More Stitchery with SharonB

This is the Detail for Day 69, consisting of a row of herringbone stitches laced with silk ribbon. Above that row are detached chain stitches and fly stitches anchored with a bugle bead.

What Katydid...

What???

Lesson Three - Creative Embroidery Course

I stitched Lesson 3 of the Creative Embroidery course on a piece of painted and stamped Peltex. My design was based on a magnification of the area on the upper left of a photograph I made of a partially buried wicker basket in the woods.

Stitchin’ with Sharon (Day 58)

Here is my interpretation of Sharon’s day 58 detail, consisting of chain, detached chain, straight and (new to me) pistil stitches. This was a fun combination to stitch, and something I would have never dreamed of on my own.

Torn Paper Collage Revisited...

“Try it Tuesdays” has been on hiatus for awhile and so I thought I’d revisit the torn paper collage technique. This time I painted the textured papers with teal acrylic and used antiquing gel on top. This technique really makes paper look and feel like old tooled leather…

While My Sitar Gently Weeps...

Well, I couldn’t resist. Here’s my first attempt at a paisley design (on a little scrap of painted peltex). What fun! I could distinctly hear Ravi Shankar playing in the background while I was stitching. Thanks, Jo, for the great tutorial.

Irwin

Here’s a sneak preview of “Irwin,” my latest Santa. I finished him today.

Painting, Stamping and Glazing…

I spent a little time out in the screenhouse this afternoon playing with paint on Peltex. Here are two possible backgrounds for my Creative Embroidery lessons. I’m sure getting my money’s worth out of my dollar stamps!

More Stitchin' with Sharon...

This is the Day 34 detail: feather stitch and beads.

Beach Peas Gone Wild (WIP)

I've only just started stitching my pea pods... and I signed up for Joggles ATC mini course - don't know how I'm going to fit everything in!

More Work on the Wedding Project…

Here’s my interpretation of Sharon’s Day 40 detail. I used it to embellish a plain grosgrain ribbon. I thought I'd have this little wedding project finished in no time, but the seams seem to be multiplying on this baby...

Beach Peas Gone Wild

This is just the start of lesson 2 of the Creative Embroidery course. I’m a bit behind…

Freeform Embroidery Sampler (WIP)

This is where I am so far with lesson 1 of Susan Sorrell’s Creative Embroidery class. And I still have miles of stitching to go! I’m thinking it could use some beads, too. I’m going to let it percolate for a little bit, though, and move on to the next lesson. This sure ain’t your mama’s embroidery sampler…

Scrunching...

Here are a couple of pieces of permanently scrunched fabric from the Machine Embellishment course just waiting to be stitched and beaded. I can’t look at fabric, now, without wanting to scrunch it! I’ll probably get myself banned from the local Jo-Ann’s…

Yet More Details…

Here’s the detail from day 19 – Cretan stitch with woven ribbon (I auditioned several cords and they were either too fine or too heavy – the ribbon seemed right.)


Next, I embellished previously sewn chevron stitches a la Sharon’s day 25 detail. I know I should have worked the stitches below the seam line (like Sharon’s example) but I couldn’t because I already had decorated that side. Also, I wanted to add flowers to the top of the stems but the only ones I could find locally were gold metallic and they just called too much attention to themselves way over on the far right of my piece. So I used the same “pearls” I’ve been using and kept the threads really neutral – so it just looks like added texture on the plain fabric.

Lower the Feed Dogs, Darn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead!

Here is my first attempt at needlelace "leaves" from the Machine Embellishment class at Quilt U. Free motion stitching is new to me and I think I like it – I’m beginning to really “bond” with my machine!

A Few More Details…

Got a chance to do a little more stitching on my cq wedding project. On this seam, I added beads to the body of the lace - and detached chain, straight stitches and beads to the top. Adding stitches and beads to lace trim really gives it more of a presence.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

The Creative Embroidery course started this morning (but you can still sign up). It looks like fun! Lots of work, but fun! I’m in the middle of the Machine Embellishment course at Quilt U and have been enjoying that, too, although I’m having a little trouble with my free motion zigzag stitching (FM ZZs). I think part of the problem is that I can’t see where I’m going to follow my lines. I’m wondering whether a larger darning foot would help… (?)

And it’s nearly the middle of July and my poor Santa Claus dolls are sitting here, buck naked, shivering in the air-conditioning…so I really need to get busy dressing them!

Tinted Brass Button (Stash Sunday)

Here’s another old button from my collection. I love these little works of art…

More Work on the Wedding Collage...

Here's another seam treatment on the wedding collage. It’s Sharon’s Day 11 combination of herringbone, detached chain, oyster stitches and beads. I had never tried the oyster stitch before so I had to spend a little time studying it in Sharon’s stitch dictionary. And, being a southpaw, I had to change the direction of a few steps…sigh… but I finally got it! I was delighted to find some vintage silk twist thread spools tucked in among some vintage fabric pieces given to me by a friend. I used the silk to make the oyster stitches. It was such a pleasure embroidering with the silk – it’s so smooth! Anyway, I am really excited to be learning some new stitches and (slowly but surely) making some progress on this project.

herringbone, detached chain, oyster stitches and beads