TAST: Running Stitch

I had an enjoyable and relaxing time just allowing running stitches to meander around on an old paint rag backed with quilt batting…

Another Embroidered Doodle

This is my outlined embroidery for lesson two and was based on collaged images from a couple of printing trade magazines. Design inspiration comes from unexpected sources...

Moleskine Magnolias

I thought, for sure, the magnolia flowers would have been decimated by the heavy rains – but they’re still blooming! I sketched the flowers, and then transferred them to my moleskine for inking. (Drawing directly in the moleskine does not work for me because I erase too much and that ruins the paper’s finish.) I wanted to emphasize the negative spaces between the petals so I colored in the background with a Staedtler dual tipped marker. I was in an orangey mood…

It was a gorgeous day today, sunny with temperatures in the low 70s. Spring, at last!

TAST: First Attempt at Palestrina Stitch

This was a new stitch for me and I want to thank Mary Corbet of Needle ‘n Thread for the great video tutorial! I have been wanting to try reverse appliqué and thought the Palestrina stitch would be a good candidate to try as an outline. I used a scrap of Bali batik for the base and created the top fabric by embellishing coordinating bits of roving and teased out Kunin felt on top of a piece of lilac (Kunin) felt. I ironed the base to a piece of fusible Peltex before stitching and beading. This was just a small experiment (2 ½ x 3 ½ in.) but it might be worth some further exploration…

Embroidered Doodle

This is my lesson one embroidery from Susan Sorrell’s Doodling Designs class. I love this class – learning how to approach design in new, playful ways!

TAST: Oyster Stitch and a Confession

I freely admit I was dreading this stitch. I figured it was coming and I wasn’t looking forward to it at all. I actually groaned when I found out it was this week's TAST challenge. I had tried it before when Sharon featured it in the 100 details – but it took me forever to work it out (I’m not even sure if I did it correctly) – and I thought if I never made another oyster stitch it would be too soon! However, this time I tried it and fell in love with it. I had so much fun playing with this little (2 ½”x 3 ½”) sampler! I found clear, illustrated instructions for the stitch (on page 66) in Judith Baker Montano’s gorgeous book, Floral Stitches.

I am currently enrolled in Susan Sorrell’s Doodling Designs class (because I always learn so much from Susan!) and in Carol Murphy’s Easy Blitz of Glitz (because I wanted an excuse to play with twinkling H2Os!). So I need to get my rear in gear…

TAST: Bonnet Stitch ATC and Santa News!

The background is felted wool roving - with matching variegated rayon FME on top. I used the bonnet stitch to couch down coordinating novelty yarn. I very much enjoyed working with this stitch (a new stitch for me) and I’m sure it will find its way into future embroidered pieces.

On the Santa Claus front, I have two nearly finished for 2007– I’m lagging behind schedule a bit (the poor dears are sitting here in their birthday suits…) But I do have some exciting news to report! My Shanty Claus pattern will be featured in the upcoming "Christmas in July" issue of Australian Homespun magazine. I was contacted last July by the managing editor and had to have the completed project in Oz by February. That is such a lovely publication and I am just “over the moon” about being included in it!

Wishing Everyone a Blessed Easter

It's a Mod Mod Mod Mod World!

This (6x4 inch) piece was made on the embellisher using dyed silk from a scarf, black silk, organza, kunin felt, rayon blend (polka dotted fabric) and wool roving – on a kunin felt base. I overlaid it with sparkly tulle (you can’t see the sparkles in the scan) and placed it on a piece of Peltex before free-motion embroidering with matching variegated rayon thread. I was going to use this as a background for some hand embroidery but I may just leave it alone…not sure…

TAST: Knotted Cretan Stitch

I had intended to use the previously posted background, but didn’t want to cut it down – so I made a smaller piece (2 ½ x 3 ½ inches) using the same technique. The little notches formed by the knots in this stitch were begging for blossoms and buds…

Another Felted Background…

This time I embellished a piece of decorator fabric onto the Peltex, then added pastel colored wool roving on top. I added the FME with coordinating rayon variegated thread. An advantage of working directly on the Peltex is that it acts as a stabilizer for the free motion embroidery.

