I have been gone..............
15 years ago
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Friday, September 15, 2006
Chicken Birthday Pillow
Whew! I actually managed to finish the Birthday pillows in time to mail them off to my "mountain people" yesterday. My eldest daughter and her husband share the same birthday - 9/17 and I really wanted them to arrive in time.
My daughter raised chickens in their former home and when I saw this redwork pattern AND the Daisy Kingdom fabric in my stash, I knew I had to make something for her. I believe the redwork design is vintage. I found it in my Farm binder of downloaded patterns.
If you click on the picture, you can see the back of the pillow which is a print that looks like chicken wire and also you can see the computer generated, Epson printed label I made for the pillow.
Below you'll see a picture of the pillow I made for Ray in the memory of our granddog, Scout, his hunting dog who passed away earlier this year. Scout was just a pup when he moved with them to the mountains 10 yrs ago and he was a great dog. A bit of a scamp, he was loved by all the family, but most fondly I think by my husband. When Scout woud get in trouble and the kids would say they should find him a new home, my dh always volunteered to take him. He loved my dh a lot as well I think. Whenever we visited, Scout with start out sitting with his nose in G's lap and before you know it, the dog would be in his lap! Twas a funny site to see. We miss Scout a lot!
I made both pillows to cover one of of the 16" x 20" travel pillow forms that you can get at Jo-Ann's fabric stores. The chicken pillow has a flange stitched around the 4 sides instead of piping. I hate doing piping and this way I can get a snug fit for the removeable cover. On Ray's pillow I just did flanges on the side because of a piecing problem, but when all was said and done, I really LIKE the look, so might do that again sometime with a pillow.
Next up? #2 grandson's Fireman/Dalmation quilt. I have already done the 8 redwork blocks and have some printed panel pictures of the dogs cut out. I'm having a huge problem finding an mixture/arrangement that is pleasing and a nice size. I'll be playing with that for the next day or so.
Stitch On!
My daughter raised chickens in their former home and when I saw this redwork pattern AND the Daisy Kingdom fabric in my stash, I knew I had to make something for her. I believe the redwork design is vintage. I found it in my Farm binder of downloaded patterns.
If you click on the picture, you can see the back of the pillow which is a print that looks like chicken wire and also you can see the computer generated, Epson printed label I made for the pillow.
Below you'll see a picture of the pillow I made for Ray in the memory of our granddog, Scout, his hunting dog who passed away earlier this year. Scout was just a pup when he moved with them to the mountains 10 yrs ago and he was a great dog. A bit of a scamp, he was loved by all the family, but most fondly I think by my husband. When Scout woud get in trouble and the kids would say they should find him a new home, my dh always volunteered to take him. He loved my dh a lot as well I think. Whenever we visited, Scout with start out sitting with his nose in G's lap and before you know it, the dog would be in his lap! Twas a funny site to see. We miss Scout a lot!
I made both pillows to cover one of of the 16" x 20" travel pillow forms that you can get at Jo-Ann's fabric stores. The chicken pillow has a flange stitched around the 4 sides instead of piping. I hate doing piping and this way I can get a snug fit for the removeable cover. On Ray's pillow I just did flanges on the side because of a piecing problem, but when all was said and done, I really LIKE the look, so might do that again sometime with a pillow.
Next up? #2 grandson's Fireman/Dalmation quilt. I have already done the 8 redwork blocks and have some printed panel pictures of the dogs cut out. I'm having a huge problem finding an mixture/arrangement that is pleasing and a nice size. I'll be playing with that for the next day or so.
Stitch On!
In Memory of Scout
If you click on the picture, it will take you to my Flickr photo album where you can also see the back of the pillow and the computer generated, Epson printed label I attached.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
9/11 - 5 years later
I can't believe sometimes that it's been 5 years since this awful day in 2001. I spent yesterday remembering most of the day. However I was also gone from home most of the day. I spent the day with 2 friends helping a 3rd friend with a long-delayed project for which she was very grateful. She served us lunch and said so many "thank yous" that we finally told her to hush! It was a good day to spend with friends doing something physical and worthwhile.
Almost 5 years ago I signed up to honor two of the World Trade Center victims by making a quilt block for the 9/11 Memory Quilt that would travel the country. At the time I promised their families that I would never forget them. So you will find their pictures below and yesterday I wore their faces on a special shirt I made in 2002. Everyone who asked was told about Ray & Jane and how they were loving and much-loved.
When I chose Jane it was because she was born the same year as I was, was a breast cancer survivor and was from Canada originally, as was my late father. I "spoke" with one of her sons in Canada by email.
