Norma's Needleworkz

Year End Catch Up

2010-12-28T11:37:00.001-08:00

I can't believe it has been so long since I've posted on my blog!!! The days have flown by and it is the end of 2010. Where has the time gone?

At any rate it is time to catch up with what has happened since my "vacation" class time at Sweet Briar back in June with a few photos. One of the things a bobbin lace maker needs is the proper threads....well not just lace makers, but any stitcher lol Here are some of the threads I purchased. These are truly lace weight threads. The smallest Finca labeled thread (second from the top) is a size 100. That is even smaller than the smallest size tatting thread I've used. Two of the other Finca labeled threads are size 40 (one white, one ecru). I also purchased a Finca in ecru size 50. I also purchased two spools of Egyptian Cotton size 50/2 (one white, one ecru). At this stage of the lace making game I don't know what the difference between 50/2 and 50 is, but I expect I'll eventually learn. The remaining eight spools of colored thread...couldn't resist buying colors...are all size 34/2. Again, I have no idea what the /2 means, but I have a lot to learn.

The next single spool is a #50 pure Irish Linen crochet thread. I can use it for lace making and tatting as well as crochet.

I figured while I was at it that I might as well treat myself to a birthday present which was coming up in a couple of weeks. So that is just what I did. Two beautifully decorated and painted bobbins. The third bobbin, the one on top, is the convention commemorative bobbin which is a "must have". Since blue is one of my favorite colors, I purchased a blue one that has a vine of morning glories painted on it. The middle bobbin is painted with gorgeous gold butterflies. There is also a small butterfly on the large bead.

Also for sale were some different style Midland bobbins. They are made of rare woods and weighted which eleminates the need of spangles. Haven't had a chance to try out these new bobbins as yet.

Well, it has been a while since posting, so invariably I mixed up the next three photos. No big deal. Will just mention them in the order they are shown. This first photo is of my new pillow cover cloth as yet unadorned other than the purchased lace trim that was given to me.

Here is the same cover cloth with the addition of a tatted hedgehog. For those that don't know, the hedgehog is the mascot of lace makers. The quills represent the many bobbins a lace maker needs to use.

Aha! Underneath the cover lies my newest lace making pillow. It is known as a "block" pillow. The individual blocks make moving the lace a simple matter. BTW I did cover this pillow myself. The individual blocks of styrofoam were first covered with felt and then with cotton to insure a long lasting pillow.

This last photo shows a sweater I knitted as a teaching piece. Two techniques were covered with this sweater. First the student learned to knit the body in the round, thus eliminating the need to sew up side seams upon completion. The second technique was to knit bind off the shoulder seams, again eliminating the need to sew these seams. This particular student had stopped knitting years ago because she "hated" to sew up seams. Hee, hee, I fooled her. Her next sweater included sewing underarm sleeve seams only. Again we incorporated the body in the round and did knit bind off shoulder seams. BUT. this time we picked up stitches around the armhole and knit the sleeves down. Because we had put a lace pattern in the upper body, we used the lace pattern in the sleeves and she had to sew the underarm seams up. She now feels very comfortable seaming her knits. Over the Christmas break she is knitting a ribbed cowl and I'm knitting socks.

Just discovered I have more photos to share, but need to edit first, so maybe I'll begin 2011 with a January post. Until next time
HAPPY NEW YEAR and don't make any resolutions you can't keep!

Gifties and Lace

2010-07-09T04:19:00.000-07:00

The title is a slight misnomer as the first photo is part of the last lesson in my Color Theory Course I'm taking through StitchMAP a Yahoo group I belong to. I still haven't been able to add the "button" so you can visit and possibly join this fantastic group, but you can find it by searching Yahoo groups. But I slightly digress .....

For our last class exercise we were told to create our own color schemes in two ways. The first was to use a picture we like and collect items to make a design in that color scheme. Well, the photo I chose isn't a photo at all, but the booklet cover for a round robin sampler I'm involved in on another group. The threads I've chosen here are not the threads I'll be using on the sampler as I've chosen for that some over-dyed flosses and some Ginnie Thompson Flower Threads in these colors. When my work on the sampler is completed I'll share a photo here, but, alas, I've not started the stitching as I've not decided the design I'll be using.

The second photo is the second part of my lesson exercise. Here I had to collect items to use in a "Make Do With What You Have" color scheme. I had to laugh at this part of the exercise which was really very easy for me as most of what I do in my crazy quilting is to "Make Do With What I Have".

The focus fabric for this grouping (far left) has a mottled look and looks very much like a "dyeing experiment". It isn't, but was in a box of scraps given to me by a very special friend of long standing who has since passed away. Since this photo was made I have added dark and medium aqua threads to this mix. I'm not sure what I'll do with this grouping yet but will be putting these items into a gallon size zip-lock baggie for just when the "aha" moment strikes.

Now for the "Gifties"!

Just last week I celebrated my birthday and in my StitchMAP group we have birthday friends. My birthday friend, Amber, was most generous. This photo shows the top of a treasure box that she exquisitely embroidered. I just sat and stared in awe at her stitching. Isn't it gorgeous!!!!!

Then I opened the box ....... look what was inside! Now I didn't include the tiny zip-lock baggies she sent to hold the beautiful cameo "charms" (thats not really the word I want, but it will do) and the Dorset buttons she made with silk thread. The pink buttons are fabric covered with tiny embroidery and beads. I told Amber I'm almost tempted to make a pair of earrings out of the pink buttons so that I can really show off her delicate work. Amber coated the cameos with pearl nail polish which gives them a very special sheen.

Also in the box were two skeins of DMC floss and a very special stick pin with tea charms. Amber said she put that in just because she likes tea ..... well, Amber I, too, enjoy tea. In fact, while updating my blog I'm drinking my morning cup of green tea. The stick pin is just another "link" that ties two stitchers together. There was another item in my birthday gift bag ..... something I never would have known to look for, but already have plans to use. She included a 5 piece Diamond File Set. Again, Thank You Amber for being such a special Birthday Friend!

One of my vacation weeks (the other is in August) occurs the third week of June when I attend a bobbin lace event at Sweet Briar College near Lynchburg, Virginia. In order to have all my equipment ready for the week long class I had to finish up items on my pillow and then wind every bobbin I had with the correct thread which I ordered from my teacher for the class.

This next photo shows the two bookmarks I did in order to have an empty pillow. The bookmark on the left is done exactly as the directions my teacher gave me .... especially using the "ending" tassel she prefers. The book mark on the right is the same one with the "ending" tassel the pattern itself suggests.

I think I prefer the same tassel ending that my teacher does. It just seems to me to be a more polished finish.

The next photo shows my Lace Days piece in progress. It is not quite half done but is the result of about 40 hours of work. We had three pieces to "start" in our class. The class I attended was called "Starts and Finishes" and since I'm still a very relative beginner (just 2 years as a lace maker) I knew this would be a very good class for me. There were some lace makers in that class with 9 or more years of experience and they were able to "start" all three pieces. I can only concentrate on one piece at a time, but my local teacher will be able to help me work the other pieces. There were two of the ladies who actually finished this first piece and we all got to see how to make a beautiful "finish". The center is supposed to have a piece of linen sewn in, thus making a miniature hankie. To give you an idea of the size of this hankie, the linen is a 2 1/4" square. One of the exercises in this class was to look at a square pricking (what the patterns are called) and decide where to start. Something I hadn't had to do before as all the pieces I've laced up to this time either showed the "starting" place or my teacher pointed it out.

BTW I'll post a photo of the finished piece whenever .......

Making up for lost time in updating my blog (due to computer problems now hopefully resolved).

One Wednesday morning back in April while teaching a knitting/crochet class, a lady came in and asked if I knew anyone who would like to have her mother's tatting. She really wasn't interested and didn't just want to throw the items away. Since I also teach tatting I quickly said I'd love to have them!!!!!!!!!!!!
My other gifties ! The top shuttle is plastic without any markings and has a small pick. The aqua shuttle is celluloid and is at least 95 years old (I'm dating it from my grandmother's shuttle that I have which is 97 years old.

The bottom shuttle is also an antique and is made of gutta percha. I also have another of this type that I purchased. This is a byproduct of the rubber trees from the Phillipines and was used in making the black picture frames during the Victorian era. As you can see, all three shuttles have size 70 tatting thread loaded on them.

Then there was a bag of tatting ..... I've since washed and sorted this. Very basic tatting but often used around hankies or baby dresses, etc. Perfect pieces to use as seam embellishments for crazy quilting and some longer pieces for other items.

And then ......... the bag of tatting threads! Mostly size 70, but several balls of size 30. Many of the threads were varigated and quite a few were colors I didn't have. Lucky me!!!!!

Till next time enjoy blessings!

A Bit About Color And More

2010-03-22T04:10:00.000-07:00

It is finally SPRING!!!!!!!!!!! Spring brings to mind COLOR! Currently in one of my groups I'm taking a Color Theory Course and that is mainly what this blog will be about, but first some other things I've been working on.

My newest wearable creation is this black crocheted shell cloche worked in two strands of fingering cotton thread. Someone on one of my groups asked the question "What is Irish Crochet?" My definition to her was "dimensional" crochet. Traditionally Irish Crochet is built up floral patterns (and leaves) added to a mesh background. Soooooo I decided to add a dimensional flower, in red, to my black cloche. The center of the flower is a fancy black button. The hat and flower remind me of the type of hat worn in pictures of my mother in her "flapper" days.

My latest piece of bobbin lace. This bookmark is worked in two shades of blue size 20 Anchor crochet cotton.

COLOR!!! A subject that sometimes just boggles my mind with decisions to make. So, I was tickeled "pink" when my StitchMAP group offered a course in Color Theory.

The first thing we had to do was make a color wheel, add matching floss if we could, then mark our favorite (complementary) color. One of my favorite colors is purple. The compliment of purple is yellow and that is one of my least favorite colors .... go figure! We then had to use a wavy line drawn between the warm and cool colors. According to the writer of the course my wavy line would have placed the yellow green on the cool side. My eyes do not see yellow green as a cool color so I have placed it on the warm side. After all this is my color wheel and I need to understand the colors as I see them.

Next we had to sort the colors into light, medium, and dark shades. Here is how I placed the color chips I had. All the color chips I'm using for my study came from the paint department of WalMart. It used to be when you went looking for paint chips you would find a strip of paper with quite a few shades of a color showing. I couldn't find anything like that but found nice size rectangles of color which make it possible to use one chip several different ways. Light colors on the left, medium colors in the middle and dark colors on the right.

Another chance to show warm and cool colors. If you'll look closely at the cool colors you'll see I've place the yellow green in this group. This is the same yellow green that I placed in the warm section of my color wheel. BUT here, the yellow green is definitely a cool color. There is a yellower, yellow green in the warm section. I'm finding that depending on what the color is placed beside will ultimitely determine the warmth or coolness of a particular color. Yellow green is one of those colors.

AHA!!!! Color Graduations! And here I thought this was "shades". Well, naturally I had to do a purple "graduation". There is a difference between shade, tint, tone, etc. and this course is helping me learn those differences. I also chose to do a green graduation ..... really two different green graduations. Then I did one in blues. If you'll notice these are all cool colors. Wonder why I didn't do one in the warm colors as I really like warm colors. Probably because my wardrobe is basically cool colors. I am beginning to adventure out and add warm colors to my wardrobe and I love those cheerful, bright colors.

The next part of our homework assignment was to show high and low intensity of colors. This was the hardest part for me, but I think I managed.

Now, for the stitching part of our assignment where we were allowed some freedom as to flower design, color choice and method of presentation (paper, paint, fabric, etc.). The author of the course provided a simple outline to embroider as well as a chart for cross-stitch. Our flowers had to be worked with three different temperature - cool, warm, cool & warm. On a tiny scrap of 14 count Aida I followed her chart using warm (shaded red) for the flower and cool (shaded green) for the leaves. My threads of choice were Sassa Lynne hand dyed perle cottons from the UK. This is my cool & warm presentation.

On a scrap of muslin I worked a buttonhole flower in warm (orange) with French Knot (yellow) center. The stem is chain stitch and the leaves are outline stitch with briar stitch (aka single feather stitch) for veins. My warm flower is a design I traced from Flower Designs Compiled by Dorothy B. Rush. This booklet is filled with line drawings that may be used in multiple mediums and was given to me. It must be self-published as it has no copyright, publishing, or other pertinant information.

My final flower was also traced from the Flower Designs book. My "cool" flower is stitched in purple using detached chain (aka lazy daisy) with a blue colonial knot for the center. The threads for both flowers were Ginnie Thompson flower threads.

If you find this course of interest to you, I'd like to invite you to visit and join StitchMap. You'll find us at http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/stitchmap/

Till we meet again may you have a blessed day!

Snow Days Knitting

2010-02-22T07:35:00.000-08:00

The last time I posted I had begun teaching a class of seven little girls ages 8-10 at the Senior Center where I teach needlework. The class was for five weeks and I don't know who had more fun ..... the girls or myself. Several of the mothers also tried learning while "helping" their daughters. One of the girls was also teaching two older sisters and another was teaching her brother. Although my class was for seven, they were having so much fun that at home at least six others were also learning. In fact one of the mothers brought her project as well as the other two daughters projects to "show 'n tell" how much they all were enjoying learning to knit. At the completion of the class all seven were presented with certificates and also got to choose two bracelets that I had knitted them. I also gave them all another ball of yarn to practice with. They all finished their headbands (which was the learning project) and began a second project .... some chose to knit scarves and others chose to knit a small purse. They are all eagerly awaiting the next class where a larger project will be knitted. They will also learn to use circular and doublepointed needles in the next class. Although this class was garter stitch several of the girls learned to purl and worked ribbing on a circular hat I had begun for them to practice on ..... as you know if you take or teach a class there are always some who work faster than others, so it is important to not only keep their interest up but challenge the students.

The first photo shows the knitted bracelets I made for the girls. They loved them and know how to make them for themselves.

This winter has been one of much snow in the part of Virginia where I live and there were quite a few days where I was snowed in so knitting was a big part of what occupied my time .... I mean what better fun is there than to sit and watch the snow fall than with some knitting.

You know how I love my knitted socks ...... only five days to knit this pair, but I worked on several different projects. The yarn makes its own design and although you are "supposed" to begin each sock at the same color portion, I choose to do my own thing and just begin each sock at the beginning of each skein. They don't have to "exactly" match for me color-wise. When I'm working patterns I'm very particular that each sock looks as it should. But I find more fun and interest in the different color patternings.

Snow days accomplishments - three differnt scarves. The one on the left is knitted in a shaded purple worsted weight wool using the garter stitch dishcloth pattern. It sure doesn't look purple does it? The chair is a soft aqua and looks green. What a difference the lighting makes when I try to clarify color with the brightness/contrast on GIMP. The middle scarf is knitted in a bulky lime green acrylic with a double cable and only took three days (about 8 hours of knitting) to make. Also attached fringe which I normally don't. The scarf on the right is knitted with the "mistake" rib pattern using a worsted weight brown tweed. The mistake rib is one of my favorite patterns for knitting hats and works wonderfully well as a scarf.

The shaded blue pineapple bookmark is crocheted with a size 10 crochet thread. I'm trying to use up lots and lots of odds and ends of crochet threads that have been given me over the years and bookmarks are an excellent choice. Another snow days project.

Here is a cross-stitch band with darning patterns above and below that I stitched on a linen sampler round robin that I'm doing with one of my groups. I did add some aqua beads to finish.

This is what the whole band looks like at this point in time. The Assisi work band at the top was stitched by a fellow Virginian. The Hardanger band was designed and worked by the owner of this band who lives in Australia. The incomplete band in the middle was begun by someone who had to drop out, so the owner will "fix" that when her sampler returns to her. The blackwork band was stitched by a gal who lives in England, and then my band is at the bottom. The sampler has arrived back in Australia for another Aussie to "do her thing" and then it will go home.

I woke up with a headache this morning (very unusal for me) so had to miss my bobbin lace class again today. We were snowed out for several classes. Need to bring my current project up to date but not today.

I'm beginning a color theory class with my StitchMAP group and need to finish gathering my color groups to photograph and post in my album for evaluation. Hope to "see" you soon and in the meantime have a blessed week.

Surprise!!!

2010-01-17T15:39:00.000-08:00

Surprise! Surprise! After being absent from posting to my blog for several months, this year is starting off with two posts in one month. In my last post I mentioned and showed some of my tatting thread exchanges. The next day the last exchange arrived and so I had to share that one also. This exchange of beautiful yellow ribbon, some blue tatted flowers in #80 thread and pink #80 thread, plus earring findings and crystal beads arrived from Nicaragua Chile and took two weeks from mailing date to arrival date. I love tatting earrings but have never used crystal beads in the process, so am looking forward to this new experience.

Aha! Two more bobbin lace bookmarks. I mentioned in my last post about making a bobbin lace bookworm using #20 crochet thread. This one is made of blue and red threads ..... just the colors one of my granddaughters requested. The other bookmark is basic Torchon ground lace worked in two shades of green #8 perle cotton. I have to tell you the first time I attempted the Torchon ground pattern I used two shades of #80 tatting thread and the pattern said to use "half stitch". I remembered my teacher said that half stitch is not a good stitch for the outside edges .... you need some twists to firm up the edges. Well, instead of "listening" to my teacher, I followed the directions in the book. Well, when I finished and removed the bookmark from the pillow I ended up with a mess of threads and into the trash it went. I tried again, this time using the #8 perle cotton and using "cloth stitch and twist" for my outside edges. I probably could have had good results using "cloth stitch" but I wanted to be sure this one worked. I was very pleased with the results the second time.

One of these days I'll learn how to add the coding for any of my groups I mention within my posts, because I'd like for my friends to visit and see what we are about. One of my groups StitchMAP has TEASER contests every couple of months. They are fun and educational. The silkies in the photo below are my prize for participating.

Yipee!!!!! A second WIP completed. I knitted these socks in December (2009) but left the toes to be grafted .... my least favorite part of knitting socks. Well, this afternoon I broke down and finished the toes as I want to wear these socks this next week. My next pair of socks will be done from the toes up and I really like that method whether I'm using two circular needles or one circular needle. It is soooo much easier knitting socks on circular needles rather than with five double-pointed ones although I'm a pretty fast sock knitter when I get started on the double-pointed needles.

Tomorrow I begin a new adventure at the senior center where I teach several times a week. For the next five weeks I will be teaching 7 girls ages 8 to 10 how to knit in an after school program. I've taught children before but this a first at the senior center and I'm really looking forward to this class. We will be doing simple garter stitch projects ..... a headband and a purse. If they catch on quickly we might even get to do a stockinette bracelet. Then there is always the garter stitch discloth done as a square instead of on the diagonal.

I think I have a couple of shots left in my camera and must remember to take some photos of the girls "at work". Back at ya in a couple of weeks ..... ta da!!!!!!!!

Out With the Old and In With the New

2010-01-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

An appropriate title I thought to finish up some "old" bits of stitchery before beginning a new year of stitching.

Oh, about 25 years ago I was a charter member of the local quilt guild as well as the state quilt guild (gave memberships up when hubby's health began to deteriorate). During the time I was a member of the local quild we had some very nice workshops with well known teachers. This first photo is the result of one of those workshops. Can you see the idea of fall folliage trees????

We had to cut strips 1 1/2" wide and then in appropriate lengths to piece a picture of a favorite scene. Fall is one of my favorite seasons and so I pieced a scene as viewed from I 64 on Afton Mountain on the way to visit a sister-in-law and her family who lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. The idea of showing this as well as the next photo came about because on one of my groups .... StitchMAP ..... there was a thread about fall stitching. I had completely forgotten this piece and so had to go dig it out. Thought I'd share it here with the idea of possibly making a cq wall hanging sometime in the future. My StitchMAP sisters were very enthusiastic about this becoming a cq piece. I'm just not ready to work on it yet.

This piece was also a local guild workshop and was pieced using Jenny Byer fabrics. Since this is supposed to be a ship (flowered print) in full sail I can really begin to see a sea cq ..... wonderful possibilites here. Just have a few WIPs ahead of this one but may begin working on this one in a month or so.

From time to time I do a few commissioned pieces such as knitted Christmas stockings. This is the back of the one I did this year.

And here is the front.

In 2008 I was asked to complete a Christmas stocking that had been started by a knitter that had died during the year. The lady I knitted the stocking for was so pleased with the end result that she asked me to do this one for 2009. I have been commissioned to do two for this year.

Do your see all my thread goodies? On my HBT (Here-Be-Tatters) group I participated in a thread exchange. We were supposed to send 10 yards of a thread to five (or possibly six) people along with a favorite pattern or other small tidbit (no tatting involved). Several of my swappers sent beads and the little snowman tin (had fudge in it) is such a handy size to carry a shuttle, some thread and small scissors. It will fit in my purse just fine!!!! Several sent more than one thread and as you can see one swapper sent a full ball of thread. I also received several patterns. All the threads I received (except for the ball which is one of my favorites) were new to me and I'm looking forward to trying them all! This was really a lot of fun and I look forward to doing this again.

Previously I had shared some decorative "braids" in my bobbin lace that I was playing with on my own. This is the last of those braids, number 7, and I used DMC size 50 thread. The pattern is found in INTRODUCTION TO BOBBIN LACEMAKING by Rosemary Shepherd. This is one of two beginner books I'm trying to go through on my own as my teacher has in mind certain things she wants me to learn and I'm eager to try everything she wants me to do. What I'm doing for myself is using a variety of threads and fully grounding myself in the very simplest of patterns. I still need to build up my self confidence where bobbin lacemaking is concerned. Some techniques I try I go full steam ahead because the fibers are comfortable to handle. To make true bobbin lace you need very, very fine thread and I'm a bit hesitant .... no, I'm a whole lot hesitant when it comes to those very, very fine threads .... they sometimes need a magnifying lamp to even see them!

Just the week after Christmas I decided to try a different beginners book and even add beads to some bobbin lace.
Bookworm bookmarks .... hee, hee! Can you see their "beady" little eyes? According to Beginner's Guide to Bobbin Lace by Gilian Dye & Adrienne Thunder "this book describes the techniques needed to lead you step-by-step, through simple pieces that will give you practice in handling the bobbins and introduce you to a range of stitches." Well I knew the basic stitches and have had practice in handling the bobbins but this book uses a wide range of threads, such as size 8 perle cotton for the bookworm bookmarks, and even some yarns. The projects in the book that call for yarns don't seem to be calling me to do them. Using size 8 perle cotton makes the lace very dense .... even the half stitch "worm" on the right and to me bobbin lace is airy ... so the remaining pieces in this book that call for size 8 perle cotton I will use lace weight thread instead. BTW I'm not wild about using size 8 perle cotton for bobbin lace making .... a little too slippery, slidey for me although it does have a nice finished look. I also did one of these bookworms out of size 20 crochet thread (not shown in the pic). The thread thickness is about the same as the 8 perle cotton but the end result is consistant with a densely woven fabric .... not lacey looking at all. These bookworms are for my granddaughters who love to read.

