The second issue of the zine &stitches was released yesterday and I’ve been reading it today. The whole idea is super cute and darling, and the square format kind of reminds me of the guild magazine we make. I like the sweet design of the 58 pages that is made by Carina and Nicole.
Inside you will find embroidery patterns, stitching tutorials, book reviews and interviews! And me! I might be partial, but the best part is the three more texty bits in the back, where three embroiderers (and I am one of them!) gives their view of craft books they like (the theme of #2 is books)! First I want to try the Turkey Stitch (there is a tutorial for this one + fun pattern project by Carina Envoldsen-Harris) that creates a kind of fringe!
This is one of the pages featuring my photos + words:
It’s always fun to see yourself being “layouted”! In &stitches I’m talking about my favorite inspiration book Exploring colour, a book that lead me to create my own Pink Sketchbook!
If you would like a chance to win this awesome e-zine, please leave a comment below telling me a stitching story: an anecdote about you and embroidery, about what you stitch, sew, quilt or make. I want to know a bit how, when or why. Just a little bit of something about one of your recent (or all time favorite) stitching projects – and you will be entered!
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To read more about the zine Books &stitches or buy a copy of issue 1 or 2, then go here. Thanks Carina for helping me/us to celebrate for a bit more!
i wish i were a better stitcher but for now, I just do it on small projects, sometimes art journal pages and taking it one step at a time. thank you for the generous giveaway :)
This winter I bought a beautiful boho style handbag with embroidery, applique and beading on it. I decided I wanted one in different fabrics and colors suitable for summer so I’m working on embellishing a handmade bag with needlework. Lots of fun!
Oooh! This zine looks lovely! I recently made a kitty baby quilt for my sister’s new baby. It involved a lot of cursing on my part, since I’d never made a full size quilt before, only art quilts, but I managed to finish it and it looks beautiful! Yay! I’m a collector of fabric but hardly ever use it! I’m trying to work on changing that in 2012!
Thanks for this wonderful giveaway, Hanna! (And congrats on being published!) One of my favorite stitching projects I’ve done was to repair my favorite jeans. Dye had been splashed on the front of the jeans, making them face “wear only when painting” status; however, my brilliantly creative cousin recommended stitching to cover the spots. I chose to do a Lord of the Rings theme, with greenery and vines covering the spots on the front (“growing” from the bottom cuff) and a stitched Galadriel jewel on the back pocket. So much fun! And they came out of the jeans’ drawer even more often after the stitching!
Thanks again for this awesome chance!
Arielle
Hi Hanna,
Thanks for offering such a cool give-a-way….looks like fun. I’ve been stitching practically forever…it started with counted cross stitch on aida cloth, then advanced to 32 ct linen and pulled thread, drawn thread, etc. Love old samplers and enjoy stitching reproduction samplers. Years ago (in the 70’s) I bought denim shirts and stitched all kinds of cool symbols on them. My husband still claims its his favorite.
I’ve just started art journaling which I’m loving it and having a blast! So far no stitching in it yet, but that can’t be far behind!!
Thank you again for the offering
Judy
I had not embroidered for years. However, this past winter after my mother passed away, I dug out some of her embroidery thread, flour sack dish towels, & old iron on patterns and started stitching. I found it very therapeutic and relaxing. I look forward to making several projects for friends and family!
years ago i did a City and Guilds Modern embroidery course but have not done any for years – inspired by following all these blogs some of my doodles have now been printed on canvas so that i can embroider on them (i pick them up next week)- can’t wait to see how they turn out
In 2010 we had a sewing challenge in our quilt guild. And in my series of 4 (each season) I did what I called freebroidery… it felt really liberating just to put down fabric without piecing and then embroidering different stitches all over to hold it all together – so thereof the name freebroidery…
The zines look great!
Hugs from Kirsten in Oslo
This zine looks very interesting. Right now I am stitching “Christmas stamp pockets”, a pattern from Hatched and Patched (I am trying not to make Christmas presents in the last minute this year).
I haven’t done much embroidery since I left school but I do enjoy adding small motifs to my quilts!
This past few years I’ve done a few embroidery pieces, nothing too elaborate, mostly sayings. I’m really enjoying it. I hope to keep getting better. This zine looks absolutely fabulous and inspiring. I’m always looking for ideas and ways to expand my knowledge and skills. I haven’t been too creative with my journaling, though. This is a wonderful giveaway. It would be wonderful to win.
