backstitch – simple

the humble backstitch is one of the most versatile stitches in the embroiderer’s stitch arsenal, as it can be used as an outline stitch on plain or evenweave fabrics or as a foundation for other embroidery stitches, such as pekinese stitch. it is also used in cross stitch, blackwork and assisi work.

worked on its own using straight and even stitches, the backstitch resembles a machine-like stitch.  but it’s not all utilitarian where the backstitch is concerned…there are other things you can do with backstitch to make it a decorative stitch in its own right! these include whipped, threaded and double threaded backstitch.

for the plain backstitch:  first bring the needle up at 1, down at 2 and up at 3. it is important that you make all of the stitches the same length. to start the next stitch, insert the needle at 1 again. repeat along your line, keeping the stitches as even as possible.

you say ribbon, i say hello

ribbons aren’t just for wrapping gifts, you know.  ever use them in your creative projects?  they’re a colorful, versatile and distinctive way to add an extra splash of color and interest, and belong in every crafty gal/dude’s arsenal.

ribbons can be used in a variety of ways and can create very unique effects. on cards they can be tied around the fold, with or without a bow, to add an extra element of interest. or they can be stuck down on the edges of a card or scrapbook page to create a colorful or textured border.

if you’re making individual tags or tag books with pull out pieces, you can use ribbons to make the pulls. they’re great with altered projects too, as you can create colorful ribbon details on them.  like what?  well, for instance—if you’re altering a spiral bound journal or notebook, you can tie small pieces of multicolored ribbons all down the spiral – not only does it cover the spiral up, but it also looks so cute!

different types of ribbon

when it comes to choosing what type of ribbon you’ll use, there’s a great array of choices out there. some of the commonly available ribbon types are:

grosgrain – grosgrain is a form of textured ribbon. rather than being smooth to touch, the fibers are woven and you can usually see and feel the line of the weave. they come in all colors and designs, and many designs complement the weave of the ribbon very well. grosgrain ribbons are ideal for using as borders in projects and are very sturdy.

ric rac – ric rac is basically a term used to describe a zig zag or wiggly line! so, you guessed it…ric rac ribbons aren’t straight but cut in a zig zag. they were particularly popular in the 1970s, but are now regarded as rather antiquated.  i love ric rac and use it on my dolls’ clothing.  it comes in a variety of different textures, widths and colors (even variegated!), and adds a fun element to all kinds of projects.

chiffon – chiffon ribbons are lightweight and made from plain woven sheer fabrics such as silk, nylon or polyester. chiffon ribbons are quite delicate to work with, but look very elegant when tied or incorporated in various projects.

organza - organza is another type of fabric that tends to be very thin and sheer. organza ribbons are a plain weave fabric and can be made of fibers such as polyester, nylon or silk. they’re lightweight and nice to work with.  my honey has tied many a mean organza bow!

satin – satin ribbons have a glossy surface and are usually made of fabrics such as silk, nylon or polyester. there are various types of weaves available—such as twill or plain—which give the ribbons a different look. 

velvet - velvet ribbons generally have a nice soft touch feel on one side and may be flatter on the reverse. they’re great for adding additional texture to a project.

silk – silk ribbons tend to be made from 100% silk and have a gorgeous soft, silky feel to them. they’re lightweight and can be used in many ways.

securing ribbons to your projects 

depending on the effect you want to create, ribbons can either be tied, sewn or stuck to projects. if you’re planning on sticking them, you’ll need to ensure that you’re using the right type of glue for the particular ribbon you have in mind.

for example, an all purpose craft glue won’t work well with chiffon or sheer ribbons (as the glue may show through), so you’ll either need another type of glue (such as silicone or a glue aimed at vellum). alternatively, you could design your project in a way that the area you’re sticking won’t show, for example by gluing at the back or putting an embellishment over the glued area.

ribbons can easily be tied down the spine, or fold, of a card. you can also use a few stitches to sew them into place on cards or scrapbook pages, or to sew together a bow that you want to maintain a particular shape.

another fun way of attaching a ribbon without having to use glue is to consider attaching it with a brad. the brad (which is like a paper fastener) can be stuck through the ribbon and the card or paper and secured on the back. brads are often quite decorative themselves these days, and they can add an extra sparkle or bit of color and you can be sure the ribbon is safely secured without the need for glue.  

whatever your project, consider the incorporation of ribbon and enjoy experimenting with the options!