My first completed needlework piece for 2010! This is a piece I really had some "fun" with. The first time I worked this piece I really had trouble turning corners and so asked my teacher if I could do it again.

This time she wanted me to play with the patterns and no two sides are alike .... a great learning "example" for my notebook. I still have to work on the finishing. The first time I had my teacher to guide me and this time I tried it on my own reading directions from my "textbook" The Technique of Bobbin Lace by Pamela Nottingham. The finishing was really fiddly to do but I wanted the piece off my pillow so that at my next lesson I'll be able to start something new. I don't know what my next piece will be and I have a few bobbins to empty. Guess I'd better get started on them.

It's Been Awhile!

2009-10-25T17:15:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I've posted anything here and I almost forgot how lol. Things do have a way of coming back at least momentarily. So let me see ....... what has been happening in my life since attending my first Lace Days retreat. The first thing I should say is that my bobbin lace teacher and I agreed the project was a bit too deep for a beginner ..... and I am a beginner although I've been lacing a full year now. I can't believe it has been a year since I began my newest stitching journey. Well, back to my lacing project. I scrapped it .... for now. I didn't throw it away or anything that drastic. I just retro laced (undid the work) and put the pattern aside until I have more experience under my belt.

So what am I lacing? Well right now I'm doing another handkerchief edging (just like the first one I did but with some minor changes. I really did a lousy job (MO) on turning the corners and the "sewing" where the beginning and the end meet and asked if I could try again. My teacher thought it a good idea and that is what I'm doing. But I'm also "playing" on my own.

Here are the first five examples in my Introduction To BOBBIN LACEMAKING by Rosemary Shepherd, an Australian lace maker. She calls these beginner pieces "braids". My teacher calls them "bandages". If you look closely you can see the gauze like look of the cloth bandages. The first one is worked in a red and pink #70 tatting thread. The second piece is worked in a pale orange #70 tatting thread and the third is worked in a dark orange and the pale orange #70 tatting thread. The last two pieces are worked in a lace thread - #30 machine embroidery by DMC. You can see how much more lacy looking the lace thread is. Since these are just "playing" bits they will all wind up on some cq squares sometime in the future.

I didn't tell you about the passing of a dear, dear friend and knitting student of many years. Just two weeks before her death she invited me to her home and gave me all her remaining knitting and stitching supplies. She had previously given me all her quilting supplies and much of her knitting yarns. Among those stitchng supplies were several kits, and baggies of DMC floss plus one of the floss caddy boxes full. The Santa pictured below was one of kits. It will be one of the "new" ornaments on my tree this year.

Another "new" ornament for my tree this year is the "soldier" stitched on a scrap of linen (I don't throw anything away .... at least thats how things used to be, I'm being more selective now), added a pinstitch hem with fringe. I cut a small piece from a thin dowel for the hanging rod and used a single strand of the gold DMC metallic thread for the hanger. The knot in the hanging thread doesn't show because I slipped it inside the pocket on the dowel.

Another "first" for me happened back in August after a trip with a group from the senior center and our annual visit to Scott's Family Resort in Deposit, NY. Everyone that goes on these trips are dancers .... line dancing for me. Well, this year, the fella that teaches the daytime ballroom dance sessions went with us and got me out on the dance floor. I've never done any ballroom dancing but with his instruction I found him very easy to follow. So to make a long story short .... I started ballroom dance sessions on Tues. afternoons at the center. I've met some very wonderful people and am enjoying this activity very much. So much that in September the center has a couple who teach ballroom dancing on Friday nights. Guess who is there with dancing shoes on????? You've probably all seen the tv commercials that say dancing is good for the heart ..... well, not only good for the heart, its wonderful all around exercise and just plain downright good fun!!!!!!!!!!!! My pastor and the choir tease me about appearing on Dancing With The Stars but this great grandma would break a leg just thinking about some of those moves! Never watched the show until I started dancing and the other dancers told me about it. A good bit of that doesn't strike me as true ballroom dancing so the show is not all that impressive. Too risque for me. I feel lucky when I can pick out some of the steps I've been learning.

Now its time to get back to my lacing project. TTYL

Lace Days at Sweet Briar

2009-07-06T10:34:00.001-07:00

Lace Days at Sweet Briar took place June 21-27, 2009. This was a week of bobbin lace making with lace makers from all over the county. Sweet Briar is a women's college located just north of Lynchburg, Virginia and only an hour and a half drive from home. My teacher and I were roomies and she drove. I must say we were very compatable roommates.

The first photo shows some of the goodies we received at special meals. Now there is one exception .... the bobbin. This bobbin is a commemorative one especially made for Lace Days participants by a person, in England, who specializes in commemorative bobbins. It is made of wood, hand painted and then spangled. A bit pricey as compared to other bobbins but well worth it because of the event it represents. The tassel along with a DVD of patterns were table favors at our Friday evening banquet. The tassel has been attached to my thread scissors that I use for my bobbin lace. The porcelain item next to the tassel is a cat pin cushion and I will use it on the pillow that stays at home to hold my divider pins. Oops, forgot to take a photo of the divider pins I purchased ..... well, have to save something for the next time LOL BTW I am not a cat person but this was my door prize and it is kinda cute so I'll keep her. The bottom item is a hand-knitted hedgehog .... a symbol for bobbin lacers. One of the ladies in my class made them for all the attendees. Hmmmm, need a name for "hedgie".

Since my class piece of lace is far from finished I decided to post the "goodies" I purchased. My teacher, Susan Wenzel and her husband, were vendors for the retreat and they carried supplies for knitted lace and tatted lace as well as for bobbin lace. A lace makers dream shop!

Up until this retreat my favorite lace making technique was knitted lace with tatting a very, very close second. Before the retreat was over bobbin lace was working hard to knock tatting out of second place. Did she succeed? We'll just have to wait and see LOL I did purchase three books on knitting lace shawls. Besides knitting lace in some of my socks, knitting lacy shawls is my No.1 thing.

Aha! I cannot possibly attend a bobbin lace retreat without purchasing books on the subject. Being a bobbin lacer only eight months my "library" consisted of only three books. Anyone knows that is not near enough to have a good working knowledge of any needlework subject. Besides that the books are filled with patterns. The red book in the above photo is filled with easy Christmas lace pieces and the green book in the next photo is also full of beginner pieces. Both of these books have several pieces that would be suitable to attach to my crazy quilt blocks. The Bobbin Lace Stitches book was recommended by my teacher as a "must have". She also suggested the Point Ground Patterns from Australia.

The book in the above photo came recommended by a lacer that I met online and my teacher agreed. The last one is a book of bobbin lace jewelry. Now I may not make the necklaces but the earrings look very promising for me and the projects are again small enough to use for cq.

I could not possibly come away without purchasing some of the most luscious looking threads I'd ever seen. Just wish I had unlimited funds for threads LOL Some of them were purchased with tatting in mind although they are definitely useable for bobbin lace. The tinest balls above are size 80 tatting thread. Several were on sale .... the yellow and shaded orange just below the yellow. The lilac (might appear grey) has a silver thread wrapped through it and is a Turkish thread highly tooted by tatters around the world. Just had to have a spool to try. The other two medium size spools are the new Lizbeth threads carried by Handy Hands Tatting.com. Decided to try a couple of colors for some colorful butterflies before I place an order. The three spindles and one ball are a luscious soft mint green and was packaged for the necklace taught by Susan. Fell in love with the color but know I won't use the thread for the necklace.

Can you guess a couple of my favorite colors are in the teal and purple families????? These colors will be used to make special lace bookmarks for my granddaughters and daughters-in-law as they are all avid readers. They may not all get made this year but I will work on those until all five have a bobbin lace bookmark made just for them. The three spindles and ball in the lower right corner are shades of autumn ... another of my favorite color groups.

In my last post I shared a "challenge" stitch from Lesa, of CQForNewbies, Heavy Chain Stitch. The second part of the "challenge" was to add a favorite embroidery stitch. This past week I added Herringbone on both sides, using size 8 brown perle cotton. The chain stitch itself is worked in size 5 perle cotton. I don't think there is a third part to the challenge but I've already decided what I want to add to this stitch and eventually planning to use it as a seam treatment for a cq square in the future. Next time, if my idea works, I'll present this stitch horizontal instead of verticle.

Before I forget (again) here is the fabric part of the hugemongous squishy I won on the first ever quiz presented on SAM (Stitch Angels Mentors) a Yahoo group I recently joined. All the other goodies included may be seen in my previous post.

Well, that's all for today. See you next time and may all your stitching be blessed.

Antique and Vintage bobbins and More

2009-06-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

June has been a very busy month as I prepared to attend my very first Bobbin Lace retreat to be held at Sweet Briar College near Lynchburg, Virginia. First of all I had to learn some new techniques prior to my class. In the meantime on one of my lacing sites a lacer was having to give up this part of her life and was offering tools and books for sale. An opportunity for me to purchase some really nice bobbins at a good price. These are the dark wood bobbins I purchased ..... already spangled .... something that takes time.

Here are the light wood bobbins also already spangled as the previous owner had used all these bobbins plus many others for quite some time. The more they are used the better the patina, so I was quite happy with my purchase.

The lone bobbin on the left was left off of the group of light wood vintage bobbins. The four on the right are antique bobbins possibly early 20th century. All of these bobbins had been purchased from Christine and David Springett, lace suppliers in Rugby, Warwickshire, England by their former owner. They are all of the Midlands type which is what I've been learning to use. They were the only type that I felt comfortable enough to purchase. More on bobbins in my next post.

As I said before, I needed to learn new techniques before attending the lace retreat. Here I'm practicing my left and right picots. Although they could be a little tricky the only problem I had was grasping the pin in the proper position ...... at the head. After a week of practice my teacher said I had a good grasp on the technique. The other technique I needed to learn was how to add gimp .... a heavier thread used to outline a portion of the design. Forgot to take a photo of that which is on another pillow. On the upper right is a biscornu that I made for myself. My teacher fell in love with it so I made one for her.

The front side is the same pattern that I worked on mine .... a traditional Bulgarian design. On the back of mine I cross-stitched my initial and a butterfly. On the back of the one for my teacher I worked her first initial and a simple embroidery vine and flowers pattern that I would normally use as a seam treatment for a crazy quilt square. She was very pleased with the finished product .... sorry
no photo.
On my CQForNewbies group Lesa, one of our list moms, issued a challenge. We were to find a stitch we had never done that began with the first letter in our name to work. Well, believe it or not there are no embroidery stitches that begin with N so I went with the first letter of my last name and came up with Heavy Chain Stitch. I used 18ct ecru Aida in a size that will fit my stitch journal and used size 5 gold DMC perle cotton. As I worked the stitch I tried to think of ways to use it and one idea that popped out at me was "cattails"! Using 2 strands of floss as the stem or outline stitch for the bottom part that would be in the "grass" and a single straight stitch, also 2 strands of floss, coming out of the top the #5 perle cotton would give just the right amount of depth for the cattails.

The second part of the challenge is to add our favorite embroidery stitch to the challenge stitch. The whole idea behind this challenge is to get us out of the rut of using the 'same ol' stitches all the time.

These next three photos were all part, ooops I forgot one of the parts, of my prize--winning squishie. Back in May I joined the Stitch Angels Mentors (SAM) and StitchMAP (MAP) groups. SAM is an educational group endeavoring to encourage newbies in a variety of needleart skills. The Angel part deals with sharing stashes when and where needed. The MAP portion has mentors paired up with apprentices .... the more experienced stitcher helping the newbie. Lyn of these groups has regular contests on her own blog and held the very first one for the SAM/MAP group early this month. It was a two parter contest and I was lucky enough to win part one.

Lots of different kinds of fibers here including several packages of stamens which honestly I never thought about using with cq so I'm definitely going to find a way to use them; a package of white rickrack, several skeins of different 'brands' of flosses including a vintage one. Some fancy knitting yarns and a big group of red feathers. They will be interesting to work with!

In this photo there are many different laces - cottons, rayon, braids and other fancies as well as a very nice length of 'hen and chicks' tatting.

Here you will see several crocheted motifs as well as a very nice selection of 'silkies'. Now silkies are something I've rarely had so was much delighted with that addition. The photo I forgot was a humongous selection of fabrics ..... guess I'll have to post that next time. The gallon ziplock baggie was jam-packed!!!!

I would like to invite any readers to check out SAM/MAP as well as their brand new blog .... official TODAY! I don't know how to add the coding but if you search yahoo groups for Stitch Angels Mentors; StitchMap; and google for K.N.A.S.S. I'm sure you'll find all of them.
BTW K.N.A.S.S. stands for Keeping Needle Arts Alive By Sharing Stitches

Hope to see you there.
Until next time keep those stitches flowing.

Bits and Pieces

2009-04-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a few weeks since my last blog post but I've been very, very busy. On my CQ4Newbies list we've just completed a Grand Motif Swap. This is a big event with this group and although I don't exchange as many baggies as some of the gals, this is one event I look forward to as I am always amazed at the creativity of this group. The top photo shows the goodies I received in exchange for my tatting bits and pieces.

Finally completed another pair of knitted socks that I began back in September 2008. I used a Beaded Rib pattern for the leg and instep and knitted from the toe up. The pattern shows up better when they are worn.

On my last post I showed a couple of "nekkid" bobbin lace pillows ...... well, they are now covered. The wine one above is known as the "one-and-only" because of the interchangeable parts. It is supposed to be the one and only pillow you'll ever need. Now do you know any needleworker that is ever satisfied with a "one-and-only" tool of any kind?????!!!!!! At least not me LOL I will use this pillow for my next bobbin lace piece as this is the pillow I'll take to my lace retreat in June and I need to try it out.

Of course, a new pillow needs a new carrying bag. I had on hand a nice piece of upholstery fabric that would compliment not only my "one-and-only" pillow but also my new roller pillow. There are open outside pockets on each side and the bag has the top portion folded down inside as this is the size I need for this particular pillow.

Here is the carry bag expanded to its full size. The pattern was originally intended to carry up to a full-size quilt but it works great for my bobbin lace classes.

Here is my newly covered roller pillow for my bobbin lace. The braid around the roller opening is also around the circumference of my "one-and-only" pillow.

My teacher's roller pillow with my current piece of lace in the working stage. This is just my second piece of lace and I learned how to make spiders, as well as cloth stitch and half stitch diamonds on a rose ground background.

My second piece of lace finished! I had to tie off this piece by myself and tried a fringe tying technique. My teacher hasn't seen this piece yet as my next class is Monday, April 20th. My first project will be started then. I already have my bobbins wound, including gimp (I'll be using a color accent for this) and I'll be learning how to make picots. Picots in bobbin lace are quite different from picots in tatting or crochet. Knowing how to do gimp and picots are necessary for my lace retreat class in June. I'm nervous and excited about my first lace retreat, but my teacher is working hard to get me up to snuff and she assures me the teacher is excellent and always glad to have newbies in her classes. Until next time we meet be blessed.

Bobbin Lace Update

2009-02-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

Doing a happy dance! Yippee! A finished piece of actual bobbin lace! Made by me!!!! This "sample" goes into my special notebook for bobbin lace. The four bobbins in the center were made by my teacher's husband and were a Christmas gift. The first ones ever I spangled and since they were my first bobbins I took apart an old necklace and spangled them all alike. I'm very pleased with my first piece and so is my teacher! Oh, there are mistakes but after all this is a learning piece and unless you are a lacer you probably wouldn't pick up on them.

Some more bobbins to be spangled ..... I think I have about two dozen more to do and I'll need most of them along with the ones I've completed to work my next project. I've purchased four dozen wooden bobbins which with the four specially made for me and the dozen plastic ones gives me a total of 32 pair of bobbins. A far cry from the sometimes hundreds of pairs needed for some patterns. I won't need to worry about having to use that many bobbins LOL

The bobbins I've finished. The dozen brown ones are plastic bobbins. The bobbins I've worked with were plastic so thought I'd order some for myself. The two pairs on the upper right were the original wood ones that came with the kit I purchased. My teacher's husband cut them off to the proper size and drilled holes for spangling. These bobbins will be used when I add gimp to my work. Gimp - heavier thread than the lacing thread and is used for accent .... I'm already beginning to learn and understand some of the "language" associated with bobbin laceing.

You may not be able to see the pattern pinned to this roll pillow ... another item borrowed from my teacher. She is making sure that I am familiar with all types of pillows so that when the time comes for me to branch out and lace on my own I'll have a good working knowledge of a variety of tools.

Here is an uncovered roll pillow that originally belonged to "Becky" a friend of mine when we were EGA members together many years ago. Becky is deceased and this pillow was given to Sandy one of the lacers in my class of three. She is of course much more advanced than I am. Sandy purchased a roll pillow and gave this one to me. I am so fortunate to have such wonderful friends that share out of their abundance. Now I just need to cover this and I'll have my own. I have to finish spangling my bobbins and fill them with thread before I can even think about covering this pillow.

As a beginner, my teacher suggested that I purchase a "One and Only" pillow. This pillow is made up of several different components so that if the squares are inserted it becomes a "cookie" pillow. The two rectangles may be substituted for one of the squares .... also making it a "cookie" pillow. A "cookie" pillow is the one most often used for bobbin lace. The cylinder makes this a roll pillow. The idea of the removeable squares/rectangles means that I can move portions of my lace very easily. These parts must also be covered before using and I've already purchased the fabric to cover both of my pillows. BUT the bobbins come first! I must be ready to begin my next piece when I go to class on Friday the 13th. Good thing I'm not superstitious!

"Ugly" Quilt Blocks and Bobbin Lace Update

2009-01-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

A recent newbie to the CQ4Newbies Yahoo group commented that her first attempts at piecing cq squares were "ugly". Lesa, the list mom commented that one of the other members had purchased some really "ugly" blocks at a yard sale. These blocks were farmed out and when the blocks were finished with embellishment and returned they were set together and made a definitely not ugly wall hanging.

The top photo is also using "ugly" pieced squares that were picked up at a yard sale and given to me. When I first saw them I thought "what on earth can I do with these?" I laid them out on a white bedspread, spacing them as if they had sashing between and the result was garish. Then I placed them on a blue bedspread, again, as if sashed and the tone was a bit subdued but still not the color choice for setting them together. Next I laid them out on the plaid fabric that looked like it had been pieced. Voila! I liked the result .... the "ugly" squares were definitely toned down but still exciting in their own right. This is a full size quilt and will be traditionally quilted as I'm sure that was what the maker had intended. In looking at the squares it seems to me the fabrics are post depression .... say, 30's to early 40's.

Here is a close-up of one of the squares. I haven't quite been able to place the pattern. In fact, I think it was photographed upside down LOL I'm thinking the blue is a flower in a yellow flowerpot. What I'm trying to say is that what may look ugly to begin with can change into something quite pleasing after a bit of attention.

I won't be quilting this anytime soon as I have quite a few WISPs to take care of first, second, third, etc., etc.

Now I had not planned to show my bobbin lace progress until my first actual piece of lace was completed but I couldn't wait. Since this photo was taken, I've turned the second corner and am almost halfway through the design. It will go in my sample book.

Here is a close-up of my work in progress. There are a couple of errors, but then, this is a learning piece. My teacher is well pleased with my work and has noted a big improvement in my tension .... Yeah!

Right now I'm using borrowed equipment but I am acquiring unspangled bobbins of my own. A Christmas gift from the husband of my teacher are the four handmade wood bobbins on the left of the pencil. I put the pencil in to show a comparison dimension. The dozen wood bobbins on the right are ones that I purchased. Half are totally plain and half have carving on the end. I bought two packages of those. When these are spangled (weight added to the bottom) I will have 14 pair which is not quite enough for my next lesson. So I ordered another dozen, but this time some plastic bobbins (which I'm currently using) to do a comparison test to see which fiber of bobbins I prefer working with. There is no way I will ever acquire the number of bobbins my teacher has (several thousand) .... after all she has been doing this type of lace for more than 20 years. One of her current projects uses 144 pairs .... you always use pairs of bobbins in this type of lace making.

It has taken me about 20 years to actually get up enough nerve to try making this type of lace. The first type of lace I did was crochet, then tatting, knitting and finally bobbin. I love lace making and enjoy seeing all types even if I don't know how to do all the different ones such as needle lace. I probably won't try needle lace, I just want to get good at bobbin lace.

A New Year with beginnings and endings

2009-01-05T16:24:00.000-08:00

I guess I ought to start off with the endings LOL The only New Year's Resolution that I make is to "finish" one WIP before beginning something new and so that is what I've done. This odds and ends hat was started in 2007 and then put aside until last week when I pulled it out and finished it ... it will be among the items I will make this year for the fall bazaar held by the senior citizens. If by chance it doesn't sell then I will place it among the items our church will wrap for Christmas presents for a low income housing unit sponsored by the Salvation Army. This past Christmas was the second year we have provided light refreshments, singing of carols and gifts for about 108 men and women who basically are forgotten by society. What a joy it is to bring a bit of cheer into the lives of these men and women.

Another WIP completed. This seed stitch scarf was not begun by me but I did complete it last week. Quite often estate stashes are brought to the senior center and the needlework items are given to me. For instance a daughter who did not knit nor want to learn brought her mother's incomplete items and fibers to the center and I have been busy going through them and dispensing the best I can. Among the items were two wide striped extra long neck scarves and they were among the gifts to the unit I mentioned. I've also completed several lapghans that will be given to a local nursing home. I'm not showing pics of them as they were completed a couple of months ago. I usually wait until I have at least six items before going to the nursing home.

So already I've fulfilled my New Year's Resolution and the new item I've started is a Prayer Shawl. At the moment I am the designated person in charge of establishing this ministry at church. Mainly because on my own I've made and given several of the prayer shawls to hurting church members. Since I've just begun the knitting I'll not post a photo. We will hold a brief meeting to establish guidelines such as when and how often to meet, where to meet and decide on materials to use on Sun. Jan. 11 right after church before a group of us begin our Bible study. This is a most rewarding and fulfilling ministry.

