Happy Friday! It's a 5/5 week, and you know what that means—five creatively inspiring projects and five ways for you to DIY. Scroll down for an embroidery-heavy list. There's stitching on real leaves, a faux poisonous plant crown, and a DIY project with (at least) a five-year lifespan.

👉 ICYMI, this cat holding the Moon was the most-clicked link in the last 5/5.

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See You in Five Years

✨ 5 creatively inspiring things

1. Hillary Waters Fayle stitches on real leaves without using glue or tape. Her work is incredibly intricate, especially considering her chosen canvas. Hillary recently shared one of her latest leaves, and I’m in love with the colors and floral forms. (PS—Hillary is one of the artists featured in my book, Threads of Treasure!)
2. Alicja Kozlowska draws inspiration from everyday life to create 3D artworks using materials from clothing labels, felt, and fabric, while often enhancing them with embroidery. This apple is a great example of how disparate materials form colorful sculptural collages.
3. ​SeanyBTW has embarked on a quest to “embroider tattoos onto a sweater until I have a full set.” Watch his fun and light-hearted series on TikTok. He’s up to day five (at the time of writing).
4. ​Ruth Rodrigo embroiders book covers. Whether it’s pet portraits, recipe collections, or the covers of will-be "junk journals," each functional piece is intricate and colorful.
5. My friend (and Camp Craftaway co-founder!) Melissa of MCreativeJ texted me a photo of the new embroidery she’s working on, and it’s so cool I asked her if I could share it here. It’s a completely embroidered poisonous plant crown! “I used some really cool new-to-me stitches for this," she said, "that make detachable 3D petals that I combined to make the different crown parts.”

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🪡 5 ways to DIY

1. For paid Orts subscribers, last week’s 5/5 featured incredible double-sided embroidery by Kseniia Guseva of @faimyxsttich. It is what it sounds, with a finished design on either side of the hoop. Watch her helpful tutorial with tips and tricks and learn how to design your own.
2. This is a cute idea: Olivia Kary handcrafted felt envelopes to store letters that she and her partner will read in five years. Olivia doesn’t provide a template or anything like that, but you could take this idea and make it your own with your favorite embroidery stitches and other decorative elements you’d like to create.
3. Taking a hat to the beach? Here’s a free sewing pattern for a tote bag to hold your brimmed hat in place when you’re not wearing it.
4. The couching stitch is one of my favorite embroidery stitches, if not my favorite. It’s one way I like to draw with thread! Watch bookhou make this stitch and get inspired by its possibilities.
5. I’ve been eyeing this crochet book by Aynsley Grealis, aka @KnottedNeon. Known for her fantastical headwear, the recently published book is a pattern collection of crocheted flowers, bees, stars, coral reefs, and more.

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Talk to you next week,

Sara Barnes Embroidery illustrator and writer

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