Patterns Coming...

 

I've decided to create digital patterns for my Brynwood wool pincushions. There are actually three. My Woolen Acorn pincushion isn't in this photo, but will definitely have a pattern.

I'll debut the patterns in June, but I'm letting you know here first. I'm going to create each pincushion - start to finish - so I can photograph each step. Once I've written the instructions, I'll be ready to list them up in my Etsy shop. I may even make a few kits available. (I haven't decided on that yet.)

I have two appointments today. Even so, I'm going to try to get in some stitching time. Hard to believe it's already "hump day"! Hope yours is a good one.

Kathy's Lovely Pinkeep...

Brynwood Needleworks - Kathy's Drum Pinkeep

Primitive Gatherings' Wool Box 7 included a beautiful pincushion kit called "Flock of Sheep". The pattern finishes as a rectangular pincushion, but my girlfriend, Kathy D. had a different idea, and I love it!

I've been saving images of drum-style pinkeeps for a while, but hadn't purchased a pattern or looked for a tutorial for one so far. Kathy, however, had. She turned me on to a YouTube contributor called The Twisted Stitcher. The needleworker behind the videos is Vonna Pfeiffer. She has great videos, including one for how to create a drum pinkeep.

Kathy's is wonderful, and now I've been inspired to stitch up my kit, watch the video, and put together one of my own! Lisa's "Flock of Sheep" kit isn't available outside the Wool Boxes (yet), so if you're interested in adapting one of your projects, you can see Vonna's video tutorial HERE.

Thanks, Kathy!! I can't wait to make mine.

Pincushion Progress...

Embroidered Brynwood Fairy Steed Corgi Pincushion

 

I completed all the embroidery for the current Corgi Pincushion. I decided to embroider it a little differently than I've done in the past, and I really like this one! 

 

I would have completed the assembly, but got sidetracked to complete two very special projects. I have a short deadline, so I had to squeeze them in before I got the pincushion done. I'll complete this one later today.

I have another bread-making class tomorrow, so I'll get this and the special project finished before I spend the day with my hands in flour. That class is called "Rustic Soups and Breads". Do you think I'm going to have fun? Count on it!

I'll share my finishes with you tomorrow, too, so I'd better get back to it. I love it when I'm busy!

The Well-Behaved Corgi...

Brynwood Needleworks' Corgi Pincushion In Progress

 

We've been doing a lot of outside work, preparing for the inevitable colder weather. Even so, when I've finished my outside chores, it's so nice to come back inside, make a hot cuppa tea and then, sit down to stitch. 

I have commissions that are waiting for my attention, so I'm happy to spend my indoor time doing what I love best. Needle dancing. Next up are my Corgi pincushions. Yes. The well-behaved Corgi.

(Tag can be like the little boy in the Calvin and Hobbs' stories. lol)

 

Brynwood Needleworks' Corgi Pincushion Embroideries

 

After I cut out and stitch my Corgi shape, I hand cut and place all the flowers and leaves. Next, I can sit down and stitch all of those. Then, I'll assemble and fill my pincushion, and it will be ready to go to a new home. See you tomorrow!

Dust In The Wind...

Milkweed On The Farm

That's the song in my mind as I was watching the milkweed seeds spreading in yesterday's breeze. All of the pods have burst open, and now Mother Nature (and the wind) will disperse the seeds for next year's crop.

The sun is getting lower in the southern sky as fall turns toward winter, so the light was warm and wonderful on our field. I couldn't resist taking a few pictures to help me remember this day.

Hickory Hill Farm Sandwich Bread

When I came back into the house, the aroma of freshly baked bread greeted me. I think I'm getting better with practice. I also like that I'm creating tasty breads, rather than buying it at the store.

This Saturday, I'll be taking another class at the technical college. I'll be learning about "Rustic Breads and Soups"! I think it's going to be fun to add to my current repertoire.

I'll be working on commissions today. I have pincushions, a strawberry, and three wallets to make in the next week or so. Today, I'll tackle the pincushions first. I'll show you what I'm doing later.

 

Mini Charm Pack Pincushions...