Embellished Background on Peltex

Revved up the embellisher this afternoon and felted together some dyed silk from a scarf I never wore, commercially dyed silk ribbon, organza, novelty yarn and wool roving (from Joggles). I love how the silk crinkles under the needles – none of my scarves are safe, now…or DH’s ties…

TAST: Couching

The background is a piece of cotton from my stash to which I added some FME. I felted in circles of Kunin felt as well as some fibers teased from the felt, here and there. Variegated yarn was couched on with black embroidery floss. Too much fun…

American Woodcock

I was looking out my bedroom window this afternoon when I noticed one of the "dead leaves" on the ground bobbing up and down. It was a woodcock doing his version of the “funky chicken.” Woodcocks are rarely seen because they are very shy and pretty much camouflaged by their surroundings. Seeing him really made my day!

TAST: Up and Down Buttonhole Stitch Sampler

This was a new stitch for me and I really enjoyed messing around with it. The background was created on the embellisher using wool roving, novelty yarn and scraps from a painted dryer sheet – encased in fine tulle.

The weather has been Heavenly (in the 70s!) for the past couple of days but the weatherman is calling for snow tomorrow – argh!

TAST: Barred Chain Stitches on Embellished Background

For the background, I embellished scraps of linen, muslin, rayon/cotton blend, quilt batting, ribbons in silk and organza (and just a smidgen of Santa beard wool) on top of a piece of water soluble stabilizer. Then I added some free-motion stitching on top. This little exercise was inspired by Margo Duke’s instructions (although she uses beautiful pastel fabrics!) in the January/February issue of Quilting Arts magazine. For this week’s TAST, I added a few barred chain stitches. This will most likely be used as a foundation for further stitching…

TAST: Messing Around with Cross Stitches

Well, I had fun, anyway! I embellished an old multicolored checked rayon sash to a piece of wool felt. Then I added some wool roving “flowers.” To suggest a trellis, I made large cross stitches using the checks as a guide. Then I added a whole bunch of cross stitches in rayon, silk, perle cotton and stranded cotton. I sort of “borrowed” the trellis idea from a beautiful book I have by Jan Beaney, called THE ART OF THE NEEDLE.

TAST: Cross Stitch

I used a simple cross stitch pattern from Janet Haigh’s wonderful book, THE EMBROIDERER’S FLORAL, to sew these tender Dianthus blossoms.

TAST: WIP with Fly Stitches...

This is stitched on a yarn-embellished piece of painted and stamped Peltex. That’s my favorite stitching surface because it doesn’t need to be hooped. Also, I’ve discovered that running it under the embellisher softens it up a little, making it even easier to work with.

Field Trip...

I haven’t done any stitching for the past few days because I have a nasty sty on my eyelid (thanks to that darned Algerian eyestitch, no doubt!). Anyway, it doesn’t hurt anymore – just itches so I guess it’s beginning to heal.

Yesterday, for the first time, I accompanied DH to City Hall in Philly to help him set up a courtroom for an electronic presentation. I usually just assist him with the preparation work here, i.e. scanning photographs or synching videotaped depositions to written transcripts (time stamping). DH goes to court and sits next to the attorney he represents and pulls up whatever graphics are needed to display on the screen. (Behind the scenes, he spends hours with the attorneys as they prepare their cases.) Anyway, while court was in session yesterday, I sat in the back and observed how the jury reacted. It’s amazing how an image on the screen will really get their attention! And, after an absolutely brilliant and eloquent opening statement from our attorney, the plaintiff decided it would be in his best interest to settle. And the judge wholeheartedly agreed. There was general euphoria on our side! I got a real lesson in civics yesterday and found the whole legal process fascinating. No wonder DH loves his work!

One of the lawyers we represent