Ray's face literally popped out at me one night on the Memorial site. I later traded emails with his sister-in-law. From her and also from published stories I found out what a loving son, husband, father and friend he was. Today, when I see his face, I still think of a story I heard about him playing Barbies on the floor with his daughters.
Their profiles and a guestbook are always available at www.legacy.com.
The Redwork design above was adapted with permission from Mary Graham's quilt site. It's based on a design that she did for a quilt square. The design is still available for anyone who wants to stitch it at: http://www.nmia.com/~mgdesign/qor/memorialwall/memorywall/redworkgb.html
Almost 5 years ago I signed up to honor two of the World Trade Center victims by making a quilt block for the 9/11 Memory Quilt that would travel the country. At the time I promised their families that I would never forget them. So you will find their pictures below and yesterday I wore their faces on a special shirt I made in 2002. Everyone who asked was told about Ray & Jane and how they were loving and much-loved.
When I chose Jane it was because she was born the same year as I was, was a breast cancer survivor and was from Canada originally, as was my late father. I "spoke" with one of her sons in Canada by email.
Ray's face literally popped out at me one night on the Memorial site. I later traded emails with his sister-in-law. From her and also from published stories I found out what a loving son, husband, father and friend he was. Today, when I see his face, I still think of a story I heard about him playing Barbies on the floor with his daughters.
Their profiles and a guestbook are always available at www.legacy.com.
The Redwork design above was adapted with permission from Mary Graham's quilt site. It's based on a design that she did for a quilt square. The design is still available for anyone who wants to stitch it at: http://www.nmia.com/~mgdesign/qor/memorialwall/memorywall/redworkgb.html
Sunday, September 10, 2006
RAINING BOM Snowman
I'm here - just been SUPER busy. Have been working on 2 b'day gifts for my eldest daughter and her dh who share a b'day. Almost done, so will post those pictures as soon as I can. One involves embroidery; they other has a photo printed on fabric.....
Here you see one of my CatchUp Blocks in the snowman BOM project I'm doing for my SIL. I guess this is supposed to be the April block - April Showers Bring May Flowers.... But I had done the Easter block for April, so this will be for March I guess - even though I'm not putting the month names on the blocks.
I know it doesn't rain much where they live in Arizona, but the snowman would melt if he got ANY rain on him, so he really NEEDS his umbrella!
Stitch-On!
Here you see one of my CatchUp Blocks in the snowman BOM project I'm doing for my SIL. I guess this is supposed to be the April block - April Showers Bring May Flowers.... But I had done the Easter block for April, so this will be for March I guess - even though I'm not putting the month names on the blocks.
I know it doesn't rain much where they live in Arizona, but the snowman would melt if he got ANY rain on him, so he really NEEDS his umbrella!
Stitch-On!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Marvelous Find!
I was so excited to find this crocheted mother of pearl button trim at an obscure little quilt shop on a recent trip to Nevada. Because it was $16 per yard, I just purchased one yard.
I have crocheted since I was a very young girl so I intend to see if I can figure out how to do something similar with the 100's of vintage mop buttons I have. The trim obviously is made with new 2-hole buttons and every other one is a flower shaped button.
The shop had a pretty patchwork jacket on display that had this trim applied to the bottom edge and it was very striking!
I have crocheted since I was a very young girl so I intend to see if I can figure out how to do something similar with the 100's of vintage mop buttons I have. The trim obviously is made with new 2-hole buttons and every other one is a flower shaped button.
The shop had a pretty patchwork jacket on display that had this trim applied to the bottom edge and it was very striking!
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Anemone up close & personal
Again with the Monterey Bay Aquarium photos. Here we have a close up of a gorgeous white sea anemone. I am always amazed at how many lovely colors these come in. It is, though, very hard to get good pictures without a flash through the glass. In some of my pictures you WILL see a bit of reflection. Any white spots you see though are not flashes from the camera. I took all of these photos without the flash function turned on.
The kelp forest is huge and ever changing. I found the anchovy school fascinating to watch. They are constantly on the move and occasionally open their mouths as they swim to feed. They have little spot markings on their sides and it is believed that is how they stay with the school. They can see the spots and know they haven't left the safety of numbers. Larger fish will eat them quickly if they stray away from the ever changing shape of the school. Sardines which are larger also exist in this manner.
The otters are amazingly entertaining. I wish I had taken pictures when we first arrived because they were playing with toys on the surface. When we returned later in the day they were mostly underwater and I was lucky to catch some surface shots. Most of them were swimming furiously around in circles underwater and the toys had been tossed aside.
Next up? JELLYFISH!
The kelp forest is huge and ever changing. I found the anchovy school fascinating to watch. They are constantly on the move and occasionally open their mouths as they swim to feed. They have little spot markings on their sides and it is believed that is how they stay with the school. They can see the spots and know they haven't left the safety of numbers. Larger fish will eat them quickly if they stray away from the ever changing shape of the school. Sardines which are larger also exist in this manner.
