Hand Embroidery - Free Beginning Stitches Tutorial

Back in 2009, I added this tutorial to an online conference we did. I'd like to share it on our blog for those who would like to get their girls interested in learning embroidery stitches! It's a PDF, complete with audio to follow the steps. At the end, there are videos of several stitches, but I can't vouch for the clearness of them. Technology has come along and our Joyous Home website probably has better quality how-to-videos. In any case, you'll get the idea after listening to the audio and following along.

We just started teaching our 4-year-old some of the basic stitches. She has moved from just a line to a flower shape. Most mothers don't think you can start them so young. Long ago, 3-year-olds would learn embroidery! Culture is a bit different now, and that largely affects the skills, and at what age, we start.

You would be surprised how well a young girl can do. We always use a hoop, it gives a lot of control. Start with a simple line, showing them the backstitch. I teach them to 'scrape' the fabric lightly with their needle, from the back, until they hit the line of where they need to be.

Don't expect their attention span to last more than 25 minutes when starting at a young age. Our little one will go for about that long, put it down and come back in a few hours. I hope you're encouraged to give it a try!

Download Embroidery Stitches to Teach Your Girls Here
You may have trouble downloading if you have a slow connection. To hear the audio, you MUST download first, save to your computer and then open in Adobe Reader. Get it here. If you can download, enjoy!
Blessings, Theresa

Old to New - Southern Belle Quilt Block

I received a wonderful gift from my mother-in-law. An unfinished Southern Belle quilt, plus a stack of already cut and basted Belles, made by my husband's grandmother. Not a great picture here, I took it right from the box without ironing!

The ideas are swirling. The quilt is a queen, and needs the batting, backing and binding. I've thought about picking it out and making 2 quilts instead of the huge queen, which will not fit on any bed we have right now.

There are 4 blocks with basted Belles, and I've decided to make a pillow for each of my girls.  My friend, Kristi, saw there was 'one block for each girl', I didn't even think of it!

Then, I have a stack of about 13 or 14 Belles ready to put on a fabric. I'd love to hear suggestions of colors to use with them, I plan on making another quilt. I'll make the pillows match whatever I do, since it will be in the girl's room.

The fabric is 50's and 60's, maybe 70's. It's been sitting for probably longer than 20 years. I love all the red, orange, pink and yellow in the vintage fabrics she chose. What fun!

It's so much fun to take old things and redo them or make them new. The girls of course love all the ladies with puffy dresses. We'll update when I have a project in swing with them!

Joyous Home Summer Journal!

The Joyous Home Summer Journal is ready! If you buy a subscription to both the Joyous Home Journal and Tea Times, you'll receive all four Journals, plus six issues of the Tea Times! 36 pages.

• The Girl’s Sum­mer Tea
•  Sum­mer in the Kitchen — fea­tur­ing yummy pic­nic foods such as a rye sand­wich round, refrig­er­a­tor pick­les, mason jar treats, turnovers.
• Sewing—Sum­mer felt run­ner (video on stip­pling included!), needle­book, sim­ple crayon caddy, and plain to fancy tea tow­els. 
• Fancier Soap - video on under­stand­ing when the soap ‘traces’ included. 
• Sim­ple Wood­work­ing for Boys — Flower Press and Wall Shelf
• Arti­cles of encour­age­ment and some ideas for home­school sum­mer learn­ing.

If you order the Joyous Home Journal plus the Tea Times, you will have waiting in your account: the Spring and Summer Joyous Home Journals PLUS the February, April and June issues of The Tea Times. This year we are offering the 10 issues, for $35.00. That's only $3.50 an issue. (Single issues of the Joyous Home Journal are available.) We hope you'll join us!