*****

quit stairing at me!

 

got an outdoor staircase that’s bare and in need of color?  dress it up and define it with a seasonal display of potted tulips! this is a great way to liven up a bare area of a garden in spring before perennials and shrubs begin to fill in, and in the fall…pansies or mums can serve the same purpose. 

color is where it’s at, folks!

felt sweets

this is a great craft book for little ones!  the projects are all packaged individually, so you don’t have to figure out which pieces go with which food you’re going to make, and everything is pre-punched out for easy piecing! 

be warned…these special treats need to be handled properly or may lose their shape over time…

definitely not for spoiled little brats who tire of things easily and then just throw them in a pile once the novelty’s worn off.  i can’t stand kids like that. 

and for more felt food fun, check this out…

of course, that’s vegetarian ham in there.

algerian eye stitch

an algerian eye stitch, (other aliases…star stitch or star eyelet stitch) consists of eight straight stitches which radiate from a central hole to create a star effect. stitches are evenly spaced and arranged in a square. it can be worked in thick thread on canvas or a thinner thread on evenweave fabrics. if worked on evenweave, the stitches should be pulled firmly during stitching to create the holes. algerian eye stitch can be worked as a single stitch, in blocks to form bands or as an all over pattern fill. it is great for multicolored borders around a design.

the best place to start the stitch is at the top and to follow around the square shape to form the central hole, counting the holes in the fabric to get the stitch even. bring your needle up at 1 and down at 2 to create a diagonal stitch (2 is the center of the hole), up again at 3 and down again at 2.

continue working the stitch around the square  by bringing the needle up at 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and then down at 2 each time.

then bring the needle up at 9 down at 2 and bring the needle out again at 8 to start the next stitch in the row if working a block of stitches. pull the stitches tight each time to form the hole. you can also use a stiletto to push the threads apart to make the hole more obvious.

cream of mushroom soup

dried porcini mushrooms lend depth of flavor to this soup, which is perfect for a cool spring or autumn day.

the mushrooms are first reconstituted, or rehydrated, in vegetable broth.

the soaking liquid is strained and added to the soup base to enhance the taste.

ingredients:

• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
• 4 tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 3 tbs. minced shallot
• 1 1/2 lb. white button mushrooms, brushed clean and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup madeira wine (optional)
• 2 tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus 1/4 cup for drizzling (optional)
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• deep-fried sage leaves for garnish (optional)

directions:

in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 2 cups of the broth. add the porcini, remove from the heat and let stand for about 20 minutes. using a slotted spoon, transfer the porcini to a cutting board and coarsely chop. line a fine-mesh sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth. strain the soaking liquid and set aside.

in a brothpot over medium heat, melt the butter. add the shallot and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. add the porcini and button mushrooms and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. add the madeira and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. sprinkle with the flour and stir to coat. stir in the mushroom soaking liquid and the remaining 4 cups broth. reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.

working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth, then return the soup to the pot. stir in the 1/2 cup cream and season with salt and pepper. ladle the soup into warmed bowls. garnish with fried sage leaves or drizzle with cream. serve immediately. serves 6 to 8.

cheddar cauliflower soup

 

this delicious soup comes together quickly, making it perfect for a nutritious weeknight meal.

add a tossed green salad and dinner is served!

 

 

 

 

 

ingredients:

• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 head cauliflower, about 2 1/2 lb., cut into florets
• 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 8 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
• toasted crusty bread for serving

directions:

in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. add the cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. add the broth, cream, the 2 tsp. salt and pepper and bring to a boil. reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.

using an immersion blender, blend the soup to a fine puree, 3 to 5 minutes. add the cheese and stir until melted and well combined with the soup. adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve immediately with toasted bread. serves 6 to 8.

the gloves are off

how can i describe her?

picture yourself

in the most tranquil of settings

perhaps on your very own island

in the middle of nowhere

soft white sand beneath your feet

the warm sun shining down on your face

a gentle breeze blowing through your hair

faintly you hear the sound of children

laughing off in the distance

and you close your eyes

and breathe in

and breathe in

the fresh air

lungs almost exploding

with happiness

you’re alive

you’re alive

how can i describe her?