On an earlier post last year (I'm not sure just when I posted) I shared information about a band sampler round robin that a small international group of us are working on. The first photo shows Mandy, the owner's, stitching worked in Blackwork. The next band is incomplete as that stitcher had to drop out due to life taking a rough turn. The bottom section is what I've stitched. The top portion resembles Blackwork but is counted cross-stitch. I worked 7 sections. Section 1 is cross-stitched with Ginny Thompson Flower thread (100% cotton) and then the top and bottom of the section is back-stitched with Stef Francis 100% silk thread. The main design is also stitched with Ginny Thompson Flower thread. One strand of this thread equals two to three strands of floss. Just below this is another row of cross-stitch using two strands of hand-dyed silk floss by Vicki Clayton in a beautiful green that compliments the Ginny Thompson green. The next section is long arm cross-stitch using Sassa Lynne hand dyed perle cotton. The next big section is back stitch Greek Key pattern worked with a single strand of hand dyed silk floss also by Vicki Clayton. I finished the band with another row of long arm cross-stitch using the Sassa Lynne thread. The Greek Key pattern doesn't really show up that well but is a compliment (IMHO) to the main design.

I tried to get a clearer photo of the Greek Key backstitch pattern but it just wouldn't show up that well.

There is a couple who attends the line dance group with me and they are always bringing me some kind of needlework. Just before Christmas they brought a bag of latch-hook rug/pillow kits ... some finished and others unfinished, several pieces of counted cross-stitch work ... some finished and others incomplete, a very nice kit, and a box of 20 vintage crochet pieces and one doily edged with tatting. The doily shown above is a jersey type fabric that is poor quality, holes already appearing, so I want to figure out a way to removed the tatting and put it on a piece of linen which I happen to have.

The photo above shows some of the vintage crochet pieces. After washing and sorting, I hope to frame several of the pieces so they may be hung and enjoyed. There were several items I have yet to figure out how they are supposed to be used LOL

Here are two more pieces of the vintage needlework, with the top piece folded over on one end. This piece I will use as a table runner and there is another runner piece in the box. I may make the bottom piece into a bell pull and give to a daughter-in-law. Haven't quite made up my mind about that yet.

Oh, a bit of organization (thanks to an Australian stitching sister), I have started a spreadsheet on my desktop to help me keep track of WIPs. I don't have too many listed yet as I've just started locating them. As you can imagine they are in various sorts of places. At any rate this will keep me busy quite sometime and I may not start too many projects this year . Until next we meet have beautifully blessed days.

Final 2008 post

2008-12-29T11:15:00.000-08:00

Many people like to use the end of the year as a summary of what they have accomplished during the past year but I won't do that. It is just not me. I would like to share a couple of photos of some items that have a special meaning to me.

On one of my cq groups (Carole's Crazy Stitchers) we did a Secret Santa .... yes, I know that several of the groups do Secret Santas, but this one works a bit different. Over a 10 week period and alternating weeks, ending with the first week in December we send our secret person a small cq giftee. Then for December we reveal ourselves and send something we have made that is cq related. With each giftee I received there was a very special handmade card and personal note which are treasures within themselves. When my Secret Santa revealed herself to me she included a Crab-apple Hill pattern that really utilizes crazy quilting ideas to the utmost. The handmade portion was a machine embroidered redwork stocking square. This was such a true delight as I have been gathering patterns and background fabrics for several years to make a redwork quilt. Now my first square is waiting patiently for its companions to reveal themselves. So, actually beginning my redwork quilt is one of my goals for the new year .... even if only one additional square is completed.

I did receive two special gifts this year that I wanted to share. The first was THE BEADER'S HANDBOOK. A gift from a very special family at church. Although it is mainly geared to beaded jewelry there is much information there that will help me with beading decisions not only with my cq but tatting and knitting .... yes, I do beaded knitting also. Many times I'm frustrated with sizing beads ..... especially in tatting and this book will greatly help there. In cq the sizing of beads is just what looks good where I want to put them LOL I'm finding this book very helpful.

My #1 Son is always on the lookout for needlework tools and threads that he thinks I would like. So for Christmas he gave me an antique German Silver shuttle (1870-1890) and several spools of vintage silk buttonhole twist by Belding Corticelli. During the year he has given me waxed silk thread, pure linen thread made in Northern Ireland, other Belding Corticelli threads and packages of vintage 18 count gold eye embroidery needles. I'm one lucky mom!

I really tried to post a larger pic of the shuttle to show off the beautiful engraving. It is truly a beautiful shuttle and does have German Silver engraved on the other side which is also beautifully engraved. The thread on the shuttle, which is half full, looks to be a size 70-80 tatting thread. Will try tatting with this shuttle soon, but just had to show it off here first.

May everyone in blogland have a Healthy and Happy New Year 2009!

Stitching Progress

2008-12-01T12:18:00.000-08:00

Oh, my, what a blurry picture! How I wish it was clearer so everyone could see how beautiful my "home at last" basket block really looks. Hand crocheted baskets, a beautifully embroidered basket overflowing with SRE and beaded flowers .... a button basket of apples sitting under a SRE apple tree .... I could go on and on with all the lovely stitching. Even a gold basket charm filled with flowers hanging just above a lovely flower beaded seam! There is even a bit of space for me to add some more goodies if I so choose. This completes the second round robin I've participated in on my Crazy Quilting Sisters group. I do enjoy round robins as those who participate live all over the globe.

Another round robin I'm participating in also spans the globe. It has been awhile since mention of an embroidered band sampler has appeared here, but I wanted to complete at least part of the band I'm working on before letting anyone see what was happening there. We've had a couple of the girls drop out due to life interfering, but the remainder of us are intent on completion. This sampler belongs to Mandy of the UK, who began with a blackwork pattern. The second section is incomplete but the design and threads to complete are being passed along to her for when her sampler finally returns home. I'm working on the third section and although it is worked completely in cross-stitch it does have a blackwork "look". The top (brown) row is back stitch worked with Stef Francis 100% silk thread and the carnation section is worked with Ginny Thompson Flower Thread (100% cotton). I haven't quite made up my mind how the bottom of the section will be worked ..... I really have a hard time making design decisions. Maybe if I did more decision making the designs would be easier .... or would they? I really like the spontaneity as I enjoy the "freedom" that that brings. BTW I'll show what I finish this band with before mailing it on to the next stitcher.

Oh, about a year ago (more or less) a group of us ordered some hand-made laces from India and this last week they finally arrived. They are bobbin lace and they were ordered before I made the inital contact to begin learning this lace technique myself. I can't tell you much about the laces except that the second from the top is a piece of insertion and it shouldn't be a difficult one for me to master. The top piece is almost identical to the piece I'm learning right now. The piece I'm doing is half again wider and is worked in a square so I have to learn how to turn corners. I've made it to the outside of the first corner but need to get back with my teacher to help me make the inside "turn". The outside turn wasn't too difficult as it involves a curve which in my opinion is so much easier than straight edge corners.

Since tomorrow morning I'll be leaving with a group from the senior center to go to Myrtle Beach to see the Christmas shows and I also have a couple of day trips coming up I don't know how much of my Bobbin lace I'll get done before Christmas .... hoping I'll have a lesson next week after I return home. I'm hoping to complete my lace piece in January 2009. This may well be my last post of this year so I want to take a moment and wish all my cyber space friends around the world
A very, very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!

Latest Stitchings!

2008-11-09T17:29:00.001-08:00

Sometime back I mentioned on my blog that I was learning Bobbin Lace so I decided to show the results of my lessons. I've only had four lessons but each one is from 9:30 am until 4 or 4:30 pm with a lunch break. Learning to manipulate six pairs of bobbins is not easy but I am enjoying every moment of my classes .... even when I have to retro lace (that is when I have to un-do my work and start that part over). Both pieces are the same pattern with a difference. The piece on the left was started by my teacher - she worked about the first 1/2" and I completed the first section and began the second section in that session. After I got home I won't tell you how many times I had to rework the second section or how many times I did the third section over. I finally had to give up on the fourth section and wait until my next class. After finally getting that part straight in my head I finished the sampler in class and started the next "sampler" on my own. Everyone in the class was very enthusiastic over my tension and how quickly I was learning. If you notice, the sampler on the right has one more pattern in the second section - this was the hardest part to get right so I worked more there and made the third section shorter - it was easier to learn. In the meantime I had to prick my pattern for my first real lace piece. When I walked into that fourth class I could show my second finished sampler, my pricked pattern and two bobbins that I had "spangled" .... this is adding weight to the bobbins in order for them to hang properly (no photo of those bobbins yet). My first piece of real lace has a fan pattern (working with 11 pairs of bobbins instead of the six pair I'd used previously) and I'm having a bit of trouble making everything work properly ..... my brain knows what I'm supposed to do but my fingers want to do something else LOL I have a whole week to work on this before I go back to class. We really prefer working weekly but both of us had previous commitments that will allow me a bit more time to "struggle" on my own. Will show a photo when I've made some progress!

My latest pair of lace patterned knitted socks worked with two circular needles and knitted in the traditional top down style. These are cotton and I won't wear them in the coldest part of winter. I've almost finished half of another pair .... this time 100% wool and I used a new technique for me. Forgot to take a photo of this in progress sock and the new technique is one of the "toe up" techniques which I like very much .... weaving the toes together does not always give me the smooth result I prefer so I think I'll be doing more of the "toe up" knitting.

I have gobs and gobs of crochet thread that has been given to me ..... odds and ends left over from others projects and so I'm working up small and quick items that will be offered for sale in next years bazzar held by the senior center. This shaded blues and white cross bookmark is just one of the patterns I'm using.

For crazy quilters here are two groups of stitches that I've worked following the diagrams found in Carole Samples' TREASURY of CRAZY QUILT STITCHES. Both groups were stitched on 18ct Aida using Sassa Lynne threads. These are single strand hand-dyed threads equivalent to 2 strands of floss. This group shows various Fern Stitch possibilites.

Here are some Buttonhole possibilities. I might work some more of these on another piece of 18 ct. Aida as Buttonhole is one of my favorite stitches.

My No.1 Son is always on the lookout for threads for me and in his latest e-bay thread purchase was a large group of DMC varigated threads. Although the second from the left looks red it is a varigated pink. The fourth from the right is a wine/red and the second from the right leans to brown/red. Gorgeous colors all and I'm looking forward to using them.

Gift Basket, etc.

2008-09-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Back in the Spring on my Crazy Quilting Sisters group we began a "Baskets" theme round robin. Somewhere along the line two of us didn't receive our blocks back as life happened hard to one of our group. Another of our group, Wendy, took it upon herself to make complete blocks for the two of us and I wanted to share the beautiful block she sent me. In the center is a white crocheted basket with a blue ribbon woven near the top. Silk flowers of all kinds are overflowing from that basket! In the upper left hand corner is a white lace basket filled with bead flowers and leaves. There is also a gold basket charm tied with a pink ribbon in the lower left hand portion. Near that basket is a pink tatted "doily" with a blue center. One seam is worked with peach silk flower blossoms centered with white pearls. Wendy embroidered the word Baskets, added butterflies and some white tatted lace in the upper right corner. The remainder of the block is filled with butterflies, a silk ribbon rose with a silver filagree leaf, beautiful embroidery, buttons, gold filagree and additional lace trims. She also sent some gorgeous stash builders. Thank you Wendy, your generousity is overwhelming.

Another pair of warm woolen socks ready for cold weather. Nothing special about these. Just your basic ribbed socks in a brown flecked yarn that only took less than a week to knit. Fancier socks take a bit longer. The current pair I'm knitting are of cotton and have a lace pattern ..... 3/4's of one sock to go and another pair completed. Contemplating my next pair as I want to try a "toes up" pattern. On one of the sock groups I belong to many are saying the "toes up" socks are easier .... no weaving the toes together as when knit from the top down. We'll see!

Okay, I haven't officially begun my bobbin lace class yet so this is the last piece of "un-tutored" attempt you'll see. When describing this stitch - Half Stitch - to my online lacer friends I was told this was a hard stitch for a beginner. Well, I can understand why ... but this stitch came out so much nicer than my very first attempt at the Cloth Stitch. I've since learned that I don't have proper tension and I can see some major errors in this piece but I'm saving it (along with the other piece) so that I can compare my un-tutored attempt with what I'll learn with proper instruction.

Some skills such as knitting, embroidery, crochet and basic needlepoint can be learned on your own with good instructions and the proper supplies. Fortunately I haven't acquired any "bad" habits as far as bobbin lace goes .... just a couple of days trying to figure things out on my own. I realized quickly that I needed good personal and visual instruction. The next time I share bobbin lace here will be with a proper piece of lace.

Brief Additions

2008-09-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

My completed lace socks. I can't believe I completed them so quickly. Working with two circular needles makes short work of knitting socks. The first sock was worked on the traditional double pointed needles while "watching" the gymnastic and swimming events of the Olympics (off and on for about ten days). The second sock took about half the time or less than five days .... of course I was familiar with the pattern before starting the second half of the pair LOL They fit perfectly and are very comfortable. Can't wait for cooler weather so I can wear them.

Working through the TREASURY OF CRAZY QUILT STITCHES by Carole Samples here is my segment of Chevron Stitches. The fabric is 18ct Aida and I used three different colors of Sassa Lynne hand-dyed threads. There were other choices I could have stitched but my little piece of fabric doesn't hold many choices and I did so want to try some of the more different ones presented, although the first one (upper left) is a typical Chevron Stitch as well as the third one (upper right).

My very first attempt at bobbin lace .... well almost ..... I kept taking it out and starting over. The more solid area is worked in Cloth Stitch and is in reality a piece of plain weaving aka as Weaving Ground. Just below is an attempt at Half-Stitch Ground. Part of it looks ok (at least to me) but there is too much space on the left side. I need to practice this pattern a whole lot and I'll try again so I can use up the thread on my bobbins as I need to give them some weight.

Today after my quilting session at the senior center I went by the craft and hobby shop to purchase some 30 gauge wire and 5mm screw eyes to add some weight to my bobbins, a technique known as spangling. I have an old broken necklace that I will use with the wire and screw eyes. Weighted bobbins helps give better tension to the lace making. Comments from bobbin lacers would be most welcome! Trying to get the second part correct kept me up way past my bedtime several evenings and I think I finally went to bed about 1:30am one morning and 4am another. The next morning, before I even had my first cup of tea I went and undid everything so I could start over. Have I become addicted to learning this technique or what! Of course this sample worked in a thicker, non-traditional lace thread doesn't have the delicaate, fragile look of true lace but I need to know what I'm doing before "advaancing" to the proper lace thread.

We'll see how long it takes before I have a proper piece of Bobbin Lace to "show"!

Bobbin Lace and New Sock(s)

2008-09-01T10:30:00.001-07:00

Okay, Folks .... my first attempt at Bobbin Lace in progress! Well, this really isn't lace yet as I have to "master" the technique LOL It really isn't as hard as it looks once you start to understand the process. The first lesson in my textbook BOBBIN LACEMAKING by Doris Southard was a bit daunting until I followed the advice of some of my HBT (Here-Be-Tatters) group. Sue, our retiring list mom, calmed my nerves and Barb sent me a magazine article that also helped. The first lesson has four samples and what I'm doing here is sample #1 and is known as CLOTH STITCH which is a background bit. I will continue with this part until I run out of thread. Although the first lesson has all four samples worked together I know I don't have enough thread on my bobbins as I only used two yards per pair.

I tried to get a close-up but I'm still fumbling my way around editing my photos so didn't do so hot a job. In a way I'm glad you can't see a close, close-up as there are some mistakes .... but then that is a big part of the learning process .... making mistakes. In some hints I read it was suggested to keep the bobbins from rolling around to use a towel under them .... so I put a towel under my bobbins and found that hint to be very successful! I can hardly wait to use up this thread so that I can start the next sample in lesson one.

Aha! The first of my next pair of socks. Although you can't see it here there is a lace pattern so when the pair is finished I'll have my son take a photo of them on my feet.

There are several sock knitting techniques that I'm trying out but the completed sock, worked on while "watching" the Olympics was done in the traditional 4 dbl pointed needle style and I used a different heel technique .... short rows for the heel shaping. I was a bit uncomfortable with that technique for the heel but managed to struggle through. You can see the yellow needles I used for that sock. So for the mate I decided to see how the two circular needles would work for speed as well as tension wise. I did discover that the two needles over the four were quite a bit faster and when measuring for size there wasn't a big difference there. Also played with the "magic loop" technique on some scrap yarn. I think I'll like that technique as well. The "magic loop" uses a 40" circular needle in the same manner as the two circular or 4/5 dbl pointed ..... article completed "in the round". The next thing to try with my socks is to knit from the toe up instead of top down. Of course that means using a totally different type of cast on but then this is my year of trying new things LOL So we'll see what happens there.

The last of my Season To Season swap blocks from my CQ4Newbies group. Half of the embellishing had to be done by me and then it was mailed to a swap partner to be completed. Janet, in Colorado, was my partner here and did such gorgeous work. As soon as I get a bulletin board hung up in my "studio/work/play" room I'll pin the four up until I decide how to finish them off as a wall hanging. At one time I thought about fabric framing them individually and changing them with the season but have decided against that as I want to enjoy all four all the time. We'll just have to wait and see what happens here.

Very Short Update!

2008-08-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

For some time now ..... well, really more than 10 years .... I have wanted to learn Bobbin Lace and so on a post a few months back I posted a "put together kit" to help me get started. I still haven't started because I was uncomfortable with the "set up" using a cardboard easel/pillow. A pillow is the correct term for the base on which the bobbin lace is worked. So I put out an appeal for help on the HBT (Here-Be-Tatters) group. One of the members, Mark, aka Tatman pointed me to his site, www.tat-man.net, for instructions on making a cookie pillow. Here is my cookie pillow. Mark suggested a 24 inch circle of plywood or masonite board ...... a dear friend of mine who used to cater weddings gave me a piece of masonite that measures 22.5" ..... I figured this was a perfect size for me. The padding is made up of circles cut from a 100% wool blanket ... I followed Mark's instructions very carefully and I am most pleased with my "cookie". He also had info to make bobbins but for the time being I'm using the bobbins that came with "the kit". Since purchasing "the kit" I've learn it is far from the best but I'm able to salvage the bobbins at least for the time being and "the kit" was on sale for half price so I'm not out a huge amount.

Here is a close-up of the bobbins. Now, retiring list mom, Sue, of HBT also had a good bit of advice for me. She suggested I use only four bobbins (my book tells me to use quite a few more which was causing some confusion) and to use two different color threads of a larger size than what is usually used for bobbin lace. This made perfectly good sense to me as I prefer using two different colors of thread in a larger size when I teach begging tatters. So here I've wrapped my bobbins with two shades of green in a #12 perle cotton. If that doesn't work too well then I'll try two different colors of #30 crochet thread. So, I think now I'm actually ready to start my first lesson .... wish me luck!

One of the members of the HBT group posted a photo where she had added tatting motifs to a pair of gloves and brought back a memory of one of the meeting workshops of EGA when I was a member eons ago. We took a garden glove and embellished it with one of our favorite techniques - and as you can see, tatting is what I used - then filled it with gravel or sand .... I chose gravel from my driveway and after sewing the cuff I now had a weight for my needlepoint frame. I could lean my frame against a table, drape the "weight" across the top and work to my heart's content. This made an excellent substitute for a standing frame and left both hands free for stitching.

Tomorrow I will (hopefully) actually begin my first attempt at Bobbin Lace. See ya when I make something!

Lace and Embroidery

2008-08-17T14:23:00.000-07:00

Lace making in any form intrigues me and so I love knitting lace as one of those forms. This doily I finished August 6 was knitted only with doublepointed needles size zero (0) and with Bucilla Petite Wondersheen which is approximately a size 40 crochet cotton. The edging was crocheted with a size D hook. The pattern is "Valentine", part of a set and is from FIRST BOOK OF MODERN LACE KNITTING by Marianne Kinzel. Her patterns are worked both from the printed work and from charts. She suggested using a size 50 thread and British dpns size 13 (equals American size 1) with this piece to finish 8" across. Being a loose knitter I used smaller needles and larger thread and still my doily finished out to the 8" across. BTW it took less than 10 hours to knit.

Being a sock knitter for many years - using double-pointed needles - I decided to try a different technique ... using 2 circular needles. Naturally I didn't want to start a pair of socks without first trying out the technique. One of my new sock books Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch suggested using her class sock pattern. She gives three techniques for knitting this sock - 4 dpns, 5 dpns, or 2 24" circular needles. There is another sock knitter who also suggests a 40" circular needle. Well, I don't have a 40" in any size so before ordering I thought the 2 24" circular needles would be the way to go. As a rule of thumb you should use only one brand of needles in a project as different manufacturers sometimes have a "difference" in sizing. I didn't have 2 24" needles alike so used two different brands (one of which was bamboo) mainly so that I wouldn't get confused as to which needle I should be using at any one time LOL Not to worry, once I got the hang of what to do the sock was a breeze. Using a size 4 and some leftover worsted weight I proceeded and in a very short time my sock was completed. A perfect size for a Christmas tree ornament. A bit plain as is so a little dressing up will work wonders, don't you think? Also just the right size for that special "little" gift or even Christmas candy! I just may knit some more of these for the fall bazzar the senior center holds each year.

Another of my favorite lace techniques - tatting! The top ornament is the result of just playing around ... it may even be someone's published pattern and if it is I'd like to give credit but this is what happened when I was demonstrating while waiting for my line dancing session to begin. The bottom ornament is "Three Mountains" and is the first pattern in Tatting for the Tree by Karey Solomon which was part of my Christmas in July swap on HBT (Here-Be-Tatters). This ornament is also shown with petit point beads and a very generous supply of them were also in my swap package. Both of these ornaments were made with size 50 thread and that is the size Karey suggested using with the petit point beads. A very helpful hint from her was which different size beads to use for various size threads.

Aha! At last another sampler in a round robin to work on ..... well, really I received two samplers at the same time. Our little group of sampler embroiderers has gotten smaller as you can see the second person to stitch on this one had to drop out when life got in the way. This sampler is from Mandy (UK) and uses a varigated thread on a blue mottled linen fabric. The autumn tones of the thread in a Blackwork pattern just glow on the blue background. The second pattern is cross-stitch and threads to finish it along with the pattern were included when it came to me. I've been studying this sampler and shortly will begin working my addition. This is the first round robin sampler that Mandy and I have participated in and before I send it on to the next stitcher I'll come back and show you what I added.

This sampler is owned by Margaret, a Virginia stitcher .... the tulips are her's. Mandy (UK) added the Blackwork band next and also included some bugle beads. I will really have to think hard on what to add here so decided to do this one second. Hopefully by the time I've completed my portion of Mandy's sampler I'll know what I want to add here. Before I send it on I'll post my addition. Oh, my, decisions, decisions! But thats what a round robin does ..... challenges the next person and I find it most exciting! Stitching time here I come .....

