stitch it with wool // learning crewel embroidery with craftsy

99% of the time I embroider with stranded cotton floss. It's easy to find, inexpensive, and what I'm used to using. However, I love different kinds of stitching threads, and when I find new (or old!) kinds to try, I often buy a few skeins just to have around.



My local needlework shop has quite a selection, and some time ago, I found these wool threads. I haven't really used them (other than a small test shortly after I bought them). But I'm so glad that I had them so I can now out them to use with the techniques I learned in Craftsy's Stitch It With Wool: Crewel Embroidery class!




If you're not familiar with crewel, first, I promise that it's not cruel. (Sorry...I couldn't resist!) Crewel is very much like regular free embroidery, the kind I usually do. In fact, there's a HUGE overlap of stitches! But there are some key differences.



The biggest difference is that you use wool threads and yarn. But I learned from instructor Kristin Nicholas that another element that differentiates crewel from other embroidery is texture. That comes from the wool, but also from stitches that really emphasize texture. The embroidery process is a tactile experience normally, but I like the idea that the finished item will be more tactile too!

As I mentioned, there are some standard stitches, as well as some special stitches and variations on stitches that are used in crewel work. Some of them I've heard of, but never tried, but there were a few that I had never even heard of! It's nice to know you can get started right away with some base knowledge, and continue to learn more unique and advanced stitches.



Stitch It With Wool: Crewel Embroidery teaches all of this, along with what kinds of materials work best, how to prep and manage crewel yarn, and what steps to take for finishing. Kristin has been doing crewel since she was a little girl, so she knows what she's talking about.

Even with all her experience, this class isn't all perfect stitching, which can almost be discouraging as a beginner. One thing I love about Craftsy classes is that you can always count on a few "oops" moments. Seeing what mistakes look like and how to correct or avoid them is more helpful than perfection, wouldn't you agree?



I can tell you that I will be going back to this class again and again, especially because I think that crewel ornaments are going to be on my list of Christmas gifts to make this year! And since Craftsy classes are available and yours to keep forever, I won't feel rushed to learn every little bit right away.

Would you like to stitch with wool and learn crewel from Craftsy? For just one week (the offer expires 11/25 at 11:59pm MST), you can purchase this high definition video class for the amazing price of just $14.99.

Sign up for Stitch It With Wool: Crewel Embroidery

I hope you'll give it a try!

This post was sponsored by Craftsy, but the words and thoughts are all mine.

finding free patterns on craftsy

Finding new embroidery patterns is always fun. I honestly think that there will never be an end to the designs that people come up with to stitch. Hopefully there will never be an end to the patterns that I come up with too, because I don't plan on retiring from stitching any time soon!

What's even more fun than discovering a new (or a new-to-you) pattern is when that pattern is free. I happen to know that you all like free patterns, right? I also happen to know that Craftsy is a great source for finding free patterns. Actually, they're a great source for finding patterns, period.

The patterns are from indie designers, and I applaud Craftsy for promoting individuals and making it easy to share patterns with the world.

I just added my free Tasty Paste mini embroidery pattern to their site, and it's now among the many, many downloadable designs you can choose from. Here are a few of my favorites:



How sweet is this little bunny on a bicycle?

The different stitches used on this simple Christmas tree make it spectacular!

Kate Anevski's patterns always make me happy, and who can resist some Roy G. Biv?



I don't do much cross-stitch, but every time I see someone working on these advent animals, I think I need to get counting my stitches!

To find these, I'm sending you on a little treasure hunt! Hop on over to Craftsy, sign up or sign in, then search for what you see in these pattern pics. I promise you that you'll not only find my choices, but a whole lot more!

And in addition to their embroidery patterns, they have patterns for quilting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, and the list goes on. Actually, every time I start looking I find new patterns to add to my collection.

I'm sure you will too, so go explore Craftsy's patterns!

This post was sponsored by Craftsy, but the words and thoughts are all mine.

try your hand at embroidering with ribbon review and giveaway

When I hear mention of embroidery, I usually think of the kind of embroidery that I do. You know, cotton floss, a pattern to outline or perhaps fill in, and stitches like back stitch, stem stitch, satin stitch, french knot, and lazy daisy. That is embroidery, but in a broader sense, embroidery covers lots of different kinds of stitching, using lots of different materials and stitches.

If you enjoy one form of embroidery, it doesn't mean you'll like all forms, but I do think it's a very good thing to explore various methods. Not only will it expand your general embroidery knowledge, but it might just lead you to something you love. Something with which you can do amazing things!

Ribbon embroidery is one of the varieties of stitching that I've started learning more about, and Craftsy's Embroidering with Ribbon Class has certainly helped me in this. It's a great way to get started, to move beyond a handful of ribbon embroidery stitches, or to help improve your technique. And you can even enter to win this class!



