Hearts Entwined

We're halfway through February which means St Valentine's Day (or as I like to call it, the day after my birthday) has come and gone. Of course, you don't really need a specific day to express your love for someone special. When hearts are entwined, they're entwined forever.

Inspiration for my latest design came from what you may consider to be a surprising source - a Celtic animal design in the Book of Kells. I could see straight away how the knotwork could be made into hearts that would be perfect for a wedding sampler.

To add even more romance, I worked the hearts in colours reminiscent of an English rose garden, with vintage pinks and greens.

I also added a few beads to give an extra-special finishing touch.

You can use the alphabet included in the chart to personalise your sampler to celebrate a wedding, civil partnership or anniversary. 

Find this pattern and many more at hawthorntreedesigns.com

I'm still working on other designs that will be available later this year and I'm also planning a few tutorials which I think you'll find to be lots of fun. After all, crafting should be about having fun just as much as creating something beautiful.

There's plenty of work for my fingers to be getting on with,

Happy Stitching!

New Beginnings

Is it me or did Christmas just fly by? It felt that one moment we were settling down to watch A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve, the next we were opening presents and before long we were welcoming in 2016.

 

January usually gives me a dose of the post-Christmas blues but this year is probably the first time I haven't felt it. I was actually really excited to open my online shops again and get started on new projects. I'm using this pretty notebook to jot down or sketch all my new ideas.

 

One plan for this year is to add more patterns inspired by nature. I was so pleased to see how popular my little bird patterns became last year, especially with my personal favourite the Bullfinch Pair becoming my best-seller. I have three more birds coming to the shop very soon, one of the needs a little bit of tweaking first.

 

 

I'm also working on a new Celtic pattern designed to be a wedding sampler.

 

 

Something rather exciting is happening next month which I'll tell you more about at the time but it got 2016 off to a great start.

 

Here's to being happy in January!

Etsy Shop's First Birthday

A whole year has gone by since I opened my Etsy shop. I had been on Folksy for some months before then but things didn't really take off. I still have my Folksy shop as an option for the future but I don't believe it's the right place for digital patterns and so I moved this part of my business to Etsy.

I am truly grateful to everyone who has bought patterns, favourite listings and followed me on social media. Self confidence has always been a major problem for me so it really means a lot to know you appreciate my work.

I've learned so much in the last 12 months and I'm getting better at everything all the time. I'm already making plans for the designs I want to release next year and I'm coming up with ideas for new products.

Running your own business can be very stressful and frustrating at times but it's also hugely rewarding and liberating. To celebrate this anniversary and to say thank you to everyone who has supported me, I am offering 15% off all patterns in my Etsy shop until midnight 18th October (Sunday).

You can visit the shop either by clicking on the listings at the top of this page or by following the link from my website hawthorntreedesigns.com

Thank you and happy stitching!



New Pattern: Kells Corners

It's now October and this year seems to be flying by! I've been working on ways to use up my ridiculously large stack of craft papers and various bits and bobs. I've already come up with some hand-stitched Christmas card ideas but that's for another time.

I've also added a new Celtic pattern to my shop. This one has a very different look to the others. It is based on a little geometric motif at the corners of a portrait of St Matthew in the Book of Kells. 

Kells Corners

It fits perfectly into a 7-inch hoop but would also make a great cushion cover or a design for a tote bag.

You can of course stitch it in any colours you like, and that little space in the centre is the perfect place for a button.

When you've stitched it, you can either frame it as pictured at the top or turn it around and frame it so that it looks more like the bottom picture.

You can buy the pattern on Etsy and Payhip (remember, if you live in the UK you won't have to pay EU VAT if you buy through Payhip).

www.hawthorntreedesigns.com

An October Wedding

Do you remember when I said I was working on a wedding sampler but I wasn't able to say too much? Well, even though the wedding isn't until Monday, the bride-to-be has already opened her presents so I can now show you what I made...

 

 

I went for a relatively simple design overall but with Celtic knot detail at each corner. This is the first time I've worked white thread onto white fabric. It was certainly a challenge and I'm glad I decided to do just the corners but I'm very happy with the result.

