Santa, two great images, Christmas in November

By on 3-17-2011 in Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

Santa …. two great images just in time for Christmas card and tag making. These vintage colouring book Santas would also make great embroidery patterns for tea towels to give as a hostess gift. If you quilt but don’t embroider you could applique him onto a towel as well…even a Christmas stocking. Done on a fabric postcard he could be sent as a Christmas greeting too.

Santa

Santa checking his list. At least he is laughing so he must like what he sees.

Santa

Santa telling us to shhhhh !!! …. I wonder if he just wants the elves to be quiet for two minutes or does he just not want us to make a peep so we don’t wake the kids

Pear pattern ….. vintage sketch for pillow

By on 3-17-2011 in Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

This is the pattern I used for my pear card …. it was published in the McCall’s Needle Art magazine Vol IV. It and a sketch of apples were included. The apples were used to create a pretty decorative pillow that would hold up on your couch today. These vintage patterns lend themselves to so much more. I love to honour them and their creators by using them in what I do today.

pear

This pillow would look just as great on a dark homespun and stitched with white cotton or one of each light and dark for contrast. Done on ecru or white homespun and framed it would look perfect on a kitchen or dining room wall. Both sketches could be used as a quilting pattern in a solid coloured block in your quilt. Wouldn’t that look good on your love seat?

decorative pillow

If you want both the apple and pear pattern you can grab it here: Apple Pillow with extra pear pattern

Owls, three of the perkiest little fellows sitting on a branch

By on 3-17-2011 in Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

These owls were published in the McCall’s Needlework and Crafts 1965-66 Fall Winter magazine. Made of metal in this version, I can see them made from paper. How cute would they be painted in a border along a chair rail in a country cottage kitchen? Matching cushions on the wooden chairs would be so cute embroidered on linen.

owls

owls

I have redrawn the owl in Photoshop using layers and then filled with patterns. I then used a different sized stroke around each layer and bevelled each one differently. I then filled the background with black. He is too cute.

Owl created in Photoshop

Gingham backgrounds

By on 3-17-2011 in Embroidery, Vintage Patterns

Gingham has always been a favourite of mine. It can be ‘country’ or it can be ‘sophisticated’ depending on what else you use with it. It can have a vintage feel or a modern look. These backgrounds would be great used with photos of your kids, a picnic with added butterflies and bumble bees. The pdf document has red and green for Christmas, purple, blue and pink for Easter and for fall there is a tan and leaf green.

red gingham background

blue gingham

I’ve made several in rainbow colours. If you want the whole set you can download the pdf Rainbow Gingham Backgrounds for your scrapbooking