Long-and-Short Chinese Lotus---Progress

Sorry for the short post. I just wanted to share with you all my progress of the long-and-short Chinese lotus.

More images

Here are some close-up pictures of my silk saree embroidery.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas.

Friends, I'm Back!

Hi Friends,

I am back after a long break. I try to update my blog everyday, but lot of responsibilities keep me away from devoting some time for my blog. Well...below are some photos that show the progress of the embroidery on the silk saree which I mentioned in my last post. Actually, I did not finish embroidering the whole saree. My poor friend, she understood my situation and said I can finish it whenever I find time. I have a dozen UFOs and I keep on adding UFOs. I hate this habit of mine. Now I am planning to finish at least the two projects---the Chinese yellow lotus and the silk saree---as fast as i can.

I will post the close-up images tomorrow.

Long-and-Short Sweet Pea---Images

When I was digging out my closet today I found this piece which I embroidered in 2009. I did not post the images of the finished piece then. I thought of sharing some images with you all now.

 

Embroidery on Silk --- Progress

I did not make much progress with my new project. This is what I have done so far on the saree pallu design.

Embroidery on Silk

I have started a new project---embroidery on a silk saree. I am planning to finish this project as fast as possible, because I am doing this for one of my friends. She wants to wear the saree for a family function next month. This project appears to be a daunting task for me.

The image below shows the border of the saree:



The paisley design is my own creation. I have finished only one paisley (in the image below) out of fifteen.



Fourteen more to do........... :-(

And, here is flower design I am stitching on the pallu (the ornamental end piece of the sari usually draped over the shoulder). I decided to test whether long-and-short stitch works fine on silk, and I am really pleased with the result. In my own experience, I find it very easy to stitch long and short on silk than on cotton or georgette. Since I have less time, I didn't use split stitch for the corners of the petals.



I got the design for the pallu from a book I bought at a local embroidery shop. I will post the design tomorrow.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me.... I hope I will make some progress tomorrow.

P.S.: I have kept my Chinese lotus project aside, at least for some time.

Quick and Easy Embroidery

A few months ago, I stitched this simple little embroidery on a plain table napkin — just to add a bit of charm and color to an otherwise ordinary piece of fabric. It’s one of those projects you can start and finish in a short afternoon, yet it brings so much satisfaction when you see the delicate texture and cheerful design come to life.

The pattern is made using buttonhole circles and detached chain stitches, which many of you might also know as the lazy daisy stitch. Both stitches are beginner-friendly and can be completed in just a few minutes. The buttonhole circles form lovely, raised blossoms, while the lazy daisy stitches add graceful little leaves around them. Together, they create a simple floral motif that looks elegant on almost any fabric — from napkins and handkerchiefs to cushion covers and tote bags.

To make this piece, I chose a deep blue base fabric that contrasts beautifully with the white, pink, and green threads. The colors pop vibrantly against the background, making the embroidery look fresh and lively, even though it only uses a handful of stitches.

Now, I must admit something — I still haven’t used the napkin! The reason? I haven’t sewn the hem yet. Hemming is my least favorite part of any sewing project. I always find myself too impatient to start stitching right away. The excitement of seeing the embroidery unfold on the fabric is irresistible. I tell myself I’ll hem it later… and, well, “later” hasn’t quite arrived yet!

If you’re anything like me, you probably understand that feeling — that irresistible urge to skip the “boring” prep work and jump straight into the creative part. I hope there are many of you out there who feel the same way. After all, embroidery is supposed to be joyful and relaxing, not about rules and routines.

So, if you’re looking for something quick, easy, and satisfying to stitch this weekend, try this little floral design. A few buttonhole circles, a handful of lazy daisies, and a splash of color. That’s all it takes to brighten your linens and your mood.

Exhibition---Schoolgirl Embroidery from the Connecticut River Valley

I received an e-mail from the Director of Marketing at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut about their fall exhibition titled "With Needle and Brush: Schoolgirl Embroidery from the Connecticut River Valley." The exhibition will be held from October 2, 2010 through January 30, 2011.

This exhibition of approximately sixty embroideries, watercolor sketches, and portraits will draw extensively on works from private collections, many never before shown publicly.





