Ice Lollies: Summer Sampler Embroidery Patterns

Stitch a colourful ice lolly or two with a pair of embroidery patterns, now available on my Patreon!

There are two lolly designs to choose from - this classic lolly shape, and a rocket lolly.

Printed at 100% each lolly pattern fits nicely inside a 6 inch embroidery hoop. They're easy to sew and would be a great project to make with your kids or when you want to learn some new decorative stitches.

Use backstitch or your own favourite line stitch to embroider your chosen pattern...

 ... then get creative and fill in the different sections with fun stitches! 

I used a full thickness (all six strands) of embroidery thread (floss) for the lolly outline, then two strands of thread for the details. 

 From top to bottom, I used: single scattered stitches, French knots, sheaf stitch, and chain stitch.

This pair of ice lolly embroidery patterns are now available in my Patreon pattern library.

Subscribers get access to a growing library of PDF patterns and tutorials, emails when a new project is added, and can cancel any time. Click here to check out my Patreon and to sign up! 

DIY Cross Stitch Sampler: Stop Faffing About & Just Get On With It

(Heads up, I don't usually swear here on my blog but there is a bit of mild cussing in this post)

Last autumn I tweeted that I wished I had a clue about graphic design, so I could make a motivational poster with the phrase "Stop faffing about and just bloody get on with it!" to pin up in my studio.

I need reminding to do this at least once every work day (not least when I am faffing about on Twitter!) and, in a broader sense, I think it makes a great motto... a shorthand for stopping worrying about every little detail and fiddling around making perfect detailed plans and just making a START. Take leaps! Do stuff! Make things happen!

So (since I'm a crafty lady and not a graphic design whiz) I decided to stitch it as a motivational cross stitch sampler instead and I have finally finished the chart...

Nothing fancy, but I think it does the job! I've drawn two versions - one with a bit of mild cussing and one without - so you can choose the design you prefer :)

Here are the charts:

Click on one of the images above to open the image link in another window or tab and click again to view it full size and print. It's quite large so you can print it out at the size that suits you best (or just print a copy for your wall if you can't be bothered stitching it!).

These charts are intended for non commercial use only: stitch as many samplers as you like as gifts, but please don't make any for sale or sell the charts themselves. If you blog about this project, please don't post the full size chart on your site and remember to credit me and link back to my blog or this post. Thanks!

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DIY Cross Stitch Sampler: Everything is going to be AMAZING

As promised, here's the chart for making your own "everything is going to be AMAZING" cross stitch sampler:


Click on the image to open the image link in another window or tab and click again to view it full size and print. It's quite large so you can print it out at the size that suits you best.

I decided not to add a border to my sampler in the end, but if you want to add one to yours then you can always copy the chart onto a piece of graph paper and design your own.


My finished sampler measures approx 19 x 10 cms (7.5 x 4 inches). I used white 14 count aida fabric, and one of the skeins of stranded embroidery thread (floss) from my rainbow embroidery thread packs. I used most of the skein, splitting the thread in half (i.e. using 3 of the 6 strands at a time).

I knew just how I wanted the letters to look in my head the moment I decided to stitch this and knew my basic cross stitch lettering wasn't going to be up to the task, so I planned it out in Word first to have a model in a "proper" font to work from...


... and then spent several hours puzzling over a piece of graph paper working out how best to pixelate each letter. The capital A and M were especially problematic, but I got there in the end!


I really enjoyed stitching this, and I hope you will too. If you stitch one I'd love to see a photo of your finished project :)

This pattern is intended for non commercial use only: stitch as many samplers as you like as gifts, but please don't make any for sale or sell the pattern itself. Please feel free to borrow photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to my blog or this post. Thanks!

Enjoyed this free pattern? Buy me a "coffee" and help support my blog!


Subscribe to my newsletter for a monthly free pattern and visit my crafty tutorial archive for lots more free projects.

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Everything is going to be Amazing

Life is a funny old thing.

Five years ago I was unemployed due to long-term illness. I was bored, frustrated and a bit miserable.

