @elliottsplayground so I can share you work in my stories. 

Feel Good Art Prize and Australian Fibre Art Award

20223 has been a pretty exciting year for me art-wise. 

I had two pieces selected as finalists for art prizes.

 A Bird in the Hand

Highly Commended

Feel Good Art Prize

"A bird in the hand" - an old saying emphasizing contentment in the things we have. A Bird in the Heart is a play on that saying, a small reminder to be grateful for those we love, find happiness with the people you cherish and never take them for granted." 

Yowie

Australian Fibre Art Award

"My house is  safe space for monsters, especially cryptids. I've spent many hours hiking the Australian bush with my husband, kids and dog searching for Yowies. On the rare occasion, we have spotted a footprint or heard a Yowie call way off in the distance. With the help of my dog, who lent me her fur after a groom and my kids who gave great descriptions of the Yowie, this little fellow was created."