Artsmart Craft Cottage: Rosie Bear Stitchery

Apart from cardmaking, I LOVE do Stitcheries and decorative painting.  Before I started cardmaking, I did decorative painting (ie: tole painting) for many years and had weekly lessons at my local Community Centre.   I made this Stitchery for my DD's bedroom a while ago and thought I would share it with you.  The Stitchery is called "Rosie Bear" by Australian designer - Libby Richardson from Artsmart Craft Cottage.   I have no connection to Artsmart Craft Cottage but have bought most of Libby's designs over the years - they are so adorable and I enjoy combining my love of painting with simple embroidery.    Plus I'm nuts about Teddy Bears!!   

The Rosie Bear kit came as a pre-printed panel on calico ready to paint plus you get the pattern for the roses and leaves and the instructions for painting, embroidery and how to attach the panels, but you use your own materials, embroidery threads and paints etc. to make up the kit.  Not sure if you can see in the photo, but there is a gorgeous ceramic rose button on the hat which came with the kit.

I painted the bear with JoSonja Acrylic Paints mixed with JoSonja Textile Medium and then embroidered around the outlines with stranded cotton.  I sewed on the various panels using my sewing machine then ironed on the roses and leaves using iron-on (fusible) applique, then embroidered the roses and leaves.  Once that was done, I added pellon to the back plus a calico backing, then machine-stitched around the panels and roses/leaves (much like quilting). 

I bought a nice frame from Target and removed the glass, then popped in the Stitchery - took a bit of fiddling to get it all straight - but it all worked out in the end.  Of course, you don't have to frame it - you can sew on a border (like you do with a quilt) and use a wire hanger instead.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you like my Rosie Bear!

P.S. If you want a close-up, click on the photo.

Jocelyn