Stitching Up a Happy New Year: Embellished Tea Towels

Whoa, does anyone still even remember me? I barely remember myself. Nine months since my last post. Nine months. Enough time to create a human life. While I didn't create anyone new, I did spend plenty of time creating myself. 

I have been promoted...twice. I have directed two more shows. I have run another half-marathon. I have been to Disney World. I have had surgery.
The surgery was recent, just last week. It was frightening, but I am healing. Go through the procedure and now nurturing myself through the healing process, I have really been able to focus what makes me happy: making things. I am committed to making more time to make.

Although I have multiple WIP that I really should be working on (more on those soon, I promise,) I decided that a great way to start the year would be to make some embroidered and embellished tea towels for my kitchen. I focused on things that I really love. It also showed me that I REALLY love decorating tea towels...weird.

The veggies are from Aimee Ray's book, Doodle Stitching. If you like to embroider and don't have this book, I highly recommend it. I hope to get more of her motif books soon. I also tried to push my skills and tried four new stitches on the veggies: overcast, Palestrina, Pekingese, and rope stitch. I am really please.

The British motifs are from one of my favorite bloggers, Mollie Johanson of Wild Olive. I have stitched tons of her patterns. This one is her "Jolly Spiff" pattern set.

I added some crocheted lace to the bottom of two and decided to make the veggie towel attachable. I cheated a little and added snaps to the back with rick rack and buttons just for fun. You know that I adore rick rack. And buttons. And cute things.

 If anyone one ever wants to d-estash rick rack, I'm your gal.

I am ready for fun in the kitchen as soon as I heal. For now though, back to those WIPs.