one of those rare moments

when you feel connected

with nature

with the earth

andeverythinginit

and a fleeting moment

of giddiness

fills your spirit and you can’t help but smile

and wonder

and wonder

but then darkness sets in

so black

so black

you can’t see your hand

in front of you

the wind howls and whips your body

almost knocking you over

lightning blinds and disorients

thunder bangs and crashes

hail punches your face

now bloody and sore

children scream in terror

and there’s no where to run

you are suddenly alone

in this darkest of nights

and find yourself

sinking

sinking

sinking

into a vile chasm of offal

and sludge and chum

and the charred remains

of your dearest relatives

that swallows you up

and spits you out

and swallows you up

and spit you out

not killing you outright

but choking your lungs

and slamming your brain

with the desperate wish

for a quick and painless escape

from this unimaginable…

yeah, she’s kinda like that.

art doll quarterly

now if the spring issue of art doll quarterly doesn’t get you out of the winter doldrums, you got problems.  check out the upcycled doll challenge results, jan henning’s “a heavy metal band” made out of an old smith & corona typewriter, mummies that art rogers fashions using strips of muslin and lots of imagination, and a whole lot of other great stuff.  

patricia anders celebrates barbie’s 50th birthday in style with a whole bevy of barbies altered in the most amazing and terrifying ways. i say terrifying because of my doll phobia…flipping the pages of this mag is like aversion therapy for me.  beautiful aversion therapy.  

this time around jane cather gets the doll artist profile, and she speaks about how her dolls reflect “her essence of pure creativity”.  . as always, the show & tell gallery is brimming with fabulous dolls to inspire.  

check it…

 

 

 

i got my eyelet set on you

at first glance, eyelets might not seem like something that goes hand-in-hand with crafting, but they can and do! in recent years (thanks to the introduction of much better eyelet setting tools), the humble eyelet has become widely used within the craft world. 

eyelets have become a form of embellishment that’s widely used in various paper crafting techniques. what are they?  basically a type of fastener with a hole in the middle. an eyelet setting tool is required in order to attach them to a surface, such as paper, card, metal or fabric, but once they’re in place they can be used to thread ribbons through, to tie the front of a card together, to make a hanging object, or anything you can dream up!

eyelets come in all shapes and sizes – they can be round, square, novelty shaped and plain, patterned, shiny, dull or metallic.  there are teeny tiny eyelets, medium sized eyelets and really big ones…so whatever your project, you’re likely to find an eyelet that will suit the purpose. good craft shops are well stocked with eyelets and you can either buy them in packs of one design or color, or as mixed variety packs.

essential tools

to use eyelets in your projects you will need an eyelet setting tool. there are various types of eyelet setters available and the more recent varieties (e.g. the crop-a-dile) have made setting an eyelet a whole lot easier than it used to be.

some of the more traditional eyelet setters involved the need for a hammer, whereas others involved a little device that is pressed down. modern eyelet setters are much more easy to use, don’t involve the need for a lot of pressure and can even be used by school age children.

when you’re setting an eyelet, and especially if you’ve not used a setter before, it’s best to try it out on a protected surface before applying to your finished product . you’ll need your eyelet and then just follow the instructions that came with your particular setter. the general idea is the same – make a hole, then set the eyelet – but the method involved varies slightly depending on the type of setter you have.

using eyelets in creative paper crafting

eyelets are very versatile and open up a whole new world of innovative design ideas. they can be used in a wide variety of ways, including:

on cards – eyelets can be used on the front of gatefold cards, with ribbon threaded between them and tied so the card can be opened and closed nicely. or they can be used elsewhere on other sorts of cards, either purely for decoration or with ribbon threaded through.

on scrapbook pages – as with cards, eyelets can add a new dimension to scrapbook pages and play both a practical role and add a decorative element.

on altered art projects – eyelets are ideal for altered art projects. as setters work on surfaces such as plastic or metal, eyelets can be used on decorative metal boxes, on covered buckets or tins, on altered stationery items and to make items such as ribbon holders. basically anywhere where you need a hole and want it to be finished off to a high standard so it won’t tear, get worn out or look untidy in a few months time…use an eyelet!

this one’s for the birds

yes indeed, the squirrels are running around again and the birdies are starting to collect treasures to build their nests.  you think it’s a tough world out there…try being a bird!  why not make life a little easier for our feathered friends by helping them out with their building materials?  

it’s simple!  all you’ve got to do is decorate a bare tree branch with some wool roving, and the birds will come runnin.  or flyin, as the case may be here. 

