I've been itchin' to do some stitchin' along the lines of embroidery! I've also been wanting to do this small purse for ages and happened to pick up the book again at the weekend, so I made copies of the pattern since I don't like to cut up the patterns they include (I know - that's what they're there for!) and last night I tracked down my light box and traced the embroidery onto a piece of muslin.

Now ~ I really had a different fabric for both the purse and the embroidery in mind but since it's been a very long time since I embroidered, I thought I'd do a test piece first. LOL! I used a thread sample someone sent me once of a Quilter's thread for tatting. It was the closest match to the fabric I'm using with this and I love the way it's turning out so far. The petals are simply blanket stitch. The face features and stems will be the same thread and I'm going to use some thread I dyed green in May. I'm not sure what size it is as I lost track of which threads I was dumping into dye but I think it will look alright. I finished the petals right before 11:00 p.m. last night and was tempted to stay up and do the faces and stems but knew it would take way longer than I estimated so I put it away. Tonight I'll finish the embroidery and then cut out the pattern and sew it. Or maybe on Friday since I took Friday off but either tonight or tomorrow I need to finish up my bobbin lace pillow, spangle my bobbins, and wind them for the class.

Here's the photo from the book. I'm making the smaller version and the fabric for this test one has a dominant color like the brick-reddish one on the bottom right. My fabric has flowers on it though with cream and green and a touch of yellow gold in it. I'm thinking of adding a second layer of the muslin since it seems thin and will show through over the darker fabric. Then I'll probably put some tatted lace along the scallops and along the bottom edge of the embroidery, probably the same green I'll be using for the embroidery. This is actually the first time I've embroidered with something besides floss or crewel yarn.

I just love these little flower faces and plan to use the white flower pattern too at some point. What will I do with them? Well, as a member of Etsy, I've only been a buyer but I realized I could sell there too and that might help alleviate the piles of motifs and such that I keep accumulating. I give a lot away but I'm finding I'm short of cash to go to lace days and workshops so this would help me fund those again. I might also sell them at the art center not far from me as I want to support them and get involved there. I plan to teach shuttle tatting there before the year is over.

But most of all, I'm excited and enthused and having fun planning and playing, experimenting, dreaming.

One additional photo! I didn't scan the front of the book at home so I had to look it up online. I bought it used somewhere forgotten now and certainly didn't pay the price I see it advertised for! Lots of good stuff inside though.