My Stitchin' on Round Robins and Other Bits

A couple of weeks ago on my HBT tatting list a discussion began on attaching tatting to a garment. Some years back I had attached approximately 100 tatted snowflakes to a sweatshirt which I no longer wear. Sooo I removed those snowflakes and added them to my Christmas tree collection. Now I did not want tatted snowflakes on a summer time shirt but wanted some tatting on a to-wear-now garment. While on a thrift shop excursion looking for "possibilities" for any cq stash additions I came across this almost new blue chambray short sleeve shirt .... an AHA moment!

Early in my cq online ventures I participated in several "motif" swaps and acquired several very different butterflies .... one of my very favorite designs. Ahh, a chance to use some of them in a most enjoyable way! Looking at the shirt and beginning at the collar I attached a plain white butterfly like those I usually hand dye .... not visible are the french knots across the bottom portion of the wings. I may change that and add some beads instead .... we'll see. Three of the four butterflies on the same side were received in the motif swap .... the blue one is a tatted button butterfly (and I now have the pattern to make some of those), the pink one is also tatted; the pale green one beside the pink butterfly is hand dyed and I added a perle cotton darker green running stitch to attach it with as well as using the darker green to add some single stitches across the body. On the pocket (and I had a really difficult time attaching this one) is a dimensional machine embroidered white butterfly.

On the left side as you look at the shirt and beginning at the top is another white machine embroidered dimensional butterfly. On this one I added bright pink beads around the outside and with matching perle cotton thread added colonial knots on the body. The very beautiful bright blue butterfly is hand crocheted and although I don't remember where all the butterflies came from I do remember this one ... it is from the Netherlands and was crocheted by Cobi. The wings are the familiar pineapple pattern (for crocheters). I outlined this one with some of my Sassa Lynne threads and for the beads used gold oat beads, with copper colored seed and bugle beads with larger copper colored beads. The body is a blue bead with "gold" lines. Can you tell this is one of my "favorites"? Next is a green and brown machine embroidered butterfly without any "additions". The last one on the front is another three dimensional machine embroidered butterfly. On a note with one of the dimensional butterflies was the "process". I don't have an embroidery machine but if I did I would love to try making some of these butterflies as they are really gorgeous and I wanted to show them off.

Now acrosss the back of the shirt ..... I'm not quite finished with the back yet BUT since I tatted the purple butterfly (from a very old pattern) and I will be adding it to my HBT 25 motif challenge it is for the moment unadorned. On the yoke is a strip of tatted butterflies (and I do remember this came from a tatter in Texas) ..... I have acquired the directions for this and am looking forward to making strips of butterflies. This dark blue butterfly is also crocheted. I added white pearl oat beads on the bottom wings and pale blue beads on the top wings. The white butterfly at the bottom is crocheted from handspun silk. I attached it with Sassa Lynne thread using the buttonhole stitch. I used aqua silk ribbon and worked detached chain stitches on the wings plus a straight stitch for the body. I embroidered the antenna with the same Sassa Lynne thread. I think I've "got" the clothing enhancement "bug" LOL

For some reason this cq square turned out blurry and I wish it was clearer .... but maybe when this one returns home to its owner a better photo will appear on her blog. This is one of the Basket of Flower squares I've been priviledged to stitch on and belongs to Lindy in Australia. My work is kind of scattered here. Across the top is a piece of my hand-dyed lace with some embroidery across the top and bottom along with some pearl beads. Below that I added one of my tatted baskets, a few scattered tatted flowers and a gold "bee" charm at the top of the basket. I also added a small herringbone seam using Sassa Lynne thread and then added gold perle cotton detached chain stitches top and bottom. The last bit I added is in the center at the bottom .... a hand-dyed basket with bead flower centers. On the handle is a silk ribbon bow with beads and a gold butterfly charm. I sure hope Lindy likes what I've done. This was a very delicate "lady-like" block and a joy to stitch.

I received TWO basket rr squares at one time and this one is going home to Wendy to be made into a pillow for her daughter. I added a seam treatment of tatted flower baskets with lots of single tatted flowers below the baskets. Beads are used to attach the single flowers. In the large basket I added some "original" tatted flowers using basic embroidery stitches for stems. I just had to add a tatted pink butterfly. Wendy this will be such a delightful pillow for your daughter and I'm looking forward to seeing your additions as well. A fun block to work on!

Back earlier in the month a stitching friend commented on my lace knitting and mentioned she would like to try the tecnique. I offered to send the pattern I use for my beginning lace knitters but found that it had decided to hide from me. So looking around I found this one and knitted it up in 100% cotton worsted (the yarn I usually knit wash/dish cloths). To make a dainty doily it would be knit from a size 10 bedspread weight. If she likes this pattern I'll send her a copy along with directions to make the center without a big hole. Most circular knitting has a hole for the center but thanks to a technique I learned from Elizabeth Zimmerman's KNITTING WORKSHOP (Emily Ocher's beginning) I don't have those center holes!

I believe I mentioned earlier about using Carole Samples TREASURY OF CRAZY QUILT STITCHES to make myself a stitching journal .... well, earlier this month I was working on the "snowflake" stitches using Sassa Lynne thread on 18ct Aida. I found the thread a bit heavy for the fabric so decided to try the same fabric but use a single strand of DMC floss .... much happier with the results although I'm still working on this sample. Some time I'll post other of my journal pages but this is it for now!