The 100 Day Project: Day 100/100!

Today marks the 100th day of #the100dayproject! If you finished, congratulations! If you didn't, don't stop and keep working, keep learning! I am here to share a bit more about my experience with #my100daysofstitches and embroidery now that I've successfully reached the end.

I talked about the challenge (and last year's) at the half way point in this previous post. I also shared the first three projects I had created by that time, two hoop projects and one sewing project:

I had purposefully left the door open to any kind of stitches when I started the challenge but I got totally engrossed into embroidery and that's all I did in the second half! After the minute work required by the Yumiko Higuchi pattern (in red above), I found the outline embroidery of these three mermaids relatively easy:

 (inspired by a stamp image found on Pinterest)

In the meantime, I discovered more and more talented artists on Instagram and found several patterns that I was dying to make. When I asked if a beginner could handle them, I usually got the answer that with patience and a willingness to learn, you can embroider anything. So I went ahead!

My next two projects were purchased as PDF patterns on Etsy. As with my very first project, I received detailed supply lists and stitching guides with each of them.

This LOVE one by BrynnandCo was challenging but at the same time I love it so much that all the efforts and frustrations were totally worth it! I undid and redid many stitches until I got it right. The satin stitch (which is the one used the most here) is notoriously difficult to master. 

I am still currently working on my sixth project even though I was hoping to be done for day 100. I had transferred the previous patterns using a fabric pencil but for this one, I purchased a water soluble material that you can put into your printer and stick on your fabric (it's like this one but I found mine at Daiso!).

This pattern by Thread Folk is actually easier than it looks and is very forgiving. I'm doing it one color at a time and it is a bit of "Color by Number" or "Where's Waldo" fun! I'll make sure to share it again when I am done.

If you would like to learn:

1. It is not an expensive hobby to start. All you need is a hoop, needle, threads and fabric. I bought everything between Michael's and Joann's (with coupons of course).

2. I am self taught and you can too, thanks to You tube! Less with the last two projects, but I have watched and re-watched may videos showing the different stitches. Just look up the stitch you need to learn.

3. I love the fact that you can take projects anywhere with you (something I am not able to do with my paper crafting). I took one on vacation in a tiny little tote. You can embroider pool side or in the car...

4. I recommend you choose patterns that excite you. That is what will get you through the frustrations and the learning curve! You can find a lot of free patterns online but I liked buying mine on Etsy because they came with very helpful stitching guides.

I was a complete novice and each one of these designs taught me something different. I didn't realize it when I picked them but they turned out to be a great array of work style and stitches. I figured at the start that I could learn embroidery in 100 days and I believe I now have a pretty good grasp on it. I would call it a success :) Even better, I have developed a fondness for modern embroidery and will most likely continue to enjoy it!
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#the100dayproject (2017 version)

Hello friends! I am here today to talk about a totally different craft i've been dabbing into.
If you are a long time follower you might remember that last year I participated for the first time in #the100dayproject on Instagram. Click on the link if you want more explanation but it is basically a challenge to exercise your creativity in one form or another for 100 days. All kinds of artists post what they do on Instagram with their own hashtag for the project.

So last year I successfully made a 100 project life cards (I wrote about the experience here) and this year I wanted to do something totally not paper related. I decided just a day or two before the start in April that I was going to do a 100 days of stitching with the idea to give embroidery a try but also be open to other types of stitching (machine, paper...). This project was a great motivator to try something I've been attracted by for a while.

Yesterday was the halfway point and I have been busy doing a bit of hoop embroidery (or sewing) every day. I have created three projects so far and working on my fourth. The first one above is a pattern I purchased on Etsy from Sarah K Benning. In retrospect, I think it was a good one to start with because it doesn't involve any special stitches.

My second project was a bit more ambitious and a result of my discovery of the book "Zakka Embroidery" by Yumiko Higuchi at my library. I love her style and decided to try one of the patterns in her book.

It was definitely more challenging but thanks to You Tube I was able to learn the different stitches involved.

For my third project I decided to get the sewing machine out and tackle in a weekend something that was on my to-do list for years! I made, just in time for the start of the nice weather, cushions for our patio chairs:

For my fourth and current project, I am trying another style of embroidery and I am not posting too much about it yet because it is a gift for someone who follows me ;)

As you can see in the photo above, you can find all my Instagram post about my 100 day project under the hashtag #my100daysofstitching.

Last but not least, as a 100 day project participant, I was interviewed by Sally Harris for the 100 Creatives podcast and you can listen to me rambling about my project, my inspiration and pocket scrapbooking on Episode 17 :)

Thank you for stopping by today! If you are doing the 100 Days Project, leave me a comment so that I can follow you!

Happy crafting!

The beach is calling and I must go (Kellie Stamps)

So I recently shared this "off-the-page" project on Instagram but if you are not on Instagram, or you don't follow me, here's a look:

First I printed my photo to 8x8 inches, then I stamped the quote directly on it with the excellent new alpha set called "Top Notch" from the Kellie Stamps shop using Brilliance ink in white. 