I gave been stitching since I was little but not on a regular basis! I just found an old embroidery book I am dying to delve into! Looks like a fab book!
I’ve always wanted to learn how to stitch, so I don’t have a story to tell. Hopefully I can still enter this giveaway though, because I would very much like to learn. Winning a zine with tutorials would be a good way to start out on this stitching adventure.
I love embroidery and love to do it, but I have a 3 year old and a 17 month old that don’t allow for scissors or time for it. Sometimes late at night : ) Prior to that it was the cats that chased the thread and chewed on it.
I’ve done small samplers but never felt ready for a “project”. I just received a stitched sampler in the mail from across an ocean. It was found at a flea market and the finder searched out someone who may be descended from 8 year old Betty who stitched it. It has found it’s way back to family and I am feeling inspired to pick up a needle again!
The photo’s look so yummi, I love embroidery! All those colors and the soft material, must start doing it again.
My favorite embroidery project is a baby quilt I made for my son before he was born. I’ve also enjoyed stitching bibs for the babies of my friends and relatives. Thanks so much for the opportunity to win again! Your birthday week is a fun celebration for everyone!
I used to do counted Cross stitch a lot. I’d like to try some sashiko embroidery soon. This looks like a great resource!
I’m just learning to embroider and have been doing a lot of flour sack towels as gifts. I like them but am ready to branch out and learn some more stitches and make some small pieces to hang on the wall. Thanks so much for the opportunity to win!
I made a bag for my dance shoes, instead of buying a new one. I used old t-shirts from dance. I love that bag!
Hello Hanna,
I do not do a lot with stitching, because it makes me itching. Know what I mean? Not very good at it, but it does look beautiful. A few months ago I made a nice card for a collague who was leaving and I stitched a border on the card.
Nice give away.
I took a redwork embroidery class years ago at a quilting convention and really enjoyed it. I was all gung-ho for a while but had trouble finding patterns I liked. I love having needle in my hand, whether it is for applique’, quilting, or embroidery and it has been far too long. I think I must take it up again!
I just complete my first stitching swap with The Wild Olive! it was so much fun and an easy swap – my swapee love hers. I still am waiting on mine to arrive! thanks!
Recently I wanted to make a book with photos of family members holding hands and struggling with the way I had to connect the pages I decided to sew the pages together with a blanket stitch. I’m not an embroiderer but I remembered the boxes I made when I was young using postcards stitched together with a blanket stitch. It was a fun project, taking up lots of time, but it made me wanna do more with embroidery stitches.
I am new to the stitching world; I picked up embroidery as something to do between classes at college!
I do cross stitch mostly because its a connection to my mom. Before she died we used to go from store to store gathering up supplies and patterns and kits and the like. Now I go through these things and its like shes here touching them with me. Each item is a hug or a kiss. Each item has her hands on them and thats enough for me.
Recently I did a small cross stitch pattern for a swap and it was so much fun to make this tiny bunny and share a peice of my memories. A peice of my mom. Its a hug from me to my secret sister. :)
I’m inspired to stitch by the things I find in antique stores. Recently I purchased 2 giant jars; one was full of old wooden spools and the other was filled with embroidery threads. I put the two ideas together to stitch some wall decor ideas. Please enter me in the ‘zine contest!
Funny thing is, I draw patterns for other people to stitch, but don’t actually have many finished projects myself! This is because I decided that my first real project should be huge, and until I finish it I feel guilty starting up anything else.
This is also because I tend to stop working on said huge project for months at a time, then pick it back up and stitch obsessively for a few weeks, then stop again.
I don’t usually stitch. But I am currently preparing for my wedding this October. And I’m making some DIY projects.
I have this idea to make my own clutches and some clothes. Like, nice tops with embroidery on them. Especially being a graphic designer, I want to incorporate that using vintage methods and unique ways.
I’m currently looking for inspiration, and your blog is the best to read. <3
I hope I win this book to make my projects more fun <3!
[…] &stitches – this time it’s all about Oriental inspiraton. And I’m in it (again!), this time with my first sisha experiment. I think there is a lot of cool inspiration on every […]