My Mom has all of her supplies for a bit of crafting during our time in Hungary (I’m here for four months, she’s here for three) but, despite your awesome suggestions, I never found time to get together a portable craft for myself. Not that I would have had room, anyway. I was jettisoning things from my suitcase minutes before we left for the airport.
I shouldn’t have really worried about bringing a craft to do, though, because we found a Hungarian craft store in our neighbourhood. Seeing as I’ll be spending the fall in Hungary, the land of embroidery, I figured that should be my craft! I bought a pillow-sized piece of fabric with a pattern already drawn on (I’m a cheater) and some gorgeous Hungarian-made embroidery thread in turquoise.
I’m hoping my turquoise embroidery pillow will look as chic as this tote:
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| Meilinger Bags |
The embroidery thread I bought doesn’t pull apart into threads like the stuff we used to use for friendship bracelets (although they sell that, too, for cross stitch and other crafts). This stuff is smooth and silky.
I figured I’d better snap a photo and share so I’ve got a proper “before” of my project, plus an honest timeline. I’ll keep you posted on how this goes. I felt pumped at the store, but feel a little overwhelmed now.
P.S. You might have noticed I finally fixed my hair. After my DIY dye debacle, I got used to wearing my hair up (you might have noticed in this post, this post and this post) so I barely noticed the overgrown cut and splotchy dye. Before the trip, though, I got a cut and colour I was happy with, until I noticed a bit of the weird blond patch coming through. I feel better knowing my dye job wasn’t the problem – my professionally done highlights were just extra bleached there – but I’m annoyed that I might have the splotchy look again. In any case, the cut, although nothing special, is fresher. Even after a long, sweaty, wind blown day, my hair looks okay:
I used to be really experimental with my hair, I have had super short and super long hair with every cut in between. Maybe in the new year I’ll have to chop a lot off to deal with the splotches once and for all . . . maybe even dye it a fun colour. Maybe chicken out. We’ll see!
those threads! those colors! I die.
I didn't even post a photo of the SILK embroidery thread in these teeny, tiny gleaming packets . . .
I have no idea how to embroider, but my grandmother taught me to cross-stitch. Is it at all similar? Good luck with your project – it's going to be beautiful!
I think cross stitch has a special cloth, no? I don't know a lot about cross stitch but I think the general premise might be similar: creating a shape. But embroidery has many different kinds of stitches. I'll be sure to post some photos once I get going (and figure out what I'm doing!)
My grandmother taught me to embroider when I was 8 or 9, and there's no telling how many pillowcases and tea towels I did over the years. As a young adult, I did counted cross stitch on 22 to 28 count fabric, but my eyes aren't good enough to do that anymore, even with my reading glasses.Embroidery is so addictive. I bet you'll have lots of fun with that project and get it done a lot faster than you think. I can't wait to see it finished.
Wow, Dana, is there anything you aren't super at? I might be turning to you if my embroidery goes all wonky. Hopefully you'll be able to help me through if things go south. Thanks for the vote of confidence 🙂
Wow! You can do it! It's going to be beautiful. I hope you can teach us along the way 🙂 No pressure!
Thanks :)Ha, ha, we'll see. At the very least, I'll show what I'm doing and track down some sources of people who actually know what they're doing, lol.
Can't wait to see the finished piece! Are you thinking of turning it into anything? Like pillow or bag? I used to do embroidery and cross stitch, but it's been awhile. That craft store is INTENSE!
It is all ready for a pillow – it has a back side with no pattern (it's folded in the pic) so the egdes just need to be sewn and it need stuffing and that's it! It's pretty soft material, so a pillow is really all it's good for. My Mom is going to buy some stiffer cloth and embroider a little coin purse. I hope hers turns out so I can share that as well.I might be calling on you for embroidery help. Any tips!
THat's one craft I"ve never tackled so I"m super excited to see how it goes and how easy/difficult it really is. As another brunette, I can tell you that highlights have a way of popping through no matter what you do.
I am hoping for easy!Oh no, am I doomed to have these pop up splotches until it grows out? They are on the upper half, too. Darn!
Loving the new hair cut and color 🙂