{tip} Anatomy of a Failed Artwork

One thing that I sometimes do is, I get too excited.  I get too eager and I don't plan ahead.  This is mostly fine.  I improvise as I go, but sometimes it just doesn't work out at all.

It is wise to know what you are good at, and not be modest about it.  It is equally as wise to know your shortcomings, and not beat yourself up about them.  I have a ton of respect for someone that tried something, over someone that decided they couldn't do it.  I'm good at spacial intelligence and organizing information.  I am not good at thinking abstractly about math concepts.  Bleh.

Failure is the condiment that gives success it's flavor - Truman Capote

All that said.

I wasted about 8 hours on this.  I didn't have a good feeling about it from the start, but I knew if I could pull it off it would look very cool.

This month's ArtBar theme is posters.  So I decided to get a poster for the poster show and stitch over it.

Here is the poster.

That takes me to -

Problem Number 1.
The poster is paper.  I need to have a sheet of paper over the poster because the pattern is so intricate. I've done this easily for larger scale works on cardboard, but not paper then paper then thread.

I stitched up about 75 % of it when I decided it was time to pull some paper to see what would happen.

Then.

Problem Number 2.
I used double sided tape to hold down the paper with the pattern on it.  I used double sided because the poster is glossy and there shouldn't have been a problem.  However, I was holding the work in that exact spot and the heat from my thumb melted the sticky so when I pulled up the pattern it peeled off a bit of the poster. (Here is where I decided that I could crop the poster and it would be just fine.)

Problem Number 3.
I used only one strand of DMC floss.  I was thinking I can just pull up on the paper and the floss would rip the paper.  Apparently, one strand isn't strong enough to rip the paper.

Problem Number 4.
The motif is so small that I can't get my scissors or tweezers under most of the threads and ...

Problem Number 5.
My scissors scraped the poster. ( Here is where I decided I wasn't going to try to charge for it, and probably give it away.)

Problem Number 6.
As a last ditch effort I sponged some water lightly on the paper hoping that it would give under the thread.  I scratched off more poster with my fingernail.  (Here is where I decided all was lost and I wasn't even going to waste more time on it.)

So. This it.  Woulda been interesting, right?

Here's the damage.

What did I learn?  Don't stitch an insanely complicated pattern over the only canvas that you have.

Have you ever made anything that you learned more from doing it wrong than if you had done it correctly?

{How to} Stitch on the Unstitchable

OR- How to stitch on stuff other than fabric.

Don't get me wrong, I love fabric.  But I like this a teensy bit more.  

I don't make things that can be made in a simpler medium. Meaning if fiber doesn't add to the art I don't make it fiber art.   A cross stitched portrait is beautiful.  But it's time consuming and I would rather just hang a photo.  

What I love is to combine mediums.  I'm not an artist.  I'm a try-er.  

And this is something I had to try.

First - get your materials

In this case I had a cardboard box from Hobby Lobby.  You know those brown boxes.  I think they are cardboard.

A phrase printed big enough to put onto said box.

A large needle, tape (double sided and normal), scissor, thread, ruler, a pen and a "poker" (an Awl tool).  An Awl tool is used for leather crafts.  It's near the jewelry at Micheal's.  You can use a needle too but the eye hurt my fingers when I pushed it through so I switched to this with it's comfy rubber handle.   It works perfectly.

Use double sided tape to adhere the phrase to the box.

Double sided works better than normal tape because it's somehow not as adhesive.  It comes right off, not ripping anything.

Figure out where you want your holes to be.  I chose to split up the larger lines so the thread wouldn't easily get caught on anything.  I used the ruler to make it uniform.

It ended up looking like this.  The purple dots is where I poked the holes.

Poke your holes.

Here's the back.

Your holes should be somewhat uniform, so try to give the same pressure with each hole punch.  This will take a while.  Longer than you would expect.  I had to stop to rest my wrists a few times.

I used a simple backstitch and all 6 strands of DMC.  And this is the result.

Added a border.

You have tape to tape down the excess when beginning and ending thread.  I don't try to tie them in simply because this is easier and it holds firm and flat.

I've used this method to stitch on paper, cardboard, boxes, canvas, and leather purses.  At some point I want to stitch on wood.

 At the moment I'm trying to decide if I should stitch on my new coach purse I got off ebay.  Hmmm.

Stitched: Little Leather Purse.

I found this purse at a local thrift store and picked it up for 2 bucks with the intention of stitching something on it.

I'd say 90% of what I work on is hair brained ideas I've had and HAVE to try.

I decided on the word I wanted on it and drew it up on some graph paper.  I got a cute little graph paper notebook at Target a while back.

