Posts

Showing posts from January, 2012

Take a stitch Tuesday

Image
I enjoyed working with the herringbone stitch.  Truly, I have enjoyed all the stitches so far.  I am really glad to be participating in this learning experience.  I worked this stitch on some paper/fabric I made.  Beryl Taylor makes this paper/fabric combo and I was inspired to try my hand at it.  Of course, I made it my own way!  Following someone's directions goes against my creativity or am I just rebellious?  Anyway,  I had no preconceived idea/plan for this piece so that gave me a bit of freedom.  I wasn't concerned about doing it right or messing up.  I just enjoyed the process and I am quite pleased with it! A big thank you to Sharon B at http://www.pintangle.com/   for doing tall this!

January Crazy quilt journal project

Image
Well, here it is.  When I look at it, it feels done to me.  But another part of me says it should have beads on it!  So for right now I am calling it done but I reserve the right to add beads at a later date should I change my mind!  I am not totally sure why I went with an oval shaped block.  Other than that I knew I didn't want to do squares.  I will have to see where this takes me. 

just my two cents

A while back I asked for opinions about on line workshops.  I was wanting to take one and I wanted it to be really good as I had my doubts about them.  Well, I read a number reviews of a certain workshop.  They were raves reviews.  I checked into the workshop and found out that it was on sale.  I love a bargain so I decided to jump in and take the workshop.  I gotta say that I was not impressed.  Not at all.  I did learn a few little things.  Mostly I learned what not to do if I ever do an on line workshop. So that was a bit a negative and I don't like to be negative.  Here is the positive side.  I have been thinking of subscribing to Maggie Grey's Workshop on the Web for a quite a while.  It is more of a magazine style thing.  Well, Maggie never disappoints.  I love her books and now I love her on line magazine!  It is absolutely fabulous.  Why did I wait so long to subscribe?  I may have to go back and buy all the previous issues!  Here's the link in case you want to ch

Take a stitch Tuesday

Image
Finally, I have done the take a stitch Tuesday with Sharon B at http://www.pintangle.com/   on my crazy quilt journal project.  That has been my intention all along but I didn't know what I was doing with my crazy quilt until just last week.  Here I have done the Cretan stitch which is the focus this week.  I have never done this stitch prior to this.  I quite like it and will definitely use it on my crazy quilts from now on.  I think the metallic thread shows up nicely on the dark fabric.  I am not showing the whole block as it is not finished yet but will be by the end of the week.

any ideas?

Image
I bought these beautiful packages of silk threads and ribbons from Treenway a few years ago.  I really want to use them but I am a bit stuck.  I would like to use each set together as each set is so well coordinated. Would you separate them and use as needed? 

January bead journal

Image
I got it done.  I am pleased with the beading on this one.  I am having to be careful with how much beading I do.  I am concerned that if I do too much it will one take away from the photo and two rip the paper.  The paper is backed with fusible interfacing but it still feels slightly fragile.

crazy quilt journal project

Image
I finally have a direction for this project.  I have picked out some fabric from my stash that I think I will use.  I am going with an animal print theme.  This seems a bit dark now that I am looking at the picture.  I know I have some other lighter fabrics in my stash that I can use so I will look for those when I have a minute.  Also I know that I have some marvelous beads that will work for this but I can't find them just now. 

Take a stitch Tuesday

Image
 The stitch that Sharon at http://www.pintangle.com/ has shown for this week is the feather stitch.  To be honest I don't really know what the difference is between it and the fly stitch.  They seem the same to me.  Can you tell I am not a detail person?  Here I have used it on two seams of a crazy quilt block.  I used silk ribbon on the one seam.  I used a silk thread on the other seam.  I also added french knots to that one. 

