Cross Stitch Designs

Cross Stitch : Counted cross stitch is done on an evenweave fabric called matte cloth wherein holes are present at regular intervals. The threads and number of strands are chosen according to the design.
The size of the needle depends on the size of the holes in the matte cloth.

Things needed :
Needle
Anchor or DMC skeins
Pattern with color code
Scissors
Embroidery ring

It is always advisable to start doing cross stitch from center point of the pattern.
The way of making each cross stitch should be done uniformly in one direction or in the same way.
The tension should be uniform and not too tight or too loose.
After finishing the work wash the finished cross stitch work using a mild soap water.
Then stitch with lining cloth.

I got this squirrel design from a needle work book that I took from British Library, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

The color pattern was there for only the upper side. I made mirror image of it at the bottom. 

The pattern for border is taken from various sources.

Only the shades of blue is used in this entire cross stitch design.

This one also just like the previous one wherein mirror images are tried.

Here also Anchor skeins of only blue shades have been used.

This cross stitch design is done by my daughter. The hedgehog is done on a matte cloth.

It is mounted at the center of an old invitation card and made thread work on the card.

This leaves and flower design are done on a matte cloth by my daughter.

It is mounted on an old invitation.

Reverse Glass Painting

These paintings are done by my dear daughter during her school days.

A person working with my husband who is good at doing these glass paintings taught her from scratch.

Things needed :

Plain glass 4 mm thick

Picture, any cartoon character, flowers, trees, funny animal drawings

craft paints or enamel paints of many colors

black enamel or crafty paints

silver or gold foils [ comes wrapping chocolates ]

paint brush of very thin bristles and also other sizes.

The figure to be painted is chosen first.

It is traced on a tracing sheet.

The glass painting is to be done on reverse side of a glass. So the picture has to be reversed.

The figure traced on the sheet is darkened on the other side [ or bottom side ].

Now this reversed picture is stuck under the glass.

First outlines are made with black crafty paints or crafty paint liners.

Greeting Card - Thread Work 2

Off late thread work on card fascinates me more than any other creative works.

These works are called Embroidery on card or thread work on card.

It is an adaptation of string art on card with threads.

Things needed :

Machine embroidery silk thread, different colors

needle size 10 or 11

disposable syringe to prick holes on card.

The first balloon bunch is an inspiration from an advertisement that came on newspaper.

I made free hand drawing on a card.

Pricked holes.

Then worked through holes with different colors of thread.

Here I wanted to do butterflies. Here I used multi colored embroidery thread.

I made on a card.

Then pasted over an old invitation card.

This is also done on an old invitation card. 

I drew circles first.

Then divided these circles into equal parts. 

then made repetitive designs.

Here also used needle size 10 and silk embroidery threads.

This card is two work combined together.

The center piece is bead work on a cross stitch cloth.

This cloth has been attached on an old invitation.

Maple leaves are drawn along the circumference.

Then filled the surface of the leaves by string art.

Then highlighted the edges also with thread.

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

I lived in Thiruvananthapuram from June 2007 to June 2010 almost 3 years. Unlike other capital cities of South India this is a very quiet & slow moving city.
T'Puram is located on west coast of India at southern most point just above Kanniyakumari. It has got many beautiful beaches & hillocks.
T'puram got its name from the famous Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The temple was built by King Marthanda Varma  of the Travancore Royal family. This temple is one of the famous Tourist places of Kerala. Apart from temple Kovalam beach is thronged by both domestic & international tourists.
Other important tourist attractions are Napier Museum, Koyikkal Palace, Numismatic museum, Shankumugam Beach, Valiyathura old jetty, Kuthira Maliga, etc.,...

Some of the photos I would like to show you all.
I. Onam Pookalam
II,III & V Padmanabhaswamy temple
IV. Manicured Garden in front of Water Board Office
VI. Kuthira Maliga
VII. Temple festival

Pendants - Diamond With Conical Crystals

These Diamond shaped pendants are made with bicone crystals.
Here simple rectangular square beading technique has been used.
It is actually two layers connected with inter connecting crystals.
This technique gives a 3 D effect.

Beading is one of the hobbies I like to do very often.
There are many types of beads available in the market.
Choosing right color and combination of bead sizes is the first step for a successful outcome.
Then the design has be chosen carefully according to the bead color and bead size.
Beading tools like thread, cutter and other tools have to be kept at arms length.

