Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Embroidered Orange

I'm loving the orange lately. Well maybe not exactly lately but surely for several years now. I think the world is finally coming around to orange. Tangerine Tango was Pantone's Color of the Year for 2012.

I'm painting these little knick knack shelves a gorgeous pumpkin orange. Picked them up at a yard sale this spring for $1.00! They are handmade! Score for sure. I'm using Benjamin Moore's Oil based Wood and Metal Enamel which has sadly been discontinued. Thank goodness I still have some cans of this stuff left in good colors. It is awesome.


Yesterday I spent some time with a pretty shade of embroidery floss. 


Here's a stack of orangey felted sweaters and fabrics which have been migrating into the new book project. 


If you do embroidery, have you ever tried Sulky's Tearaway Stabilizers? I had a sample packet left from a trade show. Thank goodness because my fade away marker wouldn't show up on the dark shades of wool I was working on. To use the Tearaway, you draw on it and then pin or baste to your fabric. I did all the stitching I needed to using my drawing as a guide. The stabilizer then rips away. It is awesome. I'm sure this product has been around for a while but I never had need for it. 


For my new book, I am trying to use things I find around the house to help design. I live 45 minutes from any craft store so it is not easy to run out and get supplies. I have to have a list to make a trip worthwhile. Too bad I don't know any folks at the big craft companies for samples but oh well. Yesterday I used a plastic cup and deli container for my project. When I started looking around my closets, I had all kinds of things I could use for shapes. I decided to stay simple so that everyone can do the thing I was designing.


While I was working, I listened to this Grace Bonney (of Design*Sponge) interview with Paul Lowe of Sweet Paul Magazine. It was a great chat and nice to hear back story on someone who has become a big success (but worked incredibly hard to get there).  Check it out here. One of my favorite quotes was this one....

"Everything used to be free online and that's the biggest mistake people made. We have to do something about that." Paul Lowe

Here here Paul! If you don't know Paul Lowe and his Sweet Paul Magazine, check it out here. He began as a blogger and stylist and you can still read his blog here although it is no longer active. Paul is a huge talent and funny to boot. He tells it like it is - loved that. 

Back to embroidery.....
Check these incredible embroidered costumes out from Game of Thrones. Wow! All hand embroidered by Michele Carragher. You've probably already seen this artist's work as her work is frequently seen on the big screen. 

How do you feel about ORANGE?

16 comments:

Bev said...

I love orange

Right now I'm working on some mixed media pieces that involve pumpkins, so I'm up to my elbows in orange fabric, paint, threads and beads!

patty said...

I too, have been in an orange frame of mind. I have been collecting orange yarns for a while. I am in the process of knitting an orange cardigan and I recently saw another orange cardigan as an aran that I am really trying hard not to cast on for.

I think your next book will be interesting if you use things everyone has around the house. Most of us are still watching our funds.

Patty

Auntie Shan said...

To be honest, ORANGE has never really been high on my FAV "COLOUR"-LIST, although I do have liking for the more subtle tones of TANGERINE towards CORAL... However, when offset by the proper hue of BLUE, [or even a GREY], I can appreciate this particular PRIMARY-COLOURS'-"LOVE-CHILD"!
:-D

BTW, I also love the COSTUME Design DETAILS of Shows like GAME OF THRONES and Period-Pieces such as THE BORGHIAS [the Detail-work is phenomenal on that one!] or THE TUDORS. A lot of those Shows are produced in EASTERN EUROPE or IRELAND, where GREAT NEEDLEWORK *still* survives!

Lee said...

Love orange! It has been my son's favorite color for all of his 19 years and I have learned to appreciate it--especially on the reddish, browny side.

Cathy said...

Orange has always been 1 of my favorite colors...the brighter the better. Sort of reminds me of fall.

Nancy said...

I have noticed a lot of people wearing orange lately. Yesterday I asked my son who lives in Boston, what color his 7 year old daughter would like for a sweater I want to knit for her. Orange! No pink or purple for this girl! Will be shopping for orange yarn now!

Cynthia said...

As you know, my favorite shade of Julia ( Color by Kristin ) is French Pumkin! I have 3 skeins left and am saving it for something special. Though, anything in orange is special
Cynthia

hawknitr13 said...

I love orange! Our house has orange/brown stone inside around fireplace & outside on front! Light terracotta on walls, rust/brown in granite... orange/purple color scheme in flower berms! I wanted our little home to blend in with fall's beautiful colors in the wooded park behind us!

PatB said...

I love orange.
But I did a color survey about 10 years ago. Just two write-in questions (no multiple choice), "What is your favorite color" and "What is your least favorite color?"

Out of 150 knitters - least favorite - 60 answered "orange"!

Dianne@sheepdreams said...

Mostly, I like shades of orange - rust, coral, peach, etc., but maybe because it's more popular these days, I'm not anti-orange any more! Kentucky (blue) has a huge sports rivalry with Tennessee (orange), so it's not a popular color to wear around here!

Susan B. Anderson said...

I love orange and i love your blog even more:) It makes my day to get your updates and I can't wait to get my hands on your next book.
susan b anderson

Gramma Phyl said...

Living close to Syracuse University, I see a lot of orange. I enjoy the color but unfortunately the pure color doesn't look good on me. But I can wear various shades and those are the colors I knit a great deal in, especially when combined with browns and greens.

I love reading your blog. And agree with an earlier post about farming. I grew up on a farm and miss the fresh home grown food and fiber. (We had a small multipurpose flock)BUT I'm glad I no longer have to put in all the hours of work and worry.

Adaliza said...

I'm SO with you on orange - love it! I have a whole wall in my studio that's orange - to set off the hollyhock curtains. Colour - bring it on! Everyone over here has gone pastel crazy though I have sold all 4 orangey quilts that I finished last year so maybe we're catching up with you. You're keeping busy, I see - well done. Me too and now there's no sinking feeling about going back to the new term I'm feeling really excited about the Autumn this year.

Anonymous said...

It's not my favorite. Partly this is from vanity; I look like I've been dead for a day or two when I wear it. The other is that our local university (University of Virginia) has orange and blue as its colors and ooooooooooohhhhh do you get tired of it around here.

Unknown said...

I LOVE orange too! So much, that it was the colour in my wedding dress, on my tables, in the flowers, on my toes, and even my flip flops :) Orange is spectacular! (I have made orange mittens and a cowl for this winter..)

penny said...

I'm not a huge fan of it, but I did let my husband choose orange cabinets for our (old) brooklyn apartment. I admit -- it grew on me, but I'm much happier to be a) out of that apt and b) have grey cabinets now!

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