Christmas Sew-A-Long Week 3

​Hello everyone! I hope you're all having fun sewing along with me. Don't forget to check in with a pic on social media, or email me, to get extra entries for the draw. You don't need to have anything finished, its more to show your progress as you go. If you post on social media make sure to tag me or I won't know!

This week we are talking about my Christmas embroidery patterns, Merry and Bright and The Christmas Crew. Side note - if you are in Sydney and you want to see the cushions in person, they're on display at The Crewel Goeblin in Gordon for the next month or so! Or you can come and see them (and me!) at Quilt Market in Melbourne - thats a trade only show though, sorry peeps. 

The cushions are VERY simple embroidery, and there aren't any stitches used that we haven't already discussed in the post for the Five Fabric Baubles patterns (you can find that post here), except for satin stitch. Penguin & Fish does such a lovely demonstration of satin stitch here that I haven't even worried about doing a new video for you! You can click right here and watch her neat and tidy satin stitches as many times as you like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGPqSY2vJn8

Instead what I'm going to talk about today is some different ways to use your embroideries once you've finished the stitching. Obviously I have finished mine into couch cushions - they have a piped edge (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMrV3UphOLc), and a zipper along the centre of the cushion, hidden under a flange (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ookJerZrDuI). What if you don't really want a cushion though? 

You could always frame them, to prop up on a mantle piece or hang near the Christmas tree. That doesn't have to be an expensive exercise. Yes, having them professionally framed can be very expensive, but if you go to IKEA or similar, and buy a nice frame, you can also do it yourself for a fraction of the cost. You need a frame that has a nice sturdy piece of card inside it, or otherwise a very sturdy piece of card cut to size. You can also use the board t the back of the frame that holds the frame shut if you like, but only if you don't mind the raw back of the embroidery being open to the wall when its hung.

You could frame the embroidery in a hoop (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mQx6cboPB4) - it will have to be a large hoop though, as they aren't small circles. A quilting hoop might work best for this, one of the cheaper ones you can buy at big box craft stores would do the trick. You can wrap the edges of the hoop (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM4zixJruMo) with some Christmas ribbon or fabric to make it look even prettier. 

I have the cushion embroideries done in red thread and enhanced with some gold thread and gold beads, but you can do them in any colour you like! I love the multicoloured versions of these, and I use them as table mats on my Christmas table. All I did was to use a large plate to draw around the finished embroideries, about 1" from the actual embroidered circle. I then cut the circle out 1/4" from the line. I always use fusible fleece on the back of my embroideries as I stitch, so these were already backed - but if you want to do this and you haven't added the fleece, or even some quilt wadding, it's a good idea to do that and fuse or spray glue it to the back of the circle. 

I cut out a circle of red felt ( you will need to buy yardage of wool felt, so that it wears well, can be hand washed and doesn't pill with use) and centered the embroidered circle onto the felt, thread basted, and then hand needle turn appliquéd the circle to the felt. I scalloped one of the edges, but you could just cut a plain circle, or use pinking shears. If you wanted the felt to have a backing, you can cut a circle of patchwork fabric the same size as the felt and place it right sides together with the embroidery, stitch around the edge with a 1/4" seam on the machine - make sure and leave about a 2" gap for turning through. After you turn it right sides out through the gap, give it a good press so that the edges are crisp, and then slip stitch the opening closed. They do look lovely and professional stitched like this. 

The last suggestion I have is to turn your square of embroidery into a gift sack! Stitch a rim of red or Christmas patterned fabric around the outside of your embroidery until the front of the sack is the size you want it - which will depend on who the sack is for and how many presents you're expecting it to hold! Smaller for an adult and larger for a child, I'm thinking. You could even use the stars from my Jingle Bell Stocking to surround the embroidery and make the piece larger and more festive. Once you have the front piece to the size you want it, you can follow these simple instructions to make a beautiful sack in no time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0Rm1KHyKBo

If anyone has any other ideas for how they're going to use their embroidered panel, please let me know in the comments! ​And don't forget you can ask me any questions about any of the other Christmas projects too, just drop your queries in the comments or send me an email, sarah@sarahfielke.com Happy stitching peeps

Sarah x​