The needle for the beading work should be carefully chosen.
The needle should be very thin and able to pass through the hole of beads.
Sometimes it has to pass through the same bead many times.
Then also the needle along with the thread/wire has to pass through easily.

The beading thread or nylon wire is also other important item to get a good result.
These are available in various thicknesses in the market.
We have to carefully select according to our needs.
Here same size crystals are used.

Only the second row right one is slightly different which is done with 6 crystals in one round. Seed beads are used.

After doing beading work finishing a work very neatly is the most important aspect of beading.

Greeting Card - Thread Work

I made this card with Embroidery thread.

Here I tried Geometrical Design.

Things needed :
Old invitation card
needle size 10 or 11
embroidery  silk thread
syringe or pins to make holes on card
scissor
thermacole
measuring scale
pencil
compass to draw circles

I have taken an invitation card and used the wrong side to do this embroidery.
First measured the length and breadth of the card using a scale.
Margins are drawn using a scale and pencil.

Then fixed the center point of the card.
Using a pencil drew a square at the center of the card.
Now marked the center point of the each side of the square.
Then made square of same size at a distance of 1 cm on all four sides of the center square.

Circles are made using a compass at four corners near the margin,

I pricked holes over the card by keeping it on a thermacol sheet using a syringe.
The holes has to be carefully made at regular intervals along the drawing line.
I have used machine embroidery silk thread and size 10 needle.
Done the stitching with single thread only.
The tension to be uniform to get desired result. 

Ear-Ring OR Hoops

Ear rings 

These hoops are readily available in the market.

These hoops can also be made using pliers using gold wires in desired shapes and sizes.

These hoops are made with available beads & Crystals with me.
I made small globules & then inserted onto the hoops along with
available crystals.
Top left :
I inserted available beads in a sequence and then bent the end of the hoop so that these inserted beads will not come out.
Top right :
I made balls using orange seed beads. Then inserted into the hoops.
Bottom left :
Balls are made with dark blue and light blue seed beads.
First inserted seed beads one by one from one end of the hoop.
Then inserted the balls, dark blue ball, light blue and then again dark blue one.
Now filled the other end with seed beads in the same order as the other end.
Bottom right :
In this hoop I made balls using seed beads.
I used two colors of seed beads.
One is peacock blue color and the other is light blue.
I made 12 small small balls.
First insert 1 peacock blue seed bead, then 1 light blue, 1 peacock blue seed bead and a ball
Repeat the same sequence 5 times and finally finish by adding 1 peacock color seed bead, 1 light blue color seed bead and 1 peacock blue color seed bead.
Slightly bend the end through which the beads are threaded into using a nose plier.
In the same way arrange beads and balls in the other hoop also.

These are some ideas to use up left over beads of our bead box!! 

Ear Drop Using Spiral Rope Chain

This Ear drop set is made using Spiral Rope chain method.

I've added Marble chips to make it attractive.

While doing Spiral rope chain it is very important to select beads, nylon wire and needle carefully.
the wire has to pass through beads several times through the beads.
If the wire is thick it is very difficult to thread through the beads after third time or so.
There is also danger of breaking the beads because of needle pressure spoiling the whole effort.
Once the beads and other materials are ready spiral rope chain is the easiest technique to work on.

Things required
Seed beads     grey color
Needle       12 size
nylon thread      very thin may be 0.25mm
marble chips

Spiral Rope Chains

I've made several bracelets,necklaces & anklets using Spiral Rope Chain Method.
The creations below can be used either as bracelets or necklace.

Beading is one hobby which gives me great pleasure and a sense of contentment.
Beading work requires great skill and imagination.

This spiral rope chain design looks like a complicated one. But really it is very easy.
The only thing we have to do is choosing right bead and good color combination.
The thread should be very thin.
It has to pass through beads several times to do spiral rope.
It is very important to choose thread/wire accordingly.

Next important point is needle.
The needle should be very very thin.
Its eyes should be just right to thread the wire.

Before starting we have to decide whether we are going to make only rope or also pendant to be attached in the middle.
For that also right choice of beads or crystals are necessary.

Things needed :
seed beads
crystals
nylon wire
needle size 12
scissors