Posts by Clare Albans
Come and join my new Embroidery Membership on Substack
Come and join my new Embroidery Membership on Substack – today is the launch day and I’m so excited to have this new space for my work! I started this blog in 2012, and I had no idea back then where my creativity and writing would take me. I just wanted to make stuff and…
Read MoreMy Studio Dariolina mural
The hardest thing about leaving my studio by far was having to paint over my Studio Dariolina mural that was the main feature of the workshop room. Designed by my wonderful friend and partner-in-craft, Daria, it is something that means so much to us. We were absolutely heartbroken to be honest!
Read MoreWhen dreams don’t work out
It took me AGES to think of a title for this post, and it has been sitting in my drafts for even longer! It was a hard post to write, but the process has actually been therapeutic. We don’t always talk about what happens when dreams don’t work out. And my dream didn’t work out…but…
Read MoreIce cream hoops for Love Embroidery
It was a pleasure to stitch these fun, textural ice cream hoops for Love Embroidery Magazine! It’s the perfect summer project.
Read MoreBundle of Joy! Virtual book tour
I am so excited to be part of Mollie Johanson’s Bundle of Joy! Virtual book tour, and what better way to kickstart being back on my blog again?! Mollie’s latest book, Bundle of Joy! was released last week (6th July) by Quarto Creates, and it is jam packed full of amazing cross stitch projects to…
Read MoreSew Over It Beginner’s Guide to Sewing
I have kindly been sent a PR copy of the Sew Over It Beginner’s Guide to Sewing, and today I’m going to tell you a little bit more about it! It’s a brilliant guide for anyone who wants to start sewing or dressmaking, so I’ll give you a quick tour. Keep reading for a discount…
Read MoreLaunching my Kickstarter campaign
I was really scared about launching my Kickstarter campaign, but it has been incredible. Thank you to everyone who has supported my dream so far – my haberdashery will definitely be opening!
Read MoreTop 50 Stitches with Love Embroidery
So today I’m really excited to tell you more about the recent big commission I was working on. It was this Top 50 Stitches booklet with Love Embroidery magazine, and it’s free with Issue 16 in July!
Read MoreCrafty Colour Palette #6
Crafty Colour Palette #6 is inspired by David Seaman’s amazing technicolour jerseys from Euro ’96. If you haven’t seen them, they are a sight to behold and they definitely don’t make them as cool as this anymore!
Read MoreMaking it up as I go
If there’s one phrase that sums up how I currently feel about a lot of stuff it’s this one. Because I’m basically ‘making it up as I go’! It seemed like the perfect quote for this week in The Happy Stitch Project. It has resonated a lot with my Instagram followers too!
Read MoreBrick and cross stitch hoop
This week in The Happy Stitch Project, we’re stitching a really fun pattern on this brick and cross stitch hoop. Yay! It’s simple to stitch and is actually really therapeutic once you get into it.
Read MoreLong and short stitch lettering
This week in The Happy Stitch Project, we’re learning long and short stitch. It’s a beautiful stitch for shading, so you can achieve an ombre effect with different shades of the same colour, or blend different colours together. Our project this week is long and short stitch lettering, and I’ll show you how to stitch…
Read MoreMastering the bullion knot
This week in The Happy Stitch Project, we’ll be mastering the bullion knot! 💪 I tried these a couple of weeks ago and failed. It was so frustrating, and I thought that I might not ever be able to stitch them! But I’ve actually worked out why that is now (after a big discussion with…
Read MoreAdding Danish knots to the knot sampler
This week, we’re adding Danish knots to the knot sampler that we started last week in The Happy Stitch Project. They take a little practice, but once you’ve got the knack then you’ll be stitching them in no time!
Read MoreHow to stitch a cable stitch
This week in The Happy Stitch Project, I’m showing you how to stitch a cable stitch. It’s a bit like stem stitch from week 8, but you alternate the sides of the loops when making the stitches and this gives a slightly thicker effect.
Read MoreSpring mandala with picot and tulip stitch
This week’s hoop design for The Happy Stitch Project is a spring mandala with picot and tulip stitch, stitched in a gorgeous spring-inspired colour palette.
Read MoreWoven rose bouquet hoop
What a week it has been. Everything feels really heavy at the moment doesn’t it? I said this last week in my newsletter too, but it still applies: it’s okay to take time out and switch off if you need to.
Read MoreChain stitch spiral hoop
We’re embracing a bit of freestyle design and stitching with this chain stitch spiral hoop! It’s a perfect project for using some of your loose ends (the useable bits of thread left over from other projects) and it’s so relaxing to stitch.
Read MoreHow to stitch a star stitch
After three weeks of stitching this hoop together, this week I’ll show you how to stitch a star stitch in The Happy Stitch Project so we can finish this lovely, motivational hoop!
Read MoreHow to stitch a stem stitch
This week in The Happy Stitch Project, we’re learning how to stitch a stem stitch. I’m wondering why I haven’t learnt this one before to be honest, as it’s such a lovely stitch! Here it is in red on the sampler designed by Helen from @unicornfactoryuk – you can download it here.
Read MoreDo your thing embroidered hoop
It’s week 7 of The Happy Stitch Project, and this week we’re starting to stitch something that we’ll work on next week and the week after as well. The Do Your Thing embroidered hoop uses arrowhead stitch to fill in the letters, so we’ll be stitching that this week in some beautiful pastel shades.
Read MoreYou don’t have to be an expert to be creative
In the world of the perfectly curated social media feed (we’re looking at you, Instagram!), I wanted to talk about something that I really feel strongly about in today’s post: you don’t have to be an expert to be creative.
Read MoreHerringbone stitch ombre heart hoop
Love is in the air in week 6 of The Happy Stitch Project, as we’re stitching this super cute herringbone stitch ombre heart hoop! I love the effect of ombre colours, and it’s something that I come back to time and again because it’s just so effective.
Read MoreThe magic of the to-done list
I discovered the magic of the to-done list a while back, but throughout life in lockdown it has helped me even more. I’d like to share it with you today, as it will hopefully be something that helps you too.
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