Instagram Flashback: May

Instagram has got to be my favorite social media to date. No words -just photos -and so easy! Click and post all in an instant! Take a peak @benziedesign, I tend to share more outside of the Benzie realm here. This is some of May's memories:

1. Updated business cards -they should go out soon!
2. Sugar scrubs leftover from Crafternoon -seriously easy: Sugar + Olive Oil + few drops of essential oil and you've got yourself a scrub!
3. Husband graduated and got himself an M.Div -and figuring out life. (Really -shouldn't we have that done by now?!)
4. Working on a little backstitch. I've definitely got that down -how about you?
5. Little gift from my sister-in-law and her brand new etsy shop!
6. Every six weeks it's my turn to go to the farm for our co-op. My children so look forward to this and I reflect on the rural, supposedly more simplistic life. Maybe it's just me trying to figure out life again?

See you on Instagram!

Embroidery Basics: Backstitch

The backstitch is one of the most basic stitches of embroidery and is most commonly used to outline. My favorite use for the backstitch is applique on linen or when stitching Benzie's felt together. Pretty and easy!

Here is a step by step photo tutorial:

1. Working from left to right -bring your needle to the front at point one and back down again at point two.
2. Now your needle is under your fabric -bring it back up at point three making sure of even and straight stitches.
3. Backstitch through point one.
4. There you go! Your first backstitch is complete!
5. A completed row.
6. And for the backside. 

And to make this super clear -a diagram below. The top of the line represent the front side of the fabric and the bottom represents the back of the fabric.

Up at 1, down at 2. Under to 3 and back to 4...

And again! See -pretty and easy!