As you can see below, I pierced the photo following the stamping and then embroidered with different color DMC threads.

I found the frame at Michael's and now it hangs in my scrap area. I love it!

Sending an elephant to Poland for my 500th post!

Yes, you read that right, this is my 500th post and to celebrate this milestone (representing 3 1/2 years of blogging!) I am participating in a charity event which is attempting to gather hundreds of homemade elephants for children in hospital in Poland. I first heard about it on the scrapbooking blog of the talented Magda M and found all the details on the art-iaskownica's challenge blog.

I had everything I needed to create my pachyderm in my stash and used this free pattern from Bustle & Sew to help me make him.
You can also participate but the deadline to send in elephants to the Foundation in Gdansk (which in English is called the Elephants on the Balcony Foundation:) is September 21st.
And as a thank you, if you decide to play along after reading this and link me to your elephant (by the deadline date), I will send you a set of my homemade embroidered tags as seen below and a few other things that might fit in an envelope ;) Just leave me your link under this post.

Paying it forward is the best form of celebration! Here's to many more posts and many more elephants!

Tutorial: Embroidered tags

Have you seen those embroidered tags by Amy Tangerine sold on 2peas? Well, I was not ready to spend that much money on a tag, especially when it is so easy to make my own (and in a font I like better!). I will show you how:

Supplies:

- office tags (sold in many office supply stores or even on Etsy)

- computer and printer

- vellum paper

- mousepad

- embroidery thread

- a needle and a paper piercer

1/ If you don't have it in your collection of fonts, make sure to download Learning Curve, free on Dafont. With the download, you also get a dashed version which I used below but you don't have to (the dashes can help a bit in the next step). In a Word document, type any word you want to embroider and size it so that it fits on the tag:

2/ Print it on any old piece of vellum. Place the vellum on top of your tag which is in turn on top of a mousepad and pierce the word at regular intervals (that's where the dashes help). I pierce them a bit closer when I am doing curves.

3/ Separate two threads out of your embroidery floss (you can use more if you'd like) and start at one end working with a back stitch while following your letters. Tape the ends of your threads on the back and you are done!

4/ The possibilities are limitless! Use several colors and print dingbats for shapes:

Do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions. Have a great Memorial Day weekend if you are in the States!

Sewing an apron: check

Sewing an apron as been on my wanting-to-do list for quite some time and I finally took the plunge after finding a super cute fabric at Beverly's. Mostly inspired by this tutorial from Sugar Bee Crafts, here's what I managed to create:
Cela faisait un moment que je voulais coudre un tablier et je suis enfin passée à l'action une fois avoir trouvé ce tissu marrant et un peu rétro et en utilisant plus ou moins ce tuto de Sugar Bee Crafts. Voici le résultat:

Three things: (1) I didn't have a pattern per say so there was a lot of adjustments needed as I went along. (2) It was my first time sewing ruffles and I loved how they came out. (3) I realized once done that it was just as cute as a half apron just by folding over the "bib" part.

Have you used your sewing machine lately? Do you have any sewing projects? This is probably my next one :) Toodeloo!

Trois choses: (1) N'ayant pas de patron, il m'a fallu faire plusieurs ajustements pendant la construction du tablier pour que les proportions soient bonnes. Pas facile! (2) C'était la première fois que je créais un volant à ruches et j'aime beaucoup le résultat. (3) J'ai réalisé une fois qu'il était fini qu'il était aussi joli en demi tablier en pliant simplement la partie du haut derrière.

Et vous, avez vous sorti votre machine à coudre dernièrement? Avez vous des projets de couture? Mon prochain projet sera sans doute celui-çi :) Allez, A+

Featured on....

I am a fan and I just had to come and share this with you: the storage box I showed you a few days ago is featured today on the How About Orange blog!!!! Yes, Jessica Jones who is the fabric designer and author, picked my box to be featured on her blog! Totally awesome surprise!!! :D

Je suis une fan et je voulais donc partager ma surprise avec vous: la boite de rangement qui je vous ai montré il y a quelques jours et aujourd'hui sur le blog How About Orange!!! Jessica Jones qui est la créatrice du tissu que j'ai utilisé et l'auteur du blog a choisi de partager ma boite! J'vous dis pas comme j'chui contente!!! :D

The results of my latest sewing urge...

... might seam (teehee) pretty simple to some of you but, as I am still very much a beginner, I did have a couple of struggles with them! Anyhow, I love it when I can get crafty and make something very practical at the same time, like this sewing machine cover and storage basket:

Since I have been using it a lot for scrapbooking, I wanted to keep my machine out of the closet and on my table but I needed to protect it from the dust so, I was very happy when I found this tutorial on sew4home and purchased this Jessica Jones fabric to match the painting above my table.

