Tutorial: How to Make a Needlebook
August 28, 2010
Needlebooks come in quite handy for keeping track of your pins and needles (and make a charming addition to any sewing basket).
I’ve created several of these lovely and portable cases to use while working on large sewing projects, associating each unique design with pleasant memories. Making needlebooks is a wonderful way to practice embroidery . . . and they make lovely gifts, too!
Here is how you can make your own {primrose style} needlebook . . .
The Supplies
- Felt (wool or cotton)
- Embroidery Floss
- Needle
- Scissors
- Circle pattern from card stock (three inches in diameter)
The Directions (click the pictures to enlarge)
1. Following your pattern, cut out four pieces of felt (two for the outside cover and two for the inside).
2. On the back of the front cover piece, make a knot in the felt.
3. Bring the needle to the front and by Back Stitching, sew a circle in the middle of the cover. This will be the center of the Primrose.
4. Fill the center of the flower with Double French Knots (as shown in directions 4-6). Pull your thread through the font and wrap the thread around the needle twice.
5. Hold tightly onto the thread about an inch from the stitch.
6. Insert needle into the felt, making sure that it is right next to the original stitch. If it goes back into the same hole that it came up from, the stitch will pull through to the back and need to be redone. Pull thread all the way through until a little knot appears.
7. Back Stitch the outline of the flower petals.
8. With the straight stitch, add three little lines at the base of each petal to give it depth.
9. The Seed Stitches are small straight stitches randomly sewn every which way. Sew these around the outside of the flower close together and gradually farther apart as you stitch away from the petals.
10. Blanket Stitch around the edge of the front and inside two pieces, leaving about one and a half inches of the circumference un-stitched.
11. Place the other two pieces on the back side of the first two with the second inside piece facing the already sewn inside and the back outside piece facing outwards.
Continue the blanket stitch on all four pieces for the un-sewn inch and a half. Then finish sewing the blanket stitch around the edge of the back side two pieces.
12. Run the thread through the felt where it cannot be seen from the inside or outside. Bring the thread to the surface of the outside and double knot.
One of the beauties of needlebooks, is that you can take this idea and create a wide assortment of your own variations, whether they be for personal use, decoration, or gifts!
There are endless possibilities to the extra beauty you can create using different styles, sizes, shapes, embroidered decorations, etc!
This tutorial was originally created for the beautiful magazine “The Girlhood Home Companion,” a magazine for daughters, mothers, and grandmothers published by Remembrance Press.
Giving away a copy of our latest project: It’s a . . .
August 23, 2010
*Thank you all for entering! You can find out who won here.*
. . . well, I can’t tell you that part yet – because it’s still a secret.
But, the winner of this give-away will be one of the first to receive their own copy of our upcoming project (which, Lord willing, will be available next month)!
This giveaway will include more than that special item, and is in honor of our summer sale – the lowest prices of the season (and the year, for that matter)!
The Prizes:
- Daughters of His Story Paper Dolls: Bundle One (3 Collections)
by Breezy & Emily Rose Brookshire
Each Collection Includes:
- Two 8″ (9″ including stands) Paper Dolls
- Two Short Biographical Sketches
- Three Dresses Each
- Two Timeline Figures
- A Pocket (to attach to the inside of the keepsake folder)
- A copy of our upcoming project
Includes: Well, I can’t tell you that yet, either. But, the winner will be one of the first to receive a copy!
How to Enter:
- Leave a comment on this post
- For extra entries:
- Facebook a link to this giveaway
- Tweet a link to this giveaway
- Blog about this giveaway
- Email the link to this giveaway
- Add the button at right to your blog or website’s sidebar
(Make sure you leave a separate comment for each thing you do, otherwise they won’t all count as extra entries!)
This giveaway will end this Friday, August 27th, at noon EST. Winner will than be selected and announced here at Simply Vintagegirl.
P.S. There’s going to be a new craft tutorial up this week! You might want to subscribe to make sure you don’t miss it!
I feel quite spoiled.
August 21, 2010
I am blessed.
I’m surrounded by my wonderfully loving family. I’m surrounded by beautiful artwork by my dear sister (as above). I’m surrounded by projects that have a purpose. I’m surrounded by things that bring back memories. I’m surrounded by things I don’t deserve.
I’m surrounded by the love of my Savior.
The Best Graham Crackers
August 16, 2010
When we said goodbye to gluten, we thought we said goodbye to graham crackers, too.
But it seems as though the latter goodbye was short-lived.
