The Diary of a Northern Belle

Hand Embroidery

THE LATEST

Archives for August 2021

Garden Bouquet Embroidery Part 3: Beautiful Berries

     Anne      Leave a Comment

Who’s ready for the next part of the Garden Bouquet project? I know I am!

 

garden bouquet part 3 beautiful berries

 

If you haven’t seen Part 1 or 2 of the Garden Bouquet project, here they are:

Garden Bouquet part 2: wild roses
garden bouquet project part 1

Today, we will be looking at the berries. There are two branches of berries in this design: raspberries and currants.

I embroidered my raspberries pretty much the same way as I did in this project, so I will go over it quickly. If you want more details, you can have a look at Ripening Raspberries, a project where I combined embroidery and pressed leaves.

 

Embroidering the Raspberries

 

thread key for raspberries: branch & leaves = DMC 3346, 3347, Berries = DMC 304, 347, 3331

 

I didn’t use beads this time, only French knots. I wasn’t planning on using beads anywhere else, so I thought it might look odd to have just one element with beads. So instead I filled the whole berries with French knots without leaving any gaps. I used three strands of DMC #304, #347, and #3831, and tried to distribute the colours evenly-ish. The sepals are made with lazy-daisy stitches, using two strands of DMC #3347.

 

embroidered raspberries with french knots

 

The branch is embroidered with a stem stitch with two strands of DMC #3346. The leaves are done in straight stitches, angled and placed to create a bit of a jagged edge. I used two strands of DMC #3347 and #3346. These were done rather quickly and without any clear method. I knew that I wanted to differentiate them from the rose leaves, so I used different shades of green, and tried to make the leaves smaller and thinner.

 

embroidered raspberry leaves with straight stitches

 

I absolutely love how it turned out! This was one of the easiest part of this garden bouquet and such a breeze after slaving over the wild roses 😉

 

embroidered wild roses and raspberries on garden bouquet project

 

Embroidering the Currants

 

thread key for currants: Branch & leaves = DMC 734, 937, 3345, 433, Berries = DMC 304, 321

 

Ah, the currants. I had a wonderful plan to cover beads with floss to create a beautiful stumpwork (3D) effect, but sadly all the beads I had were too big or too small. There was no time for an emergency trip to the crafts store, so I had to abort the plan and think of something else.

Not to be deterred in my stumpwork ambitions, I decided to try something else. I really didn’t want to make the berries flat, and French knots wouldn’t really have worked in this case. I remembered seeing “raised” satin stitch around before, and using stuffing or other materials to create a 3D effect. So I went with a cotton ball…the currant berries are so small that I only needed teeny tiny little pieces at a time.

First, I outlined each berry with a small backstitch, to have a good guideline for filling it.

 

currant berry outlined with backstitch

 

Then, I took what felt like a microscopic piece of cotton ball (I’m using just a regular old cotton ball from the drugstore) and shaped it as best as I could to form it into a little ball. I then place the tiny ball in the outlined shape.

 

cotton ball to create stumpwork effect

 

With one strand of DMC #304 or #321 (I alternated between two shades of red), I anchor the cotton ball by taking a few stitches over it.

 

currant embroidery - covering the cotton ball with satin stitch

 

With a satin stitch, I cover the entire ball, until none of the white shows through. And it makes a beautifully raised little red berry!

 

covered cotton ball with satin stitch to form a currant berry

 

So cute!

Once they were all done, I added a little “end” to really make them look like currants. This was done with one strand of DMC #433, and it’s just a very small straight stitch. I placed them in the direction where it made the most sense for each currant hanging from the branch.

 

embroidered currant berries with little "end" in brown floss

 

The branch was added afterwards, using two strands of DMC #433 and a split stitch.

 

And lastly, the leaves!

I had no idea what currant leaves looked like, so Pinterest was very useful here for some reference images. I remember stitching these very late at night, determined not to leave them for the next day, so they’re a bit less refined than the rose leaves. It’s hard to tell though, since they’re well hidden 😉

Again, same approach as before. Outline in split stitch first. Then I used two strands of DMC #937 and #3345, and very messy long & short stitches to cover the leaves. There really was no plan for this, just improvisation and deciding where to add a bit of shading on the spot. Currant leaves also have a ragged edge, so I tried to replicate that a bit all around my leaves by ending the stitches in different spots.

 

embroidered currant leaf in needle painting

 

I left some space along the center of the leaves for the stem and veins. Those were stitched with one strand of DMC #734 in straight stitches, again in a very impromptu manner.

