‘Bee Contained’ Etui by Betsy Morgan

When I started this project back in August 2023,  it was on the back of finishing the 'Virgin Queen's Stitching Wallet' , from the first ‘Willing Hands’ book.

There were so many beautiful Etui and Sewing Box projects in there, and I wanted to stitch them all.

Then I saw somewhere on line, a photo of the ‘Bee Contained Etui', in the Willing Hands Book 2, and knew I had to stitch it too!

I can really recommend these two books if you are looking to stitch a sewing box because there are so many beautiful designs in them.

I collected all the materials together and started stitching, but what I hadn’t realised at the time was that the designer, Betsy Morgan was inspired to design it by my wonderful and very talented ‘on-line’ friend Stasi Buhrman, who is a long time friend of hers.    

Stasi is better known in our community on Instagram as  #stasibee  and she has a blog, Bee-mused and Bee-stitching.

I stitched the larger piece for the box itself first

and put it away for a while, but then in February this year I decided that I needed to get it finished and quickly finished all of the remaining pieces.

After that, it was put away again because I was worried about the detailed finishing that was needed, but this past weekend, I took the bull by the horns, so to speak.

The Etui consists of a six sided box, topped with two sweet Bee charms.

A Needle case

A Scissor Fob

A Thread Winder

Two Measures, one in centimetres and the other in inches

And last be not least is the cutest little Pin Cushion, in the shape of a tiny Bee Hive.

All that remains to do, is to acquire a couple of 'Bee' counting pins and I'll be extremely happy!

I already have another Sewing Box in progress but it’s not from either of the books. 

This one is from Jeanette Douglass, so I’m going to start working on this one again!

 

Happy Crafting!

Sue

x

 

Chart – Bee Contained – from Willing Hands 2

Designer – Betsy Morgan

Fabric – 32ct Linen – Lemon Squash – Nicholas Flamel Designs (Etsy)

Threads – Gloriana Florimell Silks

 

 

 

My Sewing Box

Started 29/2/2024

Designer -  Jeanette Douglas

Fabric – 32ct Murano Linen

Threads – Called for Classic Colouworks Belle Soie, NPI Silk, Gloriana Silk & Rainbow Gallery Splendor

Beads – Mill Hill

 

‘Bee Contained’ Etui by Betsy Morgan

At last my extra skeins of thread have arrived from across the pond , so I knuckled down and finished all the stitching related to my ‘Bee Contained’ Etui.

These are the components that will make up the box.

The pretty hexagon shaped box is edged top and bottom (although it looks like the sides on the stitched piece) with a honeycomb

pattern and the panels that make up the sides are decorated with 1

over one bees, bee hives and crowns, as well as over 2 bees, some blackwork lace, the year and my initials.

Then we go on to the goodies that go inside the box.

 First up is the needle case

Scissor Fob

Ruler

Thread Winder

And finally, the tiny pin cushion

and of all the pieces, this was the piece that gave me the most problems.

I’ve never stitched long arm cross stitch before,  and although we did look at it while taking part in the Academy of Needlework  last year, with Nicola Parkman, I had so much trouble stitching it and just couldn’t  get it right.

If I frogged it once, I frogged it at least half a dozen times, so in the end I found a tutorial that Jean Ferrish had done on her floss tube. . 

If I didn’t already have completely grey hair, I’m sure I would have had a few more by the time I mastered the stitch, Lol! 

But in the end it was so worth the effort, because I love the texture it gives,

Next comes the finishing, which I hope to make a start on next week.  I have the feeling it's going to take some time  but I already have everything gathered that I need, except for the beehive charm that goes inside the lid which I’ve been unable to find so far, but I can always add that at a later date. 

Happy Crafting!

Sue

x

 

Chart – Bee Contained – from Willing Hands 2

Designer – Betsy Morgan

Fabric – 32ct Linen – Lemon Squash – Nicholas Flamel Designs (Etsy)

Threads – Gloriana Florimell Silks

 

Bee Contained - Etui – Betsy Morgan

 I have a little bit more progress on my Etui this week.

This is where I left it,

And this is where I am now.

I hadn’t realised there’s so much one over one!

Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

Chart – Bee Contained’ from  ‘Willing Hands 2

Designed – Betsy Morgan

Fabric – 32ct Linen  - Lemon Squash

Dyer - Nicholas Flamel Designs (Etsy)

Threads - Gloriana Florimell Silk

Bee Contained – Betsy Morgan

 I had a new start this week and it’s an ongoing project that I expect may take a while to complete, if my last Betsy Morgan project is anything to go by.

A few years back I purchased the ‘Willing Hands’ book from Inspirations, which introduced me to the world of Etui and sewing boxes and the beautiful designs of Betsy Morgan.

I wanted to stitch everything in it and although I thought they were all above my skill level, especially as they were stitched with silks,  I decided to stitch the ‘Virgin Queen’s Stitching Wallet.

Then just recently I noticed that there was ‘Willing Hands 2’ and one design especially, caught my eye, ‘Bee Contained’

I had already decided that my summer stitching was going to be all about bees and this fitted in perfectly with my plans.

I asked Tomás from Nicholas Flamel Designs (Etsy) if he would be able to custom dye a piece of 32ct linen for me in a buttery yellow shade.

He came up with a piece he called Lemon Squash and last week I made a start on the main piece of the Etui.

The book calls for Gloriana Silk in Antique Black and Inca Gold but when I ordered mine I hadn’t realized I had ordered Florimell instead of the straight forward silk.  I don’t know what the difference is but I’m going to keep with it.

.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

x

 

Making Plans

 A few years back, in 2019  I came across a wonderful book from ‘Inspirations’,  Willing Hands, The Counted Thread Embroidery Of Betsy Morgan.

If you’re a lover of stitching 3D projects, the book is filled with eight amazing Etuis and all their beautiful themed accessories, but it was some time before I plucked up the courage to actually stitch something from the book myself, never believing I had the skills needed to complete one of the projects.

Eventually, after reading through the book so many times I settled on my project, the Virgin Queen’s Stitching Wallet and set about ordering all my supplies, including Gloriana Silks that I would be using for the first time and some beautiful Silk Dupion for the lining, all of which made me very nervous.

I took my time and followed the comprehensive instructions to the letter and after several weeks I had a finish.

That was all back in 2019,  but just recently I started seeing that a second book of Betsy’s work had been published in 2021  containing another collection of  10 Sewing boxes and Etuis.

How I had missed it until now I don’t know  and I love every

single project in it, but there was one project in particular between its pages that I really wanted to stitch and I ordered the book immediately as well as the Glorinia silks and fabric that I needed.

This is the ‘Bee Contained ‘ Etui, 

And it will be on my needle very soon!

Happy Stitching!

Sue

X

 

Etui Or Not Etui, That Was The Question……………

After being in a quandary for a day or two, trying to decide if I should finish off my Stitching Wallet or give in the nagging whispers coming from ‘The Song Bird’s Garden'  saying “go on start me, you know you want to” , I finally knuckled down and finished what I had already started. ……

What a good girl I am!!

Right from the start this was a project I wanted to have a go at but was very apprehensive about, given that I have never in all my years of stitching attempted anything of this nature.

But some 110 hours later, I’m pleased to report that the  ‘Virgin Queen’s Stitching Wallet’ is finally complete.

Exterior

Interior

Needle Case

Thread Winders

Scissor Fob

The instruction for this can be found in a beautiful book,

Willing Hands,

The Counted Thread Embroidery Of Betsey Morgan

Please all stay safe and well

&

Happy Crafting!

(Whatever you passion may be)

Sue

X