Embroidered Card

The second in the the series showing the processes in our card making centres on the hand embroidery done for the Large Special Keepsake Cards. I've had to embroider a card for a special urgent order today and as this is a rare occasion, thought I'd capture it step by step. (It's a rare occasion because this is usually a job that Barbara does for me - she is the French Knot kid - but the order has to go out today and I won't see her until tomorrow, so I've had to thread the needle myself).

This is going to be a Baptism card for a baby girl. So we start off with mother of pearl sequins sewn in a circle on white slubbed silk.

Next we choose two shades of pink and a white embroidery cotton, and using the paler pink embroider four tiny french knots between each sequin.

This is followed by more french knots in the deeper pink and white and little green leaves in single chain stitch.Sorry this pic is blurred.

The embroidery is then mounted firstly into one aperture card and then double mounted into a larger one. This gives a good strong finish for the card and accentuates the embroidery in the middle.

Finally the card has detail added with fabric paint. You'll see painted daisies on the inner mount, some little beads of paint to fill out the embroidery and the hand lettering. I've hidden the name on the card as I don't want to spoil someone's surprise.

This card is now going into a frame and will be packed up and posted off this afternoon.

As it's a glorious day today I took a few more pics around the workshop, just to celebrate the colour in the sunshine.

Some tulips from Amsterdam in my favourite old vase with some juicy new fat quarters purchased at a recent Patchwork and Quilting Show in the background.

A colourful corner with one of Barbara's patchwork cushion covers, some handmade soap and some wooden hearts just showing at the top.

A view of the wall with a bit of splash of colour.

And lastly, some fresh new cards for Spring - using some of the new fabrics from the show. They are on the website here.

Hope you are enjoying this sunshine too.