 

finished embroidered currant berry branch on garden bouquet project

 

I really love how it turned out though (I say this a lot, I’m sorry! But it’s true!). The raised satin stitch with cotton ball stuffing worked wonderfully and I definitely want to try it again!! The currants look very solid and juicy.

 

embroidered currant branch next to embroidered wild rose in garden bouquet project

 

And that’s the berries over and done with!

The garden bouquet is starting to slowly resemble something at last. Woo! I hope you enjoyed this part, and I would love to know your thoughts in the comments. What do you think of the stumpwork idea? Have you ever tried something similar? How do you like to stitch your berries?

Stay tuned for Part 4 of this project, where we will tackle the lily. The majestic centerpiece of this piece, a flower amongst flower. I have an idea on how I want to make it, but will it work? It doesn’t involve a lot of thread… Can’t wait to see and share it with you all!

Thank you for following along on this journey, and be sure to connect with me on Instagram too for more progress pics & stitching reels!

 

Fondly,

embroidered berries garden bouquet part 3

Garden Bouquet Embroidery Part 2: Wild Roses

     Anne      Leave a Comment

Hello dear friend, and welcome to the second instalment of the Garden Bouquet project: the wild roses! (Click here for Part 1 if you missed it)

 

wild roses garden bouquet part 2

 

I’ve worked long and hard on this part, so I’m really excited to share it with you. We will be looking at the wild roses today! Roses are probably my favourite flower (although I kinda love any flower), and it was a real delight to bring these to life.

My plan from the beginning was to embroider the wild roses in needle-painting style using the long & short stitch. I knew they would probably take the longest to stitch out of all the elements in the bouquet, so I decided to do them first. They did indeed take forever. That’s the downside of needle-painting with one strand, but the results are worth it!

 

Here’s a little breakdown of all the threads I used for my wild roses:

thread key: branch DMC 898, Leaves DMC 3345, 3363, Brillanté d'Alger 594, Petals DMC 3805, 603, 605, 776, 778, 963, 225, Flower centers DMC 743, 744, 728, 729

 

Let’s Begin

 

First, I stitched the branches. That was the easiest part, I actually used two strands and took pretty big stitches. The blending is pretty careless, and it looks a little chunky in certain spots. This was (semi) intentional to give the branches a more natural look. I could have used more than one shade of brown to add more dimension, but decided to keep it simple and only used DMC #898.

embroidered branches long & short stitch

 

Next, I tackled the leaves, since they are more in the background than the flowers themselves. I also stitched them using long & short stitches, in a few different shades of green. Each leaf is fairly small so I knew the shading would be a bit tricky, but I think it turned out really well.

I started by outlining each petal with a split stitch, using one strand of green floss. Since the outline ends up being entirely covered, it doesn’t really matter which shade you pick. Ideally not the darkest (sometimes it can be seen through the stitches), unless the stitches covering the outline will be dark as well.

split stitch outline on leaf

 

Once the shape is outlined, I begin making long & short stitches in one shade of green to cover a certain area. Here I sometimes used two strands to go a little faster, but results are definitely nicer with only one strand. I planned in advance where I wanted the shade to hit my leaves, and which part of the leaves would require darker thread. Wild rose leaves have darker veins, so I knew the middle of my leaves would be darker.

long & short stitch first layer on leaf
second layer of shading on leaf
long & short stitch shading on rose leaf
finished leaf in long & short shading stitches

 

I also tried to create a jagged edge to each leaf to make them appear natural. Wild rose leaves have tiny little dark red thorns all around them, but I decided to just leave it at green since my leaves were very small. I created the jagged edge by ending stitches a little further than the splitstitched outline (usually stitches are evenly placed just outside that edge) and spacing them out.

finished leaf embroidered in long & short stitch

I used DMC #3363 and Brillanté d’Alger #594 to cover the leaves in long & short stitches, and then added a few more stitches in DMC #3345 to create the veins and add a bit more shadow as desired.

 

Here’s a look at the finished leaves:

 

finished cluster of wild rose leaves embroidered in long & short stitches
(little cluster of leaves situated behind a rose)
finished wild rose leaves in long & short stitch
(finished leaves against the rose branches on either side of the design)

 

The Roses

 

Once the branches and leaves were complete, it was finally time to stitch the rose flowers. They were hands-down the most time-consuming part of this entire project by a long shot, but I loved making them. Working with so many pinks was absolutely fantastic! Definitely a colour palette I really like.

