First embroidery project on a hoop

I've always been intimidated by the detail work of embroidery. I make mistakes on my projects so frequently I thought making a hoop project might be frustrating. It turned out to be a really cool and calming experience. I could do little bits of it and I could take out whole sections if I wanted to do over (which I did more times then I care to count). I think what I like about it was that I didn't have to over plan, I could just figure it out while I went along. I experimented with different thread and stitches (some of which made it into the final product. 

 

The images are a collection for various stages

 

The really cool purple floss came from here: http://sublimestitching.com/collections/floss/products/sublime-floss-pack-mingles

The pattern came from here: http://www.urbanthreads.com/products.aspx?productid=UTH4425

Amigurumi octopus family

I started out making one octopus from a pattern I found on ravelry. I had so much fun with the curly tentacles I decided to make an entire family (orange ones) and named them (Clive, Martha and Abigail). I added curls to the little girl octopus. and lowered her eyes to make her a little more shy. 

 

I also made a few by request (the two pink ones) and LOVED that she added monocles to each of them. 

sloth

This is the first amigurumi crochet project that I thought of, sketched out and actually made. I had this idea for a cute sloth that would be able to hang from things (with velcro securing the grip). My plan has been to make a pattern for him, especially since after posting him on tumblr, folks have been interested.  Now, I just have to set aside the time to work through my notes to make a pattern

my notes

perler bead extravaganza

I like making perler beads as quick distraction that can break up a day or when I need a break from another project. I made them for specific people as surprises and just "thinking of you". The bead color and texture make it just fun to do. I have quite the color collection built up over time, so I might have to start thinking of some additional uses soon... 

perler bead - accidental stash

Doctor Who Tardis inspired felt heart

I had sketched this out around valentine's day...but it took a while to actually produce. 

I had to learn at least some basic embroidery skills (new to me) and make a ton of mistakes with felt. I even learned how to make a little fez! Experiment was successful and sufficiently geeky!