it’s not only my embroidery geekiness that’s showing (two new designs in two days! what is this madness?), but my internet geekiness too:

for those who don’t know what i’m on about, the urban dictionary defines “teal deer” as “a bastardization of ‘tl;dr’, which is a bastardization of ‘too long; didn’t read’…”.

this could be a cheeky gift to a particularly loquacious friend (if you think it can be given and received in fun, and not taken personally!), or just a fun and nerdy decoration for your home. mine is hanging among my fabric hoops in our living room.

the chart is below for your stitching pleasure. i used DMC 991 for mine, because i think it’s a lovely rich, vibrant teal.

may your geekiness be with you - enjoy!
essie xoxoxo

when i was ten years old my mum went on a holiday to holland to visit relatives with my oma. my aunty judith and uncle martin looked after me while mum was away, and while i stayed with them aunty jude taught me to cross stitch. she bought me my fist few skeins of DMC floss, my first piece of aida, and my first embroidery needles. i have loved to stitch ever since.

it’s somewhat surprising to me that i have never designed a cross stitch pattern before. i guess it’s one of those things that i have always been meaning to do and never quite gotten around to til now.

this is a very simple pattern for a small cross stitch, which you could frame, or do as i have done and make a card:

you will need:
- a small piece of 14 count aida
- some embroidery floss (i used DMC 962, which i think is a particularly nice pink)
- embroidery needle
- embroidery hoop (desirable but not essential)
- a soft pencil (2b is good)
- an eraser
- a stanley knife and cutting board
- a ruler
- two pieces of card in a colour that coordinates with your selected floss. one piece should measure 140mm x 215mm, the other 100mm x 135mm
- a matching envelope

(N.B. this guide assumes you know the basics of cross stitch - of you are a beginner and do not know how to cross stitch, you can find a very good guide with pictures *HERE*)

1. fold your 140mm x 215mm piece of card in half.
2. on the front of this folded card, center and draw a rectangle that is 100mm x 55mm.
3. using your stanley knife and cutting board, carefully cut this rectangle out, making a window in the front of your card (make sure you open your card out flat before cutting - you only want to cut this hole in the front!).
4. erase any pencil lines, then set aside.
5. place your aida in your embroidery hoop and stitch the following design:

the little tail on the apostrophe is not drawn in on this pattern - it is simply a diagonal stitch from top left to bottom right of the square below the body of the apostrophe. you should be able to see how i have done this in the photo below.

6. trim your aida so that the design is centered, and the full piece of aida is approx 95mm x 130mm.
7. center your cross stitch over the window in your card, and using strong crafting tape or glue, secure it in place.
8. take your piece of card measuring 100mm x 135mm and stick it to the inside of the card so that the back of your cross stitch is both covered up and supported.
9. write a message inside to someone you think is sweet, stick it in the envelope, and seal it with a kiss!

i hope you like this pattern!
essie xoxoxo

we’re all thinking about christmas gifts at the moment, but this little gift isn’t a yuletide one.
i recently managed to get a friend quite addicted to quilting. she has dived right in the deep end with a hexagon quilt, and she’s doing brilliantly. i feel that since i am responsible for this addiction, it’s only right that i give her some tools to help her along with it.

i designed these and made them up over the course of a few days.

my favourite part was embroidering the little stitchery details. i used cottage garden threads embroidery floss in “maple” and it was so lovely to work with.

it all fits very nicely in this bag, which should be easily stashed in a handbag.

i hope she likes it, and that you do to!
essie xoxo

left to right, top to bottom:

1// you can’t beat liberty of london for bright, elegant, and unique fabric.
2// colourful stamps from daisy chain.
3// i can never resist a teacup! this one id from inkblok on etsy.
4// i adore ths whimsical image from tim walker photography.
5// nature provides the most effective use of colour. photo found at {frolic!}.
6// i want to grab the ends of all of these and RUN! photo from found now home.
7// this little sweetie is by checkout girl crafts. you can find a tutorial to make your very own at sew, mama, sew!.
8// embroidered pillow from the purl bee.
9// handpainted leaves by the almost unbearably talented geninne.
10// and finally, a cosy quilt. photo by jek-a-go-go on flickr.

have a colourful day!
essie xoxox