Then, I made a storage basket based on this tutorial from the same site except I didn't make it collapsible and I customized its size to fit all my Thickers + alphas stickers and fit on my shelves (it is about 12X71/2"). It was my first time sewing a binding and it is a good thing that sewing is pretty forgiving!!! I ended up faking the sewing on the top binding (and used glue!) because the fabric + cardboard would not fit under the foot of my machine as instructed in the tutorial (if somebody knows how to deal with that sort of problem, I would love to hear it!).

In the meantime, I am going back to scrapbooking! :P

Mes projets de couture peuvent sembler assez simplets pour certaines d'entre vous, mais en tant que débutante j'ai eu un peu de mal à certains moments! J'aime quand même les résultats surtout quand ils sont si pratiques!

Puisque je m'en sers beaucoup pour le scrap, je voulais laisser ma machine sur ma table au lieu d'avoir à la ranger sans arrêt dans le placard. J'ai donc acheté ce beau tissu de Jessica Jones pour aller avec mon décor et trouvé ce tuto assez simple.

Ensuite j'ai fait cette boite de rangement avec ce tuto du même site sauf que j'ai agrandit le format pour pouvoir ranger tous mes Thickers et autres alphabets et qu'elle tienne juste sur mon étagère. J'ai eu un peu de mal avec les bordures et j'ai même triché en finissant par coller celle du haut car, malgré les directives du tuto, carton+tissus ne tenaient pas sous mon aiguille (si vous avez un tuyau pour ce genre de problême, je suis preneuse!).

Enfin, en attendant, je retourne au scrap! :P

"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary." ~Mary Kurtz

I have been a sewing fool today! I had been eyeing Jessica Jones' fabrics for a while and last week, thanks to the sale going on at jcaroline creative and to two tutorials I found online, I broke down and ordered some of the Blue Leaflet from her Modern Flora collection. I am not completely done but I promise to share my projects as soon as I can!

On another note, I will randomly select a winner for my Nikki Sivils giveaway at the end of the day tomorrow (Friday), so make sure to enter if you haven't yet!

Je me suis (re)lancée dans la couture aujourd'hui! Cela faisait un moment que j'étais tentée par les collections de Jessica Jones et la semaine dernière, avec les soldes chez jcaroline creative et les deux tutos que j'ai trouvé en ligne, j'ai enfin placé ma commande pour ce beau tissu aux tons bleu et turquoise. Je n'ai pas complètement terminé mais je vous montre dés que je peux!

Sans transition, je veux aussi vous rappeler que je vais tirer au sort une gagnante pour mon lot de Nikki Sivils vendredi soir, donc c'est maintenant votre dernière chance d'y participer!

Toodeloo!

Remember these fabrics?

A couple of months ago I was sharing with you my new venture into sewing with a purse made with these fabrics from Ikea. 

Well yesterday, after a wonderful surprise Mother's Day Gospel brunch at the House of Blues, I felt like getting the remnants out and challenging myself again! This time it was to sew a zippered pouch. Some of you might chuckle, but you have to understand that I had never sewed a zipper in my life so, with the help of this tutorial, here it is:

Vous vous souvenez de ces tissus? Il y a quelques mois, je partageais ici mon expérimentation en couture avec ces tissus de chez Ikéa.

Et bien hier, aprés un brunch Gospel à la House of Blues pour la Fête des mères, j'ai ressorti les restes et je me suis relancé dans un défi couture: coudre un petit sac avec fermeture éclair. Ça peut en faire rire certaines, mais je n'avais jamais cousu de fermeture éclair de ma vie alors, avec l'aide de ce tuto, voila ce que ça donne:

It's nothing amazing but I am glad I did it and it goes perfectly with my purse ;) Then, not feeling completely fulfilled yet, I decided to make something fun for my kids who both LOVE owls. I got inspired by this free pattern and made "Mr. Hootie" here:

Rien de spectaculaire mais c'est bien pratique et il va parfaitement avec mon sac! ;) Mais ce n'est pas tout! Dans ma lancée, j'ai décidé de faire quelque chose de sympa pour mes enfants qui tous les deux adorent les hiboux. Je me suis inspirée de ce patron pour faire "Mr. Hibou" que voici:

Now, that, my friends, made me feel pretty good! :D

Et alors aprés ça, chères lectrices, j'étais vraiment contente de moi! :D

ET VOILA!

This is the project I tackled Saturday with those really cool fabrics from Ikea. Let me start by saying that I am not a seamstress. The only previous experience I have had sewing was hemming curtains! So needless to say, this was a real challenge for me BUT I am very happy with the result (and a bit proud of myself)! You can find the instructions and pattern right here: www.jcarolinecreative.com under Hobo Bag. 

Voila le projet que j'ai attaqué samedi avec les tissus d'Ikea. Je voudrais commencer par dire que je ne suis pas couturière du tout. Ma seule expérience en couture est d'avoir racourci des rideaux alors vous comprenez bien que ceci fut un vrai challenge pour moi. Mais je suis trés contente (et un peu fière) du résultat! Vous pouvez trouver le patron et les explications (en anglais) sur www.jcarolinecreative.com (chercher "Hobo Bag" dans la section "How to").