The class is taught by Mary Jo Hiney, who has been stitching since she was three years old and who clearly loves this art form. She talks about the options for materials, and gives recommendations for what to use and why. And I love the stitch library that she helps you build so that you can see what the stitches look like in their different forms and with different ribbons.



Throughout the class, Mary Jo demonstrates base stitches, plus variations on on those. What's great about this is that you can learn one thing, but then change it in a ton of ways. If you've done the kind of embroidery I mentioned earlier, you'll find that some of your favorite stitches will be used in ribbon embroidery, although the technique is different. I even found myself wondering if I might apply her extra adaptations in other kinds of stitching too.

When I've done ribbon embroidery before, one of the things I found happening was something called a sunk stitch. This happens when you pull the ribbon through the fabric too much, and basically wreck the stitch. You can imagine my relief when the instructor said how normal that was, and how to work over your stitches. I also learned that I had been starting my ribbon embroidery the wrong way, and what the better knot was to use!



Embroidering with Ribbon has over three-hours of high-definition video, and along with the stitch instructions, you also see how to make some finished projects using your new skills. Some Craftsy classes have projects included as PDFs, but with this one, you get to see more of the step-by-step on video. This is helpful, because making a covered box or picture frame can be tricky!

Ribbon embroidery has a very different look from what I normally stitch, but it's so very elegant. And I happen to know that just by choosing different colors of materials and combining your stitches in unique ways, you can also make it fun and funky.



And what's really great is that Craftsy is giving away a free registration for Embroidering with Ribbon! If you win, you'll get this fantastic video-based class with full access to the patterns, discussions, and more...for life. But the giveaway is only open for one week, so don't wait!

Click here to enter to win Embroidering with Ribbon.

If you're already a Craftsy member, simply click the link above to sign in and enter. If you're not a member yet, click to sign up and then enter. It only takes a moment!

Good luck, and thanks to Craftsy for this wonderful giveaway!

This post was sponsored by Craftsy, but the words and thoughts are all mine.

learn how to doodle on a quilt with free-motion quilting

Quilts or quilted items with beautiful stitching always catch my eye because I wonder, "how did they do that?" I know that there are people and places where you can take quilts to be quilted with stunning designs, but I know that many people do it themselves. Do they use templates? Is it a special machine? How does it look so amazing?!?

All of this has had me convinced that, as I do more and more quilt projects, I would never be able to quilt like that. In fact, I sort of laughed at the idea of taking a free motion quilting class from Craftsy. It just seemed out of my range of abilities.

I was wrong.



For the last week or so, I've been watching Start Free-Motion Quilting. Not only am I hooked on watching the lessons, but I've actually tried some quilting...and felt successful! My samples that you see at the top of this post are far from perfect, but I've never done anything quite like this before AND I wasn't actually using the right kind of sewing machine foot yet (my local shop didn't have the part in stock).

Before I get too far into my own experience, let me tell you a bit about this class. Elizabeth Dackson teaches the basics of free-motion quilting over nine lessons. In the approximately three hours of high definition video, she shows eight styles of free-motion stitches with some variations, and just about everything else you might want to know about getting started.

Throughout the class Elizabeth recommends practicing the stitches by doodling them first. Well, this just made so much sense to me! Suddenly what used to look complicated now looked like what I do for relaxation. Of course, when you're actually quilting, it's different, but this starting point made all the difference for me.





The lessons are broken up mainly by stitch design, which makes it easy to jump to one style that you want to work on. You get to see up-close what the process looks like, and you get to see a lot of it, so you'll feel prepared to try it yourself.

However, since watching someone just sew on and on could get tedious, Ms. Dackson pauses as she demonstrates. In these pauses she talks about important tips and tools, and things to watch out for, and these parts are invaluable. She's very experienced and knows what she's talking about. These extra pieces of information are listed as chapters within the lessons, so you can find them easily.



Oh, and if you ever have a question, you can ask and Elizabeth (or sometimes other classmates) will help you out. I haven't asked anything yet because anything I've wondered about has already been asked/answered or covered in the class.

I mentioned that I'm hooked on watching this, and I do mean that. I'm enjoying listening and watching, and as I get to the end of one lesson, I just can't wait to start the next. But I also couldn't wait to start trying this out.

My samples show my mistakes, and getting used to the movement is definitely going to take some time. And yet, I'm not discouraged because I feel prepared. And I've already corrected some errors. By the way, I showed my samples to my mom, and we both had this moment of "who am I?", because I never would have thought that I'd be tackling free-motion quilting.



If you've ever thought that you want to learn how to quilt with anything other than a straight line, sign up for Start Free-Motion Quilting. The regular price for this class is $39.99, and worth it. (I'm frugal, so that's saying something!) However, Craftsy is offering a special discounted price for Wild Olive readers for just one week!

Sign up for Start Free-Motion Quilting today for only $19.99.

