Monday, November 17, 2014

This coffee won't spill...



If you have ever tried cross-stitch or hand embroidery, then this project might be for you. I have two sets of instructions - one from my husband and my instructions. The husband's instructions come first, and try not to be overwhelmed with the complexity, "You sit in a chair and you do sewing." Yes, those were his exact words. It sort of reminded me of when people ask Kindergartners grown up questions like, "Do you think you will get married and have kids some day?"
Anyway, the supplies are simple and inexpensive.  
1. Embroidery floss 
2. Sheet of felt 
3. An embroidery needle 4. A Persimmons Studio digital download, printed. 





I think this project would make a great gift project, for any coffee addict near you or on your 'to buy for Christmas' list. When I started this project, I sized the printable image to fit on my sheet of felt. This coffee template can be found at the Persimmons Studio online store. There are a few other coffee templates to choose from on the site - so don't be afraid to check those out! When choosing your colors, always group them together to get an idea of what they will look like together before you start stitching.


I trimmed the image to avoid having extra paper in the way, then pinned the paper template to the felt. Now some might be inclined to trace, but I actually just stitched right through the paper. Then once I was finished stitching the entire image, then I used my needle to poke holes in the paper to get it to come off of the felt background, leaving just the embroidery. 



Helpful tips: 

Use lightweight copy paper, as it is easier to stitch through and easier to remove. 

When removing the paper, use your needle to poke holes in the paper through the embroidery floss. I found that this makes the whole paper removal process much easier because you create a serrated edge that tears quite easily. 

Use your imagination to use the Persimmons Studio printable downloads as templates for a gift.