Christmas in July

2008-08-04T04:57:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it is August already, but my HBT (Here-Be-Tatters) yahoo group had a Christmas in July swap. Everyone had to wait until July 31 for the grand opening day. My package arrived on July 31 so I didn't have to wait very long, as some did, before "the opening"! After much oohing and aahing I just had to show off all my special giftees. Sue, the list mom was my swap partner and all the way from London my box arrived. The top photo shows all my giftees except one and each of them were wrapped - not in paper, but in FABRIC and were "tied" with ribbon or braid ..... all of which will be used in my crazy quilting! How is that for a fantabulous gifting!!!!

This is a close-up of the most perfectly color matched pair of cloisonne earrings to go with a special outfit for church.

Several years ago I had knitted a skirt and sweater in one of my favorite colors but only had gold earrings to wear with it .... just could not find what I was looking for. And, now, from across the big pond came just exactly what I was looking for!

WOW! Can you imagine a tatter sending a Christmas quilted table runner as part of a swap? On several of the "packages" Sue had placed pink paper hearts with notes in purple (her favorite color) ink and the one on the runner was "Sorry, no I didn't make it - but a "Lucky Find"" Really lucky for me .... isn't it gorgeous!!!

One of the items I listed on my "wish" list was peppermint candy (I'm not too fond of chocolate ... oh, I hear the "NO CHOCOLATE" groans now, but chocolate doesn't like me ) and I have a whole package of peppermints that are the same as Life Savers in the US. Being a Virginian I love needlework that shows Southern Belles and in my package was the color photo and a cross-stitch chart for a Southern Belle. Can't wait to try the pattern as I also enjoy counted cross-stitch ..... well, really all types of embroidery .... I already have on hand all the supplies I need. Below the candy you will see several items ... a tiny glue pot and a spring-loaded "End Holder" for short tails when running out of thread. Both of these were totally unknown to me and greatly appreciated. There are several sizes of coiless safety pins - especially useful for pieces that begin with picots and beaded picots. I've only used the teeny tiny coiless pins for opening a ring that was closed too soon LOL There are also some green "bangle" rings for tatted snowflakes .... I'm already looking for the right patterns to use with them! Just to the right of the bangles is a picot gauge with some of Sue's delicate tatting attached so I don't loose the gauge. The last item in this group is a booklet of Christmas tree ornament tatting patterns written by Karey Solomon, a member of the HBT group.

I've already mentioned that purple is Sue's favorite color .... so here she sends me a purple shuttle (I was on the verge of ordering one for me as purple is also one of my favorite colors). There is a ball of Coats size 20 tatting thread that came in a purple draw-string nylon bag, some I love (heart) to tat stickers, tiny, delicate shaded green snowflake with teeny tiny beads, a bit of lace and a tatted heart also in green. The heart is Sue's design and she included the pattern! This heart has tiny beads in the outer picots and I had to look under my magnifying glass to see that there were 3 beads on each picot. I've never used beads that tiny. The heart also uses a technique that I am in the process of learning. When I make this pattern I'll have to use larger thread first before I try anything this small.

Here, you see my gorgeous earrings again! You can also see some of the fabrics and trims wrapped around my giftees. The grouping on the upper right was a jewelry box packed with baggies of sequins, mop buttons, beads of various sizes including several of the teeny, tiny ones like Sue used on my ornaments. There was also a butterfly button ..... another "like" that I mentioned on my "wish" list and a skein of Anchor floss. One of the neatest giftees was a leather Santa coin purse/key ring ..... AND inside the purse was a bright, new shiny "lucky penny" which was also wrapped. I feel so special with all these wonderful giftees!

Tatting is NOT a lost art ... it is a beautiful technique that is flourishing around the world with fantastic designers and although I'm not a designer I feel so blessed to count these special, beautiful people my friends!

A Little Bit of This and That

2008-07-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

It has been a few weeks since I've updated my blog so I thought it was about time to share a few things with my friends. I think I previously mentioned I was embroidering a denim bag. Well, at last it is finished. This is one of those DMC kits that I found at a half price sale at Michael's back earlier in the year. The bag had the design imprinted on it, 3 skeins of DMC Pearl Cotton size 5, a size 22 Chenille needle and the instructions. I used the colors included - 437, 712, 758 ..... the subtle color change doesn't really show up in the photo but since I plan on putting this in the bazzar this fall I didn't want to change the colors to something I might have preferred for myself.

I'm down to the wire for my 25 tatting motif challenge. This bookmark worked in size 30 crochet cotton is
piece 24. It will probably also be placed in the fall bazzar.

My piece number 25 is a tatted butterfly heart that I placed on a very special cq square and the whole square shows up later in this post. The original pattern designed by Karey Solomon was done with CTM (continuous thread method) but since I had some green and lavender size 30 on shuttles that I need to empty I decided to make my butterfly heart in the two colors.

I have to tell you that all of my Yahoo groups give such wonderful tips, patterns and ideas that I cannot begin to express my gratitude to everyone. This is a photo of a Lael Morgan wood tatting shuttle. It is bigger than most of my shuttles and a bit awkward to use. I was quit a bit upset when I broke one of the "legs" of the shuttle and really didn't know what to do with the shuttle. Just recently on a HBT post one of the ladies told about how she was taking one of her broken Lady Hoare shuttles and turning it into a necklace .... voila! Although the Lael Morgan is a much larger shuttle than the Lady Hoare why couldn't I do the same thing????? Tomorrow I will take the shuttle with me to a local craft store to see if I can find the correct size jump rings that I need to make this into a necklace. I will also want some larger beads than I use for my cq. Wish me luck on making a necklace! If it works I'll post a pic sometime in the future.

I'm one of those people who hates to throw anything away .... especially in the fabric and fiber lines sooooo
here is a cq bookmark using only embroidery floss as embellishments. I certainly wouldn't want to cause damage to a book! This will also be a part of the fall bazzar.

This is really hard to see but this is a cream colored lace poncho that I knitted last year ..... perfect to wear in air-conditioned churches or theaters. I had pulled it out to take with me on my trip a couple of weeks ago but decided it was too dressy for where I was going.

I tried to do a close-up of part of the pattern of the poncho ... think I needed a darker background ..... but maybe you can see some of the lace pattern.

Another bazzar item. This time a lacey neck scarf. I'm trying to de-stash some of my yarns and found a left-over skein of fun fur and one of Allure, a discontinued fingering weight wool by Unger. They worked beautifully together with just the right weight and a color that goes well with just about anything. The photo is a bit darker than the actual scarf but I'm still trying to learn how to edit my photos. Sometimes I do a better job than others.

This is a beautifully embroidered heart from one of the newest members of the ChainsOfHearts group I belong to. Maretta, from Australia, was kind enough to leave a wide margin around the heart for trimming. I wish you could see up close her tiny and delicate stitching.

The latest square I've been working on ..... do you see the tatted butterfly heart in the lower right corner? I have several other pieces of tatting on there as well. For instance in the upper right corner is a flower that picks up the colors of the flower focus fabric. Then at the upper left is a tatted motif with a heart charm stitched in the middle. A very special friend who shares several groups with me was the recent receipient of a kidney transplant and someone on the CQForNewbies group suggested we start a "Hearts and Flowers" Shower for members having special needs or circumstances. Just as with a swap or round robin the shower square has certain guidelines to follow. Only those who want to participate sign up and you don't have to participate everytime a shower decision is made. We were supposed to do two seams and one patch but as you can see I didn't stop there. I left plenty of room for my friend to stitch as she recuperates.
Continued prayers coming your way Lori as you heal.

Well, I've chatted long enough! Time to think about a bite to eat, so guess I'll see you all next time. Have a blessed week everyone till we meet again.

My Stitchin' on Round Robins and Other Bits

2008-06-30T04:02:00.000-07:00

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!

HOT! HOT! HOT!

2008-06-10T05:22:00.001-07:00

Since my last post the weather for June has been "off the wall". For instance on the evening of June 3 a small tornado touched down not far from where I was. The first tornado in our sheltered area since 1974. For the past several days the temperature has been between 98F and 100F. Way too hot for this time of year since the calendar says it is still Spring. Whew! Wonder what Summer will be like????

So to think "cool" I'm tatting snowflakes LOL This one is number 22 in the 25 motif challenge I'm doing for my HBT tatting group. Only three more to go to finish the challenge. This has been encouraging me to try new patterns so I'm thinking about doing another challenge when this one is completed.

Several posts back I mentioned that I had joined another Yahoo group .... this time a knitting one that is working on the patterns of Elizabeth Zimmerman. When I joined some were working on the Mystery Blanket and so that is where I started. The second "square" turned out larger than the first and by the time I had finished another one this "square" was back on the 16" circular needles and turned into a hat LOL

Another view of the hat. Several people have commented on this hat as to the fact that I should make more of them to sell in the fall bazzar. Hmmmm just might consider that!

Another square that will fit the blanket.

Last post this was still on the needle ..... no more pics of the Myster Blanket until some of the squares are sewn together.

Back in 1989 after I had been teaching knitting for a few years I came across a book by Jacqueline Fee entitled The SWEATER WORKSHOP. It began by knitting a hat using multiple techniques. Yes, that pink and white object is a knitted hat. Not to be worn of course but teaches, on a smaller scale, many sweater techniques such as various ribbings, two color ribbing, pockets, buttonholes, two color pattern knitting, lace edging, eyelets, idot cord, knitted hem with initials, etc. It is a great teaching tool for my classes and was fun to make. The reason I'm showing it here is that several of the members of the EZ knitting group have completed this project so that is another "hint" that I've found the right group for me. Must remember to post the Mystery Blanket hat and this sampler to my group album.

A way to use up those "hate to throw away little bitty scraps". This shows three steps for a crazy quilt bookmark. I'll post some finished ones another time. On the right the pieced strip, in the middle the embellished piece with seam allowances basted and on the left the backing with basted seam allowances. I only use flat sequins and bits of tatting besides embroidery for the embellishments so as not to cause harm to the book. Directions for the cq bookmark are found here: http://www.cqmagonline.com/vol04iss03/aarticles/460/index.shtml for anyone interested.

Although this could also be used as a bookmark I've made it into a small bellpull .... the hardware was on sale! This is a wide piece of Ribband with some very basic embroidery stitches.

The back of the bellpull shows my finishing. The ends were turned under and hemed. The backing is grosgrain ribbon not quite the width of the Ribband and fused with Heat 'n Bond a double sided fusable interfacing. Hope it is cooler the next time I post LOL

More Round Robin blocks And Other Things

2008-06-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I joined another Yahoo stitching group ..... this time a knitting group. It is a group honoring Elizabeth Zimmermann .... I mentioned it on my last post. Well, one of the "projects" for this year (a different project each month) is the Pi Shawl. A project I completed a few years back. There is a different Pi Shawl pattern in the book that I will also knit. Anyway this shawl was knitted with a lace weight yarn that was discontinued about the time I purchased my yarn and fortunately I planned ahead and had sufficient yarn to complete my project. I haven't measured it but it hangs over a full size bed and I thoroughly enjoyed the knitting process. I love lace in any form.

I just had to show you my "Food Fight" exchange block from the CQ4Newbies group. I sent in my "Grandmother's Pumpkin Pie" block and received back "Blueberry Muffins" stitched by Debbie in Maine. I haven't yet had the opportunity to try the receipe that accompanied the block. Debbie shows all the ingredients plus a couple of "baked" Blueberry Muffins. She even found some "Always KISS the COOK" bits to sew at the top. The sugar and flour sacks are stuffed with batting to look like the old time sugar and flour sacks. A really delightful block. Thank you Debbie, I really enjoy looking at my muffin block.

In the mail this past weekend I received TWO not one but two blocks for a basket round robin that I'm participating in on another of my cq groups. When they leave me one will be going home and the other has one more stop. The owner of the pastel basket block is Lindy from Australia and has one more stop to make before going home. I hope to post a photo after I've added my stitching bits.

This bright colored basket block is entitled "Cute Bugs in My Basket of Flowers" and is owned by Wendy in California. I believe she is planning this square as part of a "Bug and Flower quilt for her daughter. This is a bright cheerful block and I've already one idea in mind. I do need to remember to leave some room for Wendy to add her personal touches. Like me, Wendy sent her block out nekkid in order to put on the finishing touches. I'll try to post a photo after my stitching bits have been added. I need to get started on these as I'll soon receive the fourth seasonal block from CQ4Newbies that has a deadline. Well, the basket ones also have a deadline but since I have two I'll be allowed a little extra time (I hope!).

Back to my knitting group. On my last post I showed two squares of a Mystery Blanket that was the project of the month for the group when I joined. As I had always like the looks of this blanket I began working on it right away. Well one of the squares was slightly larger than the other and when I did this first square it matched one of the others. So, the "too big square" went back on the needles and I'm adding ribbing to make it into a hat. I'll show it in a later post after its completion.

Square #4 .... in reality square #3 is almost complete. As you can see these squares are knitted on circular needles .... I think that is part of the mystery - how can something knitted in the round become square!!!!!! Hee, hee, it does!

Update Way Overdue!

2008-05-24T03:45:00.001-07:00

The last of the Season to Season blocks has been mailed off to the hostess on the CQ4Newbies group where it will be mailed to my partner to complete the square. Although the photo is a bit fuzzy I think you will still be able to see some of what I've done. My summer block called out "June bride" so I began the center with a single rose and added some white silk ribbon colonial knots around it to look like the tiny white flowers usually found in a bride's bouquet. There is room for my partner to add some green silk ribbon leaves if she chooses or I can add them after my block comes home. The top left corner shows a counted cross-stitch ribband band of peach colored roses that I had left over from another project . The lower left corner has one of my dyed motifs surrounded by beads and stitched on a piece of pink hand dyed fabric taken from a grandmother's petticoat that belonged to one of my Aussie friends. Thanks Sandie, I found the perfect place for this petticoat piece! On the green fabric I decided that a wide embroidered seam treatment was called for and the idea came from Pam Kellogg's new e-zine and how-to use waste canvas. I also used some fancy smancy pink and silver rick rack on the seam to the left of the center rose. To the right of the rose is just a simple feather stitch with beads. I hope my partner, Janet, enjoys stitching on this square.

AHA!!!!! My completed Spring block has come home and it is truly gorgeous. My partner, Debbie, did some really beautiful stitching for me. I am always inspired when my blocks come home .... new ideas, different threads, or color combinations. What a wonderful learning experience from this group of ladies.

A new project ..... I don't need a new project ..... BUT on a stitching friends blog (Mandy in UK) I saw her baby blanket project and found out she belongs to a knitting group that is working through Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac. I have been a fan of Elizabeth's since I began teaching knitting classes over 20 years ago using her KNITTING WORKSHOP book and video. But I digress ..... the Knitter's Almanac has a different project for each month of the year. Now I am not as fast a knitter as I used to be so will not be able to complete each project within a month as I once would have. But following the other's posts they don't always complete one project each month so I think I'll fit in quite easily. After seeing Mandy's project I went through some of my yarn stash and pulled out some odds and ends in shades of blue (I do a lot of charity knitting and crochet) and decided this would be a good way to eliminate some of my stash and make a nice project for someone's new baby. I pulled out my size 9 double pointed needles and my 16" and 24" size 9 circular needles and began. The first square is a light blue.

The second square is a medium blue.

Looking at the two side by side (so to speak) you can see a big difference in size. Both were done on the same needles but were two different brands of yarn. Also the degree of color makes a difference in the yarn make-up. After I knit up the remaining squares the odd size ones will again be placed on the circular needles and turned into hats. At least I think that will work .... I'm going to try.

BTW I've joined another group but I'll tell you about that next time.

Final Seasonal Square and CQ WISP

2008-04-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

SUMMER - the final square in the CQ4Newbies Season To Season share squares. This is the "nekkid" version and I have to embellish half before swapping. Some of the stitchers may think bright hot colors but my thoughts turned to the June bride and roses. I've used mostly silks with two cotton prints. The pink in the lower right hand corner is a piece of hand dyed vintage petticoat with moire underneath to emphasize where lace may be woven in the eyelet spaces. I did use a piece of counted cross-stitch on ecru ribband for one seam .... roses of course. Will try to do some seam stitching this week.

I think its time to share some of my stitching samples that I'm doing for my journal using Carole Samples Treasury of Crazy Quilt Stitches as I plan to use some of them on a cq wallhanging to be. The stitches were worked with #20 Anchor Cordonnet crochet thread on 18ct Aida and the fabric measures 4 x 6 inches.

I love working with big bold chintzes and they are really not that hard to stitch through. About three or four years ago a box of these beautiful fabrics came my way ..... many of them English chintzes selling up to $60 per yd. FREE fabrics ..... a case of being in the right place at the right time. But I digress ..... big prints call for big size squares. I can definately use an embroidery hoop here.

They are 18" squares and will be set in a traditional nine patch pattern. In other words a pieced square will be in each corner and one in the middle with alternating solid squares. These squares were pieced before I found online cq groups and so the embellishments are not worked in the proper order ..... seams first.... but then there are really no rules for cq and I'm just doing my own thing. This first square has a piece of my paternal grandmother's white crochet and a piece of my pink tatting. I'm mostly using #3 DMC perle cotton for seam treatments. Since beginning the stitching I've learned you should begin in the center and work out in doing the seams. Here again the "NO RULES" rule applies and I will probably continue "just doing my thing" LOL In the beige rectangle I've used EdMar Brazillian Embroidery threads in a free form design.

The white crocheted pansy in the middle here is another of my paternal grandmother's pieces. Some work on some seams but lots to do on this square.

For the tulip band here I used an iron-on transfer and some of the seams have been stitched using multiple strands of DMC floss. When I complete these squares I anticipate seeing great improvement in my seam treatments as well as anything else I choose to add to them.

As you can see, more than half of this square is one piece of fabric and I'm using my threads to highlight portions of the design. It is such a beautiful piece of fabric I just couldn't cut it up!

Although it really doesn't show up well on some parts I took a very old crocheted collar and just swirled it around and sewed it down. The collar had a break at one edge so I used a button flower to hide the break. The blue tulle button flower was received in a motif swap several years ago when I first found crazy quilting on quiltropolis. It was through the swaps there that I was introduced to ChainsOfHearts the first Yahoo group I joined and then I joined another group and from there I started exploring and have found the most wonderful and encouraging groups of crazy stitchers and embroiderers. There is so much to learn and the eye candy is mind boggling. Can't wait to see what I do next!

Back in the Dye Pots

2008-04-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

For some unknown reason this past week was one where I wanted to play with my dyes and of course since I mixed colors, not really paying attention to what I mixed, I'm just naming the results the way I see them LOL I started off the first pic with wrapping some of my DMC #30 white Cordonnet around an empty toilet paper roll and after soaking it I used the droppers with bright red and goldenrod dyes for a "new" butterfly tatting thread color. Now I have to wind the thread onto the plastic DMC floss holders. After I set that aside to dry I used the combination of bright red and golden rod for the rest of the pieces. I did use some olive to paint a bit on the basket and added more of the bright red with the paint brush. I'm not too happy with this basket and it does look better in "real" life. The fans look more peachy and I wish I had dyed some silk ribbon that color (sigh).

For this "roll" of crochet thread I used goldenrod and brown and I've started winding this on the floss holders. It dried to a beautiful honey color. Although the silk ribbon looks yellow here it is really a very light honey color. All of these items were white but as you can see they did not all dye with the same intensity. That is one of the things that amazes me when I play with the dyes. How can they all go in the same and come out different?????

I'm going to have to stop using so much red on the flower baskets LOL With the exception of the second lace from the top all of these items were white. The lace exception was ecru cluny cotton and the cluny laces take the dyes so differently from the other cotton laces. The flower on the bottom right was also painted with the goldenrod for an additional effect. With the exception of the two pieces in the bottom of this group I'm calling this color - sandy peach! It is a very lucious color!

Boy, did I have fun with this next group! First of all the top piece of lace went through multiple dye baths and I just wasn't happy with any of them so as a last resort I put it in with these pieces. It started out as an ecru lace, went through a green, a bluegreen, and another (forgot which one next) dye bath .... it is now a soft mauve and I've decided to leave it. Some things just don't work LOL The second lace is a nylon lace because it didn't want to take the dye at all but finally accepted enough to give a tint of color. Everything else did just fine. For the angel I did paint a touch of blue on her dress just so she wouldn't be a "plain jane".

In my last post I mentioned that some of the pieces that came out in the mint coloration I wasn't too happy with ..... well this next group were those pieces. With the exception of the peacock I added some olive to the green and redid them with very happy results. The peacock I left alone and just painted it.

I just can't seem to get away from green (sigh). All of these pieces went through the same dye bath but as you can see with varying results. Susan do you recognize these lace pieces? I am very, very happy with these results. Some of the pieces in these groups will definitely find their way onto my Season to Season Summer swap for the CQ4Newbies square for which I'm auditioning fabrics.

AHA! another piece of fabric thrown to the dye pots! Originally ecru Aida, it went through the lime green dye bath and then I painted some bright red and goldenrod for a tie-dyed concept. Not sure how I'm going to use this ..... probably some more stitches for my cq journal.

This completed square is a "homework" assignment. Not really, but that is what I'll call it. With the exception of the ribbon in the upper right corner, ALL the seam treatments are some of the "results" of my stitch journal and were taken fully from Carole Samples' Treasury of Crazy Quilt Stitches. I'm looking forward to learning more to add to other pieced squares.

Usually I begin my posts with tatting but this time I'll close with some more tatted butterflies. The thread I used here isPearl Crown Rayon from YLI and is a machine embroidery thread. It is really a tricky thread for tatting but the primary colors were what I was looking for. I purchased several different varigated color spools and have plans to use these threads also for embroidery on my cq squares.

I can't believe I posted two weeks running! Don't expect anything next week .... tat's all folks!!!!!!!!

Another Dyeing Day, etc.

2008-04-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

Before I go into my newest dyeing experience I think I'll share my latest tatting piece for my 25 motif Challenge for my HBT (Here-Be-Tatters) group. This isn't a doily that I particularly wished to make but my needle tatting student wanted to do this and as often is the case I generally work the pattern to help her understand the simplicity or complexity of the piece and also to see if there are any errors. This doily, known as Cherub Doily was designed by Ann Wilson who submitted two versions .... a Novice and a No Ends! I stitched mine with #20 Anchor crochet cotton in an antique rose color and used my shuttle instead of the needle.

Here are the results of my mauve coloration. The really lacy piece is nylon lace and quite frequently nylon laces do not take well to the dye baths but this piece is the softest mauve imaginable and is really luscious. On all my colorations I still have to smooth out and fold my silk ribbons.

Here in this blue bath one of the pieces is a flower basket that before it dried I did some painting. I like to do that quite often ..... add painting to some of my dyed pieces. This shade of blue reminds me of robin's eggs.