The otters are amazingly entertaining. I wish I had taken pictures when we first arrived because they were playing with toys on the surface. When we returned later in the day they were mostly underwater and I was lucky to catch some surface shots. Most of them were swimming furiously around in circles underwater and the toys had been tossed aside.
Next up? JELLYFISH!
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Our little vacation
I'm busy stitching today so I thought I would post some of the pictures I took at the Monterey Bay Aquarium last week. Everything was so wonderful and I got a little shutter-happy.
These 4 pictures were taken in just one area of the aquarium which, if you've never visited, is well worth your time. It's especially worthwhile if you have kids in tow. Mine would have loved it. But, even for older adults it is a great place to visit. We spent almost the whole day there seeing all the exhibits, all the film presentations and even we even sat for a time and just laughed like crazy over the antics of the otters and penguins.
These shots are very inspiring if you intend one day to stitch any ocean themed items. That's why I took so many pictures. Enjoy!
Perhaps I'll post a few more tomorrow..........
These 4 pictures were taken in just one area of the aquarium which, if you've never visited, is well worth your time. It's especially worthwhile if you have kids in tow. Mine would have loved it. But, even for older adults it is a great place to visit. We spent almost the whole day there seeing all the exhibits, all the film presentations and even we even sat for a time and just laughed like crazy over the antics of the otters and penguins.
These shots are very inspiring if you intend one day to stitch any ocean themed items. That's why I took so many pictures. Enjoy!
Perhaps I'll post a few more tomorrow..........
Friday, August 18, 2006
Showing off the Texas Grands
Just have to show off the latest picture of my TX grandkids. Jack is 5 and just started school and Isabelle is 2-1/2. They are our youngest daughter's children.
Aren't they sweet? We think they're pretty special. Of course we are not totally impartial, are we?
Aren't they sweet? We think they're pretty special. Of course we are not totally impartial, are we?
More Catch Up!
Last night I finished the February/Valentine block in this series and started on the next mannequin block. I think I may have some little heart shaped beads that would fit inside the spaces in the heart string on this one.
Also got my granddaughter's birthday project started yesterday. Since her b'day is the 29th, I have to concentrate on that now, but I also managed to mock up a small block for September in another BOM challenge - this on is on the RedworkStitcher's list. I've been doing my own designs and this one is to honor my eldest grandson's first day of kindergarden.
I'm also reading "The Mermaid Chair" before bed each night. I'm an avid reader and yesterday started a data base of books I've read. Wish I'd done it years ago. A while back someone posted a life reading list to live up to that had been published in a newspaper. I was surprised to see that I had read quite a few of the books listed. Of course I can't recall WHEN I read them. I read a lot of mysteries and have read 10 books in the past 2 months.
Otherwise I'm stitching as fast as I can!
Also got my granddaughter's birthday project started yesterday. Since her b'day is the 29th, I have to concentrate on that now, but I also managed to mock up a small block for September in another BOM challenge - this on is on the RedworkStitcher's list. I've been doing my own designs and this one is to honor my eldest grandson's first day of kindergarden.
I'm also reading "The Mermaid Chair" before bed each night. I'm an avid reader and yesterday started a data base of books I've read. Wish I'd done it years ago. A while back someone posted a life reading list to live up to that had been published in a newspaper. I was surprised to see that I had read quite a few of the books listed. Of course I can't recall WHEN I read them. I read a lot of mysteries and have read 10 books in the past 2 months.
Otherwise I'm stitching as fast as I can!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Playing Catch Up!
Here's the January /Winter snowman design done up. Since we started this BOM challenge on the list in April, if I want to make these into a Christmas gift, I have to do the designs for Jan-March and play catch up!
I'm thinking I might add a few beads here and there in the designs before the whole thing is put together. Like on these snowflakes I think a seed bead would be nice in the center of the snowflakes. And, thinking ahead to the December block, there's a little tree in the design. I've been thinking of substituting a little cactus and wouldn't it be cute (tree OR cactus) to hang some little tiny ornaments on that design?
I finished this block while we were in Monterey, CA at the ocean, enjoying the cool weather. We had a lovely full day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is not to be missed, and we walked a lot too. We also ate like little piggies and are really having problems getting back in the swing of things now that we're back home.
I spent the first full day home laundering the fabric that I "found" at two shops we visited the last day we were there. The Handmaden and Back Porch Fabrics (both in Pacific Grove) called my name! And I'm so glad I answered. At both places I found fabrics that I've been looking for for months or weeks. Such great finds and such friendly shops too!
Next up here is a horse-themed project for my #4 granddaughter's birthday at the end of this month. Better get crackin'!
