FREEBIE-FAT CAT

I hope you tried some twilling by now, here's a simple FAT CAT for you to try. 

I would try twilling the main parts of the cat with three strands of regular floss, and use regular stitches for the face details with 2 strands, but is up to you. If you don't twill, stitch him however you please.  If you would like to learn to twill , click on the words see this post   Just something quick and fun, a great stitch to know.  Its a very cool, textured stitch, see my header.

Click here for a link to google docs for a printable copy.

Have fun!! cyndi

twilling patterns almost ready

More about them in a few days... still editing directions, covers and the " how to twill " inserts for patterns.   Yikes, all those things are time consuming!  I want to be stitching!!  but for now..................

Here are some better sneak peeks of my first few twilling toppers!! 

SUMMER SPIRIT

FALL PUMPKINS

SRPING FLING

WINTER WHIMSY

Now I cheated on this one.  It was my first sample going to a quilt shop and I was nervous about my twilling ability.   I chickened out and only did tidbits, the twigs and scarf stripes.  My second effort was the Fall Pumpkins, followed by Summer Sprirt, then Spring Fling.   I have sketches for several more of these TWILLING TOPPERS almost ready and am getting the FAT CAT pattern ready, but have to get these ready to sell  first, why is there not 120 hours or so in a weekend, if only, lol!. 

Keep warm and dry! It started snowing at 5:30 this morning and has continued ever since.  It's not accumulating too bad about 3-4" so far.  I was hoping it would snow enough they'd send us home from work.............nope :(.     Anyway, done with my lunch hour.  Keep on stitching!!  Talk to you soon,  Cyndi

A Twilling Breakthrough



It's been a really long time, well over a year, since I have picked up a needle and thread and actually completed something. I've been in a deep dark hole that threatened to swallow me and I have been struggling to climb out of it.  I tried starting several new fun things from other designers, but nothing really got me hooked again until this fall when I heard abour a lady named Pauline.  Ms Pauline was teaching Twilling, "what's twilling??" you say.   Look above and you'll see it........there's some of it in each of the above photos.  She had already stitched out a couple of my older patterns. She did one of my beginner redwork patterns below simply called the pumpkin, and she TWILLED most of it except for the tiny details.  Look below, isn't her stitching beau tiful, so clean and smooth.   I was fascinated!!  I love texture.....

She had asked the quilt shop owner if she thought I could come up with some patterns designed more for the twilling stitch. Well, I had never done twilling so we met each other in her twilling class.  "POOF" my creative fire was re-lit, crazy stitchy ideas started crashing around in my head and I started drawing again.  Then came the stitching.  I've designed several things for the twilling stitch, have done some more redwork designs, and am having trouble finding time to get it all on paper and fabric.  The designs, directions etc. all need to be in pattern form, ready to go to the quilt shop soon.  Below is what I've done in redwork.  There will be 12 cats of the month.  For you bloggers I think I'll have helpful "SEWING" FAT cats as blog freebies beginning soon, I hope........depends on time, it maybe March.  Sorry about the quality of the photos.

"FAT CATS" shown here are April, February and March, they are not quite ready to sell but will be soon.  I ran out of grey thread for the fuzzy cat on the bottom right, but decided to show it anyway. 

Now, here's how to do the twilling stitch ............ 

See if you can understand how to do it from these directions below.   There's a place to click below photo for a link to a printable copy.

If you want a printable copy click here 

UPDATE  if you would like a verson for lefties and righties go here

It will take you to google docs where you can print it out.  Please let me know if you can figure out how to do the stitch from these directions.  This is my first rough draft at the twilling directions.  I want to put it or similiar one in with my patterns.  Would love feed back about them.

I'll have more in the next few days on what I've been drawing with this twilling stitch in mind.............!?!?!?  I hope you approve.  It's a fun stitch, and gives my favorite type stitching (redwork) another form of texture. 

Below is the picture of the first thing I did away from the class, away from Pauline's guidance..........yikes! I chickened out when I started my own project in twilling, and only did bits and pieces of it in the twilling stitch (the arms, scarf stripes,) the rest is in my more comfortable redwork .....outline/stem stitch, mixed with  backstitch etc.  Once I got more comfortable with it, the other projects I designed were worked mostly as twilling.  You'll have to come back to see.....see you soon.   :) cyndi