Two free horizontal birds and more...

 I found these two birds hidden the files, relics of some forgotten project. They had originally been done with appliqueed bodies, but I wanted to give them away as freebies and I sometimes get the impression that some people, especially beginners, find applique a little too demanding. So I’ve re-done them, and they’re now entirely embroidered

Horizontal Bird 1

Horizontal Bird 2

I’m not sure where you could use them, but long thin designs can often come in handy as borders, or to fill in gaps in pieced quilts. They’re both for the 5 x 7 inch (130 x 180 mm)  Click Download Horizbird 1 v6 for the first one, and Download Horizbird 2 v6 for the second, in .pes v.6

Now - I’ve been having my usual difficulties with Typepad, so if you have problems downloading these just drop a line to the “Comments” section, making sure to include your e-mail address, and I’ll get them out to you in e-mails

Recently I’ve been spending more time than I’d like with an excellent local physiotherapist, who’s been helping me a lot. The other day I was wearing a pair of earrings in the shape of owls, and she admired them, saying that she loved owls. So I thought I’d make her a little thank-you present in the form of one of my old owl designs

It’s just one of a HUGE owl collection I did some years ago. I’ve always liked owls as subjects - they’re interesting and unusual, and you can make them funny or realistic or dramatic or cute, but they always have character

I’m still going through my (immense) collection of old designs and haven’t managed to organise any new freebies for this week, but I’ll be back next week with more. By the way, if you have any ideas for free designs you’d like to see posted here, just let me know

What the physio wants, the physio will get!

Right - time for some more freebies, this time two variations on the theme of floral designs. First, there’s a simple little design that was inspired by the works of the famous artist William Morris. It’s only small,  but it might find a home as part of a larger quilt or cushion project

Remembering William Morris

William Morris was a central figure of the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain, and the second design today is something that looks as if it were inspired by that art tradition

More Arts and Crafts flowers

Both designs are for the 4x4 inch (100 mm x 100 mm) hoop, and both are embroidery only, with no applique. And both are in .pes v.6  HERE is the little William Morris, and HERE is the second Arts and Crafts design. As always, if they don't download properly for you, just drop me a note and I'll e-mail them to you

Because I’m known locally as “an embroiderer”, I’m often asked to exhibit at one of the many craft shows we have here. But I always say no, because I’m a terrible seamstress. I’ve tried making embroidered bags and purses and shirts, but they’re always awful. And they take so much time to make, and if I don’t sell them they hang around in my studio for years. But the other day, I was about to say no to another invitation when I had a brainwave. Not bags or purses, but embroidered greetings cards! They don’t take any sewing - just trimming and gluing, and they’re quick and easy to make. And people like sending cards to friends and family, so they often buy a lot. And even if some cards don’t sell they’re small enough to fit into a folder until the next craft fair

So recently I’ve been spending every last minute making, cutting and gluing greetings cards, and I now have about 100, which I hope will be enough for the craft fair. I’ll let you know how it goes. But here are a few of them

A collection of cards

They're usually very simple designs compared to many of my more elaborate creations, but none the worse for that. They're just small stitchouts trimmed and glued inside what the craft shops call "triple-fold aperture cards", and I can strongly recommend them as an attractive way of using simple embroideries

But I'll be back next time with more freebies - perhaps including some from this card collection!