Because I have signed up to do the Season To Season - Summer block on my CQ4Newbies group I wanted some really bright light colored silk ribbons. So here is a beautiful bright light blue. Definately a lighter, brighter color than the previous blue. The almost white looking piece at the top is a piece of white Aida cloth that although it doesn't look it, is a really pretty bright blue. I will use it to embroider some "new" stitches as a practice piece for my Carole Samples stitching journal. One of these days I will blog my progress on that journal.

This is an aqua dye bath and you can see another "painted" and dyed basket of flowers here. Some of these flower basket motifs will be added to some of the flower basket blocks for the round robin on another of my groups (CrazyQuiltingSisters). Believe it or not all of the pieces were dyed at the same time even though the one piece of lace looks quite a bit darker. That is part of the fun of dyeing .... you never know how the pieces will turn out.

These pieces are a combination of blue and green .... I just kept adding blue to the green and this is what came out! The top piece of fabric was a natural color linen and the bottom piece was a natural color piece of Aida. Both (after pressing of course) will be used somewhere in my cq. The Aida for more "new" stitches or combinations of stitches for my journal.

AHA! The left half of this group was dyed first .... bright Spring green! From the peacock to the right side pieces were dyed in a watered down version. The peacock was then "painted" before it had a chance to dry. The right side pieces are the softest mint green you could possibly imagine. I think I have some lovely ribbon colorations for my STS Summer block.

These six four inch cq squares will be made into pincushions for the seniors bazzar sale in October. Although the way they are here they would make a nice sashed cq wall hanging don't you think?

I have some more tatting, dyeing and completed cq work but that will have to wait until next time.

More Dyeing Fun and a new Round Robin

2008-03-24T14:09:00.001-07:00

The first photo doesn't fit the dyeing bit nor the round robin but is something I'm doing with a couple of my cq friends. We're stitching a journal using Carole Samples' TREASURY OF CRAZY QUILT STITCHES and using her templates. We began with the basic straight stitch and all its variations. So for the past couple of months that is exactly what we did .... used the basic straight stitch with variations. Then we decided it was time to take a bit of a break and put those stitches to use. Thus we pieced a square and are to use what we've been learning on the seams of the square .... well, isn't that what crazy quilting is all about????? Different treatments on each seam???? Another time I may show some of my journal pages which are done on Aida cloth. I'm using some 14ct and mostly 18ct. I've also painted some of my Aida pieces. The photo is fuzzy and I really don't know how to correct it ..... maybe another time LOL At any rate since this square will go in a particular project I'm not limiting myself to seams alone. I have a silver spider web and my first beaded spider about in the center of the left side. On the row of uneven straight stitches I've used flower sequins and upside down heart shaped beads to represent "Spring in bloom!" I've also used beads in several other places. In one little space I've embroidered a flower (across the top) in the creamy looking triangle. I've used #8 and #5 perle cotton threads as well as Sassa Lynne threads .... no DMC floss at this time but I still have some stitching to do before this square is finished.

I really don't know why my photos are blurred because this Season to Season Spring block of Debbie's is absolutely gorgeous and I wish you could see it clearly. The Season to Season block is half stitched by the owner (Debbie) and the other half by a partner (me). I'm doing this with the crazyquilting4newbies group and I am having a blast learning with them. In the upper right corner is one of my dyed motifs that I felt carried out her Victorian Spring theme. On the opposite corner I added another of my dyed motifs as well as some of my tatting that was done using machine quilting thread in shaded purples. To develop the tatting as blooming flowers I stitched some greenery using #8 perle cotton and added a silver butterfly bead. You can't see them but there are beads on the tatting. On the left I stitched a "D" monogram using EdMar "Lola" in outline stitch and used the shaded purple machine quilting thread in chain stitch withing the monogram. The yellow flowers below the "D" were also stitched with "Lola" using detached daisy chain and silk ribbon french knot centers also in yellow.

A brand new round robin on another of my groups. This one is a Basket RR and I will make reference to this block a little later on. The first person that stitched on this block did a beautiful bouquet using silk ribbons and beads. She also stitched a silk ribbon bee which you can see at the top of her bouquet.

The week before Easter I decided to do some dyeing ...... but I didn't want to dye eggs LOL First of all I was experimenting with a portion of a tatting pattern sooooooooo I decided to dye a piece of that lace and since I was out of yellow silk ribbons (having just used all I had for Debbie's flower centers) I decided to start with yellow.

Now I got this pic out of order here but that is okay. Here are three flower baskets that I may use for the Basket RR .... well, at least one of them on the square mentioned above. These baskets were painted and they really do look nice in person.

Here is the result of my dyeing with yellow. The piece of tatting was dyed with all these at the same time. As you can see there are several degrees of yellow. The darkest being the silk ribbon. I hadn't really wanted my ribbon quite that dark ... the rest of the pieces I'm quite happy with. So, with the leftover yellow I will add a bit of water to soften the shade. In fact I may divide the leftover yellow and use water in one half and a bit of red in the other. Haven't decided completely at this time.

Okay, here I wanted some pink items and although it may not look like it all the items were dyed at the same time. Now, down in the right corner just below the dragonfly .... the teardrop was painted with a bit of yellow on the flower, but otherwise everything was done at one time. I did run one heart, several of the butterflies and one dragonfly through a second dye treatment just to see what I would get LOL I don't have a pink dye. It was a watered down red although I believe there was a drop of blue added in.

I really don't know what color this dragonfly and the silk ribbon are ..... hee, hee, I had a bit of leftover dye in a bottle and since I was just playing around decided to use it here. In real life it looks almost like a sofr greyish pink and at the moment I just might use it ... although it would be interesting to see what happens if I choose to change the color.

The last bit of dyeing for that particular day was blue! Again everything was dyed at the same time .... it really is interesting to see the difference in tone with some of the items. No extra dyeing ..... all at one time. When I first began my dyeing experiments it was suggested by the dye people as well as others to keep a notebook of what colors and porportions I used in case I wanted to repeat the color. Well, for awhile I did just that and then one time I forgot to write my "formula" down and decided to "go with the flow" and If I didn't like the results then over-dye or paint and see what happens! Who knows what I'll do when next the dyeing urge comes on!!!

Tatting and Round Robins

2008-03-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

My Bible story round robin has been framed! When my piece came back to me I thought seriously about what I wanted to add as I had sent it out nekkid. I had a shell necklace that had been given to me and I don't really wear necklaces so thought this would be a good one to take apart and use some of the shells. I added 5 shells at the "seaweed" in the lower right hand corner and I must say that trying to figure out how to add them posed a bit of a problem. As even my #12 quilting needle would not go through I decided to try some of my hubby's fishing line but couldn't remember where it was so I took a piece of my "SuperFloss" which worked beautifully. The only problem there was I had to unthread and rethread my needle each time I entered the fabric. Voila! Finished product and one happy camper!

Here is a piece of two-toned tatting that I've entered into my 25 motif challenge on my HBT group. I used #50 DMC Cordonet in both ecru (for the rings) and white (for the chains). Using these colors together gives a very rich look to the finished piece. This pattern is typically used for insertion but I plan on using it on my crazy quilting possibly as a seam embellishment but perhaps as a fabric enhancement instead. I'll play with it for a while before deciding.

One of my favorite butterfly patterns is shown two ways and is also entered in my 25 motif challenge. The original pattern calls for a bead or pearl for the center but I have made it also without the bead/pearl to show my beginner tatting students that a successful piece may be worked with as well as without beads. These butterflies were tatted with #30 crochet cotton.

My No.1 Son often comes across vintage threads as he shops for me on e-bay and the mauve butterfly was stitched with Belding Bros. & Co. Special Twist Tatting Silk ...... a dream of a thread to work with. The finished butterfly is about 3/4" minus antennae. It almost gets lost between the fingers.

A swap going on in my CQ4Newbies group is the Food Fight and my block - Grandma's Pumpkin Pie - is finished ready to be mailed this week. Some of the seam embellishments and fabric stitchings don't really show up here and you can barely see my tatted pumpkins but it does look nice "in the flesh". I used several ideas from Carole Samples' Treasury Of Crazy Quilt Stitches. I'm really getting into that book more and more.

I'm doing a round robin with a few special friends that are not into crazy quilting. It is a band sampler round robin. Although the exquisiteness (is that a word?) of the band doesn't really show here I found it pure pleasure to stitch my bit.

It is hard to tell exactly what I stitched but I started with a row of back stitch and then two rows of herringbone with a squared Palestrina Knot within the formed diamond area and finished the band with another row of backstitch. The middle row used a long arm insertion stitch which I reduced so that the star shape would be more pronounced and stitched this band with Wildflowers 'Sunset'. The top band is a modified version of one of the patterns found in Carole Samples book. I was having so much fun with this sampler that I didn't want to stop and hope my Aussie friend Christine likes what I added.

After finishing the Bible round robin I jumped right in onto another round robin with that group. This one is a basket rr and the owner put a crocheted basket in the center, so I added a couple of flowers figuring the rest of the group would like to add some to that basket. I also added a tatted basket of flowers on the gold fabric. For the black segment I buttonhole stitched around the imprinted flowers, added outline stems , some butterfly charms and sent it on its way.

The very first Yahoo group I joined was the Crazy Quilting Hearts group and I have not made hearts to swap for quite a few months ..... really not since my hubby's death .... but felt the urge to get back to that wonderfully supportive group. I don't usually post the hearts on my blog but because a couple of them included tatting I decided to share the photos. And also more of Carole Samples seam treatments.

My focus here, besides the tatting is a counted cross-stitch violet, buds and greenery. I also dyed the fan and used more of Carole's seam treatments.

Some more tatting here and the medallion is from Carole's book.

New Work in Progress

2008-02-24T19:59:00.000-08:00

There is another photo I had planned to post but for some reason it didn't want to show its face so I'll have to wait until another time .... a new round robin I'm in. For now the first photo is a possible beginning for my Food Fight block. On the CQ4Newbies there is a new swap up that deals with making a block that represents your favorite receipe (which has to be included when the block is mailed). Well, it has been years since I've been able to do any cooking so I reached back into my files of favorites and decided to make a "Grandma's Punkin Pie" block!

The nekkid block. And below are some tatted pumpkins tee hee ..... they really look weird with the thread tails but those tails will be used to attach the pumpkins to the block ...... I haven't decided where they will go but most of my embellishments are completed. You'll have to wait to see them though.

Here is another piece of tatting that I did using machine embroidery thread in shaded purples. No it is not for my pumpkin pie but will go somewhere on a cq block as a seam treatment.

One sweet lady on one of my groups asked if I would tat her some butterflies to use on her cq blocks .... so I've been experimenting with different sizes of threads. For instance the four varigated butterflies on the left are done with knit-cro sheen and the white one on the left is worked with speed-cro-sheen. All the butterflies in the center were also done with knit-cro sheen. On the right the second from the top has gold beads but they don't show up. The teeny tiny butterfly on the bottom is worked with #70 tatting thread and all the pink ones were done with #20 crochet cotton. All the butterflies except the one with beads were made from the same basic pattern with variations.

We haven't had much snow this winter .... really very little .... so I pulled out an old quilted piece that I did about 12 years ago so I could have a little snow to look at and decided to share it with you .... now I know some of you have had more snow than you really wanted and even though I don't drive in it I still enjoy watching the snow fall and my winter snow scene is the closest I've come for this winter.

Now I promised a pic of Kim's Bible scene with my tatted clouds. For some reason the photo is not very clear. but besides tatted clouds I added a frog on a lily pad and some cattails in the pond as well as some rocks near the rabbit in the lower left corner.

Oops! It is past my bedtime so guess I'll say "nighty-night"!

Round Robin, Shuttles and Tatting

2008-01-20T15:58:00.000-08:00

Last week I really didn't have anything to say or post but I think I'll make up for it this week LOL The first photo is from the Bible Round Robin with the Christian group I'm in and I just received it this past week so have not yet put any stitching on although I have several ideas and one I will share. You cannot see the Bible verse stitched across the top which comes from Psalm 96:12 and says "Let the fields be jubilant. and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes." I wish the photo showed the gorgeous stitching by the others in the group. One of the things I want to add are some clouds in the sky ..... I just love looking at clouds and I think this piece needs a few. Okay, that is all I'll say about this piece now but I'll show you when it is finished.

The idea for the round robin was to illustrate either a favorite verse (or verses) or favorite Bible story. I chose an Old Testament story that the women of our church are studying this year - Jonah and the big fish!
This week brought home my square and it is absolutely gorgeous!!!!! Kim added the gold and aqua fish, the featherstitch seaweed, the sand dollar charm and the blanketstitch blue flower seam treatment. In the upper right corner Sonia added some shells that were brought to her from Hawaii and added her twist to some of the traditional stitches. Jill added some fish, fiber seaweed, lots of beads for shells as well as some beaded SRE plants. Lindy, in Australia, added a nice "big" crocheted fish in the center and some starfish, beads and lace for plants. Now when I sent it out I sent it out nekkid so I want to add a few touches of my own. Under my square is a seashell necklace that was given to me several years ago and I will take it apart to put some of those shells on my square. I will then mat and frame it to hang at home AFTER first taking it and sharing it with the womens circles at church.

Oops! I left out the photo of the Season to Season Spring Swap block I'm working on ..... well, that's okay since I haven't finished my half. Will show that another time LOL

On the HBT group I'm working on 25 motifs to be tatted in a years time and at the same time I'm trying new threads. You know how for certain techniques you have certain threads you prefer to use. Well, this bookmark (motif #12) is a pattern I usually use for my beginners as an easy project so I decided it would be an easy project for a new thread I had ordered. The thread is a hand-dyed #20 cotton and was purchased from Yarnplayer Arts (yarnplayer.etsy.com) one of the members of the HBT group. It is a wonderful yarn to tat with and I'm also going to do some embroidery with it as well. I must tell you I have two new tatting students. One of them is 11 years old, a home schooled student, who is using tatting as part of her art class. Her grandmother is learning right along with her. They are really excited about learning.

This is another of my 25 motif pieces. It is #13 and my attempt at tatting a "cloud" to use on the nature round robin I showed at the beginning of this post. I need to modify the design just a little and make a couple more clouds. I'm using a size 50 thread as I didn't want anything too heavy nor too light.

I just received a couple of new tatting books and in the first one I saw this pattern called "crooked mile" and right away I thought it too would make some good clouds for the round robin. It is a very easy beginner piece using only one shuttle ... you just have to watch how you space the rings LOL

One of the recent topics on the HBT list talked about tatting hankie edgings so I thought I'd show one I did quite a few years ago. The thread used is a #70 tatting cotton in shaded greens .... if I had participated in the CQ4Newbies green color study rr I could have used some of this thread there but alas I didn't want to spread myself too thin as I am currently in two rr's although the Bible one is finishing up. This is one of those linen hankies that has the holes around the edge to attach edgings so I just tatted around the edge without having to sew on the edging.

Here are a couple of older pieces .... a tiny doily and a collar. The thread for these is a #30 DMC. Believe it or not the collar is a combination of techniques. The center of the collar is crocheted with tatting on both the inside and outside edges.

Two views of a rare three sided antique tatting shuttle. The top photo shows the side view wherein the bobbin, which is shaped like a sewing thread spool and is inserted in a case much like a sewing machine case for a bobbin. In other words you can only see a portion of the bobbin. Looking at the top you can read the name of this shuttle - "Detach-A-Bobbin" PAT. APPLD. FOR

Here are a few of the shuttles I tat with as well as some I use for demonstration. The three red shuttles at the bottom are Boye and the first ones I bought .... I don't use them unless I have to. The blue shuttle is a TATSY and I use it to demonstrate when I have a large class. I use a #3 perle cotton on that shuttle so my students can see how to make the stitch. I still haven't found all my shuttles as I have another that goes with the three colored shuttles. I also have three more of the cream Clover shuttles and between the Clover and Boye is a tortoise Clover and I've misplaced the mate to that one. To the left of the TATSY are two special shuttles. The one on top is antique and made of bone. Just below that one is a brand new Cluny tatting shuttle. I haven't tried Cluny tatting yet but hope to sometime this year. As to the shuttles on the white background - well, the small one is black plastic with white plastic on the inside and is supposed to come from France and with its own tiny crochet hook. When I bought it from the antique dealer he said the hook was not with the shuttle when he purchased it along with several others from an estate. The next black shuttle which is wound with #3 perle cotton came in a tatting kit. About 15 years ago one of my sisters-in-law had purchased a tatting kit hoping her mother would tat the 3 dimensional snowflake patterns for her. Well, the kit came to me instead and my sister-in-law said I could have the shuttle if I would tat each of her three children one of the 3 dimensional snowflakes. I was glad to get another shuttle for my collection and I had enough thread in the kit to tat three of each of the three patterns ..... I got all the other snowflakes as well as the shuttle LOL The last wooden shuttle is known as a Lael Morgan Shuttle and is made similar to a weaving shuttle. It, too, came in a kit that was given to me. Oh, the ball of thread is attached to the bright pink shuttle for a "continuous tatting" piece I'm about to start (sometime this year LOL).

Ack! I was tagged!

2008-01-06T14:53:00.000-08:00

I've been tagged by Candi for the You Make My Day Award. Thank you Candi, I feel very honored.

The Rules are to "Give up to 10 people whose blog brings you happiness & inspiration and makes you feel happy about Blogland." Beware! You may get the Award several times! Let them know by posting a note on their blog so they can pass it on. Here is my list of Blogs that make me happy and make my day!

It was very hard to stop at 10 and I kinda drew the names out of the hat, so to speak. Thus, in no special order:

Julia	Wilma	Maureen B
Thelma	Catherine	Gerry
Susan	Rose Anne	Melissa
Ati

I had LOTS of help with this so don't ask how I did it because I didn't do it!!!

A New Year and some Tatting Shuttle Tales

2008-01-04T13:18:00.000-08:00

The year 2008 is not off to a bang of a start with lots of quilting sane or crazy LOL Instead I've chosen a completed WIP to begin the year with .... a denim bag with embroidery. On my CQ4Newbies group a recent discussion developed on how hard or easy was it to embroider on denim and what kind of patterns would you use. Although the discussion was aimed mainly at children's denim wear I decided to post the pic of the bag I had finished. This happened to be a DMC "Denim Bag" kit that was on sale at Michael's and included all the materials needed ..... the finished bag with the pattern marked, two different color skeins of DMC #5 perle cotton and a #22 chenille needle. Diagrams and instructions for the stitches were also included. I must say that this weight denim is not the easiest to stitch on and had to resort to using my thimble. Now the only times I really use a thimble is when I am actually quilting, doing handwork on garments (hems, buttons, etc.) and embroidering on denim! BTW the two stitches on the bag were: pumpkin color - stem stitch and green - running stitch. Suggested patterns for denim embroidery - very simple and use basic stitches such as stem, running and lazy daisy.

Also with the CQ4Newbies group I'm working on a "Season to Season" block and my partner for the winter block was Ati. The one guideline she suggested was to "think snow" ..... therefore most of what I added does not show up here as I used lots of tatting, and clear beads. I'd not used a monogram before so thought I'd better not get to complicated with that and used a wintery looking Wildflowers by Caron for that bit. I also used some blue/aqua beads on one seam and a bit of beige silk ribbon with pale pink and clear beads on another seam. In the center I stitched some snowflake patterns and used some purple beads. For the longest time I could not get anything to work in the upper left corner and I had some #16 Krenik blue metallic braid that kept calling "use me". So finally, one morning when the wind chill factor said 5F. and the wind was howling, the braid became whirling winter wind and was couched with a single strand of pale blue YLI silk thread. Hee, hee, you can't see it because it was added after the photo was taken so only when it shows up on the CQ4Newbies StS winter swap album will it be seen by anyone other than Ati.

The HBT group has recently been sharing pics of their shuttles and so I thought I'd share some of mine and include some "tales" about some of them. Now in a previous post I showed the shuttle that had been given me by my grandmother ..... well, that was the start of my shuttle collection. So how do I describe some of these shuttles ..... the two on the left that look different from the rest are made from buffalo horn and the design was "invented" by Lady Katharin L. Hoare, lady-in-waiting to the Queen of Roumania during the WWI time frame. Lady Katharin designed this shape for her mother who had become blind and was finding her traditional shuttle most difficult to use.

The top shuttle on the left is in very delicate condition as it is made of tortoise shell which is on the endangered list. It is the only shuttle in my collection that I have not used and will not use due to its condition. Directly under the tortoise shell is my ebony shuttle. Directly under the buffalo horn shuttles is one made of Gutta Purcha (from the rubber trees in the Phillipines), the same material that was used in making framing material in 1898. Of the remaining two in this group, one is celluloid and the other is a highly polished wood.

The next group of shuttleswith the exception of the tiny wooden one at the bottom left were all hand made especially for me. The tiny one is an unpolished hand made child's shuttle that I purchased at an antique show. The hand made shuttles were made by a young lady living in Washington State who learned how to make them from her grandfather. After he could no longer work with the wood she took over and used the monies earned for college spending funds. Beginning on the left side reading from top to bottom the shuttles are made from: Black Walnut, Maple, Zebra wood (tropical America), and Holly. I'm using the holly shuttle with some #70 shaded yellow/brown Star thread that I purchased when it cost 19 cents a ball so you know how long I've had that thread!

The shuttles on the right hand side are made from: Hawaiian Koa, Vermillion (a hardwood from the Andaman Islands off the southern tip of Burma in the Sea of Bengal). Note: I believe that Burma is now known as Sri Lanka (???) The next shuttle is made of Cocobolo, another tropical American hardwood that is only sold by the pound. The final shuttle of this group is made of Bubinga, a hard heavy wood found in western Africa. It is a wood widely used in archery bows.

Now one of the shuttles in this photo is not a tatting shuttle .... it is a weaving shuttle, but I have often wondered how it would do to tat with! Let's look at the left side first - the top shuttle is made from Purple Heart, a hardwood found in British Guiana, below that is another ebony shuttle then the weaving shuttle and the last one in that row is made of Rosewood. The weaving shuttle and the rosewood one were purchased at an antique show. All the right hand side shuttles were again made to order - Oak, Myrtle ( this wood grows only in southwest Oregon and Palestine), Olive wood (from southern Europe and not readily available), Ziracote (an expensive hardwood from Central America and the West Indies), and the last in photo is made from Teak (a hardwood from southeast Asia, said to be acid and pest resistant - the sailing and clipper ships were made of teak).