I used the same approach as I did with the leaves. Splitstitch outline each petal first, then gradually fill with long & short stitches to create the needle-painting effect.

petal outline in split stitch

 

I played around with my different shades of pink a lot before deciding which ones I’d use, and how I’d use them. I had recourse to Trish Burr’s fabulous book Colour Confidence in Embroidery to help me out a bit. In particular, I observed and analyzed the shading in the French Rose project. It’s a red rose, but it gave me a good idea of where to place my lighter and darker shades.

I still experimented as I went along, and if you look closely at each finished flower you can easily see that they’re all different, and that most petals within the same flower are also different. The effect isn’t always very realistic, but for the purposes of the project, it works. 😊 I’ll be honest, I’m really no expert in long & short stitch. I’m still playing around with it, practicing, and learning how to do it better. But I must say I’m really pleased with how most of my petals turned out!

 

Here’s a look at how I fill a petal:

 

1. I decide which shades I want to use and in which order. I used seven different pinks to make my roses, but I didn’t use all shades in each petal. The gradients varied, as did the placement of lighter and darker shades.

2. In this case, I’m going dark to light. So I stitch the first layer in DMC #603. I like to make guidelines with my thread to keep the angle right, especially with a petal shape. The stitches are long and short, varying in length, creating a very uneven edge.

 

first layer of long & short stitch on wild rose petal
first layer of the long & short stitch on rose petal

 

3. Once the first layer is completed, I pick a slightly lighter colour (DMC #605) and begin to fill the second layer. I prefer to stitch from bottom to top, so I begin my stitch towards the base of the petal, and end it somewhere in the first layer. To create a beautiful blending effect, the idea is to end the stitches of a new layer well within the previous ones. In other words, I don’t end my stitches at the edge of the first layer, but higher, nestled among the stitches of the previous layer. Again, the length of these stitches shouldn’t be uniform. It looks more naturally blended if the stitches are of varying lengths.

I repeat these steps with as many colours as I wish. For this petal, I added a third and fourth layer, using DMC #776 and #963.

 

finished petal in long & short stitch shading

Doing this with only one strand of floss at a time is incredibly time-consuming, but it’s oh so lovely!

 

Here’s a look at a different wild rose, where I did the shading in the petals differently.

 

shaded wild rose petals in long & short stitch
The petal to the left was the very one I made, and I found it too pale. I tried something completely different for the one above it, where I placed the darkest shade closest to the center.

 

Wild Roses in progress…

embroidered wild roses in needle painting style

 

Rose Centers

 

Once all my petals were stitched, it was time to pick some joyful yellows for the centers. I went with DMC #728, #729, #743, and #744 (#729 is a little darker, a very light goldenish brown). I made straight stitches from the center to the petals using #743 and #744, leaving a very small circle in the middle (the center of the center, lol). In this little center, I used two strands of #743 to make three French knots, filling up the space. Still using only one strand of floss, I used DMC #728, #729, and #744 to make French knots scattered all around the outer edge of the center (at the base of the petals). As much as possible, I made them close to the end of the straight stitches.

yellow straight stitches to form wild rose center
french knots in the very center of the embroidered wild rose

 

Using only one strand of floss, I used DMC #728, #729, and #744 to make more French knots, scattered all around the outer edge of the center (at the base of the petals). As much as possible, I made them close to the end of the straight stitches.

finished embroidered wild rose
(this is the finished center of a different rose flower, because apparently I’m not very consistent with my photos, lol)

 

It really makes the rose come alive, doesn’t it?? I’m so happy with how that turned out, they almost look real!

The last little touch was adding little thorns along the branches. I used one strand of DMC #898 (same colour as the branch).

finished embroidered wild roses

 

And here we are! WILD ROSES COMPLETED!! WEEEE!!! (Sorry but this totally deserved some all caps squealing for joy :P)

 

completed branch of embroidered wild roses

 

I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able to believe it. I don’t believe a rose would be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.”

L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

 

finished wild rose close-up

 

I hope you enjoyed following along and I can’t wait to show you Part 3! Raspberries and currants are up next! 😊

 

Other posts you might find useful:

 

And just in case you missed, here’s PART 1 of the Garden Bouquet project, all about the inspiration behind the pattern & setting up for stitching.

garden bouquet project part 1

 

Fondly,

garden bouquet embroidery: wild roses
Save to pin for later!

5 Inspiring Authors to Read Today

     Anne      2 Comments

Hello friend!

I thought I’d break up the Garden Bouquet project a bit (mainly because I don’t have much new progress to show hahaha!) and post about some inspiring authors this week! If you’ve been following the blog for a bit now, you probably know that I love books and get a lot of stitching inspiration from reading novels. If you’re new here, hello I’m Anne and I’m a bookaholic who loves embroidery. 😉 In any case, welcome to everyone! Today we’re having a lovely little tea party in which we will discuss 5 wonderful authors whose writing is inspiring. These authors craft beautiful worlds where you will want to lose yourself for hours, and emerge with new, fresh inspiration to live and create and find joy.

