Embroidery Pattern Book Give-Away

I am so excited to see the 25th follower on my blog and it is time to announce the give-away. The winner of the give-away will receive a pattern book by Nirmala C. Mistry titled "Embroidery Designs: Flowers and Butterflies." Here is a glimpse of the book.

Front cover:

Back cover:

The book has 120 pages. There are lots and lots of lovely flower and butterfly designs. All the flower designs are big, full-page designs. Butterflies range from small to big.

This book also contains colored plates of some patterns present in this book, a Tools and Materials section, and a glossary of stitches.

The patterns range from simple to intricate. You can embroider these motifs on anything from hankies to wall-hangings to tunics to saris. You can use them for fabric painting as well.

How to participate in this give-away?

You need to answer this question: Which  type of needlework is your favorite? For example, is it long and short shading, Brazilian embroidery, applique work or any other type of embroidery. Please provide your answer in the comments section.

If you wish to appear "anonymous" then please provide your name under your answer. Simple isn't it?

The give-away will end at 9 am EST on  9 December 2011 which is a special day for me. We are celebrating my daughter Dhanya's birthday on 9th December.

Are you all ready? Hope you would love to grab this book. I was so happy when my first give-away winner Anwesha e-mailed me (in March) that she received the book  in good condition. And I would be happy again to send this book to the next lucky person who can be any one from you.

Hi friends,

I hope you’re all doing well. We recently shifted to a new place, which explains my long break from blogging. To refresh myself, I’ve started a new project (hopefully a quick one, since it doesn’t involve long and short stitch). It’s a small embroidery design on a bag I’m making as a gift. The fabric I’m using is a silk-cotton blend. I traced a simple pattern and began the embroidery yesterday. Here are some pictures.

This is what I have done so far.

 

The stitches I am using are buttonhole stitch for the leaves, fly stitch for the flower petals, and French knots for the flower centers, and I am using variegated floss for the flowers.

Note: I am still waiting for the 25th follower on my blog and am ready to announce the next give-away. It's a pattern book again. Watch out for the give-away!
My hearty thanks to all my followers and visitors for keeping my blog still alive on the blogosphere.

Free Neck Embroidery Pattern

Here is a simple neck embroidery pattern for you. I drew this freehand and then traced using a graphic software. This is my own pattern. You can use this to embellish your tops, blouses, or tunics.

  
My stitch preference would be my favorite long and short stitch. You can also fill the design with chain stitch or split stitch or with the stitch you prefer. For the circles scattered around, you can use sequins of different sizes. I hope you will like this design.

Chain-Stitch Flower

Rediscovering an Old Embroidery Project: A Cushion Cover in Progress

Yesterday, while I was cleaning out the closets, I stumbled upon something that immediately brought back a rush of memories — a half-finished embroidered cushion cover tucked away beneath a stack of fabric. I remembered starting this piece several months ago with great excitement, only to set it aside when other projects took priority. Between experimenting with new stitches and diving deep into larger, more intricate works, this little project somehow slipped out of sight — and out of mind.

When I looked at the design, I immediately knew I wanted to continue working on it. After spending weeks on a more time-consuming embroidery project (especially one involving long and short stitch shading), I realized how refreshing it would be to switch gears and return to something simpler. Sometimes, a small and straightforward piece can be just what your creative spirit needs — a way to reconnect with the joy of stitching without overthinking the process.

This cushion cover uses only three stitches: the chain stitch, the satin stitch, and French knots. That’s all it takes — and yet these three can create such depth and texture when combined thoughtfully. The chain stitch outlines the main shapes, giving the design a rhythmic flow. Satin stitches to fill the petals at the center of the big flower with soft, solid color, while French knots add that playful, dotted texture for the pollens.

As I stitched last night, I was thinking how lovely this design would look done entirely in redwork style — just one vibrant shade of red against a neutral background. There’s something timeless about monochrome embroidery; it highlights the texture and rhythm of each stitch, letting the craftsmanship shine.

I plan to finish this cushion cover over the next few evenings — nothing rushed, just a few relaxed stitching sessions with a cup of coffee nearby. I’ll share photos of my progress as I go, and perhaps some of you will feel inspired to pull out an old unfinished project of your own. 

Happy stitching!

---Flora

Decorative Pattern on Doily---A little progress

Steady Progress on My Decorative Embroidery Pattern (Inspired by the Ondori Book)

Lately, I’ve been carving out a little pocket of time each day — about half an hour — to continue working on this colorful decorative embroidery pattern. Even though my progress is slow, I’m genuinely happy with how steadily it’s coming along. Sometimes, small and consistent effort adds up beautifully over time, especially with a design as detailed and layered as this one.

