SIO Tips no. 69 - Embroidery tips

New to Embroidery? Here are a few useful tips to keep your work at its best:

1. Choose your hoop carefully. Make sure you get a hoop where the inner and outer rings meet snugly.

2. Cover the face of your work with a scrap of thin material before inserting into the hoop; carefully cut a hole to reveal the working area. This covers the rest of the fabric, protecting it from oils on your hands and keeping it clean

3. Always take your work out of the hoop when you've finished for the day. This will prevent the hoop from leaving marks.

Curious Cat for Hallowe'en

Hallowe'en is a nice excuse to get crafty; I decided to stretch my stitching skills after a long time of not sewing anything.

I think this Curious Cat is just Puuurrrfect for October:

If, like me, you haven't done any sewing for a while the extra bonus with the curious cat comes as a 'Stitch and Keep' sewing guide that you can practice all the stitches on before you finish off on the proper piece. 

The kit comes with all the embroidery silks needed to embellish the printed design. I find working with an embroidery hoop much easier as it keeps the work taut and you're less likely to end up sewing two sides together by accident.

It's really simple to follow the areas that need to be worked and you can choose between the colours provided depending on what you prefer.

Now all I need to do is plan whether to make it into a cushion or frame it for the wall.....

If you haven't tried your hand at stitching before, I would recommend these wonderful kits designed by Nancy Nicholson