Most of these shuttles were purchased at antique shows while I was still working .... I "retired" in 1996 for health reasons - my job as a "Special Education Teacher's Aide" proved to be too stressful for me after 11 years. Again, starting on the left at the top - the first shuttle is brass and is engraved on both sides. When I purchased it it was totally unusable ..... the tip had been bent up in a 45 degree angle. At the suggestion of my hubby, who said brass is a soft metal, I used one of his cigarette lighters and a small needlenose pliers ... repeatedly heating and gently bending until the point was at last in its proper position. This is one of my favorite shuttles. The second shuttle is a small shuttle possibly made of German silver and is engraved only on one side, next is my sterling silver one and is engraved on both sides. My abalone and mother of pearl shuttles complete the row.

On the right hand side the first shuttle was a gift from a former member of our church who said it was made for her mother and it is definitely handmade .... I believe the material is aluminum as it is very light weight and the post is made of wood or possibly gutta purcha. The next shuttle is a "BOYE" IMPROVED
Pat. applied 7.'23 MORE THREAD-LESS KNOTS and has a removeable bobbin. The next shuttle has no markings of any kind anywhere on it but came in a "package deal" with two of my antique shuttles. The next shuttle was one of two owned by my MIL and is a Susan Bates .... it was broken and I repaired it with some fine wire. My niece was given the "good" shuttle which she still uses. The last shuttle is a scrimshaw shuttle that I purchased from LACIS, a speciality needlework shop located in California. I still have more shuttles but they will wait for another time.

TAST Challenge Completed and more

2007-12-26T18:26:00.000-08:00

At last I can post the final TAST Challenge stitches. They have been completed about a week but this is the first opportunity that my son could photograph my latest stitcheries (is that a word?) At any rate, week 51 was the Chained Bar and I used 14ct Aida for my fabric choice. The top sample foundation is three rows of DMC #3 perle cotton in a pale green and the Chained Bar was worked with DMC #5 perle in a gold. The bottom sample has a six row foundation again in the pale green with the chain worked in DMC #8 blue. A very interesting stitch.

For week 52 I decided to use up a couple of odds and ends in fabric for the Spanish Feather Stitch or sometimes known as Spanish Knotted Feather Stitch. The first sample worked on blue #14 Aida with DMC #5 deep burgandy is not stitched correctly as to me it looks more like a rope ladder .... but I found it very interesting to stitch. The second sample is stitched on my favorite fabric throughout this challenge year .... 18ct Aida. I used DMC #8 perle and just totally relaxed with it not trying for any particular design or rhythm. A truly fun stitch. My stitch journal is bursting at the seam with all the wonderful ideas that have developed from this challenge year. Thank you Sharon of inaminuteago for a year of fun and hard work. Some of the stitches proved to be difficult but I managed to do all of them.

Back in September of this year I purchased some vintage silk threads at an antique mall and on the HBT tatting list I belong to quite a few members have turned out some absolutely gorgeous pieces tatted with silk thread. So I decided to give it a try. An open skein had been wound onto one of the larger old wooden spools so that was the thread I used. Although the color might not look it in the photo it is a gorgeous amber. The little piece at the top is one of my favorites as an earring pattern but since I'm working on a 25 motif challenge with this group I figured I needed something a little bigger so I picked up one of my favorite books Tatting Patterns and Designs by Blomqvist and Persson and chose one of the "star" patterns ..... I think it looks more like a snowflake than a star but then I didn't design it LOL The middle pattern is not according to the directions ..... what I did was look at the picture, then read the directions once and started. Oh, my, I forgot to keep checking the directions and when I finally decided it was time to check the pattern .... well, it wasn't coming out quite like it should so I stopped and decided that somewhere it will fit into a bit of crazy quilting. The bottom motif is the one being submitted as #11 of my 25 motifs so I'm almost halfway.

A recent discussion on the Here-Be-Tatters group has involved a shuttle called the "pumpkin seed" shuttle. I had never heard this term but the description fit the one that my grandmother had given me. There are two antique celluloid shuttles in the photo above and the top shuttle is the one known as the pumpkin seed shuttle. It was purchased by my grandmother prior to my mother's birth in 1913. It is not the oldest shuttle I have but it is the first of my antique collection and I do use it. As you can see the lower shuttle is thinner and longer and I purchased it from an antique dealer and I am working a project with that one. The only one of my antique or otherwise shuttles that I do not use is a tortoise shell one that is very fragile.

A few years back I became interested in Enterlac knitting .... it looks like weaving using two colors. So I knitted me a "Christmas" cap. Okay, it has three colors, but only two are used in the weaving LOL Everyone loves my "Christmas" cap and always ask where I bought it .... they seem genuinely surprised when I tell them I knitted it.

This was supposed to be a year in which to finish WISPs (works in slow progress) but because I took several classes from Sharon B as well as the TAST Challenge I really didn't get many of my WISPs finished. This is one I did just complete. I used the eyelash yarn, single strand on a #6 circular needle and knitted me a very soft scarf. Have already started on another WISP.

My last post for 2007 ....... HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR 2008!

TAST, Class & Some Christmas "stuff"

2007-12-17T06:14:00.000-08:00

Only two more weeks of what has been a most fun and educational year for me - the TAST Challenge!!!!! Of course there were a couple of stitches that presented a real challenge, but most of the stitches were delightful to work .... like this Berry Stitch! Again I stitched on 18ct Aida and the example on the left is worked with DMC #5 perle cotton and the sample on the right was worked with two shades of 4mm ribbon and I added a bead for the center. The stitch is easier to see in the perle cotton but I did enjoy working it with the ribbon. Maybe next time I'll use two different sizes of ribbon ...... narrow for the inner portion and wider for the outer portion ...... I don't know if it will work but it might be worth a try. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained LOL

Ahhhh, I really hate to have the encrusted class end as I've learned sooooo much and have been very challenged. Several years ago when I first became involved in crazy quilt stitching my only reference point was a quilt made by my hubby's grandmother. The seams were embroidered with wool, as well as any solid pieces ....... flowers and other items found on the farm - a rooster, for instance. So adding beads, buttons, charms, etc. has been a very slow process for me. The one corner I had trouble with on this square (the upper right) I finally decided needed some of my tatting ..... so I tatted one of my favorite earring patterns in a #30 thread ..... I made three of the pieces and added oat beads (which I'd not used before) and tiny amber glass beads, and a silver angel head charm. But where I placed these items left a bit more "space" than I wanted. I searched my collection of tiny flowers and found one that encorporated the softer colors that would not take away from the tatting but yet fill the space. In my button/bead trail I used TAST week 49's pistil stitch as I felt the area needed a little greenery and I didn't want leaves LOL In the center piece I added a hummingbird charm which I thought gave a completeness to that area. In the area of shaded ribbon roses I auditioned several gold charms - butterflies and dragonflies - but didn't like the result, so instead, I added dark purple seed beads to the "seam" embellishment just below. I probably could add some beads within the purple chevron stitch area of that embellishment but for now I'm leaving that area alone. In the lower right hand corner I did add some green "grass" and a gold butterfly charm which I think "completed" that area. On the whole, I am very satisfied with the end results. Thank you Sharon Boggin (inaminuteago) for making such a wonderful class available. I will be learning for many years to come!!!!!!!!

Last week I told about receiving a very precious Christmas card from a special friend in Pennsylvania (KTJ). For some reason the gold beads are not showing up to outline the beautifully stitched monogram in the left hand corner. I have always wanted a Christmas sweater (just haven't knitted me one yet) and the way the design shows up (at least to me) I have a very lovely "sweater". Katie may have meant this to be a warm flannel nightgown for the cold winter nights here ...... see how my imagination runs tee hee! I am enjoying looking at and studying my lovely postcard. Thanks sweetie!

Aha! At last I've finished the purple and pink knitted ripple afghan for my youngest granddaughter for Christmas. It was the only gift I made this year. She will be 7 years old on Dec. 28th and several months ago she mentioned she would like a purple and pink afghan. It took several weeks of looking before I finally found enough "same dye lot" skeins. It is larger than it appears as I just draped the afghan on the recliner in order to get a presentable photo.

TAST, Class and More

2007-12-11T17:55:00.000-08:00

I'm a little behind in updating my blog for this week but better late than not at all LOL. Anyway, the TAST Challenge is winding down and I will miss the stitch challenges of each week that have been so capably led by Sharon B. of inaminuteago. These two samples illustrate the Pistil Stitch which is the stitch for week 49. The top example is stitched on 14ct. Aida using #3 DMC perle cotton as just random stitches. Then I stitched a blue flower and added gold #5 DMC perle using Colonial Knots for the center.
The bottom example is stitched on 18ct. Aida using #5 DMC perle cotton as stamens for button flowers. The stems and leaves were also stitched with #5 perle cotton using Outline and Detached Chain stitches.

The Encrusted Class of Sharon B's that I'm taking has really added much to my crazy quilting. For this lesson we were given guidelines on adding beads, sequins, buttons, charms, etc. Up to this lesson I've used very few buttons, or sequins and just slightly more beads. So I decided I really wanted a "button trail" and since Sharon suggested buttons and beads could be used effectively together I did just that. I think I still want to add something else in that fabric section. There is a "vine" of "stem stitch-ribbon roses" near the top that also needs some more work. This is the first time I've stitched the "stem stitch-ribbon roses" and I found them delightfully easy to make using 2mm shaded silk ribbon. I also used 2mm green silk ribbon as straight stitch greenery. The upper right corner is still empty of embellishment and I still have another lesson in this class although I may just fill that corner before the last lesson comes my way. There is so much information in Sharon's classes and I highly recommend them. I also learn from others in the classes. Every time I try something Sharon suggests other ideas pop into my mind ...... I think that is one of the purposes of her classes .... to inspire as well as to encourage.

Here is another square to illustrate favorite Bible verses or stories from the Round Robin that I'm participating in through the CrazyQuiltingSisters Yahoo group. You may not be able to see it very clearly but in the lower right hand corner I embroidered a butterfly and added beads to the upper wings. Then in the section above the tatted border (added by another stitcher in the group) I did a combination of chain stitches between two rows of buttonhole stitches. I liked the band so well using some Sassa Lynne threads that I did a second band the same and then added a simple lazy daisy flower with it. This completely filled that piece of fabric. Before taking Sharon's Encrusted Class I wouldn't have put all that on that piece of fabric .... and I do like the end result .... sure hope the owner of this block likes it as well. I did two additional seams on this block .... all worked on the right hand side of the block.

It has been my habit each year (for the past 50 years) to add at least one new hand stitched ornament to our Christmas tree. I wasn't sure I wanted to continue that tradition since this will be the first Christmas without my sweet hubby, but since he always bragged on my tatting I decided to continue. In an earlier post I showed two red ornaments .... one is on the tree and the other was sent to a special friend. As I will not hang our stockings this year I decided to tat a stocking ornament and it is on the tree. I hung it after the photo of the tree was taken so it won't show up on the tree.

This is the photo of this year's tree and with the exception of three ornaments (excluding the candy canes) everything is hand made. I still have about 100 of my hand made ornamaents that I didn't put on the tree.
The three exceptions are at the top. The family heirloom (from hubby's family) Victorian Santa, a dove from the floral arrangement given by Bill's sisters for the funeral and a gold violin. Hubby played both violin and viola and the violin ornament was purchased some years before his illness and became one of his favorite ornaments. Some of the stitched techniques include needlepoint, tatting, petite point, shadow quilting, pulled thread, Hardanger, smocking, blackwork, Assisi work, bagello, knitting, crochet, traditional quilting and of course crazy quilting. I guess that will do for this week ..... talk to you later.

One more thing .... yesterday I received a very special hand made Christmas card from KTJ in Pennsylvania. I'll show it to you next week. Have a wonderful week everyone!

TAST, Templates & Encrusted Class #3

2007-12-03T14:32:00.000-08:00

The TAST (Take A Stitch Tuesday) Challenge is drawing to a close and I must say I have enjoyed the challenge and learned many new stitches. Sharon (inaminuteago) has issued a new challenge for 2008 which will take this year's challenge even further. I know it will be an interesting challenge but I have decided, at least at this time, not to follow through. I still have time to change my mind. TAST stitch for week 48 was the Knotted Cable Chain Stitch which I enjoyed working. My samples were stitched with Caron Watercolors on 18ct. Aida. I decided to expand a little and work a Buttonhole with the Knotted Cable Chain which I think looks really nice.

A few of my cq stitching buddies and I own Carole Samples crazy quilting templates. They are a really big help in spacing and designing combination stitches but I came across several templates among my hubby's things that are also a very big help in spacing and designing. The left most template in the photo above doesn't really show its capabilities but I used one of the circle templates for my Buttonhole Wheel Flowers in doing my third lesson for my encrusted class led by Sharon B.

I still have some open spaces on this square and part of those areas will include beads and buttons. I'm still in the planning stages there as those portions of this class have yet to be covered by Sharon and I'm trying to hold off using those items until they are presented. I haven't used too many styles of beads yet, mostly seed beads and I really want to try some different ones on this square. I'm also looking for inspiration on using shank buttons .... I have used two and four hole buttons with some success but want to learn more. I'm really trying to follow the teacher's instructions in these classes. I did add a dragonfly that I had dyed in one part of this square and am thinking of some possible charms. One thing I've learned in this class is to relax more and just go with the flow of what "speaks" to me. I did work a spider-web rose in the upper right hand corner but didn't like it so I took it out. I'm thinking of putting a spiderweb in that space although there is another type of rose that I haven't yet tried which might possibly fit better. I might just do some tiny roses along with the spiderweb. Any ideas anyone?

TAST, Class and Misc.

2007-11-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

My first week's assignment for the encrusted class is complete. Last week I posted my naked block and this week I have embroidered all the seams. Some of the seams have less on them than others as I've planned to add beads in various places. The other naked block has yet to have any stitching as this one is really a practice piece to learn how to expand and develop seams and all the other goodies needed for a fully embellished square. For the threads I've used #8 and #5 perle cottons, overdyed floss, silk ribbon and silk cord. The white flowers are silk ribbon and the pink flowers are the silk cord. Both flowers were formed using colonial knots. This week I am to add motifs.

In order to get the hang of the Chain Braid Stitch for TAST week 46 I took a hint from Sharon's encrusted class about a sampler and pulled out a piece of Salem cloth that I was trying a little bit of designing on. I pulled two threads and began working the stitch. It was really a very tricky stitch and my results are quite uneven but I do believe I have the jist of what the stitch is supposed to look like. The Salem cloth is a 28ct. linen and I used #5 DMC perle to work the stitch. I'm not sure I'll use this stitch.

Oh, boy! TAST week 47 - the Thorn Stitch was a humdinger of a fun stitch. In fact I had to make two samples. The first one is worked on 14ct. Aida and two shades of green #5 DMC perle cotton and I "decorated" the left hand tree with a gold star and red balls to resemble a Christmas tree. I should have made the star a little larger but I used #8 yellow DMC perle and the ornaments were French Knots stitched with #3 DMC perle. The lower sample was stitched on 24ct. linen with #16 perle to give the look of fern leaves. This is a definite "to do" stitch!

The other week I went on a day trip with some of the seniors to a little Mennonite community. There were three stores we visited; a cheese shop (lots more than cheeses), a bread shop and an antique shop. I didn't purchase any cheese but did purchase some dried sunflower seeds and some dried pineapple pieces. In the bread shop ... which smelled heavenly .... I purchased a loaf of whole wheat bread and in the antique shop I spotted a bobbin lace doily for $1.75 that will be a wonderful motif addition to my cq vest now that I'm getting ready to embroider the seams.

Seeing the pleasure I receive from my stitching, my eldest son has decided he wanted to try his hand again .... the boys all learned basic embroidery skills on a sampler begun by their father at his mother's knee. So #1 son is stitching some Christmas presents and I wanted to show off some of his work.
This is his description:
The intent was to make a "vine" without any leaves or flowers, yet have the appearance of a fall "flower". The hardest part was that the shirt material is a fairly loose cotton. I started with a dark hunter green linen thread for the center and used a stem stitch. This was followed by a double strand medium brown cotton embroidery thread, satin-stitched to outline the green. I continued with a single strand cotton pink running stitch and finished with a medium gold double strand cotton in a satin stitch.

Didn't he do a nice job? Somewhere in my cedar chest is the stamped sampler my hubby and sons stitched as children. I don't think the sampler was ever finished but next year I may try to locate it and frame it "as is"!

TAST, Snowflakes and more

2007-11-18T14:53:00.001-08:00

I missed posting last week due to the death of my brother-in-law so I have some catch-up to do. The first thing I want to share this week is my latest TAST challenge stitch which is for week 45 and is the Pekinese Stitch. This was a new stitch for me but I enjoyed it very much as it really was not difficult for me. I used 18ct. Aida and my first segment is found on the right hand side at the top. I worked a single backstitch foundation row using Anchor #20 crochet cotton in a bright blue with the interlacing stitch worked in DMC #5 soft lime green perle cotton. Just under that is a double backstitch foundation again using the bright blue #20 crochet thread. This time the interlacing is done with a gold DMC #5 perle cotton. Directly under that is a grouping of three rows of double backstitch, a space and another three rows of double backstitch all worked in DMC #8 deep red perle cotton. The interlaceing doesn't show up well in the pic as it is a #12 orange perle cotton. Then I used a DMC #5 dark gold perle cotton for the woven portion. On the left side I tried a "little" bit of movement in single rows of backstitch using DMC #5 purple perle cotton and the interlacing rows were DMC #5 color wine. My last sample was totally using Sassa Lynne overdyed perle cotton color Serendipity. I worked a single row backstitch, interlacing, skipped a row and stitched a single row of running stitch, skipped a row, then another single row backstitch with interlacing. I have really had so much fun learning many new stitches with only a couple giving me some problems. Life also gives us problems and it is how we handle them that make us strong and with that in mind I have managed to complete all the stitches I've attempted that caused me problems.

Many of my friends have already completed Sharon B's Encrusted class so I decided to try that one .... I seem to be a glutton for learning. This last week we were to sew our square to be embellished. I don't often sew lace on as I piece the square but I do have a piece of my hand-dyed lace to go on my original square. There were several things I learned in the first lesson and I'm trying to carry out the instructions given to us. For instance, it was suggested to draw our colors from a "focus fabric" ....... I had never thought about the term "focus fabric" as I just generally picked up fabric pieces one at a time until I found the combination I liked. Although the center piece was my original focus fabric, as I began adding other pieces I think the flower print in the lower left corner could well be the focus. At any rate these are my favorite colors.

Then I thought I really need to work with some different colors ..... not necessarily colors I'm comfortable with. Soooooo I decided to piece a second square and again the center piece is my focus fabric. I think I did real well with these colors although what looks like a dark red in the lower right is really a soft rust silk from an old blouse ..... hey, I'm learning to recycle fabric LOL One of the things that Sharon told us in that first lesson was that you could break up a long line with a piece of lace. I found just the perfect piece of cluny lace that I had dyed back in the summer when I began experimenting with the Ozecraft dyes. Lesson #1 is complete. Now on to lesson #2 which is printed out and I've started reading.

Somewhere along the line between other things I do I'm working on my 25 motif challenge for my tatting group (HBT - Here-Be-Tatters) and here are my latest pieces. Ooops! the pics are in the wrong order. Oh, well, no need to swap them now! The first piece I did was the large medallion. For the past 50 years I have made new ornaments for our Christmas tree and with this being the first Christmas since the death of my hubby I wasn't sure I even wanted to continue that tradition. But he was so proud of my tatting and bragged to everyone who would listen about how his mom had taught me how to tat ..... so this red "snowflake" is for him. It took almost two loaded shuttles to complete and since there was some thread left over I did the smaller "snowflake". For these I used DMC Cebelia #20.

Generally each fall the local senior center, where I teach, holds a bazzar and I usually have some of my needleworks for sale. The next two pics show some of the crocheted snowflakes I was preparing for that sale. The sale was held on the day of my brother-in-law's funeral so I did not participate. I have a good start on next year's items unless I sell them beforehand or use them on my own tree.

Remember to take time this Thanksgiving and be truly thankful for all your blessings. Until next we meet Peace and Blessings to you all.

Two weeks of TAST and latest lace dyeing

2007-11-05T14:17:00.000-08:00

After three tries I finally got this photo in the right place LOL This is TAST (TakeAStitchTuesday Challenge) week 43 and the stitch of the week is the Drizzle Stitch. A totally new stitch for me that I will be using when I get around to doing Brazilian Embroidery as this is a very dimensional stitch. I really had fun with it and found out how important it was to have a pin cushion handy to hold the needle while wrapping. For this stitch I used 18ct Aida and the Drizzle Stitch flower and buds were stitched with #12 perle cotton and I added Colonial Knots in #8 perle for the center of the flower. The main stem and bud stems as well as the detached Lazy Daisy leaves were stitched with two strands of DMC floss. The right uppermost single Drizzle Stitch flower was worked with #5 perle cotton and I added two Colonial Knots in the center. The bottom Drizzle Stitch flower was also stitched with the #5 perle and I added the Drizzle Stitch in the center. It really was an easy stitch to do.

Now week 44 was another matter LOL The Zig Zag Spanish Knotted Stitch proved to be a bit of a problem. For this stitch I used 14ct Aida and Caron Watercolors single strand. I think I would have had better luck using a smaller thread on a larger count fabric. The top two samples were stitched following Sharon's (inaminuateago) directions. And for the bottom sample I used #5 perle and the directions I found in Jo Bucher's "The Complete Guide to Embroidery Stitches and Crewel". Those directions did vary slightly. I liked this stitch but definately need more practice.

The other week I experimented with dyeing some small swatches of 18ct Aida. I haven't used them for stitching yet but I will ..... maybe soon ..... who knows! Anyway, a couple of months ago my son purchased some yarn on ebay and wanted to know how it would look if I dyed it red. Well, since I needed some red silk ribbon I decided to give it a try. You really can't see the yarn but it is the fourth piece from the top. The yarn is Reynolds Chanteuse 100% virgin wool (made in Switzerland) and the original color was white. This is a fingering lightly nubby yarn. I began with Cherry Red Ozecraft dye and everything in this photo was run through the dye once. Because the silk ribbon was not the color I wanted I had a couple of drops of Bordeaux (more of a blue/red) Ozecraft to the Cherry Red, added the three sizes silk ribbon and the two pieces of lace above the ribbon for another shot at obtaining the shade I wanted. Voila! I was very happy with the results all around.
This next photo shows motifs, laces and another piece of the Reynolds yarn dyed in the Cherry Red/Bordeaux mix. Several of the motifs and pieces of lace went through the dye bath the second time. The third item from the right is not lace but some fine crochet thread wrapped on a toilet paper roll that I had previously drip dyed several colors in which the results were disappointing. Soooooooo, into the red dye bath and this time I was pleased with the results. I have since wound the crochet thread onto one of my floss bobbins ready to stitch with. A good week.

