This past December, my art friends and I did a little Secret Santa gift exchange. I made a wool & cotton sewing kit for my friend Lulu.
I used Sue Spargo's Greta Needle Roll pattern as the basis for the kit and then modified it a bit from there. For the front, I used Sue's flower design instead of the plant that is shown in the pattern. I added an extra inner pocket, the inner flower, modified the name plate on the back of the kit and a few other things.
I used one of the greeting cards that Lulu designed, featuring her own art work (the girl with cat on her head), and turned it into a hand bound book with 2 signatures. It fits perfectly into one of the large pockets.
This was my first time putting in a zipper, and there are 2 zippered pouches inside the kit. These were also the first bees and ladybugs that I made with embroidery.
The stitches I used are detailed below.
Front of the needle roll.
Orange/Yellow Flower:
Turkey work with Shepherd's Silk
Coral stitch with beads and Spaghetti thread
Seed stitch with Valdani
Single cast on with Valdani
French knot with chenille
Crested chain and bullions with Valdani
Purple/Pink Flower:
Drizzle stitch with Valdani
Pistil stitch with Valdani
French knot with Chenille
Bullion with Silken Pearl
Fly stitch with hand dyed silk ribbon
Palestrina knot with hand dyed Pearl Cotton #5 from Sue Spargo
A little blurry on the bees, but they only stay still for a second.
Back of the needle roll. There is space here to write the owners name with a fabric pen or stitching.
The outside of the needle roll.
Cat girl mini book I stitched together using Lulu's card featuring her own painting.
Inside of the needle roll, featuring pockets for scissors, pen, ruler and a notepad.
Zippered pockets on the left and right hold more items.
Bird pin cushion and wool needle book keep things in place.
I added a second small pocket and a mini embroidered flower on the right side.
Bird Pin Cushion:
Bullions for the black eye.
Small pink inside flower:
French knot with Valdani
Single cast on with Valdani
French knot with chenille
Bullion with Valdani
Heart on the needle keeper:
French knots in chenille
Bullions in Silken Pearl
Pistil stitch in Valdani
Back stitch of blue Chenille
Three different types of Sue Spargo ribbon used
in the needle book.
A very quick signature done just minutes before
presenting my gift.
Lulu - delighted with her gift!