More information and images can be found at http://www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org/exhibitions/2010/10Needle.html.

The Museum is located at 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT, exit 70 off I-95 and is open year round Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday 1 to 5pm. Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, $7 for students, and free to children 12 years and under. For more information, visit the Museum’s web site www.FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org or call 860-434-5542 x 111.

Book Review---Traditional Chinese Designs

I bought the book "Traditional Chinese Designs: Iron-on Transfer Patterns" by Barbara Christopher two months ago.

This book is published by Dover Publications and is one of their needlework series books. It is a paperback and contains 64 pages. Though the book is not a huge one, the designs in the book are excellent and the print is very clear. Some designs are very intricate and are challenging to embroider. This book is especially for people who hunt for a variety of designs for their embroidery projects.

This is the front cover of the book:




There are 24 design plates in total. The book is divided into three sections: stitch and color chart for each iron-on transfer plate, iron-on transfer plates, and the color images of the embroidered design plates. There is also a page dedicated to stitch details which shows how to stitch some common emboidery stitches.

The stitch and color chart section is very useful. Below is a stitch and color chart of a Peony design:



The same design printed as iron-on transfer:



The color photographs of the embroidered designs appear on the front and back inside covers.





The designs include traditional Chinese themes of flowers such as lotus, chrysanthemum, peony, etc. and animals and birds such as dragon, phoenix, lion, crane, etc.




There are border designs as well as small designs to embroider on hankies, napkins, and table mats.

Overall, this book is really worth your money.

Hope this review is helpful to you. Please feel free to post your comments.

Here is the link to buy the book:

Amazon USA

Long-and-Short Red Anemone Finished

I finished the long-and-short red anemone two weeks before. 

 (design source: Trish Burr's Long and Short Embroidery: A Collection of Flowers)

Here are the images:

 

Close-up image:

   

 And here is the progress of the Long-and-short Chinese lotus design. Yesterday's progress:

   

 

Today's progress:

   

Tomorrow I will review the book "Traditional Chinese Designs" by Barbara Christopher. See you tomorrow.

Traditional Chinese Designs: Lotus Flower

Yesterday, Elmsley Rose of elmsleyrose.blogspot.com wanted to see the pattern I am using for my current project. Hi Elmsley Rose, Here is the pattern you asked for. This pattern of a lotus flower appears on the cover image of the book Traditional Chinese Designs Iron-on Transfer Patterns.

The colors are different from the ones I use. I did not trace the entire design. I needed only the flower part, because I am going to applique the embroidered piece on my daughter's frock. I have slightly modified the design to suit my purpose.

 This book has many lovely designs where most of the designs are very intricate, in other words, challenging for an enthusiastic embroiderer.

Here is the link to the book if you are interested to buy:

At first, I selected a cotton fabric for this project, traced the design, selected the threads, and started stitching. Then only I found out that the fabric is not suitable for long-and-short stitch (usually cotton and linen are the best choices for long-and-short embroidery, but this fabric is not). It is a loosly woven cotton fabric, which, when I stitched, showed tiny holes, and the stitches were not close enough to each other. Therefore, I stopped stitching on that fabric and repeated the same dreadful process of selecting a fabric, tracing the design, selecting thread colors, etc. ... The pictures below will show my painful experience :-( 

 

However, now I am planning to stitch only the outlines of the design (as in Redwork) I drew on that fabric and use it as a napkin or a tablemat, because the fabric is good for outline stitches though not for filling stitches. The fabric I use now is a dark pink georgette. Though it is transparant, it is a good choice (according to me) for this type of embroidery. However, the fabric should be stretched properly to get fixed tightly on your embroidery hoop or frame, else your stitches will become loose, which will make your embroidery look displeasing. And here is my progress of the project today. I guess I am slow with my progress.

 

Please post your comments and ideas.

Yet another long-and-short embroidery project

My long-and-short stitch journey starts again....

This time I am using a traditional Chinese design from the book "Traditional Chinese Designs" by Barbara Christopher. This book is one of the "Dover Needlework Series" books. Here are the pictures.