Brynwood Mini Charm Pincushions

 

I played in the studio for a little while yesterday. I made pincushions from Moda™ mini charm packs. In the interest of full disclosure, this is an idea that was shared with us by Lisa Bongean at our once-a-month Sit & Sew group at Primitive Gatherings. It was such a great idea, that you know I had to share it with you, too.

Lisa showed us the one she made - and gave us each a mini charm pack of one of her fabric lines, at our last get together. I knew I was going to make some of my own when I got home. Here they are (along with a little tutorial so you can make your own)!

Assembling Mini Charm Pincushions

If you sew or quilt, I know you have at least one mini charm pack. They're 2 1/2" squares representing a designer's full assortment of any given line. To make these pincushions, you cut 3/4" strips from each piece. Of course, this means you'll still have 1 3/4" left to make more!!

For my first one, I cut a 3/4" strip off every single square in the assortment. Then, using a 1/4" seam, I joined them all together by color from light to dark (or dark to light). Once they're all joined, give them a press with a steam iron and trim to square them up, if needed.

Adding Twill Tape To Mini Charm Pincushion

The newer twill tapes that Moda™ uses to tie their jelly rolls have a design that looks like measuring tape, but mine are still binding my unused jelly rolls. I do have some that I've saved from the rolls I've already used, so I pulled them out for this project.

Center the twill tape along the length of your joined fabrics, and sew along each side of the tape. Once the twill tape is sewn to the fabrics, choose a nice backing fabric for your pincushion. Sew them front to back, right sides together, but leave at least 1" of one end open to add your filling of crushed walnut shells. 

Turn right-side-out and press, including the area you'll eventually sew shut. Fill with crushed walnut shells and hand sew the opening closed.

 

Finished Mini Charm Pincushion

It's that simple! If you use the entire assortment in your mini charm pack, your finished pincushion with be looooong! There were three prints in each color for this one. So, I decided to play a little longer.

 

Little Version of Mini Charm Pincushion

The next one I made was only one of each color (with the exception of the gold one on the left end). It's a mini mini charm pack pincushion! (Of course, you could make it "mini-er" by using fewer colors.)

Three Sizes of Mini Charm Pincushions

 

In no time at all, I'd made three different lengths. The longest one used three of each colorway, creating a pincushion that was just over 14" long. The middle one used two of each colorway and ended up about 10" long, and the last one with one of each colorway was about 5" long. I still have enough 3/4" pieces of some of the squares to make one or more, depending on how many colors I use.

 

Added bonus? Well, I'm so glad you asked! Because each strip of fabric sews up to 1/4" long, you can actually use your pincushion as a pretty close estimation of a ruler! Four strips equals 1". Cool, right? 

 

Well, what are you waiting for? Grab your mini charm packs and get sewing! If you make your own, please take a picture and post it on my "Brynwood Needleworks" Facebook page. (Just ask to join if you're not already in the group.) I'd love to see what you make!

 

Work, Then Play...

Family Time At A Milwaukee Brewers Game

This is actually how our day ended yesterday...with a trip to Milwaukee with our elder son and his family. We went to the beautiful stadium that is home to the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, and boy, did we have great seats!

You'll notice our little photobomber behind Handsome. We had a group of nurses from the local VA hospital sitting in the row in front of us. We actually earned this because we'd done the same to their pictures earlier in the game. They hooted when they saw their pictures with Handsome and the "boys" in it, so turnabout was fair play. We weren't the only ones either. We saw many others taking pictures only to have someone behind them pop into the frame at the last minute...all in good, clean fun.

The Brewers were playing the Cleveland Indians, and our team prevailed 3-1. It was a great game with some really incredible plays. I'm sure we'll do it again over the course of the summer.

Pincushions For A Client

 

I had an order waiting to be fulfilled, as I was busy with the quilt show last weekend. I sat down on Monday to make one pincushion, and then did the other yesterday. They're now on their way to a new home, so I could really have fun at the game without worrying about an obligation at home.

 

"Work before play", and that's just how the day went.

I got this job accomplished inside, and Handsome and Andy worked together outside.

(Thank you for all your help, Andy. There are things we really couldn't do without you!)

Stitch On...

"Stitch On" from Primitive Gatherings

I'm back listing up fabrics and other treasures in my shop, so I wanted to have a quick, little project to work on. This is what I've chosen.

