Get Organized - Day 3 - Embroidery Floss

Welcome to Day 3 of 

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Today we're focusing on EMBROIDERY FLOSS.

Not all of you embroider.  I get that.  I didn't use to either. My mom and grandmother always did it, and I never had any interest.  And then I was bedridden after a hospital stay, and embroidery was a great way to entertain myself.  Who knew?  There's so many techniques to try, so much cool stuff you can embroider.  You can stay with traditional motifs or with modern kitschy things.  You can make it your own.

This popped up the other day on Ikea Hackers - an embroidered mousepad.  Geekery at it's finest.

Or this one by June Craft on Etsy

What I worked on when recovering from my hospital stay was something from these books - they would be my  favorite books if you're just starting out. There's so many wonderful motifs and designs, full of whimsy and fairyytale and definitely things you can make your own.

Both written by the talented Aimee Ray at 

Hop on over and have a look at some of her awesome stuff!  Aimee has also generously offered my readers a great deal on her patterns!  Go shop her patterns, both craft and embroidery - she's offering a Buy One, Get One Free Special just for us!  Just mention my blog and the pattern you want for free with your purchased one! But don't wait too long - you only have until May 15th, and time sure has been flying this year!  Just look at some of these -

"Hill Man" pattern

"Koinobori Fish Flag" craft pattern

"Mermaid Circle" pattern

"Felt Embroidered NOM doll" pattern 

I think her artistry and creativity are amazing, and I'm glad someone plans all these beautiful things out to save me time. :)  Man, I love the gnome. I think he needs a gnome wife...hmm...Aimee?  :)

Anyway, in one of her books, she provides a template for making your own embroidery floss spools, and the idea of making them from sentimental things.

For some of you, you're asking - why unwind the pretty floss?  Well, once you collect a rainbow array of colors and shove them all in a box enough times, you get to where you can't see them anymore.  And if you label the spools, you won't have to worry about losing the little labels with color numbers on them.

See these beautiful spools?  I made them using Aimee Ray's template.  I made them out of old Christmas and birthday cards from friends and relatives.  They have little bits of handwriting and pictures all over them, and handling them just brings back so many good memories.

I keep all mine stored in a little plastic craft bin of some sort, but I know they sell some specifically to hold spools like these.  Keep in mind you can buy little spools like these too, and in some very pretty designs, but it's nice to give your own value to them.

I keep a tiny pair of very sharp scissors in my embroidery box, as well as a good stock of quality needles.  There's not a whole lot to take with you when you embroider...it's much more portable than sewing.

Till next time -