I'm back with 5/5: five creatively inspiring things and five ways for you to DIY. An incredible beaded spiderweb, a cat "guarding" the Moon, and a great way to use your cut fabric stash. So, let's get scrolling!

👉 Last week's edition of Orts was for anyone who likes to try something new.

Bowled over by these embroideries

✨ 5 creatively inspiring things

1. ​Is this a spiderweb? No! It’s a delicate embroidery by Ale of Thread Handed Jill. This particular piece is 19 x 15 inches and includes hundreds of crystal dew drops. The beading alone took 33 hours. If you’re interested in learning to stitch spiderwebs, Ale has a PDF and video tutorial for purchase.
2. Here’s another embroidery with an incredible level of detail. Yuki Nanatsuki depicted a black cat “guarding” the Moon, with Earth’s satellite extending just beyond the hoop. And, it’s completely crafted using French knots! Here’s a peek into the process.
3. Ukaome, aka Jessica Flores, created a delicate bowl with beading. It’s constructed using many, many seed beads. And that’s not all of the home objects she’s recreated in beading; she recently made her version of a napkin.
4. And, another bowl! This time, with embroidery. Jessica So Ren Tang produced this hand-embroidered sculpture with fabric and thread. The motif is inspired by Dedham pottery—specifically a blue and white rabbit plate.
5. I generally dislike the designs on tissue boxes—I’d much prefer to cover them up. Tessa Perlow recently made a cute tissue box cover using vintage fabric supply and embroidery. So much better.

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🪡 5 ways to DIY

1. Wondering how your Cosmo threads match up to your DMC stash? This handy resource by Snuggly Monkey will help you convert the two. (PS: if you haven’t tried using Cosmo threads before, treat yourself to some. They are beautiful.)
2. Here’s an embroidery pattern for anyone with an orange tabby cat, loves tinned fish, or wants to thread paint. (Or all three!!) Amanda Fox of Crewel Ghoul has created this delightful pattern that looks like a lot of fun to stitch.
3. Create your own tiny art gallery when you crochet some of art history’s most popular works, including The Starry Night and Mona Lisa.
4. I tried punch needle for the first time this spring and loved it! If you’d like to get started, Whole Punching has a kit with everything you need. I love the color palette and shape design; it’s fun but simple enough for beginner punch needlers.
5. I loved watching Melissa of MCreativeJ go through her fabric stash and use the scraps to collage some fun applique flowers onto a pair of jeans that needed some TLC. What a fun idea for if you’re upcycling!

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Bonus: I'm hosting a giveaway on my blog, Brown Paper Bag! Comment on this post for a chance to win a digital copy of Foolproof Freeform Embroidery: Exploring Your Creativity with Fabric, Threads, and Stitches by Jennifer Clouston.

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Talk to you next week,

Sara Barnes Embroidery illustrator and writer

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