TAST and More

2007-10-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I must say that I really had a most difficult time figuring out the week 42 TAST stitch Lace Border. I don't why it was so hard as I knew how to do both the Twisted Chain and the Scroll Stitch which are the components of the Lace Border. For this stitch I used 7ct Kloster linen and #3 DMC perle cotton. I need to spend some more time with this stitch but right now I'm anxious to work on the next two stitches, both of which are unknown to me as far as working. In studying Brazilian Embroidery the Drizzle Stitch (week 43) is often referred to ...... so if I can work it for TAST I can certainly work it for BE (Brazilian Embroidery). I'm really enjoying the stitches that Sharon of inaminuteago is presenting to us each week.

On my CQforNewbies group it is time to send our Season to Season Winter block and here you can see my half finished offering. That is all we are supposed to stitch - one half of the block. Much of what I've done doesn't show up as I often use a single strand of DMC floss or DMC rayon thread to enhance parts of the design. For instance in the center block I used a single strand of green rayon thread and outlined the veins in the holly leaves. I didn't have any red beads the size I needed for the holly berries nor did I have any red silk ribbon to use so taking what I had on hand - 1/4" double face satin ribbon I made Colonial Knots for the berries. I also used brown DMC floss and stitched Detached Fly Stitches for the base of the acorns.

In another of my groups I'm involved with a "Secret Santa" and these three beautiful pieces of lace were the first goodies I received.

My second "Secret Santa" goodies included this beautiful sparkly piece of pink fabric, some gorgeous ecru lace and a skein of Vikki Clayton's hand-dyed silk floss - color Robin Egg!!!! I've not used Vikki's threads before so am quite anxious to try them. These goodies will be part of my Spring block in the Season to Season swap.

Back in February of this year my mom showed me a bag full of hankies that she really didn't know what to do with. They belonged to her (she is 94) and my grandmother and included some WWII silk souvenir hankies from some of the areas where my uncles were stationed during the war. I had just bought Hanky-Panky Crazy Quilts by Cindy Brick as I had a collection of my own hankies I wanted to do something with. She asked if I could use them and boy did I grab them. I proceeded to make a hanky wall hanging for my mom for her birthday (May 8) and Mother's Day. She has the hanging and I don't have a photo. The photo here is my second attempt using some of the same hankies plus some others. The hankie at the top with the shaded orange tatting is the only one of mine that I used. And, yes, I did the tatting. This is basted and ready to add embroidery and tatted motifs but is on the schedule for next year. Too many pans in the fire right now!!!!!!!!!

Tast and a Round Robin square

2007-10-22T10:12:00.001-07:00

Although I still haven't completed my TAST week 41 sample for several reasons, I did stitch week 42 Twisted Satin and Twisted Satin with Bead Stitch. This stitch was a much, much easier one to work. My sample is worked on 20ct linen with #8 DMC perle cotton. The first vertical row on the left was just to show direction and also shows how easy this stitch would work as a border. For the middle vertical row I added beads on every other stitch which also would work well as a border or as an outline. Below I added beads randomly and I can see possibilities here. My last sample stitching is just random stitching. Since I am recovering from cataract surgery I didn't try to do too much.

I think I had mentioned in an earlier post that I was involved in my first round robin on CrazyQuiltingSisters where we are stitching a favorite Bible story or verses. This is the second block I've stitched on in this rr and I found the pinks very refreshing as pink is not one of my favorite colors.

This is my first attempt at a close-up and all my work is in this area. In the center of Jill's block is the lace corner of an old hankie that just called out for the dark pink satin ribbon rose I had received in a swap. Also in the lace edge I used #8 pink perle cotton and stitched my favorite Colonial Knots. In the pink rose print on the left I used a single strand of DMC green floss in outline, straight stitch and detatched lazy daisy stitches to highlight some of the greenery. I also added one of my hand dyed pink butterflies. In the bottom pink section I stitched a hand painted motif and added some clear crystal beads around the outer border. Two pink beads were stitched in the flower centers. For the feather stitch seam treatment between the print and pink sections I used what I would term a #5 silk thread ( a thread I received in a swap) that was just the right color. The pink lace seam treatment is a piece of lace that I had dyed and I added tiny pink pearl beads in each of the roses. I can't wait to see what the others in the group add to this very delicate square adorned with Bible verses.

Each year the Senior Center where I teach holds a bazzar and I am always asked to set up a table to "sell" my needlework. So this is one of the pieces I will display. It is the first machine applique with invisible thread that I have attempted. Although it does not show up in the sky, which BTW is a night-time blue instead of the brighter blue that shows up here, I have outline stitched O Holy Night in gold thread. It is just a small wall hanging with free form machine quilting but was fun to stitch.

TAST Week 40 and a Quilt Auction

2007-10-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

Tast week 40 was to stitch a Linked Double Chain. This was a new stitch for me and I really didn't experiment with it all that much as I was trying to complete a swap and a round robin which I've decided not to post here at this time. My Linked Double Chain is stitched on 18ct. Aida and I used #5 DMC perle cotton for both samples. I can see some wonderful possibilities for my cq stitchings.

Since I'm using quite a bit of 18ct. Aida for my TAST stitches and some other practice stitchings I thought I would experiment a bit with dyeing some of my small pieces of fabric. I used only ecru Aida as I haven't pulled out my small white pieces at this time and then too, most of my fabric dyeing has been with white pieces and I really wanted to see how colors would work on ecru. For the top piece I used some left-over blue and the dropper just splotching at random. Following that I used some left-over red in one of my spritzer bottles. I did wet the fabric before applying the dyes and then heat set them by zapping in the microwave.

For the second dyeing examples I used yellow with the ecru. I applied the dye on the top piece with the dropper. I dye some of my pieces using an old plastic turntable that at one time I had used for a spice rack. This "tool" holds water quite nicely so for the second of my yellow experimental pieces I just took the fabric and wiped up the yellow water with it. Both pieces were zapped in the microwave to heat set. As you can see the top piece has a very nice mottled look. The bottom piece doesn't show quite as well but dyed a very soft yellow and I am well pleased with the results. Now to decide what to stitch on these pieces. And to dye some more fabric!

On Saturday, October 6, My #1Son and I attended the 41st Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale Quilt Auction. There are hundreds of beautiful quilts auctioned with all the funds going to provide financial aid to disaster victims around the world. There are not just quilts being auctioned off but beautifully crafted pieces of furniture as well. We leave home early enough to have a very filling breakfast and time to preview all the items to be auctioned off. Although the auction officially begins on Friday night we are unable to get there for that portion. As it is we left my home before 5:30am and were eating breakfast just a little before 7:30am. These auctions take place in various parts of the country and are well worth attending. Did I buy anthing? Not any of the auctioned items but did make several small purchases that fit my budget. I do want to share some of the gorgeous quilts along with a couple of comments.

This first one I'm showing is "Bargello Heart", pieced with white, black, red, and grey is 83 x100 and sold for a small bid of $325. Way too low for this work of art.

This "Star Quilt" is piece and appliequed with navy, black, reds, and cream and measures 106 x 116 and sold for $750.

You can see I really liked the "star" quilts and they were among the most popular with the bidders as well. This "Mariners Star" quilt is made of blue, mauve, prints and beige fabrics and measures 106 x 108 and sold for $800.

This "Mariner's Compass" quilt is of plum, ssage, and off-white fabrics and measured 96 x 110 and sold for $2000.

I looked long and hard for anything that resembled crazy quilting and found only two pieces. This velvet wall hanging measured 17 x 38 and all seams were stitched only with the Feather Stitch or simple variations and sold for #225.

Prices for the quilts ran the gamut and this little quilt was the one that brought in the most money for this auction. It is a "Feed Sack Wall Hanging/Crib Quilt" and all the patterned fabric came from 1930-40's feed sacks. It measured 34 x 49 and sold for $6100. Yes, that figure is correct - $6100.

There were several "whole" cloth quilts, mostly whites, but one in ecru and this one in off-white. You really have to look to see the pattern on this one and it is one that if my budget had allowed, I would have placed a bid. This is called "Feathered Heart", measured 95 x 108 and sold for $1000.

This photo is of the other crazy quilt style. It is a tied "Comforter", made of woolen material and all the seams were embroidered. Here again, only with the Feather Stitch or variations. This piece measured 72 x 92 and sold for #350.

The last quilt photo is called "Rose of Sharon Quilt". It is appliqued navy and green on off-white and measured 104 x 104 and sold for $910. It was very difficult trying to decide which of the quilts to share and we are already planning to attend next year. The first auction I attended was with my hubby in 1980 and that is where we purchased my beautiful hand-made quilt frame. A very unique design ..... has wood rachets to make it easily adjustable and accommodates up to a king-size quilt. I attended a number of years after that until hubby's illness prevented me from attending. It was good to go and see all the beautiful quilts.

More TAST and Tatting

2007-09-30T17:57:00.000-07:00

TAST week 39 was for the Reversed Buttonhole Bar and it was a new stitch for me. Since the Buttonhole is one of my favorites I enjoyed playing with this one. Taking a clue from Sharon B. I did this with two different colors so that I could see how the stitch actually looked. My fabric of choice was 18ct Aida and on the bottom row I used #5 DMC perle cotton dark gold as the foundation and then an olive green as the reversed bar. The next row up is just a small sample and the results would make a wonderful woven basket look on cq. For the top row I used the center of a roll of Tiger Tape to draw my circles ..... it was a little handier than a quarter LOL I really enjoyed doing the 'inward' bar and in the right colors would make a wonderful chrysanthimum (I don't think that is spelled correctly but I couldn't find my dictionary .... anyway I think you know the flower I mean).

I've also added three more pieces to my 25 motif tatting challenge.

The first piece is #5, a "Simple Flower Heart", and is from the newest book TAT'S AMORE by Martha Ess. Many of the patterns in her book use a technique I need to learn so this book will present challenges for me. I used #20 Anchor crochet thread in a deep pink and was photographed on black felt.

Challenge piece #6 is a tatted fan and I used two Anchor #20 pinks. The fan was designed by Connie Strobel and was a Be-stitched Contest Winner! Although the pattern called for two shuttles I used a shuttle and ball only because I didn't have an empty shuttle for the second color. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this pattern and for my cq work I think using a smaller thread will be very effective. This was photographed on a dark green felt and the darker pink is the same thread I used for the heart and for piece #7.

Challenge piece #7 is Elegant Coaster designed by Linda S. Davies. Several people on the Here-Be-Tatting list talked about this pattern from Linda so I decided to try it also. As you can see the background for this piece is white felt but the motif color is the same as in the previous two pieces. A deep pink #20 Anchor thread. The different backgrounds makes a big difference in how a color comes across.
Til next time have a blessed week.

TAST week 38, etc.

2007-09-23T15:08:00.001-07:00

This weeks TAST adventure was Knotted Buttonhole Band and I used 14ct Aida as my fabric of choice. Since the Buttonhole is one of my favorite stitches I figured this shouldn't be too difficult. Beginning on the far left with the "ladder" Sharon's sample used red as the straight stitches and what looked like a blue/grey for the wrap and knot portion. Following the teacher's lead I also used red (#5 DMC perle) for the straight stitches and again the #5 DMC perle slate blue (this is my color name) for the wrap and knot portion. The left side worked just fine but when I went to stitch the right side in reverse order I had a bit of a problem and had to re-do that side a couple of times as I wanted to do the right side just as I had the left and of course that would not work .... at least I didn't think it was correct. For the middle sample, again using #5 DMC perle cotton I stitched a bit closer together and was very pleased with the result. For my last sample I threaded up some gold ribbon floss and stitched until I ran out of thread on the left wrap and knot. For the right wrap and knot portion I used a dark gold #5 DMC perle and felt more comfortable with the end result. I think I'd like to use at least the middle sample although I can see possibilities if I stitched the straight stitches closer together as in my third example.

This cq square is still incomplete but I've been practicing some different stitches and of course some of them are not showing up too well here. They always seem to look better in real life. I've been tryng to empty up a couple of my tatting shuttles to begin a doily so I made good use of a snippet of tatting on this square. I've also included a counted cross-stitch angel stitched on a wide piece of Ribband. In one of the fabrics I used a piece of knitting ribbon in a buttonhole wheel flower with each "spoke" fastened with an embroidery floss colonial knot. Two of the rosettes in the pink satin section are made of satin ribbon and the middle one is a small plaid fabric ribbon. All three rosettes were received in a swap. The green leaves on the right side of the square are stitched with a connecting fly stitch which gives a kind of honeycomb effect. I used tiger tape in several of the areas to help keep an eveness in my stitches.

The other week I mentioned that I attended a special ceremony at VMI (Virginia Military Institute) where my granddaughter is attending. The actual ceremony took place in New Market, Virginia eighty-five miles north of VMI. New Market is where the fourteen to sixteen year old boys attending VMI in 1865 participated in their first battle of the Civil War.

This is a photo of the back of the house where those first cadets rested after marching the eighty-five miles and this is where each class of freshmen take their oath and become full-fledged cadets. The first photo is of the company in which my granddaughter is a part.

After taking their oath they march to the foot of "Lost Shoe Hill" where a re-enactment of that first charge of 1865 took place. A platoon of soldiers in military garb and full packs left VMI on Tuesday evening and marched the eighty-five miles to arrive and participate with the new cadets in a "charge" up "Lost Shoe Hill".

Following all the ceremonies the new cadets were allowed to eat a picnic lunch with their families. Here in the shade of a tree on the actual battlefield my granddaughter, Aquisi, and one of her room mates had lunch with us. The picture doesn't show the curly ringlets, but her once long beautiful hair has now been cut military short! I do like the ringlets though.

This last photo is taken in front of one of the buildings at VMI where Aquisi takes classes. My grandson took this photo of his two sisters, his dad and "grandma" (me)!

TAST week 37 and Tatting Challenge

2007-09-16T18:45:00.001-07:00

After lots and lots of new stitches to me, Sharon's stitch for week 37 I know as Rice Stitch or Crossed Corners because I have used this stitch as a border for my needlepoint. Naturally I had to work my first sample as a border. I used 14ct Aida and the outside and inside border stitches are just the simple half cross-stitch as it makes a nice frame for the Rice Stitch. This part was worked in DMC #5 perle cotton in a bright blue. The inside portion was worked in DMC #5 perle cotton in a light blue color and then the Crossed Corners were stitched with Finca #16 royal blue. It really does make a wonderful border and would work nicely as a picture frame. I then worked a portion of the stitch as a "background" although the colors I chose would not necessarily be the ones I would use for a background LOL For this sample I used DMC #5 gold perle cotton as the base cross-stitch and then used Anchor #8 red perle cotton as the crossed corners portion.

I really worked on some tatting the past two weeks since I'm trying to do 25 motifs before August of 2008. I'm trying to empty up some of my shuttles so I can get down to brass tacks and learn some new techniques and try something a little harder ..... I'm not going to say complicated because I don't think I'm quite ready to tackle anything very complicated at this time. For motif #3 I have three small pieces completed this past week and two of the designs were new to me. The Christmas tree and the shamrock were new patterns for me and they were worked in DMC #8 perle cotton. The insertion or lace piece was stitched with a new thread for me to use .... Superior Threads #100 .... a thread basically designed for machine quilting but I loved the varigated purple and just had to tat with it. Up to now the smallest thread I'd used for tatting was #80 but I like the delicateness of the #100. I have several other colors of this thread and I expect I'll use them for tatting also.

For Motif #4 the top three pieces were worked with DMC Cebelia #20 .... one of my favorite threads for tatting. The angel on the top right was the only "new" pattern. The bottom two pieces were worked with DMC Cebelia #30. The four "snowflakes" will probably be included in the wares I'm putting together for the bazzar sale the senior citizens group will be holding in November. The angel will go on a round robin square I've just signed up for on my CrazyQuiltingSisters group. This is a Christian group of women who share not only their love for crazy quilting but their love for Christ.

Next week I hope to share with you a photo or two of my granddaughter who is now a full-fledged cadet at VMI (Virginia Military Institute) and tell you a little about my experience with her family on that very significant day in her life. Until then ......

Vintage stuff and TAST week 36

2007-09-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

TAST week 36 brought forth the Cable Chain Stitch which is one I had not tried before so I really enjoyed playing with this one. My fabric of choice is 14ct Aida in a rust color so I decided lighter colors of thread would show the stitches better. The left vertical column was stitched with two strands of DMC floss. The top of the middle section was a double Cable Chain using two strands of DMC floss and then I whipped the inner loops with a single strand of DMC floss and added a row of detached Fly stitches using a double strand of the floss. For the middle section I repeated the double Cable Chain using a white #16 perle and whipped the inner loop with EdMar Nova in a lilac which I also used for the Fly stitch. For the zigzag row on the bottom of the middle section I again used two strands of DMC floss. For the top grouping on the right side I thought some flowers in the Cable Chain would look nice so I used a white #8 perle. For the "leaves" I 'slipped' under the cable first with a dark green #5 perle and then with a lighter green #8 perle. The two greens give the look of a Lazy Daisy or Detached Chain. Wondering if I could curve this stitch I worked some of the Cable Chain with #8 perle and added the slip. I then filled the centers with Colonial Knots worked with two strands DMC floss. I really enjoyed playing with this stitch.

A few weeks back one of my Aussie friends, Vivian of anlabyhouse, purchased some lace collars on ebay and was willing to part with some of them so I was able to purchase two of the collars. In the middle you will see one of the 'original' pieces and around it you will see how I picked it apart to use on various cq projects. I may do some more picking before I begin to dye some of the parts. The second collar will also be picked apart.

Yesterday (Sunday, Sept. 9) My #1 son and I attended the last of the family reunions for this year. We had previously planned to stop at an antique mall on our trip back home. The reunion was about 45 minutes from home. I am sooooo glad we stopped and am doing a happy dance!!!!!!!! There among all those booths we spotted a box of vintage "floss" ..... I was really looking for antique tatting shuttles and the one they had was not in too good a condition and since I already had two of that type didn't see the need for this one. Besides one I had was from my grandmother and the other from the mother of a family friend - both shuttles being 95 years old.

In this box of threads were full and partial skeins of Royal Society Celesta, some Persian Floss, and some Roman Floss. The ticket on the box said "17 skeins and 13 spools" for a cost of $24.50 plus tax. Somebody doesn't know how to count. When I got the thread home, and while my son was looking the companies up on the web, I started sorting and counting. There were two partial skeins of Cortecelli silk, other partial skeins were wound onto 14 wooden spools and others onto three styofoam spools. There are 80 full skeins of "washable silk". The manufacturer of this gorgeous thread was Heminway & Bartlett's a company established in 1888 and in 1922 they added Cortecelli in 1932 the company was bought out by what is now known as Coats & Clark. The labels on all the Persian and Roman floss read Heminway & Bartlett's and give washing instructions "Use warm suds made with Ivory soap or other pure neutral soap, rinse well in warm water, squeeze dry as possible between clean cloths, shake out then press face down on flannel. Do not fold or roll up the article while wet. Avoid cheap soap, boiling water and hard wringing." The skeins contain 10 yards. The 12 Royal Society skeins are 4.5 yards each and say "Ivory soap recommended for washing colors".

Just that morning before picking me up, my son put in a bid on some of this type of floss on ebay of approximately 45 skeins. After he returned home he checked and that lot sold for more than $100. Didn't I get a bargain!!! I have pieced a crazyquilt vest and these threads are just the right colors for that vest .... just how lucky can I get!!!!

TAST week 35 SHISHA and tatting challenge

2007-09-03T05:09:00.000-07:00

Although I've been busy this week I don't have that much to add. The latest TAST stitch was new to me even though I'd been looking at it for quite some time. Shisha mirrors are not available in my area but I finally found a bag of "spangles" that I thought would work. So for this sample I decided to show my "progress" of this stitch. I stitched on 18ct Aida and for the frame work I used a brown spangle and #8 perle cotton in gold. The middle stitching is the completed step and here I used a gold spangle with persian wool as I felt the #8 perle cotton would not cover as completely as it should. The framework was stitched with one strand tan persian wool and the edging stitches were done with one strand red persian wool so I could see if the coverage was correct. Because the second attempt was not quite what I thought it should be for my final attempt I used a red spangle and a single strand of red persian wool for each step. The third try was better but I still need to work on this stitch. I do have some smaller spangles and I think I'll work with them for a while.

Since I'm trying to empty up some of my shuttles to tackle a slightly larger project, I decided that for my second piece in the 25 motif challenge I would do one of my favorite butterflies and a piece of basice edging known as "hen and chickens". The butterfly is worked with a multicolor #20 Anchor crochet cotton and the edging is worked with a #20 Anchor shaded blue crochet cotton. Somewhere along the line both of these pieces of tatting will be attached to a cq square or heart for a swap of some type. Hmmmm wonder what I'll do this week?

Portuguese Stem Stitch & more

2007-08-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

TAST week 34 .... where has this year gone! Here again is a new stitch for me and once I figured out what I was doing wrong it was easy to do. How can anyone go wrong on this easy stitch? Well, leave it to me to find a way LOL This week my sample is worked on 14ct Aida and I used two weights of DMC perle cotton. On the far left I used a deep red #3 and the bottom half of the stitch is done incorrectly BUT I like the result very much. It has the look of braided rope ... the kind my sons used when camping as Boy Scouts. The upper half also has a nice rugged texture but tighter. With the turquoise #5 I worked in 3 sets of 2 stitches over a wider spacing and then 3 sets of 2 stitches over a narrower spacing as with the deep red; then I tried again with the turquoise what I had attempted with the deep red only stitching correctly this time. My last try with this stitch (at this time) is to attempt curves such as may be found in forming leaves. I need to practice this stitch more but it was an enjoyable one.

I joined another Yahoo group this week .... this time a tatting group. Tatting is a technique that I have enjoyed for many years but while searching out what the web had to offer in the way of patterns I came across several terms that I was unfamiliar with soooooo sought out a group of kindred minds. After a couple of days with the HBT (Here-Be-Tatters) group I decided to sign up for their 25 Motif Challenge. This means that over the next year I need to make 25 different motifs which can include jewelry, laces, critters or anything else ...... they don't all have to be like the wreathe/snowflake that I did for my 1st Motif.
Yes, I know there is a piece of lace showing, but that was done last week, before I knew about the HBT group so it can't really count ..... at least I don't think it can. These were tatted with Finca #16 perle cotton by Prevencia ..... one of my favorite threads not only for tatting but for cq seam treatments. Both the lace and the motif are two of my favorite "quickie" tatting patterns. During this challenge year of tatting I will be using threads new to me and in fact there were several mentioned on the HBT site that I am unfamiliar with and may get to try some of them. I will be working some favorite patterns as well as trying some new patterns especially those with the "unfamiliar" terms that caused me to join the group in the first place.