The pattern I’m working on is inspired by the Ondori book Embroidery of Roses — a timeless Japanese embroidery guide known for its delicate floral motifs and elegant stitchwork. The Ondori books have always fascinated me; they combine traditional artistry with a graceful modern touch, and even their simplest designs carry a refined sense of balance and color. This particular motif captures that spirit perfectly — bold yet harmonious.

In my piece, I’ve been playing with vibrant color transitions — rich orange petals blending into cool blues and purples, framed by softer tones to give depth. The satin stitches are building up layer by layer, creating a soft sheen that catches the light beautifully. You can still see some of the pencil outlines in places — a little reminder that every embroidery project is a journey in stages.

Even with limited time each day, I find these short stitching sessions incredibly relaxing. They help me reconnect with the tactile joy of thread and fabric — the slow rhythm of each stitch feels meditative after a long day. Progress may be gradual, but every little bit adds a touch of color and satisfaction.

I’ll keep sharing updates as this pattern unfolds, and I hope it inspires you to pick up an unfinished piece or start a small daily embroidery habit of your own. A few quiet minutes with needle and thread can truly brighten the day. 

Here are the pictures!

Ondori books are available at the links below:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

Embroidery Details

• Pattern: Decorative floral design from Ondori – Embroidery of Roses

• Stitches Used: Satin stitch, long and short stitch, chain stitch and split stitch

• Threads: Cotton embroidery floss in orange, purple, blue, and light beige tones

• Fabric: Cream-colored cotton

Blooming Bookmark---Part 4

Sorry friends. I've been “out of action” for a while... I haven't had even a little spare time for over a month.

However, I found some time today to finish the tutorial.

Step 7: After we are done with the second row we are now going to start the third row which is also the final row. Thread one strand of the darkest shade of pink in your needle. Bring up your needle by splitting the center stitch of the second row and down at a point on the inner edge of the flower. Continue this on the left side and then the right side. Now you have completed shading petal no.1.
 

Step 8: Repeat Steps 5 thru 7 in all the petals. First Petals labeled as B, then C, and at last D.

Step 9: Fill in the center of the flower with french knots with different shades of threads of your choice. I used yellow and brown shades.

Voila! Your flower is done!

Step 10: We should now cut the flower out from the fabric. Make a slit from the edge of the fabric and toward the outer edge of the flower. Carefully cut the fabric on the edges making sure you don't run your scissors into the buttonhole stitches. This will spoil the whole thing.

Step 11: Follow the photos below to make a loop at the top of the flower.

Sew buttonhole stitch to cover the loop.

Insert a 8-inch long satin ribbon and make a knot at the loop. The ribbon should be of same length on both sides of the knot.

The blooming bookmark is ready now. You can use the flower in other creative ways too.


Did you like this tutorial? Please let me know through your comments.

Blooming Bookmark---Part 3

Dear friends,

I should say sorry to all of you for taking a long break from blogging without informing you all and without completing the Blooming Bookmark tutorial. I feel bad for keeping you waiting. I visited my mom, dad, and siblings last month and stayed at our home for quite some time. I had a very nice time there, however, I didn't find enough time to update the blog. I returned home last week, and after a month-long hiatus I managed to write on my blog only today.

Let us continue with the next step of the tutorial.

Step 5: We are going to start the long and short shading on petal A. I have used three shades of pink for this petal. Before starting the first row of the soft shading, draw guidelines for direction using a pencil. Then outline the petal with split stitch with the lightest shade of pink. Using the same shade, work long and short stitches with one strand of thread by carefully following the guidelines drawn. It is always better to divide the petal into half vertically, and start from the center and work on the left side of the petal. Upon completing it, start again from the center and work on the right side. Work your long and short stitches as closely as possible. The long and short stitches need not be such that all your long stitches are of same length and all your short stitches are of same length. You can vary the length of your stitches to give a natural appeal to the flower. For example, think of painting with a brush. If your strokes are of same length and the direction is only from top to down (and not from the sides) then your painting won't look natural. The same thing applies here as well. The image here shows the completed first row with long and short stitches of alternating lengths.

Step 6: Select the next shade to make row 2. Using one strand of this shade, work the second row of stitches. First, split up through the end of the center stitch of the first row and down into the fabric. The length of the stitch should be similar to the length of the long stitch of the first row. Work only long stitches in the second row and vary their length slightly. As u did in row 1, divide the petal into half vertically, work the left side first and then the right side.