I've been looking for a 12X16 notebook of graph paper but I can't seem to find any.

I then straight pinned it to the purse and stitched right over it.  It just took some tweezers and a little patience to rip the paper off.

I love this teal.  DMC 3849.  It seems all my favorite colors are 38 something.  Interesting.

It's going to be summer soon. This is my light summer purse.

¹cache

 noun \ˈkash\

1

a :  a hiding place especially for concealing and preserving provisions or implements

b :  a secure place of storage

2

:  something hidden or stored in a cache

3

:  a computer memory with very short access time used for storage of frequently or recently used instructions or data —called also cache memory

Do you stitch on anything that isn't made to stitch on?

Package Pals - What I sent. {Make Something Beautiful}

This is what I got.  ( add link  )

Here is what I sent -

Lindsay mentioned that she wanted to learn to sew.  I can't teach her to sew but I can set her up with a kit to learn to embroider.

I got three boxes from Hobby lobby and hand stitched them.  It was important for me to send her a kit, but also something that I made so if she doesn't choose to learn to embroider, at least she has something pretty.

This includes

1 hand stitched 8'x8' box containing full kit
1 hand stitched box to hold floss
1 hand stitched box to hold needles and sharps
2 vintage gold sharps
14 various Sullivan's floss colors and floss bobbins
1 6” embroidery hoop
2 tear away stablizers
2 pieces of fabric
1 Aunt Martha's pattern pack

The only thing I didn't include was a scissor.  

I really enjoyed doing making this and putting it all together.  95% of the time I'm making things for other people.  I don't remember the last thing I made for myself, let alone finished.

It's really just more fun this way.  I like to make stuff then give it away.    

-Teresa

Free Valentine's Embroidery Pattern

As a thanks to everyone that drops by my little place on the internet, I want you to know I really super heart you.

Here, have a free embroidery pattern.  :)  I hope you like it!  Please go Craftsy to download the pdf.  It is about 5.5 by 5.5 inches, and made to fit nicely in a 6 inch hoop.

Please, let me know what your plan is for the pattern in the comments section.  Cause I'm nosy :)
I'm not sure where mine will go yet.  It will liking move around the house.  Many of my things tend to do that.  I like to reorganize.  I'm a fan of change.

While you are at it.  Poke around the other Craftsy patterns.  There is a lot of good stuff in there, and a lot of people don't even know its there.

I stitched it up in two nights using a simple backstitch and one strand of floss.  I rather like it.  :)

I decided to crochet border to add a bit to the finished product.

If you would like to do the same, I used this tutorial as a reference. And decided to record myself doing it because it can be a bit awkward at first.

The Perfect Color Wheel Colors.

I've had the idea of a series of color wheels rolling (har har) around in my head for weeks.

I felt like I needed to get a larger collection of thread to really be able to pull out the best color wheels colors.

I'm not the proud owner of about 75% of all the DMC threads.  I got 12 different oranges today and TADA!

I finally have my template!

The red/oranges were difficult, but I'm happy with this combination. Now I can get started on a few things.  :)

French knots and Wooden Pendants

Recently hugsarefun.com, aka my friend Rebecca, participated in the January Artisan Collective.

Wherein she sold her wooden pendants along with many other very cool stitchery.  I particularly wanted to try the wood and plastic pendants.  They are laser cut and gorgeous.  The woodis bamboo and it even SMELLS like bamboo.  I really enjoyed to whole experience of stitching on them. Ambiance, if you will.

They are cut and also sold by Beaudeux.  And Included in these adorable kits from Hugs are Fun. They include everything you would need and are great for a new stitcher.

I'm always trying to find new things to stitch on and have wanted to try these everything I would hear about them from Rebecca.  They are great for cross stitch. But I wanted to try French knots in some capacity for a while.  I'm planning a color wheel for the bigger one and absolutely love how this turned out.  I like the open holes and the wood grain with a classic-ish embroidery idea of flowers.

I found this pattern on pinterest, but messed it up so I it's half pattern, half winging it  :)  

Anyone interested in these or similar flowers as a pattern?  

Finish with &Stitches - Family Periodic Table Cross Stitch

I'm inspired by &stitches and I'm gunna join in.  

They have a genius idea.  The finish-a-long.  The idea is simple.  Finish the projects that you just didn't finish.  There is no shame.  Just grab them and do them.  

I tend to finish my projects just because they are usually small and I usually become somewhat obsessed with them.  This project is my first cross stitch project.  I started it in August and I wrote this blog post then also.  