Someone new on one of my lists was asking about the Sunbonnet Sue 'sane' quilt pattern so I decided to post a couple of pictures of the top I made for one of my granddaughters. As a child my favorite quilt was a Sunbonnet Sue made for me by my grandaunt (my grandmother's sister). I especially liked to snuggle up with it when I was sick. The granddaughter I started this for just headed off to college last week and I started this when she was much younger. The actual pattern was traced off the original quilt and I decided to do something different. The first thing I did was applique the girls onto a much larger square. Then I added some simple embroidery flowers ..... remember this was some few years back and I was not into crazy quilting. The next thing I did was alternate the direction of the girls. On the original quilt one row of girls faced right and the next row faced left. Each of the rows I did have a left-right, left-right facing. I have the same number of squares as the original which was made for a single bed thus the background squares, which were muslin, and the narrow sashing (which was blue) are much smaller than what I've used. My background squares are a soft pink with pink baby gingham as sashing and solid pink set-in squares. The backing will be the baby pink gingham. I wanted lots of space for fancy quilting so I made my squares 17" (which finish 16 1/2")

This is a close-up of one of the "Sue's". It doesn't show up here but there is a lazy-daisy stitch flower as well as a row of cross-stitches on each bonnet. The flowers were all done free-hand and I used only lazy-daisy and outline stitches. Like I said, this was before I became addicted to crazy quilting.

On another of my groups someone mentioned that Karen in Ohio did beautiful dried flower greeting cards and so I thought I'd share the very precious one I received from her three months ago at the death of my hubby. I call it "my comfort card". I also received "comfort hearts" from many of my stitching sisters in the COH (ChainsOfHearts) group that helped me through those first very numbing weeks. Right now the hearts and card are in a binder where I look at them often as well as show them to others.

This has been and is continuing to be a year of "firsts" for me. First of all I signed up to do Sharon B.'s TAST (Take A Stitch Tuesday) Challenge, then came the hardest first .... hubby's death .... and a month later getting through birthdays - his and mine. But last night was a very pleasant "first". Several weeks ago a member of one of the orginazations my hubby belonged to called and invited me to dinner and a play (the lodge does the dinner/theater each year at no cost to individuals). I said yes. My hubby was a 32 degree Mason and a Moose Lodge member and one of the mandates of these orginizations is to "watch over the poor, the widows and the orphans".

Mind you, I have never in my life attended a live theater production (although I participated in one my senior year in high school). The evening began when I left home about 4:45pm and arrived at the Moose Lodge. I did not know a soul there but sat at a table of very nice and friendly ladies several of whom invited me to join the women's orginization (which I declined as graciously as I could). We had a nice buffet and then prepared to travel out of town to the Attic Productions theater located about 45 min. away. The theater seats about 450 and it was a full house. You see here the program and my ticket stub. A very, very enjoyable musical in two acts entitled From Sea to Shining Sea written and performed by local talent. It was a historical play covering the founding of Jamestown, Virginia (400 years ago), the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and the role that Fincastle played in the history of Virginia. The Lodge provided van transportation for our excursion and I arrived safely back home a little before midnight. A very good time was had by all.

Glitz & Glamor, etc.

2007-08-20T18:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I think it is time I showed off some of my beautiful Sassa Lynne threads. If you haven't tried them you are missing a wonderful treat. They are some of the nicest cotton perle threads I've ever stitched with. But I didn't use them on any of this week's stitcheries. For one reason, I like to drool over them awhile as I contemplate how I want to use them LOL

TAST week 33 was the Scroll Stitch. It was a new one for me but not too difficult. The wine rows across the bottom were stitched with #8 DMC perle. All the other stitchings were worked in #5 DMC perle. I just "doodled" with the stitch this week. I did attempt a beaded paisley as I'm trying to work more beads into my stitching.

I mentioned the other week about participating in a Glitz & Glamor postcard swap on my CQF/Crazy Quilting Friends group and that I had to step outside the box to do this. Well, there she is. The photo does not show up the red sequined background fabric. In fact, the photo makes the background look lacy. Those white spots are really sequins that caught the light wrong. The piece of lace across the bottom looks like ribbon is woven down the middle ..... but there is no ribbon LOL .... I let the background speak for itself. The rose motif is wired ribbon and the leaves are wired velvet. The rose is stitched onto a crocheted motif and no, I did not make the motif. I received it in a motif swap on a crazy quilting USA based group that for some reason I've lost contact with. It is so weird how that happened. Because I switched over to DSL I had to unsubscribe and then re-subscribe. The unsubscribe worked just fine, but for some reason I couldn't re-subscribe. Perhaps it is time to let that group go, but I really enjoyed the sharing and of course that is where I met some of my Yahoo friends which in turn has me right here doing "out of the box" things, writing a blog, editing and adding photos and taking on line classes.

Well, I liked my swap postcard so much that I just had to make one to keep for myself. The only thing is I didn't have another rose ribbon motif ...... but I did have a peach crocheted rose with crocheted leaves on a crochet base ..... and no, I did not make this motif either although I could have. This motif was also received in the same motif swap as mentioned above. Is it any wonder I'd like to keep in touch with that group. I think I'm beginning to get the hang of making postcards and I expect I'll be doing more swaps. That's it for this week. See you next time!

TAST week 32 and another postcard

2007-08-13T04:24:00.000-07:00

This week's TAST challenge stitch Crested Chain was worked on #14 Aida first with #5 DMC perle in a bright blue. It shows upside down on this sample as I worked the right hand design upside down from the blue. Sharon suggested working this stitch with a large thread and spacing so the top lefthand bit was my first attempt and the lower lefthand was my second. Then I turned my fabric around as I wanted to attempt doing this stitch in a curve. Since I started a little too close to the edge I ended up with a 'wave' which is in a sense a gentle curve. For this part of my sample I used Caron's Watercolor. For my first attempts I followed Sharon's step by step photos. The next day when I stitched the 'wave' I didn't even look at the photos and was very comfortable working the Crested Chain. I think I'll enjoy adding this stitch to my cq.

My second postcard is slightly 'over-sized' but since it is a sample and will not be mailed that is okay. For my stiffening I did use Pell-Tex. That stuff is expensive but there was about one third of a yard on the bolt and I got it at 'remnant' price. I added more beads (on the ouside of the lace on the lefthand side) than I'm used to working with and couched a metallic cord down the plaid ribbon shown on the right. Because of the beads and button I made sure my ironing board had thick padding before I attempted to iron on the Pell-Tex. I finished the edges with my serger. I may be ready now to do my Glitz and Glamour postcard for the swap.

I've been tagged!

2007-08-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was surprised by two very special friends who presented me with the Nice Matters Award. The first to tag me was Susan. As I read what she had to say it brought tears to my eyes and made me realize just how important friends can be in good times and through difficult times by words of encouragement. I'm not sure I know what I'm doing but my dear, dear friend Maureen B. tagged me next. The last few months of my dear hubby's life were cheered greatly by the jokes that Maureen sent almost daily. As much as I would like to tag them back my instructions said I had to tag 7 other very special friends. That is really an impossible task as I've found so many wonderful people that have been both inspirational and encouraging especially these last few months. There is an old western 'proverb' "to ride the river with" .... it means just what it says a friend who will be there when you need them ... my friends:
Bear who with many troubles of her own always has a cheerful word and delightful sense of humor. You gotta love that gal!
ktj a Buddist, recommended to me a very Christian book on the dying that was written by hospice nurses and was a great source of comfort to me. She called often and kept me and my group friends up to date while I was without a computer.
Sandie who figuretively gave me a shoulder to cry on.
Catherine what can I say, another Aussie with a most delightful sense of humor.
Gerry always generous with praise and encouragement.
Melissa is one who not only helps with her talented fingers but goes beyond the norm to find information and sources to answer questions or solve problems.
Rose Ann such a delightful gal ... we have more than cq in common tee hee.
Now I need to let them know they've been tagged as being very, very special gals.

TAST week 31 and my 1st postcard

2007-08-05T15:35:00.001-07:00

Well, I tried something a little different with this week's TAST stitch. The poly-cotton fabric I had used before, but for this week I was trying to stitch the Cast-on Stitch and felt like 'normal' fabric would have better results rather than linen. Being a knitter I felt like this would not be such a hard stitch ...... well it wouldn't have been if I'd used different thread LOL I started out with outline stitch in a a single strand of pale green DMC Rayon floss to sort of stitch a picture. Next I stitched some French Knots with a single strand of brown DMC Rayon floss ..... so far so good. The lower Cast-On flower was worked with a single strand of DMC Burgandy Rayon floss .... not to good a completed flower. So for the upper flower I used DMC #8 perle cotton in a wine color trying to sort of match the other flower in color. This one was a little better but still not what I wanted. I added Colonial Knots in a #8 gold DMC perle cotton. I need some more practice with this stitch using different threads. Also the fabric should be larger in order to use an embroidery hoop. I think everything would have been better if I had used a hoop.

Aha! One of the groups I'm on - CrazyQuiltingFriends is preparing to do a series of postcard swaps. Now I've not done a postcard and have seen some simply gorgeous ones on quite a few of my favorite blogs ...... sooooooo I signed up. I've printed out several tutorials, the first one from Catherine, Calidore's Garden Ramblings, and the second one from Rose Anne. Sorry girls, I don't know how to had your links in here. Catherine and Rose Anne have been very encouraging ..... so you can see above the result of my very first postcard. I think I might do another practice one before I actually begin the postcard for the swap I signed up for as it will take me out of my comfort zone as far as the theme goes.

This last pic is my half stitched Season to Season Fall Swap for the CQForNewbies group. Earlier I had only done the piecing and added some hand dyed lace. So to finish my part out I added a beautiful hand-dyed motif cut from a piece of lace received from a very special friend. Added some feather stitching in several fall colors among the leaf print. I also added a fallish red star button on another print. I'm leaving lots of space for someone to finish up with as little or as much as they wish. Hmmm wonder what I'll stitch next week!

TAST week 30 Buttonhole Wheel & Seasonal Swap

2007-07-29T17:55:00.001-07:00

One of the pieces I worked on this week was to piece and stitch half a 'finished' size 8" square for the CQForNewbies Season to Season - Fall swap. As you can see I haven't quite finished my half but I am working on it. The gorgeous deep red hand dyed lace at the top was received as a goodie from a swap on another list and the lace at the bottom, although it looks sort of white is in reality a medium blue and is one of the pieces I've dyed. The seam I've stitched is worked in Ginnie Thompson Flower Thread, which is one of my favorite threads. Next I have to load the photo onto the home page photo album set up for this swap and finish my half. Not sure yet what I will do.

For my Buttonhole Wheel TAST stitching this week I worked two samples. The first one you see is worked on muslin colored polyester and the left hand "flowers" are my first attempt at this style of flower .... I think it is called foxglove. The stem is a chain stitch worked in a deep green #5 DMC perle with the pink flowers stitched in DMC #8 pink perle. In my hubby's desk drawer I found a small packet of templates ..... he was an electrical engineer designing motor control panels for GE for over 40 years .... these small templates are just the right size for many cq designs and I used one of those designs for the triangle shape of the pink flowers. The design on the right was drawn with one of Carole Samples templates and is one of my favorite seam treatments. Usually I work the whole seam in one color but I've just received some Sassa Lynne threads and really wanted to try them out so I used two different ones for this design. I must say I was delighted with how smoothly these threads stitched and have to tell you they have moved to the top of the list of my favorite threads.

I wish you could see this last sample in person as the colors are just gorgeous. Here, again, I used the Sassa Lynne threads for the hollyhocks and the greenery at the bottom is stitched with #5 DMC perle. These flowers are stitched on 28ct cashel linen and this design is one of my favorites so far in the TAST challenge. It is also my first attempt at hollyhocks.

Right now two of my loves are vying for my attention. About 25 years ago I became involved in genealogical research spending sometimes 20-30 hours a week traveling to county courthouses and genealogical libraries. Wonderfully fascinating. When my hubby retired and became ill I had to postpone the traveling part and went to the web to research (not near the fun nor satisfaction). Then when his illness grew worse I gave the research up altogether including attending family reunions (which we'd been attending since before we were married) and switched to my other love ..... needlework. It is family reunion time and I've begun participating again in the sharing of family history and in a few weeks I hope to again begin visiting courthouses seeking those elusive bits of family history. I have written and published two histories for my mothers' side of the family and now I need to concentrate on my hubby's surname. It was his desire that I write his family history as well so that will take some of my stitching time until bad winter weather sets in. Since it is the middle of summer right now I have several good months of research time ahead of me.

Although I am supposed to be participating in Sharon's newest class Sumptuous Surfaces the desire to get back to my research is stronger and I must follow my heart. At least I will have all my notes so that when I can stitch I will have the information I need. Also the forums will provide me ideas, inspiration and answers. It is a class I will complete, just not in the designated six weeks. Right now I just take one day at a time.

TAST Arrow Stitch

2007-07-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

The Arrow Stitch for week 29 of the TAST challenge was a fun stitch to do and although I didn't stitch more than the one fabric sample lots of ideas came up as I stitched. For instance, in the empty spaces of the diamonds on the bottom, beads could be placed, tiny SRE flowers could be stitched, even tiny silk flowers could be sewn there. This sample was worked on 18 ct. linen and the three shades of brown in both the wave and diamond patterns were worked with #5 DMC perle. On the left side, the dark green arrows were stitched with #5 DMC perle and the lighter green was stitched with #8 DMC perle. The single rows on the right middle section were stitched in burgandy with #8 DMC perle.

Other than the Arrow Stitch not much is happening in the way of stitching right now as I am trying to spend time developing my design for Sharon's (inaminuteago) newest class on joggles.com, Sumptuos Surfaces as well as work on a piece for my grandaughter.

This past Friday and Saturday I finally got back to using my sewing machine and was able to complete a baby quilt top ..... another scrap quilt that I do from time to time for the local crisis pregnancy center.

This morning I did piece my 8 1/2" square for the fall "Season to Season" swap for the CQ for Newbies group. This is a swap partner deal where you piece and then embellish only half of your square. You swap, embellish half of your partner's square and swap to get your own square back. There are lots of stitching opportunities developing in the various groups that I belong to but I have to remember not to over extend myself. Perhaps next week I'll be able to post some of the things I'm working on .... we'll just have to wait and see.

TAST week 28 Sheaf Stitch

2007-07-16T12:15:00.001-07:00

Just a brief update this week as I was trying to concentrate on Sharon's newest class Sumptuous Surfaces. This week's stitch Sheaf Stitch was really a fun one after last week's Bullion Knot. Although I didn't work but one sampler piece of fabric I thoroughly enjoyed the Sheaf Stitch and can see lots of possibilities. I stitched on 14 ct Aida and used a single strand of Caron's Watercolors; first in shaded rusts and then in shaded greens. The first stitch on the upper left somewhat reminded me of a spider and so I did the same grouping twice more with each stitching slightly smaller .... the smaller stitchings didn't remind me of a spider, just lonely sheaves of wheat tee hee. Across the bottom I tried varying the length of the stitches and a suggestion of a butterfly seems a good posibility. Just playing with the green thread I like the possible border arrangements. If I hadn't run out of thread on the far right design I would have stitched a fourth 'sheaf' and completed a square with lots of possibilities. Sharon, I really had fun with this stitch.

Sharon's Sumptuous Surfaces online class is all about design and I've been mulling ideas over in my mind, now if I can just get my choice to work. We'll see what happens this week with both the online class and TAST.

TAST Bullion plus old and new Needlebooks

2007-07-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

My feeble attempts at the Bullion Stitch and I really need lots of practice with this one LOL Anyway on the 28 ct linen I just stitched some 'petals' to form a little star flower, well two little flowers. I used a shaded purple machine embroidery thread. I also attempted a Bullion Rose with the same thread - that's the little purple blob on the upper left of the fabric ..... oh, my, was that a disaster! So I decided to use a #5 perle magenta to attempt the rose and I do believe I made some progress but I still have a long way to go to gain some measure of control of this stitch. Oh, I don't mind if you laugh at my flowers 'cause I did.

For a second try at the Bullion Stitch I used #18 Aida and began at the bottom ..... a lot of times I do things out of order just to be different. Anyway I tried some side by side stitches (that's the group of three double stitches) worked with #16 red perle and then I tried a 'flower' of sorts using the same thread and added the stem and base straight stitches with the Bullion petals. Makes me think a little of a dandelion in bloom. At the top of this sample I used #8 green perle and tried some leaves on the left and a zigzag pattern on the right. If I had used blue and stitched a little differently I could have made some birds flying (maybe?). At least I had a go at the stitch.

This little hanging tasseled piece was stitched with EdMar threads back in 1990 while still an EGA member and where I had some guidance. There are two Bullion stitches at the center of the major flower and I thought it would be nice to show some proper Bullion stitches. Just goes to prove I really need lots of practice with this stitch.

Again, while an EGA member I made my first needlebook (also dated 1990). And I'm only showing these because on one of the groups that I belong to they just did a needlebook swap and I wasn't ready to join in on that but did want to show mine. The Blackwork design is stitched on 32 ct linen.

On the inside cover I used a safety pin to fasten the little baggie which holds a needle threader and a little rubber gripper. The 'pages' are of white felt and as you can see this needlebook is heavily used. I have four pages in this one with the first two pages for my tapestry needles (of all sizes) and the last two pages are for my embroidery needles including my milliner's.

Back in January of this year I decided I needed a new needlebook just for SRE which I was really getting into the swing of working with all those beautiful silk ribbons. And this one is bright enough that I can't misplace it. I think I just might make a third one to use with my BDE stitching when I get to that .... hmmm, what do you think ..... do I need a third needlebook?????

For this needlebook I followed the directions found in J. Marsha Michler's the magic of Crazy Quilting second edition. This included using the 'antique' method of basting the fabric pieces. On the inside cover is stitched, at the top only, a piece of felt for used needles. The "page" is handstitched to the center with a pocket for new needles sewn on both sides. There is also a piece of felt on the back inside cover for used needles. I did not show this needlebook closed as there would have had to have been two photos instead of the one. I have received compliments on my needlebooks which is always a boost to the ego. Now to finish gathering my supplies for Sharon's (inaminuteago) newest online class Sumptuous Surfaces which begins tomorrow the 11th. I know I'll see some of you in that class. Can hardly wait to see what challenges that one will hold for me. See you next time.

Recent TAST Stitches

2007-07-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

Catch-up continues with the Butterfly Chain. The stitching is on 28 ct blue linen and the first sample I did is shown on the lower left. The "butterflies" are worked with five strands of DMC spring green floss and the chain is with four strands DMC black floss. The "butterflies" would show up better if they had been worked larger but this was the first time I had tried this stitch and I tend to work smaller with something totally new to me. The top sample is stitched with #5 red perle cotton and I made the center stitch lightly longer and the third sample is stitched in #8 gold perle and tied with # 12 multicolor perle. I really need to work with this stitch more. It was interesting but I don't think it will become a favorite.

This sample completes my 'catch-up' stitchings. If it looks a little familiar that is because I had just started working with the Wheat Ear and the Crossed Buttonhole on the same sample showing it last week and decided to stitch more of the Wheat Ear instead of doing a totally separate sample. I did complete the #5 gold perle cotton to resemble a stalk of wheat. The #8 red perle cotton shows some side by side Wheat Ear with Running Stitches. The #5 turquoise perle shows a nice variation that would work well as a border or couching treatment. I did use some silk ribbon in two of the open spaces but buttons would work nicely here as well. For the last sample I used #20 black crochet cotton to try my hand at stitching bunnies which used a combination of detached Wheat Ear and Lazy Daisy/Detached Chain stitch. The bunnies look a little out of place but I thought they would be interesting to try. I like this stitch and can see some wonderful possibilities.

To bring me up to date is week 26 Half Chevron and I really felt like I was getting back into the 'stitch of things'. Since I enjoy working the Chevron I figured the Half Chevron would prove interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed working this sample on 18 ct Aida. The top sample is "copied" from Sharon's (inaminuteago) stitch dictionary and I used a #12 multicolor perle cotton and love how 'my' colors turned out. The middle sample is stitched with a varigated machine embroidery thread used to couch a piece of satin ribbon. The colors don't show up on the sample very well but the dark wine ribbon (looks red here) is couched with a purple/turquoise/blue thread. The last sample is again stitched with the #12 varigated as the top sample and was worked with the fabric turned sideways. This, too, would make an interesting border.

It has been a year now since I began my crazy quilt stitching journey in ernest by joining ChainsOfHearts and CrazyQuiltingFriends. It truly doesn't seem that long and next week marks the first anniversary of my blog. I have added several other wonderful groups including CQForNewbies and Hand Embroidery to my stitching list as well. The special friendships that have developed over this past year have made a very difficult year easier to bear and with your encouragement life changes are smoother. Thank you, my angel friends, for being here for me through the extended illness and death of my hubby. This past week included the first month without him as well as his birthday and my own and as anyone who has been through a time such as this the "first" celebrations are the hardest. There are many good things ahead for me as I look forward to growing stitch-wise with the rest of the year's TAST stitches (although the Bullion does intimidate me slightly, as I've only stitched one, many years ago) and I'm looking forward to Sharon's newest class starting on July 11th. See you in class!

More TAST Catch-up

2007-06-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

I apologize that some of these pictures are fuzzy but at least I've begun stitching a little. The first sample is of the Basque Stitch which is a totally new stitch for me but I found it very interesting and enjoyable. A good stitch to get back with. My Basque Stitch sample is stitched on 18 ct. linen and the top left samples were stitched with #8 perle cotton with #5 perle cotton used on the curve and for the flowers. I want to explore this stitch more.

As you can see, this is still a WIP sample. Again I used 18 ct. linen and for the Crossed Buttonhole, another new concept for me, I used a gold #5 perle cotton for the top row and Edmar's Lola for the second row. I have started the Wheat Ear Stitch also on this piece of linen and will go back and add to this stitch. Because I've only done one small row of Butterfly Chain I am not posting that one with these 'catch-up' samplings.

I cheated a little with these next two pieces. The piece above is a needlepoint piece I completed in 2003 and uses the Satin Stitch.

This Christmas piece is crewel work and incorporates the Satin Stitch and French Knots, as well as the Wrapped Wheel among other stitches.

I think with the Long and Short Stitch this basically catches me up but I still need to explore some of these stitches. For the Long and Short I went back to my Bargello idea book but used Aida #14 and #3 perle cotton. I really enjoy Bargello stitching but up to now have always used canvas and wool threads. The idea of using cotton counted thread fabric and perle cotton threads proved very interesting. Thanks to Sharon of inaminuteago I am really trying to get out of my stitching box. I am signed up for her newest class that starts on July 11 and looking forward to more new stitching ideas.