Copyright

(c) 2009 - 2024 (MEM)

Please keep in mind that, unless otherwise noted, everything on my blog is copyright material of some sort. Either by me (as picture taker, writer, creator) or more importantly by the designer of the needlework pieces I present. If you promise to be copyright mindful, my promise to you is to do my best to provide you enough information in my post for you to obtain your own legal copy. Please be respectful of these copyrights and not take business away from our wonderful designers. Thank you.
............. . ."She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight" Proverbs 31:13 NAS


Sunday, April 22, 2012

TUSAL April & Flower Patch update

Seems April 21 was a new moon, so here is my TUSAL (Totally Useless Stitch Along) post of my orts since the last new moon. Click here for more information about the TUSAL and to join up!

Much of what you see here is this project called Flower Patch from Lila's Studio and a few other things I have posted about this month.

I am well on my way to getting this done, by June 9, but how to finish it??? Framed, pillow, wall hanging.....

How I Finish Bookmarks

Deborah in "crispy autumnal South Africa" recently commented on my bookmark post asking for ideas on finishing them. She gave me a GREAT idea for a blog post and here it is. I am not an expert by any means, but will give you all some ideas, and maybe some other folks will comment on what they have done and we will all learn something.

This is the Hungarian Embroidery bookmark that got Deborah to ask her question.  The edges were folded over with enough area folded on the back to be caught by the herringbone stitches on the front. The double lines of stitching on the back is the back side of the herringbone. For extra security you could use your sewing machine to do a small zig-zag stitch on the long sides before folding them over and doing the herringbone. I did this with the small one (could not get a good picture since the sewing thread matched the bookmark and my stitch was small). I did have to remove some of the zig-zag at the top and bottom areas that are fringed in order to get it to fringe though! I suppose you could also do it by hand similar to what you would do to keep your fabric from ravelling while stitching on it, but I always use my machine. Also perhaps surging the sides before folding over. I would do this after the stitching is done and before the herringbone to make sure you leave enough fabric to catch on the back with the herringbone.
 This next bookmark is an EGA Petite Project on blackwork. The edges are nun stitched. This is a nice way to finish a bookmark and I have used it for others as well.
 My third example is some Swedish weaving I did on purchased pre-finished bookmarks. By counting the usable space on the bookmark and comparing it to my design I was able to make it fit. It was a tad trickier on the scallop edged one, but it still worked. No finishing required on these since  the scalloped edge and the folded edge on the green were done already. I do not recall the maker of the top one, but the green one is by Charles Craft and comes in other colors. Both are 14 count aida.

This is another Swedish weaving design. for this one I used my sewing machine and did small straight stitches around the four sides and then cut the fabric outside the straight stitches to the length I wanted the fringe and then fringed it.
These are all the bookmarks I could find at my house and I think it covers all the ways I have finished them. There could be other ways, but hope this helps some of you or gives you some ideas. Please share with the rest of us, if you want!

Friday, April 20, 2012

Studio Clock

The shop where I bought my new sewing machine last October (Rocky Mountain Sewing) has a monthly event called "Sew Fun" where they show you different products, patterns and supplies that you can use. They show finished products as further enticement to buy the patterns, etc. Well I succumbed this past Wednesday when I saw this Quick Stitch Multi Square Clock and knew it would be great in my studio!

I printed off various pictures of my stitching, a picture of Miss Maddie and one from 1995 of my husband and I. You will recognize him as the gray blob - I am not mad at him, he just prefers to remain anonymous! Too bad the sun was in my eyes, but the picture was taken in front of the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego on one of our day trips and it brings back nice memories.

It was great fun and very fast and easy to do. I made a template out of clear plastic to lay over the pictures to decide what part to cut out and then slipped the cut photo into the clock slots as the package instructions suggested. It will be easy to change photos down the road too. Sorry I tossed out the packaging before I thought about blogging, but if you goolge "quick stitch clock" you should come up with at least two sources.



I just LOVE my studio clock!!!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Flower Patch Progress

This is the last project I have to finish from the Sampler Guild of the Rockies June 2011 retreat. When I get it done, I will have completed all the projects provided from the 2010 and the 2011 retreats! Just in time for the retreat this year on June 9 and more projects too!!


Flower Patch (item # 0310)from Lila's Studio
Using Weeks Dye Works as charted.
Design size is 6.5"x6.5"

Happy Day Everyone!!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Hornbook Needlewomen Completed

The stitching and preparation to put this on the hornbook at our May 7 Foothills EGA meeting has been finished. I made a twisted cord with some #8 perle cotton in the main color (which I had to buy, everything else was from stash). Since the piece is small I decided to scan it on my scanner and as you can see the fabric color much better!
The designer of this Needlewomen is unknown. It was done using DMC floss (3328, 3053 & 712), Krienik #4 braid color #102 for her needle and is stitched on Zweigart's 32 count Apricot Belfast linen.