After receiving a link from a sweet friend for gluten-free graham crackers, we thought we would give them a try. It couldn’t hurt, right? We don’t regret trying the recipe one bit.
They’re even far better than the packaged, store-bought graham crackers!
And now that you’re wanting to try them for yourself, you might want to click here to print out the recipe and head on into the kitchen to tie your apron on!
One of our projects will be revealed in the not-so-distant future . . . but in the meantime, we’ll have to keep it “under wraps.” (You may find a clue or two now and then.)
Keep updated so that you don’t miss any of those clues!
What’s for breakfast?
July 28, 2010
These wonderfully delicious cakes! You can get the recipe for the best pancakes here.
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
July 14, 2010
Cookies. Chocolate. Peanut butter.
All together in one perfect little cookie. These are the best cookies I have ever had – with a couple others falling in at a close second and third.
If it hadn’t been for eating gluten-free, we probably would never have found the best chocolate chip cookie recipe . . . and believe me – even though they’re free of gluten – these taste wonderfully normal (and even better)!
With no further ado (expect to say “Thank you!” to Kate, who has graciously let me post a slightly altered version of her recipe on my blog), here is the recipe . . .
The Best Chocolate Chip + Peanut Butter Cookies
BAKE: 9 minutes at 325° | YIELD: Two Dozen | NOTE: They’re gluten-free!
Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups Gluten-Free Flour blend
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine the brown sugar, peanut butter and butter in the bowl of your mixer. Beat until fluffy – about 3 – 4 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla extract until fluffy – about two minutes.
Dump in the dry ingredients (all but the chocolate chips) and mix until combined and smooth. Add chocolate chips. Mix until well distributed.
Form into balls (we use a 1″ scoop) and place on parchment paper about 2 inches apart.
Bake at 325°F for 9 minutes or until the top becomes slightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes on the cookie pan before lifting gently with a spatula to the cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.
Note: To use whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour in substitute for
the gluten-free flour blend (making it non-gluten-free), you can
use the same amount for the replacement. (Thanks, Katie, for the tip!)
These taste wonderful! I hope you enjoy them!
The Walls Reflect
June 26, 2010
Imagine the furnished living room of a home.
The lamps seem to brighten the rooms in the cool of the evening as the sun sets, adding a comforting warmth. The furniture well-worn, having the look of being well loved. The family China cabinet holds what appears to be precious dishes used for the most special occasions.
The end-table next to the sofa is noticeably hand-carved, as it could be seen that great care was given in the composing of its every detail. A writing desk in the corner has an unfinished letter on it, and in the writing of a child the beginning reads, “Dear Grandma.”
Four filled bookshelves cover one wall, suggesting a love of learning. On the other walls are found family pictures, paintings of virtuous men and women, embroideries of Scripture.
What does this room tell you?
What things do you imagine happen each day in the life of the family living in this home? How do you picture their outlook on life? What do you believe is important to them?
The things found and seen in this room reflect the daily life of the family who lives at the described dwelling. Their worldview can be found when searched for, and the things they hold dear are evident in the furnishings and surroundings alone.
Which leads me to a question we all should ponder,
If the rooms of your home were frozen in time, what would your living room
say about your family and what is important to you?
Raising Homemakers
June 2, 2010
There is something very special about a little girl.
She will grow up one day and become an influence to others, maybe even have an impact on an entire culture. How can a little girl one day grow, by God’s wondrous grace, into a lady who impacts the lives of others?
She is trained. To fear the Lord. To be a sturdy woman. To have character. To be a light to those around her. To be patient. To serve joyfully. To submit. To be selfless. To be a keeper at home. To be a homemaker.
By God’s grace, a little girl can grow into a godly woman who is passionate about her God-given role in the home. Her light can shine brightly and have an impact on many generations to come.
There are many examples of strong, sturdy women throughout history. We desire that the the next generation of ladies will be homemakers who delight in their God-given role and trust in the Lord with their whole being.
Raising Homemakers is a new website to encourage mothers (and daughters) in teaching and preparing daughters in the art of homemaking! There are several contributing writers, including my dear mum, Sarah Mae, June Fuentes, and Stacy McDonald (+ more!).
P.S. There is a wonderful giveaway, too! Homestead Blessings, anyone?
While living the life my Lord has blessed me with, I am at home with my family enjoying being a daughter, homemaker and artist. My highest goal is to give glory to God and enjoy Him forever. It is He that has saved me with His amazing grace and is continually molding me; to Him I owe everything. Read more . . .
