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!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
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......
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
August Snowman BOM
My sister-in-law will especially like this one. She's an avid swimmer who swims laps every morning she can at the pool!
Southwestern Snowmen!
I'm doing these snowmen of the month for the BOM challenge on the blueroseredwork list at yahoo groups. I decided to do them in southwestern colors without the name of the month because my sister-in-law collects & loves snowmen AND she lives in AZ in a home decorated in SW decor.
The accompanying strip of fabric will be the sashing for the wallhanging I intend to make from the 12 blocks. The actual block is stitched on a mottled fabric that almost looks hand dyed. I bought both fabrics at the quilt shop in Sedona, AZ some time ago. I chose the colors of DMC floss from both fabrics.
This is the June snowman; pictures of July and August will follow.
I'm off now to work on another BOM project that is kind of an experiment. Hope to have happy results to show soon! I'm also working on another pastel project - this time peaches & greens with a little light gold. It's a pillow top and a gift for a friend who went out of her way to do us a huge favor.
The accompanying strip of fabric will be the sashing for the wallhanging I intend to make from the 12 blocks. The actual block is stitched on a mottled fabric that almost looks hand dyed. I bought both fabrics at the quilt shop in Sedona, AZ some time ago. I chose the colors of DMC floss from both fabrics.
This is the June snowman; pictures of July and August will follow.
I'm off now to work on another BOM project that is kind of an experiment. Hope to have happy results to show soon! I'm also working on another pastel project - this time peaches & greens with a little light gold. It's a pillow top and a gift for a friend who went out of her way to do us a huge favor.
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