I'm thinking I might add a few beads here and there in the designs before the whole thing is put together. Like on these snowflakes I think a seed bead would be nice in the center of the snowflakes. And, thinking ahead to the December block, there's a little tree in the design. I've been thinking of substituting a little cactus and wouldn't it be cute (tree OR cactus) to hang some little tiny ornaments on that design?
I finished this block while we were in Monterey, CA at the ocean, enjoying the cool weather. We had a lovely full day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is not to be missed, and we walked a lot too. We also ate like little piggies and are really having problems getting back in the swing of things now that we're back home.
I spent the first full day home laundering the fabric that I "found" at two shops we visited the last day we were there. The Handmaden and Back Porch Fabrics (both in Pacific Grove) called my name! And I'm so glad I answered. At both places I found fabrics that I've been looking for for months or weeks. Such great finds and such friendly shops too!
Next up here is a horse-themed project for my #4 granddaughter's birthday at the end of this month. Better get crackin'!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
A Redwork Experiment
Last night I completed the stitching on a little experiment
I have been collecting the mannequin designs at the Bobby Socks website (http://members.shaw.ca/shareski/freeredwork.htm). Then I found this great fabric with little mannequins all over it. I just knew it was perfect to sash and border a quilt made from these designs.
After I found that fabric (shown on left) I really wanted to do the blocks in different colors on some light tone-on-tone fabric that has to do with sewing. I had seen one in the past that was a like white-on-white print of tiny scissors. However, I could not find anything even similar. I found in my stash a button print of cream mother of pearl buttons but it was too dark.
After searching for a long time and buying one fabric that, after laundering, had an awful stiff "hand", I got to thinking about using the cotton fabric that you can put through your printer. I can also copy and scan on my machine, so I made a color copy of that button fabric using the lowest density I could. But it was still too dark to do these design on so I then made a low density copy of the lighter copy and got a print that I thought it might work. SO.............
I copied the print onto a Jacquard cotton fabric sheet I got at Michaels and did the design on it, finishing it last night. I have since bought some solid-reading fabric in the colors that are on the mannequin print to use as frames around each block So I took a picture of this block this morning with those and the mannequin fabric positioned around on the sides. I plan to stitch the mannequin designs all differently but within this color range.
Has anyone done this before or am I truly inventive? Really Big LOL!
The only difficulty I had with the whole thing was just after I removed the paper backing from the fabric sheet when I noticed the fabric seemed stiff. And, after letting it dry for 24 hrs, it still seemed that way, but I decided to give it a try anyway. Once I transfered the design and started hooping & handling the fabric, it softened up quite a bit. In the end it was draping nicely over my hands as I stitched.
I have been looking at this block for what seems forever, so I'd like some unbiased opinions about it. Is the button print distracting? Should it be even lighter? I worry if I made it any lighter, you wouldn't notice that it was a print at all......
I have been collecting the mannequin designs at the Bobby Socks website (http://members.shaw.ca/shareski/freeredwork.htm). Then I found this great fabric with little mannequins all over it. I just knew it was perfect to sash and border a quilt made from these designs.
After I found that fabric (shown on left) I really wanted to do the blocks in different colors on some light tone-on-tone fabric that has to do with sewing. I had seen one in the past that was a like white-on-white print of tiny scissors. However, I could not find anything even similar. I found in my stash a button print of cream mother of pearl buttons but it was too dark.
After searching for a long time and buying one fabric that, after laundering, had an awful stiff "hand", I got to thinking about using the cotton fabric that you can put through your printer. I can also copy and scan on my machine, so I made a color copy of that button fabric using the lowest density I could. But it was still too dark to do these design on so I then made a low density copy of the lighter copy and got a print that I thought it might work. SO.............
I copied the print onto a Jacquard cotton fabric sheet I got at Michaels and did the design on it, finishing it last night. I have since bought some solid-reading fabric in the colors that are on the mannequin print to use as frames around each block So I took a picture of this block this morning with those and the mannequin fabric positioned around on the sides. I plan to stitch the mannequin designs all differently but within this color range.
Has anyone done this before or am I truly inventive? Really Big LOL!
The only difficulty I had with the whole thing was just after I removed the paper backing from the fabric sheet when I noticed the fabric seemed stiff. And, after letting it dry for 24 hrs, it still seemed that way, but I decided to give it a try anyway. Once I transfered the design and started hooping & handling the fabric, it softened up quite a bit. In the end it was draping nicely over my hands as I stitched.
I have been looking at this block for what seems forever, so I'd like some unbiased opinions about it. Is the button print distracting? Should it be even lighter? I worry if I made it any lighter, you wouldn't notice that it was a print at all......
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