Modern Motifs of Mexican Trend

aka "My best friend went to Mexico and all I got was this tiny sombrero"*

Yes stitchy friends, here's your erstwhile blogger managing a post...although I can't feel guilty because a) so many other great bloggers regularly share stitchy goodness and b) I still don't have a scanner.

Mexico is on my mind - literally:
...As my best friend recently returned from two weeks in Mexico and brought me back a wee present. Hope I'm not scaring you with my pic!

I haven't been to see all her photos yet, and for those of you without your own sombrero (because I know you're jealous) I present "fiesta motifs for colorful touches of Mexican gaiety". You know your breakfast nook wants it.

Apparently:
"Your needle will fly along the simple sitches of these motifs of Mexican flavor. Gay up your kitchen with Mexican-inspired dish towels and pot holders. Put a variety of these designs on curtains and table linen in the breakfast nook to add charm to informal meals. Delight the bride-to-be on your gift list with hand-made guest towels, refreshment napkins, luncheon sets or dresser scarfs reflecting in these designs the happy Fiesta spirit of our South-of-the-Border neighbors."

I'm keen to see if my friend's holiday snaps include women with baskets of fruit on their heads, giant cactii, boys eating bananas, and fighting cocks (actually sounding "gay-er" by the minute...oh dear! Come back readers...please...**) But this pattern assures me that these are common South of the Border capers.

Men wearing rugs will give you flowers:

Doves, cactii and maracas abound:

But the scariest thing in Mexico are the deadly attack parrots!

Watch your fruit girls.


*only kidding Nat, I do love my pressie.
**sorry, really I am.

Owl love you

Hello Stitchy friends,
Oh yes, it's been a long time, I know! Short story is that 2009 was a HORRID year and as such, all crafty endeavours suffered. But I'm getting back on track now, and to show you how much owl love you all here's a pattern from a late 60's Crewelwork set:

Hopefully it's clear enough for you to print and use...I don't have access to a scanner anymore, so I took a pic of this pattern with my i-phone. And don't forget to share any pics of your stitchy goodness to the Flickr embroidery pool!

Stitch along with Mike's!

I'm a bad britches, stitchy friends, I know I am. But good stitchy fun is currently happening on the Meet me at Mike's blog. They've got a nice list of links to free Christmassy patterns, and they're having their own Christmas stocking stitch along, with two of their own designs. Pip's also put up some embroidery basics tutorials and they're all rather splendid. So if you haven't already, check it out! That should keep you out of mischief for a while!

Here's one that's been stitched, by a lovely gal at Brown Owls last Monday:

walkers 705

walkers 705, originally uploaded by drewzel.

Hi Stitchy friends,
I scanned this one ages ago and promptly forgot about it...hopeless aren't I? I found it in my Flickr just now. I don't have many Walker's transfers but I do like their style, they are more "realistic" than the stylised animals of Vogart and Aunt Martha's (which I also adore.) It depends what you're looking for. I'm guessing these date from around the 1940's and I can't even remember where I got them now! Another good thing about Walker's is that they always appear to give you double copies of the transfer sheet, which is a nice bonus, so usually the ones I've found, even if one sheet is used, the other will usually be intact. Hurrah!

And because our kitty friend on rollerskates is a popular motif...here you are:

scottie kittie1, originally uploaded by drewzel.

Click on the picture to go to Flickr and get sizes for printing.

Sailor girl and Sailor boy

sailor girl, originally uploaded by 'Playingwithbrushes'.

Given the fact that I've been neglecting my scanning lately, when I find something cute and stitchy in my Interweb travels I have to share with you. Two cuties to stitch, from a vintage colouring book, courtesy of Playing with Brushes' Flickr.

I know it's not vintage...

but I've just fell in love with these:

Go forth and make!

Iron On Transfer Pencil tutorial

If you're a newcomer to the stitching thing and are a bit stumped by the phrase: "Just print off a copy, transfer to your fabric and off you go!" (I'm sure I've used those words before.) ...Sparkly Green Knickers has put up a iron on pencil tutorial here. And I think it's fabulous! [Check out her cute scooter design too.]