So pull up a chair, make yourself comfortable, and I will pour you a steaming cup of Earl Grey.

 

Literature inspiration - 5 authors you should read

 

**Click on any book title with a link to read the full review on Goodreads 🙂

 

1. Lucy Maud Montgomery

“There is so much in the world for us all if we only have the eyes to see it, and the heart to love it, and the hand to gather it to ourselves-so much in men and women, so much in art and literature, so much everywhere in which to delight, and for which to be thankful.”

Anne of the Island

 

stack of l.m. montgomery books with wild goldenrod

Of course, I simply must start this list of inspiring authors with the best of the best, the ultimate authority on all things inspiration – none other than L.M. Montgomery. Her books exude absolute beauty and loveliness. Have you ever read a book where each sentence was delightful? Each sentence somehow better than the next, so well-crafted yet never forced? That’s what Montgomery’s writing is like.

Descriptive, poetic, and yet utterly compelling in its simplicity, her writing flows naturally from page to page, transporting you to a time and place when life was simpler and people were happy. Famous for her beautiful descriptions of nature, Montgomery’s books are a complete delight to read and really make you want to learn to see and feel and appreciate nature for yourself (and perhaps attempt a line or two of poetry!). From giving imaginative names to places to describing nature in all its glory in a most loving way, the inspiration breathed into each of her books is endless.

paperback copies of Chronicles of Avonlea and Anne of the Island books surrounded by wildflowers and lace

Her stories are also filled with all the lovely little every day things that make us grateful to be alive. Baking pies, sewing a new dress, going for a walk over sun-drenched meadows, picking apples, the list goes on forever. Full of Edwardian charm and innocence, Montgomery’s books feature characters as endearing and loveable as her descriptions are, and I guarantee you’ll love it. There’s only one book of hers I haven’t liked as much as the others so far, but every single other one I’ve read was pure gold.

Aside from the most famous Anne of Green Gables series, other titles worthy of note include: The Blue Castle, The Doctor’s Sweetheart & Other Stories, and Chronicles of Avonlea.

 

2. Louisa May Alcott

“Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success.”

Little Women

 

hardcover copy of little women by alcott surrounded by queen anne's lace and pressed daisies

While we’re on the subject of all things simple and lovely, what could be more inspiring than Little Women? Not only does it have much to teach us in terms of life lessons, but who isn’t inspired to draw, or paint, or write, or sew, or launch their own theatre club with private mailbox after reading the book or watching the movie? Little Women makes me want to craft. To create. To Make Things. Also to find a sweet, loving husband, but that’s not the topic of this post 😉. It’s such an inspiring read for so many reasons, and makes me want to be productive and try new things just by following what the four heroines are up to.

open Little Women book with pressed daisies

Alcott definitely has a lovely writing style and I’ve enjoyed some of her short stories as well, but I find it’s really the subject matter and imparted bits of wisdom that make her writing inspiring. It makes you want to be better (and not just at crafts lol). Reading one of her stories really just makes you want to take action, and I love that.

The Quiet Little Woman is one of my favourites of her short stories so far. It was such a sweet story that brought tears of joy and sadness to my eyes.

 

3. Georgette Heyer

“It was growing late, and though one might stand on the brink of a deep chasm of disaster, one was still obliged to dress for dinner.”

April Lady

 

a few inspiring books by author georgette heyer

As much as I love L.M. Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott, the love I have for Georgette Heyer’s books is just not the same. Probably my favourite author ever, Heyer has been crowned Queen Supreme of the Regency romance novel for her hilariously sublime portrayal of Regency life. Historically accurate yet undeniably escapist, Heyer’s novels are the perfect blend of comedy of manner, romance, and adventure. Ranging from mad romps through London or Bath (as in Frederica or Bath Tangle), to the quiet countryside (Venetia), there’s something for everyone to delight in. Her witty dialogue is unparalleled, and I warn you, you will laugh out loud at certain passages. 😉

 

Historical Inspiration

 

When I first started reading Heyer’s books, I was really struck by the quantity of fascinating period detail she’d manage to weave through her stories. It never felt too much or too forced, it was just beautifully illustrated. You can see the glittering ballrooms, the fashionable dresses, the well-dressed gents as clearly as if you were looking at a painting. It’s amazing. And it never fails to provide ample historical sewing or needlework inspiration. One day, I will recreate Léonie’s presentation gown, or Frederica’s ball-gown for her sister’s come-out.

front cover of Georgette Heyer's Frederica surrounded by wildflowers

“With a Georgette Heyer you don’t buy a book, you buy a world. If its suits you, you settle down forever.”