We're a nerdy little family and the idea of a traditional family tree or even a traditional cross stitch on the wall just didn't work.  I saw a friend's take on an element as a sort of birth announcement for her daughters and I totally stole her idea and combined us all together. (With her blessing of course!)

Here is the basic prototype.

I had considered just having the human kids, but the animals have been our family for a very long time.  They are our boys.  

I'm first cause I'm the oldest, then Domino is the oldest kid. Me and the pup have been through some stuff together.

Here is my square completed.  Short name, Tr.  Birthday and full name.

I finished the purple one, Violet's and started Westin's right after he was born.  (he is three months old today).

I'm going to start stitching on it again tomorrow.  :)

One Single Stitch. Every Single Day.

I'm jumping on the bandwagon with Becca and Molly and joining in the 365 day project a day fun.

I'm adding a small twist.  I tend to over generalize and over analyze.

I'm going to pick 5 colors and each color will represent a different mood of the day.  I'll pick a color at the end of the day and do my single stitch.

At the end of the year I will have a 12 by 31 (or so) cross stitch that is an accurate representation of my general moods each day, week, and month.

Too bad my therapist didn't think of this when I was 15.  :)

Mood/Color/DMC number

Neutral/Green/3851
Happy/Purple/333
Depressed/Gray/414
Frustrated/Orange/3854
Angry/Red/326

1/1/2014.  Frustrated. I spent too long on a pattern and never got it just right.  Ugh.

Updates monthly. Instagram updated daily.  Wish me luck!

Oh Christmas Tree

A bit ago I gave a pattern for a blackwork Christmas Tree.

Of course I started the tree before I did the pattern, so It doesn't match.  I finally completed it.  And I HEART it.  I gave it to my mom :)

The best part is that I used my Kreinik thread.  All the metallic is Kreinik and it turned out beautiful.  I enjoy working with the tread.  Everything from the fact that it's in a spool to the different weights.  Love it.

I kinda love the back.

Embroidered Christmas Card

I don't normally send Christmas cards. I always intend to but never do. In October, I cleaned out my random scrap booking stuff and found these. I don't remember if I sent them or just bought them.

The simple design is cute, but I think my parents and my husband's parents would like to get an even better design. I completed one before Halloween and get too involved to finish the other one. :). 

Now lets see if I actually SEND them.

ArtBar Show, featuring everyone!

Our local watering hole.  Two Brother's Roundhouse is kind enough to let all us artist types in for a little show on the first Friday of each month.

December (6th) the theme is 6by6.  My piece geometry piece was selected to be the poster art.  :)  

You can see these all over Downtown Aurora.

You should come, it'll be fun.  

 Oh, and buy stuff.  Everything showing is for sale!

Tutorial on a Tuesday: Butttons.

Alllriiigght.  

Buttons.

This is how I make my buttons.  I've done maybe 5 now and they aren't easy and I was doing them pretty blindly so I want to show you how I do them.  It's not going to be the prettiest thing you ever saw from the back, but it works.  

FIRST.

Stitch something.

Then pick up some buttons, they look like this.

You want the one that says "kit" cause they have the little pushers with them.  The others will say "refill"  (the back gives directions on using the pushers).

I picked up these today. 

Best. Idea. Ever.  Trying to figure out how much would be on the the actual button and how much would fold was very awkward.  These make a few things more simple.  Basically, it tells you the size of the button, the inside size that will show and the outside size you need to cut to.  Seriously, but it.

Materials - 
Add double sided tape and some scissors to this list.

Again, this is how I do this.  Take it or leave it...

The back of your buttons are going to have a loop, so they can be used as a button. 

Take it off.  Some pliers to pry it off. 

Next, cut the stitch into the round shape you need.  You can use the template.  In fact, do it, use the template. 

Use a little piece of double sided tape to hold this down.  You are going to start folding and it's going to move when you don't want it to.  The tape is very helpful.

Next, use the template to make sure that you have your image centered. 

When you do, start folding the sides around.  This is the tricky part.  The cloth is thick, and the buttons aren't really made for such thick cloth.  So use the little pusher thing, and use it to smash down the edges and flatter them out.  Like this. 

Next put some poxy on the metal part that is still showing.  The heart button shown in my last post fell apart a couple hours after it had been on the kids coat.  You don't want the back to unattach.

Then put on the back.

The kit is going to tell you to use this stuff.  I say skip it.  Because of the fabric.  

Instead...

You are going to need to bent it a bit to get it snug.  The e6000 will do the rest. 

Speaking of, put some more on. 

Then put on the pin back.  Purchased for a couple bucks at Hobby Lobby.  Worth it. 

 

And then.  BAM!

This one is a gift for a friend.  I hope she likes it.  :)