needlepoint, etc. - kitschy digitals

I came across the site Kitschy Digitals after seeing these cross stitch superheros on the blog Goodknits.

The pattern is by Wee Little Stitches via Kitschy Digitals, which has some really cute stuff. I especially like this Tea Time Treats pattern by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery.

Check the whole site out here!

needlepoint, etc.

Now that I have finished my union jack tea cosy and knit pug, I need a new project. Rather than knitting, I am thinking of doing some needlepoint. I really enjoyed making my needlepoint iphone case, so something like that would be fun.

For inspiration, I love this Obama modern cross stitch by Wall Work on Etsy.

This embroidered card from Blue Eye Brown Eye on Etsy is also a great DIY idea.

I also really like this Midsummer Sprigs ABCs Counted Cross Stitch Sampler by Alicia Paulson.

Alicia Paulson also has a free embroidery pattern for days of the week dish towels, which might be a good project for me to start doing embroidery.

Any suggestions for needlepoint projects?

anna sews - elbow reinforcements

One of my favorite items of clothing is a slouchy, grandpa sweater I got from J. Crew a few years ago. Here is me wearing it under a leather jacket a few months ago (it is currently 90F in Boston).

The problem is, I've worn it so much there are holes on the elbows. I've been meaning to get elbow patches for a while now, but I did not get a chance before leaving for Europe last week. I knew I wanted to bring the sweater - since it is the perfect plane ride companion - but I needed to do something about the elbows.

I stumbled across this post for Duplicate Stitch Heart Elbow Patches on the blog one sheepish girl.

I love the idea of heart patches, but my sweater is not chunky enough to achieve the same type of duplicate stitch. Adding another round of stitching though was sure to act as a good reinforcement. Here is what I came up with:

For the stitching, I used Rowan Yarn Cashsoft 4 Ply in Eau de Nil 450. I had it from my knit your own dog (pug!) project. 

I think it came out well. It worked great on my trip, and reminds me of something that would be sold at anthropologie. 

After I completed this project, I came across the company Woolfiller on pinterest. The company (based in the Netherlands) sends customers a kit to repair holes in wool clothing through melding wool with wool via a felting needle. It was featured in Time Magazine's 50 Best Inventions of 2010. 

The results are very cute, and there is a lot of room for experimentation. I may have order a kit for my next sweater emergency!

anna needlepoints - update 2

So I finished the first round of the pattern for my needlepoint iphone case from Connect Design.

I made a few mistakes, and the thread the kit came with ran out about halfway through, so I had to switch to a thread of a slightly darker hue (notice the color change). All in all though, I'm happy with how it turned out. 

Now I have to decide if I want to fill in the blank spaces with cross-stitch of a contrast color. I'm kind of leaning against it, because I don't want there to be too much thread on the back of the case so that it doesn't fit the phone properly. 

Here is the pattern from Connect Design I used (different colors, of course):

Since I really enjoyed this cross-stitch project, I started looking at patterns online. I found this Downton Abbey inspired pattern from the Etsy shop The Cottage Nest. BTW check out my new "watching now" tab on the right hand sidebar of this blog to see my current tv obsession. Right now it is Downton Abbey Season 2.

Here is another Downton pattern from the Esty shop Book Pilgrim. It made me laugh...

 

anna needlepoints - update 1

Here is an update on my iphone needlepoint case from Connect Design.

It is slow going but definitely getting much easier. I hope to fill in the pattern with a light blue, though right now I am enjoying this bubble gum pink. It is a color I saw in flowers throughout the Boston Public Garden today.

Pink and green is such a beautiful color combination. I need to start wearing it!

anna needlepoints

One of my favorite styles comes from mixing new technology with old world techniques. So when I came across a needlepoint iphone cover kit, I jumped at the idea. I have now finally started on my case, which I ordered from the South Korean company Connect Design.

It is kind of hard to get the stitches through the plastic of the cover -- I broke the needle the case came with -- so I think I might go back and use only a few strands of the floss when needlepointing.

I decided to go with a geometric pattern that came in the kit, but it would fun to invent your own pattern! Here is an example of a finished case from the Connect Design webpage:

Here is an example of an original pattern from the blog Cottage Nest:

Another mix of new technology with old world techniques can be found in the music of experimental band, Sound Remedy. I've been obsessed with their modern take on Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. You can listen to it here, or via the right hand panel music player of my blog: the knit mix. This is where I share the music I'm listening to now. If this track is not up anymore, you can find this song, and more, at the knit mix archive page.