Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

New Glass and Enamel Tutorials by Margaret Zinser and JC Herrell

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Glass beads by JC Herrell.

Glass beads by JC Herrell.

Word out on the street is that there are fabulous new glass tutorials by Margaret Zinser and JC Herrell. They’re teaching techniques for using enamels on glass. I haven’t received them yet, they’re that fresh…and The Gathering is this weekend…they’re in Miami for it…but I have a friend that’s gotten her copy and she thinks it’s awesome!! Go Margaret and JC. Check out their web sites for more information on getting the tutorial and the sifters for the enamels by JC.

I dabble in enamels. I like to use them on my fruit beads to add a bit of realism. And enamels are a great way to inject interesting color to your beads. But check out Margaret’s and JC’s web sites to see some really awesome ways to use enamels. I think they’re beads are just gorgeous!

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Cross Stitch Ice Cream and Frozen Treats

Summer is the time for sweet treats, whether eating them or stitching them. This collection of patterns is full of designs that are good enough to eat. Almost. 

This year of ice creams from Simone Balman Art is lots of fun, and you could also stitch up these treats individually if you’d rather. The full piece is 210 by 300 stitches, though it’s not full coverage. It uses 25 colors and comes out to 13.6 by 20.1 inches, or 34.5 by 51.2 cm, as shown on 14 count fabric. 

These mini Popsicles from Mariana Gonclaves ART as super sweet and quick to stitch. These would also be a fun border to another summer project. The full design is 43 by 46 stitches, which is 3.1 by 3.3 inches, or 7.8 by 8.3 cm, on 14 count fabric. 

Sam X Stitch has this fun sweet treat sampler, which again would be fun to stitch as individual pieces (maybe on napkins?). In all it calls for 18 colors and measures 153 by 153 stitches. That comes out to 10.93 inches or 27.75 cm on 14 count fabric. 

Another great sampler is this one with ice cream and other sweet treats from Cute Patterns by Maria. At 119 by 132 stitches total, working the full pattern would be about 8.6 by 9.4 inches, or 22 by 24 cm on 14 count fabric, and it uses 33 colors. You can also stitch individual designs, which range in height from 35 to 45 stitches, and in width from 11 to 28. 

This collection of four sundae patterns from Stichrovia would be fun to make for a kitchen or a teen’s room. Each pattern is around 40 by 50 stitches, so they should fit in a four or five inch hoop if worked on 14 count fabric. 

Or stitch up one of the treats from Stitch Chart Studio‘s collection of seven ice cream cross stitch patterns. These range in size and in number of colors needed, but most would fit in a five or six in hoop (and one in a four inch hoop).