Stitching Fun

Coloring Fun - Cake 1, originally uploaded by Glen Mullaly.

I came across these on Flickr today and thought "tea towels!"
The caption from the Flickr owner reads: "Illustration from the "Coloring Fun" feature "Let's Bake a Cake", Humpty Dumpty's magazine January 1958. Illustrated by Dave Lyons.
Print these on plain white stock and Crayola your brains out!"

...so I think he wouldn't mind us stitching them either?

An idea

70's invitation, originally uploaded by Vintage LOVE.

From the same photostream as the last pic, how cute would this one look embroidered up? Circa 1970's.

Vintage embroidery - Mexico

Vintage embroidery- Mexico, originally uploaded by Vintage LOVE.

How wonderful is this? I found this pic on Vintage Love's Flickr.

I must apologise for the lack of posts of late, having to take down all the Vogart ones knocked the wind out of my sails, so to speak, but I'll be back soon with some cute patterns!

Regarding Vogart

Ditto to Doe-c-doe's post here. If you're a Hoop Love member you can read the discussion in the group. I'm so sad. Hopefully things will become clearer soon.

Inspiration Pic

The Everything Bag, originally uploaded by bianca.cristina.

I love everything about this bag, the colours, the embroidery, the design choice.
Hooray!

Fun on Rollerskates!

By popular demand, here's the kitty from the set I blogged a few weeks back.

Aunt Martha's vegie melodrama

aunt marthas vegies, originally uploaded by drewzel.

I scanned this one, because I saw it blogged the other week with a different cover, I'll find the link and add it in here. Update : - it was Claudia's blog, the patterns are here.

Crochet time: a "shoulderette" to make

shoulderette, originally uploaded by drewzel.

I might have to re-scan the picture as it hasn't come out very well, it's a rather lovely crocheted shrug. If you click on "original" on the Flickr page, the instructions are clear and easy to read.

Stitchy Stitchy

Stitchy Stitchy, originally uploaded by painter girl.

I just loved this pic!

Stitch-a-long #3

summer SAL, originally uploaded by stitchinwitch3.

So much stitching goodness! Click on the photo for a closer look. And I shamefully admit I haven't even started yet.

Stitch-along #2

Mid-Year SAL Pillow Case - In progress, originally uploaded by littlewarrior.

Another example of Stitch-along beauty! I know this might sound silly, but this one looks so "juicy", it's making me drool!

Mid-Year 2008 Stitch-along #1

Mid-Year 2008 SAL, originally uploaded by rufffledfeathers.

Look at one of the beautiful pieces I found on flickr today for the Embroidery group stitch-along. Blogged at www.ruffledfeathers.typepad.com.

Remember Hobbytex?

Today's transfers are a recent op-shop (aka thrift store) find. A pack of Hobbytex iron-on transfers, simply marked "No. 302 children designs". They were wrapped up in a plastic bag when I bought them, so I couldn't check what was in there until I got it home, and lo and behold:

More Vogart - a sheet of "Jolly Farmyard Scenes" (aka Vogart 705) and a mixture of kitty and doggy patterns from Vogart 102 and the days of the week kitties. Does anyone know how Vogart patterns ended up being licensed to Hobbytex and Made in Australia*? I know Vogart used to make fabric paint at one stage too... I might have to go a-Google-ing Hobbytex.

I think there's a sheet missing from the pack as the other sheets are marked B, C and D. The third sheet I have I'm guessing is a Hobbytex original, as I've never seen it before, and the designs defintely seem to be geared towards fabric painting rather than embroidery. I like the designs though, they're good and "boyish": sailboats, racing cars, a rodeo rider and an assortment of old aeroplanes.

So if the wee boys in your life don't want a kitteh or a doggie, then I think this Spitfire-like fighter plane is the way to go!

*(..as the patterns proclaim. I like seeing "Made in Australia" on things.)

PS. Yes, I realise that the flags and the winning cup are still upside down on the first car pic, but I know my stitchy friends have the technology to overcome this.