Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving: Embroidery, Family, Friends

Some of you may be having something of deja vu: I did just ramble on about my love of Thanksgiving near the beginning of October, when us Canadians celebrate the holiday.


I love this day so much, I take every opportunity to celebrate it. For those who are unhappy about the commericalization of Christmas, I think some parts (well, the secular ones at least) of Christmas are now best found at Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving's always been a time for me to be joyful; spend time with family and friends, and simply revel in how lucky we are. Be thankful, it's right there in the name! And, I think, quite importantly, this celebration is free of any necessary gift-giving. (I love giving gifts, but there is something to be said for a holiday where the excitement and joy comes almost exclusively from time spent with loved ones).

Anyhow, I love Thanksgiving. Yes, established. It rules.


I also love learning new things. So, when my friends Allyson and Katie let me know they were starting the holiday-based embroidery pattern business Red Letter Day Stitches, I was excited and intrigued. Embroidery is a skill I've been wanting to get into for quite a while now, and the free pattern stich-a-longs they've been hosting to start the business have be a fantastic way to get in to it.

Have you ever thought of trying embroidery? Perhaps you already do; it's quite likely. We're a crafty bunch around here.

I've recently finished the ADORABLE Let's Talk Turkey.

So, to celebrate this lovely holiday, here's some images of my turkey (who I may have named George. Don't know why. It just fit). Aaaaaaand, a giveaway!

The Giveaway

I'd like to know if you've ever tried embroidery before: comment with your answer on this post between now and December 4th to be entered to win a Primary Subscription to Red Letter Day Stitches!

The Primary Subscription includes six holiday patterns and a 2014 calendar. So cute! An embroidered calendar!

Good luck everyone!

The winner will be announced on December 5th.

And here is my completed George. Not sure how I'll be using him... Pillow? Turkey dinner napkin? (hehe, I'm mean!)

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I've done cross stitch, but not embroidery. I've followed your turkey on Instagram, it's been fun watching the progress :)

Wanderingcatstudio said...

This is so funny, I was just telling a friend the other day that I'd love to learn to embroider so I could make some fancy pillowcases and tablecloths! I've use to do a lot of cross stitching, but never any embroidery (other than animal face on my knit toys - and those are rudimentary at best!)

Sheila said...

I used to do embroidery as a child/teenager. In high school I embroidered the back of a jeans jacket (this was the 70s). As a work in progress, I'd wear the jacket in school, take it off in class and start stitching. When class ended, I'd just stick the needle in the fabric of the jacket, and put my floss back in the pockets of the jacket. Have been thinking I want to take embroidery up again.

Anonymous said...

Love George! My Mom taught me to embroider as a child. If I made the mistake of saying I was bored or had nothing to do, she would whip out a pillowcase for me to embroider. I used to do cross stitching, but I now spend my craft time knitting. Would love to see some modern takes on embroidery!

Julie said...

oh my gosh, that is so cute! I really love embroidery, too. I used to do a lot of cross stitch when I was a kid- my grandmother taught me.

Anonymous said...

I love embroidery. My great aunt (Grandma's sister) taught me when I was 12. It is one of the lost textile arts!
Debie

Hilary said...

This is so, so, so cute. I love that Allyson and Katie are starting an embroidery design business...you all are making me want to take up embroidery! Oh if there were more hours in a day...

And I think you are spot on about Christmas being so commercialized now, and some of its best parts now being found at Thanksgiving. Well said!

Debbolib said...

I've been thinking of getting back to embroidery -- something I used to do years ago. I think it's good to switch out the crafts so as not to get stale. The turkey is cute.