Daisy Monogram - C

The "C" is done in blanket stitch. Frankly, this stitch is probably one of my least favorite stitches...and I need to overcome that by using it more. Therefore, I felt that the gentle curve of the letter "C" would be a best canditate for using this stitch. And, by the end...I was enjoying the stitching a wee bit more...but have not yet "fallen in love" with it yet! Hugs!  

  The daisies are done is double detached chain stitches. Simple as can be!  

  Here's the layout design for you. Enjoy!    

Daisy Monogram - B

The "B" is embroidered with Fly-Stitches. The small daisies are bullion knots (eight wraps) done in sz-5 perle cotton. The large daisy is done in Straight Stitches that cross in the center. I then tacked the center a couple of times and added more straight stitches between the pattern layout lines at about 2/3 the length of the main ones. Each Staight Stitch has a French Knot at the end. The leaves are done in Detached Chain Stitch.  

  This is the overall design.  

  This is the layout for tracing.    

Daisy Monogram - A

Here's the first in the Daisy Monogram series. For this "A" the letter is done in a varigated gray 5mm perle cotton using the Hungarian Braided Chain Stitch, (instructions are on Mary Corbet's Needle'n'Thread site if you need them and the link is broken). The flowers and leaves are detached chain stitches done in varigated green, pink, and peach.  

Right click and save the photo file for the design...

  ...and the layout.  

No need to draw out all the lines and chains for the flowers...just use "dots" for placement of the center and ends of the individual stitches.  

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - Y, Z

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - V,X

This vintage alphabet has no "W". Suggest you use the "M" inverted.

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - T,U

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - R,S

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - P,Q

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - N,O

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - L,M

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - J,K

This vintage alphabet has no "I" Suggest using the post of the "K"

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - G,H

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - E, F

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Motif - C, D

 

Ornate Vintage Alphabet Monogram - AB

Aren't these letters just gorgeous! These are vintage and protected by the Creative Commons license...so can be distributed...but not sold. So, share if you like on your own blog too! I'll post them over the next few days. They are very detailed, and would be gorgeous as embroidery pieces. A lot of work...but, oh so worth it! I'm adding at least one of these to my "To Do List" for sure! I'll schedule these to post over the next few days...while I continue to plug along on my applique "Jingle" quilt. Maybe I'll have something finished to share by the end of the week. Oh, as this is a true vintage alphabet...there is no letter "I" or letter "W" in it. You'll have to adapt another letter to replace these. Suggestions are the letter "M" inverted for a "W"; and the vertical post of the letter "K" for the letter "I". Hugs! Left click the photo and then select "view photo". From there, you can save or print the jpeg type file.

Five Petal Monogram - Y

Y is for YOU! Hugs!

Five Petal Monogram - Z

Z is for nap time! Zzzzzzzz

Five Petal Monogram - I

 

Here's "I"...thanks Denise, had no idea it was missing.  

Five Petal Monogram - J

A Pillow - More

Yesterday, the applique monogram was prepared and lightly applied to the background fabric. Now that the applique monogram is on the background fabric, I'm ready to add some borders to the square. This extra fabric will also be helpful when hooping...so, I want do go ahead and add them now, rather than wait until the embroidery is done. And, since I'm not sure just exactly what I'm going to be doing to embellish the monogram...I might need the extra room to work on. I also want the front of the pillow to be a little dimensional when I stitch, so it will need a little thin batting. And, there needs to be a layer of fabric for me to hide my knots in...so, I begin the layering by putting a piece of loose weave muslin on the cutting table.

 Then, the layer of thin muslin on top of that.

 Last, the linen pillow center.

  Next, I draw a box around the monogram...making sure that it is centered inside the box. This will give me a good line to use for alignment of my borders. The lines are not my stitching lines...they are guides for the cut edge of the border strips. All of the layers are pinned together, along these lines...so that they won't slip around when I'm sewing the borders on.

I'm using some left-over upholstery strips from the curtains I finished for my niece last week. Waste not...want not! And, they are already precut...long strips. I just cut a length that is plenty for covering the side of the pillow. Using the pencil line just drawn, the first border is pinned in place (I removed the prior pinning and included the border, then re-pinned).

One strip pinned at the top...and one at the bottom. Sew using a bit more than a quarter inch seam, then press these borders away from the center of the pillow. Rotate the pillow, and pin the other two side borders and sew these in place.

 

Then press these away from the center of the pillow....and, the pillow front is ready for the embroidery.

All of these layers are place into my large embroidery hoop (which is also my small lap quilting hoop)...ready for some stitching.

The monogram will be appliqued in place with some gold silk thread I have that was purchased just for applique work. I have black, gray, tan, gold, and dark green...and one of these is always close enough to use for applique...so I save them just for that. The thread is really thin so creating tiny stitches is easy. More on that next...