"Stitch On" - Framed or Pincushion?

 

Once I've finished the stitching (I'm doing the grey version), I have to decide whether it will be framed or a pincushion. What do you think?

ReOpened For Business...

BrynwoodNeedleworks on Etsy

I've been very busy, lifting and emptying boxes, organizing fabrics, fibers and hardware. I'm nearly there, so I decided to reopen my Brynwood Needleworks shops. I will be creating new items to stock in the coming weeks, and I'm excited to get back to playing in my studio(s).

Brynwood Needleworks on Facebook

Are you on Facebook? Are you in our Brynwood Needleworks Facebook group? Members are encouraged to share links to needlework and other handcrafted items. It's a place where we share our love of needlework, knitting, crochet, quilting and more. All you do is request to join the group and I'll happily add you to our ranks.

Brynwood Needleworks - Strawberry Rose Pincushion (or Sachet)

Monday held a particularly wonderful surprise for me. I follow "Embroiderers Guild of Victoria" on Facebook, and they have recently been sharing some of the most beautiful pincushions. I checked in on Monday, and guess what? They were featuring one of MY pincushions!! I could hardly believe it.

I thanked them for featuring my Strawberry Rose Pincushion, and got excited about making more of these in the near future. I'll also be adding some new pincushion designs in the near future. So many ideas...so little time. Please do come and join me. You'll usually get a sneak preview there, even before I get back here to tell you about them. 

 

Come on over. There are lots of talented women, eagerly waiting to share their creations with you, too! We'd like to see yours, too.

 

My Latest Find...

Brynwood Needleworks - Acorn Egg Cup

 

When visiting my online friend, Susan Pilotto's, FaceBook page recently, I saw something that caught my eye in the background of one of her photographs. (I'd share, but didn't ask for permission prior to writing this post.)

She has a beautiful new piece that she's working on, and in the background was a pincushion that started its life as an egg cup. Hers is a beautiful blue and white china cup (which I'll find someday, too), but as I searched for one online, I came across this one!

What would make a more perfect egg cup pincushion for me than one with acorns, oak leaves and bittersweet all around it? I didn't think twice. I immediately purchased it, and it arrived in yesterday's post. 

 

I'm going to find the perfect shade of hand dyed wool to make my own pincushion insert for it. It may take a while, and I may wait until after I get back to the farm to work on it, but it's going to be a fun project.  I'm just tickled to have it for my new studio!

Number Forty Five...

Brynwood Needleworks - 45 - "Seamstress" Wallet

I finished the first of three client commissions yesterday. This client supplied the fabrics and specified which fabrics she wanted used for the exterior, interior and for the frame on the wallet flap. Didn't she choose some fun fabric?

Brynwood Needleworks - 45 - "Seamstress" Wallet Interior Detail

I also like the interior fabric...sewing machines! More fun. I think someone is going to be happy with this gift from my client.

Brynwood Needleworks - 46 - "Day of the Dead Dogs" Prep

I've cut and prepared all the fabrics the same client sent for another gift wallet. This is a funky "Day of the Dead Dogs" fabric. (I checked and Timeless Treasures created a cat fabric like this, too!) She asked that I showcase the Chihuahua, but there are other breeds that will be on the body of the wallet.

I'll assemble this one today and they'll both be treated with Scotchgard™ and shipped on their way tomorrow. I show the finished version in my next post.

Brynwood Needleworks - BW Acorn Pincushion Commission

 

On Tuesday night, I stitched out another Acorn pincushion that was ordered after I posted photos of my prototype. All I have left is to stitch the opening (for the filling) closed and add the tiny acorn charm. I'll do that first today, and this one will be ready to go to its new home, too.

Can you believe it's already June? In sw Florida, that also means the start of the hurricane season (which runs through the first of December). To coin a phrase often spoken in Wisconsin farm country, "I guess I'll just make hay while the sun shines!"

Creative Joy...

When we weren't relaxing and enjoying the holiday, I was in the studio playing. I finished the weekend with three new pincushions - and more!

These are all now listed in my Etsy shop and are available for adoption to new sewing or needlework  homes.