Books I purchased recently

I wrote in my previous blog post that I recently purchased some embroidery books online. You can see these books in the images below. I will write the review of these books in the coming days.





Out of these books, the books Long and Short Stitch Embroidery (I have already reviewed here) and Cross Stitch: Techniques and Designs were gifted to me.

I have ordered for some more books and eagerly waiting to read them, to learn the techniques explained in them, and above all to see all the lovely images they contain.

I forgot to show you the photographs of the finished embroidery for the V-neck design. Here they are:



A close-up photo of the design.

My new responsibility

Hi friends,

Hope all are doing well. My new role as a mom had kept me away from updating my blog for almost two months. My daughter is six months old now. All my time is dedicated to her nowadays. I find this added reponsibility of motherhood enjoyable. I love to watch my daughter smile, coo, giggle, and do all naughty things. Although I don't find time to take up embroidery now, I am learning new embroidery techniques from the books I recently purchased online. I love to see my library of embroidery books expanding.

I would like to share the review of these books so that it may help you all. I have also plans to resume my embroidery projects soon and devote atleast 20 minutes a day.

Bye for now.....

My new small project --- Embroidered red anemone

Hello dear readers,

I’ve started another little embroidery adventure, and I’m delighted to share it with you. This time, I’m working on a red anemone flower pattern stitched onto a simple hankie—an everyday item transformed into something quietly beautiful. The design is from Trish Burr’s exquisite book "Long and Short Embroidery: A Collection of Flowers", which has quickly become one of my most treasured sources of inspiration.

The Flower Unfolds
The red anemone is a joy to stitch. Its petals are a vibrant blend of warm reds, fiery oranges, and golden yellows, with subtle shading that gives the flower a lifelike glow. I’ve used long-and-short stitch throughout the petals to create soft gradients and natural curves, blending the colors gently to mimic the way light plays across real petals. The center is a tiny burst of texture in French knots, stitched with light brown and dark brown that add depth and contrast. It brings the whole bloom to life.

Below the flower, a single green leaf is added, stitched with careful attention to shape and tone. The leaf is worked in shades of moss and olive, and though it’s just one, it anchors the flower beautifully. 

Here are some progress photos from the project:

I can’t speak about this project without singing the praises of Trish Burr’s book. Long and Short Embroidery: A Collection of Flowers is more than just a pattern book—it’s a masterclass in color theory, stitch technique, and botanical beauty. Each design is thoughtfully composed, with clear instructions and thread guides that make even the most intricate flowers feel approachable.

What I love most is how Trish encourages the reader to observe nature closely. Her patterns aren’t rigid—they invite interpretation, experimentation, and personal flair. The red anemone, for instance, is presented with such grace that it feels like you’re stitching a memory of a flower rather than a replica. Her writing is gentle and encouraging, and her artistry is simply breathtaking.

One of the things I truly appreciate about Trish Burr’s approach is how thoughtfully she presents each flower pattern. In her book, every design is offered in two versions: one with just the clean outline, and another with detailed directional guidelines. This dual format is incredibly helpful, especially when placing the anchoring stitches—those first, foundational stitches that set the tone for the entire piece.

The directional version acts almost like a map, guiding your needle through the natural flow of the petals and leaves. It helps you understand where to begin, how to taper your stitches, and how to build up the layers of shading that give the flower its lifelike quality. Anchoring stitches are so often overlooked, yet they’re essential in capturing the movement and softness of real blooms. With Trish’s guidance, even complex designs feel approachable, and the embroidery begins to breathe with subtle realism.

Long and Short Embroidery: A Collection of Flowers by Trish Burr is, without a doubt, a must-have in every embroiderer’s library. Whether you're just beginning your journey into needlepainting or you're a seasoned stitcher looking to deepen your technique, this book offers a wealth of guidance, inspiration, and beauty. Trish’s thoughtful presentation of each design—complete with both outline and directional guides—makes even the most intricate flowers feel approachable. Her mastery of color blending and stitch placement is evident on every page, and her gentle teaching style encourages confidence and creativity. It’s more than a pattern book—it’s a companion for anyone who finds joy in bringing flowers to life with thread.

Here's the link to buy this amazing book:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

*This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you.