 

 

The central motif is a Claddagh - an Irish symbol made from three components: a heart for love, hands for friendship and a crown for loyalty.

 

 

Emma, the bride-to-be was so happy with it she cried! She sent Mum a message saying how she loved the personal nature of the gift.

 

I'm sure there have many more brides who have received beautiful handmade gifts this year from relatives and friends who have taken the time to create something special. Those of us who love embroidery are always happy to have an excuse to use our skills for such projects. My hands have been busy with a couple more smaller projects but I can't show you them just yet.

 

I'll reveal all in my next post.

 

New Blackwork Pattern - Durrow Celtic Knots

I'm very excited about my latest blackwork pattern. It is another version of my Durrow Celtic Knots design. I stitched the blackwork version of it a couple of years ago and I've been wanting to share the pattern with you for a really long time but I had some technical problems to overcome. I won't bore you with the details but after a bit of tweaking, I have now been able to put the pattern in the shop.

The pattern has the same layout as the cross stitch version but is worked entirely in back stitch (or Holbein stitch if your prefer.) 

At each corner is an area of beautiful and intricate blackwork. These sections can be used for smaller projects like greeting cards or coasters.

This is certainly not a pattern for the less patient stitcher but if you love blackwork and are looking for a challenge, then this is the perfect place to find it! Whenever I work large patterns, they remind me that not everything in life can be achieved instantly. It is no bad thing to have to wait a long time to finish something and in the case of this embroidery, it will certainly be worth the wait.

I have worked this pattern in traditional black but you should feel free to use whatever colours you like.

It is one of my plans to have more blackwork patterns on sale as it is a form of embroidery I really do love. Keep checking back as I have several more in the planning.

You can also find two cross stitch patterns based on this design from the Book of Durrow. You can find them all at hawthorntreedesigns.com





New Pattern: Ahenny Celtic Cross

I've just added a new pattern to both my Etsy and Payhip shops.

 

 

Ahenny Celtic Cross is already one of my favourites and was a joy to work on. It is inspired by knotwork carved onto the North Cross, one of the two high crosses at Kilclispeen Cemetery, Ahenny, County Tipperary, Ireland.

 

The two stone crosses are all that remains of a monastery that was on the site and are believed to date from the eighth or ninth century. They are amongst the earliest examples of ringed crosses.

 

 

This pattern is perfect for those of you who love Celtic art or who want to stitch something connected to ancient Ireland.

 

This will be the last Celtic design I release for a while as there are other design projects I'll be concentrating on for the next few months. My main priorities are forthcoming bird collection to compliment my popular bullfinches design and the Leopold alphabet.

 

Unfortunately, the Pentrich revolution embroidery project has been cancelled due to lack of support. This is very disappointing for me and the organisers of the project but they still have plenty of other things planned. I may still be able to donate a contribution to the art exhibition if I can find the time to make something.

 

 

I have also updated my logo and Etsy shop banner to freshen things up a little. I'll be updating all of my pattern cover pages with this new look too.

 

 

To buy the pattern, you can either click on the Etsy listing at the top of the page or click below to go to my Payhip shop.

 

https://payhip.com/b/nciR

New Pattern: Gallia, Goddess of Gaul

We've been enjoying beautiful weather here in the Amber Valley for the last few days so I've been working with the window open. As I write there are swifts, swallows and house martins flying over and the roses are in full bloom.

 

It's that time of year when we can enjoy crafting outside for a change. I have just added my latest pattern to my Etsy and Payhip stores: meet Gallia, Goddess of Gaul.

 

 

This design is based on an image found on a Roman coin dating from the middle of the first century. The region that the Romans called Gaul covered much of central Europe from France to Switzerland and parts of Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. You may also have heard of it as the home of Asterix and his friends!

 

There are a number of variations on this image on different coins. Some are described as being a captive Gaulish woman but others are said to show the land of Gaul represented as a goddess. There is a reference to Gallia in an inscription on the remains of a Roman garrison near Hadrian's Wall called Vindolanda but very little is known about her. It may be that she was more of a symbol, like Britannia or Marianne.