Time Magazine

I haven’t read all her books yet (she wrote over 30 historical romances!), but I already have so many favourites!! All the ones previously mentioned are top favourites: Frederica, Bath Tangle, Venetia, and These Old Shades, in which Léonie appears. And there are so many more!!

 

4. Jen Turano

“’I can cry at the drop of a hat.’
‘You find hat-dropping distressful?’
‘If it’s a nice hat, and it has dropped in the mud, certainly. I could cry about that for days.'”

A Most Peculiar Circumstance

 

various books by inspiring author Jen Turano

Someone once described Jen Turano as the American Heyer, and she was so right! Jen Turano is a modern-day author who writes fabulously farcical comedies set during the American Gilded Age (often taking place in New York or other such places where socialites dwell). As with Heyer, you enter into a wonderfully glamorous world full of witty repartee and screwball comedy. Her books are much less accurate and plausible than Heyer’s though. The emphasis is really on fun and comedy. Little of what goes on in her novels actually reflects life in 1880 New York, but it’s endlessly diverting and the characters are absolutely charming.

book copy of A Match of Wits by Jen Turano

I’ll be honest, some of her books were a bit much for me sometimes, but I have such fond memories of the Ladies of Distinction series that I simply had to include her on this list! Even the books that I enjoyed less (usually because they were just a *tad* too silly, and I was probably in the mood for something more serious) still had that wonderfully escapist quality that I find so inspiring. If you’re into historical sewing recreation and you like Victorian-era fashions, Turano’s books are like a goldmine of inspiration. Think cascading bustles, elegant rows of buttons on bodices, and lacy parasols.

My favourite book so far is A Match of Wits, the fourth book in the Ladies of Distinction series, although the entire series is really good!

 

5. Laura Childs

“Pungent, orange-red Assams. Smoky, slightly sweet Ceylon teas. Fragrant Darjeelings from the steep slopes of the Himalayas. There were also sparkling emerald green teas from Japan, gyokos and senchas, that were a touch puckery and a bit of an acquired taste.”

Shades of Earl Grey

 

bookcover Death by Darjeeling by inspiring author Laura Childs on iPad surrounded by bone china teacups and wildflowers

And lastly, we will end this list of inspiring authors with Laura Childs, whom I just started reading last year. Specializing in cozy mysteries, Childs has written many murder mystery series, all of which have a theme. I’ve dabbled in her Tea Shop Mysteries, and they are so sweet and loveable! Those are perhaps not words one would associate with murder mysteries, but the Tea Shop books are as cozy as cozy can get! The puzzles are rather easy to solve, but the ride to the end is really fun, and filled to the brim with delicious tea tidbits, tea recipes, steaming tea pots, and pretty tea cups.

The stories are set in modern-day Charleston, South Carolina, and drip with loveliness, historic district charm, and all things tea. If pretty bone china, soft pastels, and dainty sandwiches are your aesthetic, you will love these books! The main character, Theodosia Browning, owns the Indigo Tea Shop, a picture-perfect spot that always ends up at the center of the action. Featuring delightful characters, intriguing mysteries, and endless cups of tea, these are the books to read for an ultimate cozy experience. As an added bonus, tea recipes are included at the end of each book!

bookcover of the English Breakfast Murder by inspiring author Laura Childs on iPad surrounded by bone china teacups and wildflowers

So put the kettle on, dust out your vintage tea set, and invite a friend or two to sample your freshly-baked lavender-laced scones. These books will get you inspired to bake and cook and drink lots and lots of tea, guaranteed!

I’ve read the first four books of the Tea Shop Mysteries so far and enjoyed them all, but I’d say Death by Darjeeling and Shades of Earl Grey were my favourites so far.

stack of books by inspiring author Georgette Heyer with bone china teacup and porcelain figurine of two lovers on a settee

 

Thank you for joining me!

I hope that between dreamy tea parties, Victorian fashions, Regency ballrooms, Louisa May Alcott’s wholesome portrayal of simple life, and Montgomery’s breathtaking nature descriptions, you will find a little something to inspire you! Whether it’s trying out something new or re-imagining something you already do, may the various inspiration from these authors bring you joy. I hope you enjoyed this post, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Have you read any of the books I mentioned? Did you also find them inspiring? What other books/authors would be on your list of inspiring reads?

 

Happy reading my friends!

 

Fondly,

fresh inspiration - 5 authors to read
Pin to save for later!