That autumn I got the flu and was stuck in bed for a few weeks, and knitted lots of little hats for the Big Knit to keep myself entertained. I enjoyed making them so much that I started looking on the internet for crafty things to make and do, including ideas for felt ornaments that I could sew to give to our friends that Christmas.

While searching I found Flickr, which seemed to be jam packed with people making fantastic things. Lots of people linked to this mysterious thing called Etsy in their Flickr profiles... and wow! there was this whole site where people were selling their handmade things!

I made it my New Year's Resolution to set up my own Etsy shop, and started this blog soon afterwards (mostly because everyone else seemed to have one)...

... and somehow five years later here I am with a full time job designing / making / selling and writing about crafty things, loads of wonderful crafty friends and my very own book!

Basically what I'm trying to say is you never know where life is going to lead you, and what awesome and interesting new adventures are waiting around the corner. With this in mind, and inspired by this design by Olly Moss, my motto during this chaotic and stressful month has been "everything is going to be AMAZING... I'm just not sure exactly how yet!"

And of course, being totally craft obsessed, I couldn't resist turning it into little cross stitch sampler :)


This was a wonderfully theraputic project - first the challenge of getting the lettering just right when I was planning it out on graph paper (okay so there may have been a bit of cussing involved in this stage, but it was hugely satisfying when it was finally finished!) and then all those lovely relaxing hours of stitching.

I'm rather pleased with how it turned out... although I'm thinking that maybe it needs some sort of border added to it to make it look a bit more "finished". What do you think?


I'll be sharing the chart later this week so you can stitch your own optimistic sampler if you fancy one :)

UPDATE: you can download the chart here. 

A Royal Wedding Sampler, Stitched

This morning I was delighted to find a link in my inbox to this post on KJ's blog Let's Go Fly A Kite about how she taught herself cross stitch... and chose my Royal Wedding sampler as her third project.

She used the design to make a mini cushion (pillow), doesn't it look fantastic?



It is always so thrilling seeing photos of things people have made using my free tutorials. If you ever want to share pics of your finished projects, please do leave me a message here on the blog or send me an email to mail [at!] lupinhandmade [dot!] com

DIY Royal Wedding Cross Stitch Sampler

Thanks so much for all your sweet comments about my book news! You guys are awesome xxx

As promised, now you can make your own Will + Kate sampler...


If you've never done cross stitch before, don't be scared! It's very easy, and a lovely relaxing way to spend an evening. This isn't a full "how to" post, but I'm sure there are lots of cross stitch tutorials online to help you get started.


To make this design you will need...

White 14 count aida fabric
A 5 inch embroidery hoop (the pattern is designed so it can be displayed in the hoop once you've finished)
Assorted colours of stranded embroidery thread (floss) - I used purple, bright pink, candyfloss pink, light turquoise and gold for the rings and crown. I used half the number of strands (e.g. 3 strands of 6 strand thread).
A needle and scissors

.... plus the chart:


(Click once on the image to view it, and click again to view it full size - it's quite large so you can print it out at the size that suits you best)

I've drawn the chart in colour but you can of course print it out in black and white if you prefer. Just colour the design in with coloured pencils if you want to mark your chosen colours on your copy.
This pattern is for non commercial use only: you can use it for as many samplers as you like for yourself or as gifts for friends but please don't make any for sale. Please feel free to borrow photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to the original source. Thanks!

 

Enjoyed this free pattern? Buy me a "coffee" and help support my blog!


Subscribe to my newsletter for a monthly free pattern and visit my crafty tutorial archive for lots more free projects.

Visit my shop to buy my printable PDF sewing patterns:

Stitching

I love all the kitsch surrounding the royal wedding, so how could I resist crafting something with a royal wedding theme??

I'm stitching a small cross stitch sampler:


Red, white and blue just wasn't working for me as a colour scheme so I went for pink/purple, white and turquoise instead. Plus gold for the crown and the rings, of course!

It's almost finished - I'll write up the pattern neatly on a chart later this week and post it so you can make your own if you want one :)