 

Whatever she may have meant to the people of Gaul, she is a strong image of ancient womanhood. Rather than being made to look pretty, she has dishevelled hair and a defiant gaze which speaks to women in the 21st century.

 

You can buy the pattern by clicking on the Etsy listing at the top of the page or by clicking here to go to my Payhip shop.

 

(c) Karen Eley/The Hawthorn Tree

 



An experiment with variegated thread

I posted the above picture on Instagram. It's my Summer Solstice pattern with a skein of DMC stranded cotton, shade 90. As you can see, it perfectly matches the shades I have chosen for the pattern and I think it will make a great alternative if you want to give your version a completely different look.

I received a comment from Elizabeth Braun of the Sew In Love blog who correctly pointed out that variegated threads can give "a random, unpredictable" result and may not always work out the way you want. This is a very good point and I thought I'd better do some experimenting to see what happens.

Here is a length of the thread. Usually when I work with stranded cotton, I use a length that reaches from my finger tips to about an inch below my elbow but with variegated threads, I like to use a length that has all of the different tones in it. This is because you always lose a little of it when you cast off and snip the thread. This means the tones may not change as smoothly as you want them to.

The tones in this thread change from a deep, golden yellow to almost white.

Next, you have to think about how you're going to work your stitches. I usually work in rows making the first diagonal in one direction and then coming back making the second diagonal. You may prefer to complete each cross as you go. I wanted to see what difference each of these techniques would make to the appearance of the variegated thread.

I began with my usual method.

My first length got me this far...

When I threaded my second length, I threaded the opposite way to the first so I could carry on with the tone I had finished the first length with. Here is the finished circle...

 

It looks better in 'real life' but you can see it gives a very pleasing result.

The second circle (on the right) has been worked one cross at a time. There isn't a huge amount of difference in how the individual tones look but this technique uses more thread and so there is a bit more variation in the overall result.

I also stitched a circle working one cross at a time in a clockwise spiral, starting at the bottom.

I think they have all given interesting results but I prefer the first one because I like the subtle blending of the different shades.

The circles I used for practising are smaller than those in my design and so you may get different results when working on a bigger scale. However, I definitely think it's worth thinking about and having a play with. As with most of my patterns, Summer Solstice (and it's sister pattern Winter Solstice) has the potential to be adapted to different colours and there's no 'wrong' way of stitching it.

Have you ever used variegated threads? What projects have you used them for? What did you think of the results? Let me know in the comments below or by getting in touch on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

To buy the Summer Solstice pattern and browse my other designs see my website hawthorntreedesigns.com

You can read Elizabeth's blog Sew In Love by clicking here.



Something Old, Something New

If you've already had a look of the patterns I have available, then you'll know I have one based on a carpet page from the Book of Durrow. This is an ancient manuscript dating form the 7th century and is believed to be the oldest of its kind. It is currently housed in the library of Trinity College, Dublin.

 

 

A carpet page is a page that is covered in artwork rather than script. You cannot help but think of the monks who meticulously marked out the design before carefully drawing it and adding the right colours. The palette for such designs was fairly limited at the time as the colours were all derived from natural materials, and some of them were very expensive.

 

The modern stitcher has no such problem, we can choose from hundreds of colours and several different threads. I have stitched both of my Durrow-inspired designs in modern shades.

 

It occurred to me that not everyone is as obsessed with Celtic design as I am and not everyone would want to take on a project that is as large as my original pattern. So, I have adapted it to fit into a 7-inch hoop and I've stitched it in a fresh set of colours to give it a different look to the original. Of course, if you would like to choose your own choice of colours then please feel free to do so. Simply use my pattern as a guide. 

 

 

You can find the pattern in my Etsy shop by clicking on the listing at the top of the page or you can click here to go to my Payhip shop.

 

 

I'm currently working on a fun little pattern that I'll be releasing as a freebie very soon. If you'd like to keep in touch you can find me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 

Photos (c) Karen Eley 2015

Spring Cleaning

This beautiful weather that we've been enjoying of late has inspired me to have a bit of a spring clean in my shop. I've decide that some of the designs need a makeover and so I'll be making a few changes to the listings in the coming months.

