Free pattern - Little rose and forget-me-nots cross stitch, counted pattern.

Here is a free pattern you can freely copy, print, share, make free kits with or simply stitch yourself.

The only request I have is that you use it exactly as it is with the link to my website, and that you do not commercialise it in any ways. 

Even though antique patterns are in the public domain, reproductions from originals privatly owned are copyrighted. Thank you for respecting !

So many pretty colours.

Antique hemstitch - Tutorial

I had the embroidery from last years 'small rose challenge' sitting on my desk for months, so yesterday being a rainy Sunday I decided it was time to do something about it once and for all.

I thought framing it would be nice, but it was lacking something? So I settled on an antique hemstitch border since it is a little unusual, yet quick and easy to stitch.

It’s really a nice and easy way to finish off an embroidery without having to cross stitch a border around it. Naturally, it only works on linen or even weave - not aida.

I worked it on two pulled threads, over four threads, but you can also work it on more or less threads. But if you want to weave the pulled threads back to form the corner, you need to have an even number such as 2, 6 or 8 threads.

The threads you go over for the little eyelets don’t have to be four like I did, but two, or three. I started on a corner and at the end realized I didn’t have enough threads to work over four all the way, so the last two are over three threads… but you hardly notice it.

You start on the back of your embroidery and work your way around, once you figure it out it goes quite fast and is nice and relaxing. I used a stiff crochet thread, but you can also use regular threads or perle cotton though I might not recommend regular embroidery floss as you want the stitch to hold the tension.

Perfect corners: Pull two threads, one of which you remove completely. Put the remaining thread on a needle and weave it back.

Antique hemstitch step 1: Work on the back of the embroidery. Pass the needle under four threads.

Antique hemstitch step2: Bring the needle over and slip it under two thread.

Antique hemstitch step 3: Pull the thread and tighten a little. Now you should have a nice little open hole.

Always sign and date your work ! It doesn't have to be very large, just a small, discreet date and name is fine. Here I signed my nickname and date with a sewing thread over two linen threads.

Small rose part 1 - Cross stitch
Small rose part 2 - Gobelin stitch
Small rose part 3 - Petit point 
Small rose part 4 - Bead embroidery

The small rose pattern is available as a free instant download on my website, see link below. 

I would like to challenge you to also try out different techniques and styles of embroidery, needlework or other crafts that can be worked from counted patterns. The possibilities are endless, and lot’s of fun. 

Be sure to tag your work with #smallrosechallenge  or #rolanddesigns

 

The free pattern can be downloaded here:  http://www.roland-designs.com/free-patterns

Antique embroidery notebook - Dated 1906

I like everyday objects, items that tell a story ! And this is why I’m often just as thrilled to add to my collection odds-&-ends of no value, as I am to find a rare or more costly piece.

This time I want to show you a little notebook I found for just about nothing on an online auction, it’s simple and has no fancy patterns, but I love how it gives a little peak into the ideas and projects a girl (or lady) was working on sometime in 1906.

I still find it hard to call items from the early 20^th century antiques as I feel it was just yesterday, but technically antiques are items that are over 100 years  old – so this notebook is officially an antique as it is 113 years old. 

It’s a German notebook with square grid pages, and held together with a sewed string – no staples. Inside someone tried out ideas, and drew counted patterns in pencil and colored crayons. The name Minna and Margret are done in pretty lettering, along with the family name Hövermann. 

I found a Minna Hövermann (1871-1922) who could fit the date, but she seemed to have lived in in Illinois (USA). I don’t know if that was the owner of the notebook, but could be if she had immigrated to the US ? I always love a little detective work, but it would be so much easier if people would have remembered to date, and sign all papers, works of art, sketches, notebooks, needlework piece and so on. 

I don't speak German, so if someone could translate for me what is writen on the front and back of the notebook I would be really interested to know what it says.

Antique German notebook

A little Assisi pattern or a swirl and dragon

That's it...

The back of the notebook

I can't read German, but I figure it means 'Printed in Stuttgart'.

Simple cable headband - Free pattern

Having traveled abroad twice in the past month and consequently spend some considerable amount of time browsing Pinterest between flights, I developed a small  itch to knit something small, something that could be done in a couple of days, but also something useful. These are the kind of itches that ladies ( and some gents get too ) when they have several larger projects on the go, but miss the small thrill of casting on a new project on their needles.

The weather prediction was rain, heavy rain for the whole weekend, either way I had a cold and I figured we would probably be spending the better part of Saturday and Sunday indoor. 

So I took a look at my Pinterest board and found a simple, quick knit headband. The pattern recommends using drops big Merino, but my local shop didn’t have any so I just got a another  type of wool that fitted a size 5 needle. 

I simplified the pattern a bit by doing a simpler border instead of the seed knit stitch which is k,p,k,p.

For 1 headband you will need:

-          - Knitting needles size 5

-          - 1 ball of yarn

-          - 1 cable needle

-          - Sewing needle

The pattern was originally written in Norwegian and can be found here: Pannebånd

( P- purl, K- knit )

-         

          Cast on 21 stitches - 

T

-        Row 1 - purl the whole row

Row 2 - p6, k9, p6

Row 3 - purl the whole row

Row 4 - p6, k3, place 3 sts on cable needle and hold in the back of work, k3, k3 from cable needle, p6

Row 5 - purl the whole row

Row 6 - P6, k9, p6

Row 7 - purl the whole row

Row 8 - p6, place 3 sts on cable needle and hold in the front of work, k3, knit 3 from cable needle, k3, p6

-          Continue until desired length, bind off and sew the ends together