once you’ve got a good branch, put it in a spot in your garden where you can keep an eye on it from a window.  gather up some wool roving and/or fabric scaps…

wrap them around the branches and twigs, and voila…

as the neighborhood birds tell one another about your lovely gift, they’ll all begin to come to check it out…twittering and chirping with excitement at this amazing find, and taking a colorful little bundle away in their beak to build their new home!

so cute to watch.

sewing dolls

young and old will enjoy making and playing with these 100% natural material dolls. 

patterns are provided for a range of dolls: small dolls for the littlest child, baby dolls, larger dolls to dress up, knitted dolls and dolls with moveable arms and legs. with different hairstyles and clothing options, you’ve got an endless variety of dolls to make. 

the book contains all the necessary patterns and detailed instructions, and is richly illustrated with color photographs and drawings.

thanks for a good book, karin neuschütz.

creamy spinach soup

 

instead of the spinach, you can use 2 cups chopped kale or swiss chard.

before chopping the leaves, remove the tough stems!

increase the cooking time by 30 minutes for kale or by 15 minutes for chard.

ingredients:

• 2 tbs. unsalted butter
• 1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 slices day-old baguette
• 4 cups packed baby spinach
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for drizzling
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

directions:

sauté the onion and garlic
in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. add the onion and sauté until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute more.

cook the spinach
add the broth and the bread slices, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. add the spinach and continue to simmer until the spinach is wilted and bright green, about 5 minutes more.

puree the soup
using a food processor or blender, process the soup to a smooth puree. return the soup to the pan. add the 1/4 cup cream and the lemon zest and reheat to serving temperature. season with salt and pepper.

ladle the soup into bowls. drizzle each portion with cream and serve immediately. serves 4.

curried corn soup

a mixture of as many as 20 different spices, seeds and herbs, curry powder exists in countless variations. in india, many cooks make it fresh daily or buy only a very small quantity at a time from a trusted purveyor. large-scale commercial curry powders, while not as interesting as a personal blend, work fine for this recipe. sample a few different brands to find one you like. curry powder loses its flavor relatively quickly, so buy small amounts and discard any that sit on the shelf for longer than six months.

ingredients:

• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 2 leeks, including tender green portions, rinsed well and finely  chopped
• 2 small red potatoes, about 1/2 lb. total, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 5 cups corn kernels (from about 6 large ears of corn)
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbs. fresh lemon juice
• salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
• 6 thin lemon slices
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

directions:

in large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. add the leeks and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. add the potatoes and all but 1/2 cup of the corn kernels and cook for about 2 minutes. add the curry powder and cook for about 1 minute more.

add the broth and lemon juice and bring to a boil. reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. remove from the heat.

in a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth. alternatively, process with a stick blender in the pan until smooth. pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve or food mill set over a serving bowl, pressing on the pulp. discard any solids left in the sieve. season with salt and white pepper. let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours.

just before serving, bring a small saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. add the reserved 1/2 cup corn kernels and cook for 1 minute. drain and let cool.

ladle the soup into chilled bowls or mugs and garnish with the lemon slices, sour cream, corn kernels and parsley.

serves 6.

mod podge fabric

seems some folks were pretty excited when they learned about mod podge and its availability for use on fabric, and wanted me to delve into this one a bit further.  happy to oblige!

with the availability of many beautiful fabrics in coordinating colors and patterns, fabric is the perfect material for creating decorative projects throughout your home. although you may have used mod podge on paper and wood surfaces to create lots of diy home projects, now you can create fabulous projects with fabric and mod podge!

using mod podge with fabric is very easy. with a simple few tips you can expand your creative options and create even more projects for your home. ready to get started? here’s a step by step guide to get you mod podging with ease!

1. for best results, remember to use mod podge for fabric .  this formula was specially created for crafting with fabric, and you can use it in two ways:  for preparing fabric for decoupaging it onto a surface, or for decoupaging things onto fabric.

2. wash and dry fabric before using, and set the iron on the appropriate setting for the particular fabric.  lay the fabric out on your work surface

3. prepare your fabric by spreading a thin layer of mod podge fabric on the top. cover as much fabric as you will need and allow to dry for at least an hour. this will prevent the fabric from fraying when you trim it to fit your project.

4. trim the fabric to fit with scissors or a cutting blade. apply mod podge to the surface of your project in a medium layer and press the fabric down to smooth. allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes

5. put another coat of mod podge over the fabric and the rest of your project. apply at least two coats and allow to dry for 24 hours before using. 

sweet!