 

Dale Abbey Alphabet Tile is now available in a fresh modern palette that gives an interesting contrast to the ancient style of the Lombardic lettering.

I'm also going to introduce a smaller version of my Durrow Knots pattern with a different colour scheme. Of course you can stitch any of these designs in other colours if you wish by using my original pattern as a guide.

 

My current WIP is inspired by Alice In Wonderland via Jefferson Airplane. Here's a sneak peak at the Bargello-inspired background. I'll show you the whole thing when it's ready.

I do love to stitch by the window at this time of year. At the moment there is a pair of blackbirds collecting food for their growing chicks, which are at least 8 days old as I write. The nest is in a neighbour's garden. A cheeky jackdaw has been eyeing up the fat pudding on our bird table and a buzzard has just soared overhead.

Spring has really gone to my head this year and I love April even more than I did at the start of the month. It's so easy to be distracted by the wonders of nature but I really must get back to the stitching!

Just one more note to leave you with - I am now on Instagram and you can find me here.

Happy stitching!

New Patterns: Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice

 

How quickly January seemed to pass this year! It's now early February and the snowdrops are coming out all over the Amber Valley. The days are also growing noticeably longer. The cycle of the seasons and the changes in nature throughout the year are an endless source of inspiration to me and I look for these natural signposts whenever I am out and about.

 

This connection to nature was also very important to the ancient people who lived in these islands over a thousand years ago. In fact the sun has been observed and worshipped by cultures throughout the world for millennia. Different points in the sun's yearly cycle were marked with various festivals and the two most important times were the Summer and Winter Solstices.

 

For a long time I have been wanting to create designs which celebrate these two events. I came across illustrations of a highly decorated mirror that was found at Trelan Bahow in Cornwall. It dates back to the first century and is housed in the British Museum. The beautiful circles etched into the metal perfectly lend themselves to a design celebrating the sun.

 

 

Summer Solstice is worked in hot fiery shades of yellow and orange while Winter Solstice is worked in cool icy shades of pale blue.

 

 

They both fit perfectly into 8-inch hoops and would also look great on cushions. You can buy each design individually or together at a discount. They are available as instant downloads in my Etsy shop as well as my Payhip shop so be sure to take a look.

 

 

You can find more information about the Trelan Bahow mirror here.



Celtic Knot Tutorial and Free Pattern

If you're a regular reader of this blog and you've seen my designs then you will know how much I love Celtic knots. I love them so much that my designs can grow to be quite big and this may make them look a bit daunting. This tutorial is going to show you how knots are formed and how even big designs are easier to tackle than you might think.

You will need:

• about 4 metres of stranded cotton in a colour of your choice and a needle
• a piece of 14-count Aida or 28-count evenweave which is about 4 inches (10cm) square
• this free pattern which you can download instantly from my shop. (Even though it's in my shop, you will not be charged a penny for this pattern.)

Celtic knotwork is made up of different 'strands' which are woven together to create an intricate pattern. Some of them are created using just one strand which has been cleverly turned into a beautiful knot. To find out how many strands there are in a knot, pick a starting point and trace the path of the strand with your finger. Sometimes you end up back where you started and sometimes you will find there are several different journeys to take. The knot in this tutorial is made up of three strands.

My Celtic designs often have a stencilled look and so they are made up of little sections that look like this:

According to the famous Chinese proverb, a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. So for now, let's not worry about the size of the whole knot and instead let's work it one little section at a time. Mark off each part of the pattern as you work it so you don't lose your place.

Note: if you are working a knot which has more then one colour, I recommend threading each different colour into a separate needle; this will save a lot of time and also make working the design much easier.

So, by taking the design one tiny section at a time you will soon see the knot start to grow before your eyes:

It will take several hours but in a couple of evenings or a weekend, you will soon find yourself with this beautiful knot:

This design is perfect for greetings cards or how about making yourself a set of coasters? You'll soon feel ready to tackle one of my bigger Celtic designs which you can find here. You can find me on Twitter and Facebook if you have any questions or you can comment below. Happy stitching!

Photos and design (c) Karen Eley/The Hawthorn Tree 2015.