Have a GREAT day everyone!!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Hornbook Pre-stitching Progress - UPDATE

Today I thought I’d show you my progress on the May Foothills EGA project. It has pre-stitching and here is what I have done so far. The fabric I am using is a pale peach which did not show up so well in the photo. Hopefully I can get a better one when it is finished. It is approximately 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches and is stitched over two on 32 count fabric (in order for it to fit the hornbook) using two strands of floss. My threads are DMC colors 3328 (main color); 3053 (green "thread"); and 712 will be the "fabric" she is stitching on when I get it in there. I still have to put in her "needle" and plan to use some silvery gold #4 Kreinik braid.

*****UPDATE: Sorry designer is unknown*****
It has been fun so far. I outlined here skirt so that all I have to do there (and in area that is the fabric she is stitching on) is fill in the space. This way I do not need to look at the chart and can work on it wherever or whenever I want.

We need to have the stitching completed by May 7. The program is putting it on a hornbook, which are being made by one of our chapter members talented husbands. Here is the finished sample.
Happy Monday All!!

Friday, April 6, 2012

Bookmarks, Scissor Fob & Miss Maddie

Just some random items for a Friday, a Good Friday at that!

I decided to try and make the Hungarian Embroidery bookmark on even weave and found this 22 count in my stash. In the photo the top bookmark is the project from Monday's Foothills EGA chapter program done on 18 count (I think) aida. The bottom is done on 22 count evenweave. I made this for a Christmas gift for someone who shall remain nameless.


I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to make a simple scissor fob out of felt. The ribbon is not orange as the picture looks, it is more bubble gum pink...sigh.


We had a nice warm sunny day yesterday and I took a close-up of Miss Maddie looking out the front door. It is a close up because I was sitting on the floor right next to her enjoying the view too!!


HAPPY DAY EVERYONE!!


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Hungarian Embroidery

Monday at the Foothills EGA Chapter meeting we learned about Hungarian Embroidery and made a reproduction of a bookmark Ann (our instructor and fellow chapter member) picked up while in Hungary. This is an example of one of at least three different styles of embroidery found in the Buzsak area of Hungary.

It is made using the traditional colors of red and black. Blue is also sometimes used instead of black. It was a lot of fun, easy and I got most of it done at the meeting and finished it that night. The hardest part was getting the threads out of the aida with all that sizing! The original was on an evenweave of some sort and not  aida, but the instructor was not sure what fabric was used so for this we used aida.


With all the e-Readers out there, I am not sure who to make an actual bookmark for anymore these days, but I have an idea or two!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

The Liebster Award

I've been awarded the Liebster Blog award from Cole.  Thanks Cole!

Liebster is a German word, meaning "favorite, dearest or beloved," and the Liebster is awarded by bloggers to other, newer bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers, to spread the word and help them gain wider recognition.  The award comes with four conditions that each recipient must satisfy when accepting:

  1. Choose 5 up-and-coming blogs (with less than 200 followers) to award the Liebster to.
  2. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
  3. Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you are giving the award to with links to their sites. Leave comments on their blogs so they know about the award.
  4. Share 5 random facts about yourself that people don't know about you.
 The Blogs - hard choice with so many GREAT blogs out there:

      1.      Mountain Stitcher on the Plains


3.      Hokkaido Kudasai 

4.      Stitching Foolishness

5.      Stamp With Jen

Five random facts about me that people don’t know about me. This is rather difficult because while not all my friends and family know everything about me between them all I can’t think of anything someone does not know about me! So I will do my best and share somethings that at the very least most people do not know about me.

1.      I was a preemie and weighed 3 lbs. 14 oz. at birth.

2.      I like red wine.

3.      I am in my 6th house since getting married.

4.      I have lived in 5 states and all the continental U.S. time zones.

5.      I am partially ambidextrous.

 That is about all for now. Have a great day everyone!!

Felt Cupcake Birthday Card

A friend of mine, who I don't believe reads my blog, has a birthday this week so I made her a card.

I found some really cute polka dot craft felt at Hobby Lobby and fun shiny pink rick rack. The rest is from my stash. I used a cookie cutter to make the cupcake shape and embellished from there. She should get the card today. It was fun to make too, which is always a plus!!  So....

Happy Birthday Kathy N.!!!!!