This one has a sweet, pink floral fabric, vintage lace trim (with a place to tuck a pair

 of embroidery scissors), light sage, ruched seam binding, and a vintage jewelry finding.

I like this purple ribbon-trimmed pincushion. It also has vintage lace with an

 opening in the lace to hold a pair of embroidery scissors. I cut the pin back off

a "Choose Joy" lapel pin so that I could affix it to the front of this one. I also added

 beads to the "blossom" I created from seam binding at the top of the ruching.

For the last pincushion I made over the weekend, I chose a pink rose fabric,

vintage lace, a vintage button and more ruched seam binding. 

Each pincushion measures 8" long x 4" wide, and is filled with crushed walnut 

shells for weight (so it doesn't scoot around on your sewing table), and to help 

keep pins and needles sharp. Each one is unique and handcrafted with TLC.

They can be found in my HERE, in my Etsy shop.

I finished out my weekend projects by making another dress for our project,

"Dress A Girl Around The World". 

The early evening "monsoons" arrived with thunder and lightning, so I had 

to shut down my Destiny and unplug it before I could make the dress pocket. 

I'll add that today and then this dress will go with the others.

All in all, I think you'd agree. 

This was definitely a weekend spent pursuing my "creative imperative".

Pincushions, Pinafores and Other Fun Projects...

I went back through my files over the weekend and 

pulled these photographs from past projects.

I made these as swap gifts for our guild Christmas parties in 2013 and 2014.

I enjoyed combining beautiful fabric, vintage (or new-to-look-like-vintage) buttons and a little ribbonwork or embroidery to create pretty and useful pincushions for someone's favorite sewing or embroidery spot.

They will be my inspiration as I sit down to create new ones for my Etsy shop. I can't tell you how much enjoyment I get creating something that will become a treasured piece in someone elses sewing space.

I'll show you what they look like before they head over to my Etsy shop, but I'm working on a commissioned wallet first. I'll complete that this morning and then make the pincushions for my shop.

Before the end of the week, I'm going to make another dress for our "Dress A Girl Around The World" project, too. (If you've missed my posts about that, you can click HERE to learn more.) What are you working on this week?

Oh, my goodness! It's already the beginning of a new month!!! Where is the time going, anyway? I guess, "Happy July" is in order.

BFF Pincushions...

I always set aside studio time on the weekend, so on Saturday I went to my "bag-o-selvages" with simple trimming on my mind. As I cut away excess fabric, I was inspired to create something. With that, this idea was born.

Perhaps you remember the two-part Mitzpah Coin. You know. The coin that you would share with your BFF. She (or he) wore one half and you wore the other. I seem to remember it having the verse, "May the Lord watch between thee and me, while we are absent, one from the other."

As I was cutting away on the selvages, I found myself thinking of my girlfriend in Wisconsin who used to be my sewing buddy. I was in my early 20s and she, her daughter and I would sew together every single evening after having dinner with her husband and sons.

We were prolific. I worked in a law office during the day and sewed with my girlfriends at night. I had a new business outfit to wear every week! When I moved back to my hometown, I couldn't sit at my sewing machine for over a year. I was lonely for my sewing BFFs.

That's when the idea struck! Why not create something for sewing BFFs? I came up with weighted pincushions that were mirror image of each other...one for one girlfriend and another for her treasured friend. That's how the BFF Pincushion was born. I was off and running.

The pincushions measure approximately 4" wide by 8" long. They're made with fabric selvages and filled with crushed walnut shells. Not only do the walnut shells sharpen your pins and needles with use, but they prevent the pincushion from scooting around on your table, too.

I managed to finish three sets this past weekend, and have added these to my Etsy shop. I'll add more as I make time to sew them. 

 

I'm also going to do a couple other variations on the theme. I'll show you as they come off the assembly line. With all the ideas for BFF Pincushions swimming around in my head right now, the sky's the limit!

 

I have a lot going on this week, but there's always time to be in the studio. Don't forget to take time to pursue your creative muse, too. Everyone needs to set aside time to "get your craft on"! 

 

After all, "Seven Days Without Crafting Makes a Person Weak"! 

(I know...groan...I couldn't resist.)