World of Threads

Here is some information for my stitching friends.  I have heard really good things about this show.  It would be awesome to get something into it!  I have an idea and will be working on it today.   Four Calls for Submissions 2012 World of Threads Festival Website:  http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com The World of Threads Festival is a leading international showcase of contemporary fibre art. It takes place in  Oakville & Toronto, Ontario, Canada.   We believe that some of the most exciting and compelling artwork being made today is happening in the field of fibre arts. Through our initiatives we have discovered some remarkable artists and brought them to the attention of Canadian and international audiences. Our website has become a central hub for lovers of fibre art with our  Weekly Fibre Artist Interviews series . To date we have conducted over 50 interviews with Canadian and international artists. Common Thread International  Exhibitions:  We invite artists from aroun

three posts in one day!

Image
I have never done that before! Yesterday was take a stitch Tuesday at http://www.pintangle.com/   I didn't have time to post about it though.  I did manage to do the buttonhole stitch.  Again, I had hoped I would be working these stitches on my crazy quilt journal project for 2012 but I still haven't come up with an idea for it.  That is kind of bugging me.  I have been busy with other creative things so ...   Anyway, here is my buttonhole stitch worked into a circle (sort of) with variegated thread.  At least I managed to do this on an existing project.  I don't care to think about how long I have been working on this project.  Needless to say it has been way too long!

just a quick note

http://creativeimaginations.typepad.com/luminarte_paints/ Luminate art is doing 12 Days of Giveaways on their blog.  Who doesn't want to win something shiny!  They make H2Os which are a lot of fun to use!

Last of the shell pages

Image
There is no stitching on these pages.  I used some beautiful sparkling paper that is quite stiff.  I also used some of my own decorated paper for the other page.  I had painted the doily and cut up a piece of if to use in another project so this is what was leftover. 

more of my shell book pages

Image
These pages are Japanese paper, a photo and some hand dyed fabric.  All have been stitched with threads, fibres and beads.

more of my shell book

Image
These pages are very dimensional.  There is beading and lace on one page and the other has a shell slice, sea glass and silk carrier rod.  This book is about 5 inches by 5 inches and 2 inches thick.

shell book pages

Image
Here a couple of pages from the shell book.  They are Japanese paper painted and then stitched.  Japanese paper is quite sturdy.  It takes the stitching quite well.  I did not add an interfacing to it like I do with other paper.

shell book covers

Image
Here is a little book I have just finished.  The shells were given to me by someone who works with my husband.  So thoughtful!  Well, when they were given to me I didn't have a clue what I was going to do with them.  It wasn't long before the idea of a little book popped into my head.  My neighbor expertly drilled two holes into each shell for me.  People are so kind!  I'll show you the very dimensional pages another day.

paper snow storm

Image
I love to cut paper snowflakes or kirigami.  I have a stack of these paper pretties.  I decided to copy Katie at http://colormekatie.blogspot.com/ and create a snow storm in my dining room.  I can handle this kind of snow storm any time!

Take a stitch Tuesday

Image
The first stitch Sharon B at http://www.pintangle.com shared for this year is the fly stitch.  I had planned to use each stitch on my crazy quilt journal project this year.  I am a bit slow starting that project though.  It funny because I was fully convinced that I should do that project and yet nothing has come to me as yet.  I was wondering if I should do the bead journal project again this year.  I was iffy on it and yet the idea for it came quite quickly.  So I have used the fly stitch on my bead journal project.  This journal page is far from finished but I like the start of it and I thought it would be good to share the progress.  I have stitched onto a photo that I took of a broken windshield.  I have backed the paper with fusible interfacing to make it more stable.  The fly stitch I did very wide and with a short tail.  I like the curving line it gives.  I used a thick white metallic thread and a thin  hologram thread.  Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to photograph

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year

Image
Jubilee may end up being my word for the year even though I intended to have a different word every month.  Possibly I still will and they will relate to jubilee.  I turn fifty later this year.  There a number of things I told myself over the years that I would not put up with once I turned fifty.  The other night I had a dream that stuck with me.  The basic message was you have to know what you don't want.  Not only do we need to focus on good things to bring them into our life but we also should know what are absolute nos.  We need to be clear about things that we will not tolerate. Jubilee is the year that the captives are set free.  I am setting myself free this year.  I was going to start listing my new freedoms but changed my mind.  Maybe another post.