My jaw dropped when I heard what a great discount they were offering! Especially because as part of the class, you also get patterns to make two different pillows and a baby quilt! Oh, and you'll have access to the class forever, so even if you're not quite ready to jump in, consider buying it now while the price is so low.

I can't wait to do more free-motion quilting, and I hope you'll give it a try too!

This post was sponsored by Craftsy, but the words and thoughts are all mine.

design it, stitch it hand embroidery class giveaway from craftsy

I love stitching. If you have never done embroidery before, you should start. If you've been doing embroidery for a while now, you should continue. And either way, it's safe to say that you'll never reach the end, because there is just so much you can learn and do with this skill. Even with only a handful of stitches you can create complex works of art, so imagine all you could do if you learned nearly 30 stitches!

Think that sounds overwhelming? It could be, but I've just been watching Jessica Marquez of Miniature Rhino as she teaches 29 embroidery stitches, plus all of the basics of transfer, hooping, starting and stopping, and more. And she makes it easy. Design It, Stitch It Hand Embroidery is an online class from Craftsy, and like all of their classes, it's high-quality, and highly educational.

If I'm being totally honest, I thought that I would pretty much know all that this class would be teaching, but I was happily surprised to learn some really great new things. So don't think that this is only a class for beginners. I would classify it a being perfect for beginner–intermediate level stitchers. Even simple tips for things like separating floss were so helpful to me!



Jessica walks you through every stitch you could possibly need for everyday embroidery, and she explains them really well. You're up close and personal for these lessons, and if you happen to miss anything, you can easily replay what you need to see. There were a few stitches in the lessons that I've never done, or haven't done in a while, and watching the video a few times really helped me be clear about where the thread should go, how to place the needle, and so on.

For each type of embroidery stitch, Jessica shows samples that she's made using some of the stitches. They're great inspiration, especially if you usually stick to just a handful of stitches! As you make your way through learning all of the stitches, you can make a sampler mini quilt too. A PDF with instructions and all of the patterns is included with the class.

And don't forget, Craftsy classes are yours forever. That's perfect for when you've not used a stitch for a while and need a refresher!



One of the sections that I loved the most was on embroidering on knits. It can be quite a task to get nice stitching on stretchy fabrics, but Design It, Stitch It Hand Embroidery makes it far less daunting. Not only that, but you'll learn how to get pretty stitches without scratchy stabilizer inside your tee!




The "Design It" part of the class really shows up in the last lesson, as Jessica tells about how you can create your own patterns using photos and other things as a starting point. I love that mint plant she stitched!



And now for something completely lovely. Craftsy is generously giving away a free registration for one lucky winner! If you already have a Craftsy account, all you have to do is click to visit their site, then sign in. (If you don't have an account yet, get one! It's fast and easy.)

What are you waiting for? Go enter to win a free registration for Design It, Stitch It Hand Embroidery! A winner will be randomly selected in one week.

This post was sponsored by Craftsy, but the words and thoughts are all mine.

get started in quilting with craftsy's free video class

If you've been following Wild Olive for a while, you may have noticed that the projects I'm making have shifted a bit. Rarely would you see me making something that required a sewing machine, and quilting was far outside of my comfort zone. And then I started getting more comfortable. I started sewing more and more, and then I decided to try some quilting, and soon I was hooked.

Naturally, I wanted to share more things that use the skills that I've acquired, so it's pretty safe to say that you'll find plenty of quiltiness ahead on Wild Olive. (The block above will become part of a simple project coming next week!) But maybe you're still new to all of this. Maybe you need to learn some quilting basics. Let's work on that, okay?



I'm very honored to be working with Craftsy to present some of their fantastic educational video classes and other exciting features. Starting with Piece, Patch, Quilt: Basic Quiltmaking Skills.

Folks, this is a free mini class, but there's really nothing mini about it. Over several HOURS veteran quilter and quilt shop owner Gail Kessler presents everything you need to know to get started. The information is broken into bite-sized lessons and sections so it's not overwhelming, and because all Craftsy classes are yours to keep forever, you can go back to this class again and again.




The high-quality video lessons cover things like choosing fabric and designing a quilt, cutting and piecing, backing and basting, quilting and binding. You'll learn how to do these things, and why it's best to do them a certain way. To demonstrate these techniques, Ms. Kessler walks you through making three simple quilt tops and a mug rug, and the patterns for each of these are included as PDFs.

And it's free.



There are also so many great tips and techniques that will help you become a smart and efficient quilter from the beginning. This is where I really learned so much, and just look at those points I sewed! My seams are even! My quilt block is happy!

Sign up for this FREE basic quilt-making class today and you'll be piecing happy quilt blocks too. And you'll be all ready for making my inspired-by-autumn quilted kitchen project!

This post was sponsored by Craftsy, but the words and thoughts are all mine.