A New Challenge & Project: Embroidered Curtains

My husband and I came across these curtains at World Market back in July, a month before we had even put an offer a house (so why are we going to buy curtains when we don't have a house to hang them in, right?).  Well, it turns out we can't get these curtains out of our head.  And I couldn't choke down the idea of paying $35/a panel when we needed 4 panels for the living room, so I decided to embroider them myself.  A fun challenge, right?  I've always wished I could embroider like every other "proper" lady anyway, so why not finally take the plunge? -- (all of this was decided late October/ early November 2011 - well before I had even picked up embroidery for the first time).

The last time I cross-stitched I was 9 years old in Alberta, Canada for a family vacation and my dad was teaching me the craft (he's a surgeon and needle-points & cross-stitches as a hobby).  So I thought it was high-time I resurrected this talent.

My designs, drawn with crayon on printer paper while babysitting late last year:


While searching for patterns (because who knew it was so hard to come up with your own pattern, not to mention the color combinations because we want to have about 5 or 6 colors present in these curtains; they are to be the focal point and jumping-off point for the rest of the living room), I came across Design*Sponge's entry about doing just this!  I'm glad I'm not too crazy in my undertaking, but she doesn't embroider the whole curtain... so we'll see how far I get as a novice.  ;)

Future Projects on My Wish List

Striped Tunic Dress

This [seamless!] pattern is for sale on Etsy!

Speaking of dresses [& my new love of granny-squares]....

http://pinterest.com/pin/39758409180187550/

... wouldn't this be a cute summer dress?

And the little feminine, hem details in this dress....

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/39758409180187548/


Definitely have to try making this hat in my size.
This might be another great way to use up scraps...

Scrap Crochet Shrug

Crocheted cotton collars

Really pretty collar

Hmm... this may be the most feminine I've ever considered looking..... I wonder if Dowton Abbey is having an effect on me....  anyone else caught under this show's spell?

Sewing

I know this is supposed to be about knitting & sometimes crocheting, but I just HAD to mention this blog.  This last month I've started really thinking about picking up sewing again.  True, I only ever did VERY simple patterns in high school, but the magic that is sewing your own clothes would be very fun to experience again.  Plus, it would help me get closer to my goal of having all my clothes made by *me*.

Here is what I've bookmarked from her blog for future reference:
The first being Pattern Cutting 101.  I don't think I've really paid attention to cutting patterns since I was learning from a friend back in high school.  Shame on me.

This post is about putting pockets in a circle skirt, a skill I never learned.  But she is so straightforward and illustrates the steps so well (and on such a simple skirt that I want to make anyway...) I feel like I could finally learn this.

What an adorable dress!  I wish she mentioned the pattern in this post.  I could see it being a very cute adult pattern too...

Ah-ha! So this is where she gets all her darling patterns.  I must try this sometime.  And etsy of course.  :)

Now to find the little nuggets of time to try these things. .... and the materials, I suppose :)

Modern Colors, Traditional Granny Squares


I definitely have to try making one of these for the back of our couch.  It would compliment so nicely with the curtains I'm planning to embroider.  Lots of bright colors.  That's the look we're going for in the living room, but not chaotic, just festive and vibrant.
Any suggestions?  How was everyone's holiday?