Embroidery!

Emily Causey gave me this awesome gingko leaf she embroidered by hand.  She inspired me to take a stab at it in spite of not owning one of those fancy fabric holders or the right kind of needle and thread, but that's all logistics, right?

I can't do anything exciting yet, but I can make simple animals look like loose sketches (which is kind of cool). The only problem I am having is with keeping the stitches tight. For some reason, the embroidered thread stretches out after each stitch, making the design look loose and fragile. I'm not sure if it's because the fabric I am using is too thin and spandex-y or if the thread is just too small to stay in place.

I'll get the right thread and needle when I'm not afraid that I'm going to go design happy and embroider EVERYTHING. It could happen...I gotta do something to break up all the reading, writing, and grading I do.

Who doesn't love a dinosaur or jelly fish? Ok, well most people don't like jelly fish but that's why I chose to embroider one--dangerous but striking. 

If you have any tips on embroidering or ideas of what to sew next, post a comment!