Buttonhole Stitch

Thanks for visiting!  I know it has been awhile.....again.  I have been posting infrequently at best.  During the last three weeks I've finished the Olivia Ostrich instruction book (shown in my most recent post).  Now I am in the middle of the Funky Rose instructions which will be a pilot class in March.  One of the features of this design is a large buttonhole stitch rose stitched with River Silks 7mm ribbon. 

In the process of writing the instructions I have been creating stitch diagrams and graphs and have been reviewing all that I have previously created using buttonhole stitches.  And there it was.......my very first "In Stitches" column in the May 2007 issue of Needle Pointers magazine. The sample I stitched for it has lots of examples of various used for buttonhole so I thought it might be fun to show them again here.   And here are the basic stitch diagrams for reference.  I hope you get some ideas you're able to use in your projects.  Buttonhole stitches add lots of texture as you can see. 

Have a great week!

Winner of Free Drawing Announced

First I would like to announce the winner of the Free Drawing:  Nicole chose the Gerbera Daisy instruction book and canvas kit.  Congratulations!  Thanks to all who posted a comment to enter. 

I was working away on the design for the stitching retreat and had planned to have it finished by now.  The best laid plans.  But when I started working with the wire I thought to add, it just didn't look right....to small of a gauge.  So I thought I could just run out to Beverly's (my closest craft store) and pick up the perfect color in the right gauge!  No such luck.  Almost every color out of stock.  Then, I drove on out to Joann's.  Again no luck.  Now it's rainy and windy and the next closest is Michael's, 15 miles further.  So I went home and found what I needed on-line.  Now to wait.  Thank goodness the company just sent a shipping notice so hopefully I will receive my package and can finally complete Funky Rose. 

I'm surely not the only person this happens to.  Best laid plans aside...sometimes you just have to try it out on the actual piece to see if something will work.  So, here is the "almost finished" piece.  You can see where I added the purple wire in two places along the bottom edge....plus a few transparent sequins and beads.  Now as I look back at the previous update photos I see a huge change from the last posted update!  Hopefully it will only be a few days before it's done.  In the meantime I am beginning the last flower in the silk ribbon series....a Red Dahlia. 

STITCHING RETREAT PLANNING

 

The stitching retreat planning is continuing....but we're coming close!  We have found a wonderful location here in the San Francisco bay area and took a tour of the inn yesterday....we're just waiting for a call back to confirm a few things, including the dates for this fall.  And, we have two fun projects to share with the attendees.  Since this is our first retreat to plan.... much different than attending one.....there is a lot of information to gather. We have talked about the "little things'  we have particularly liked in retreats and seminars we have attended and hope to make this retreat a cozy and memorable experience.  

I will be setting up a new Retreat section on my website in the next or two, with pictures of the projects, inn, etc.  But, thought everyone would like a sneak peak of the nearby area.  I found this picture, taken in late August, of the downtown shopping area a block or two from the inn.   Isn't it pretty?! 

Don't forget to comment between now and February 23rd to be entered in the FREE DRAWING.