Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Stocking Detail 38

There isn't much stitching going on here. After a series of delays, we were hoping to close on our house today. We found out Wednesday that wasn't going to happen. I think we have finally straightened out all of the repairs, paperwork, coordinating everyone who was waiting on everyone else, etc. We may actually make it to closing next Friday. I did manage a couple of seams on my pink stocking. The strip of lace flowers is along the toe patch. I used a hand dyed cotton pearl #8 to make two little straight stitches on each petal. Beads and such to be added later.
The next area I worked on was this seam with the crested chain stitch done in a dark purple cotton pearl #5. When I stitched it, I wanted the contrast. Since then, it's been an eyesore. There isn't anything wrong with it. I just wasn't happy with it. I did the pistil stitches along the bottom of the seam. I tried a couple other things and ripped them out. I've added pairs of French knots in each chain loop area with a silk/cashmere yarn and a strand of rayon floss worked together. Then I added pairs of cast on stitches meandering across the seam with another cotton fiber. It's starting to bother me less.

TIF Update

I've pieced a 6 inch square with the color scheme for January. I'm not overly fond of this size. The block doesn't appeal to me much. I'll work with it and see what happens.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

TIF Update

These are the fabrics I've pulled from my crazy quilt stash for January's Take It Further Challenge. The first group is for the concept challenge. As mentioned in previous posts, my husband is the person I admire. His colors are green and brown. His current style is very Indiana Jones, complete with replica hat and leather jacket. I've added the red to honor his passionate side. I'm happy with the rich masculine feel of this palette. I will try to maintain that throughout the project.

With the second group, I've tried to match the color scheme Sharon gave us. Some fabrics match better than others. I didn't find much in the lighter color to the right. I'm hoping to find embellishments and fibers that will add more of that last color. The colors are much prettier in fabric than in blocks on the monitor. The possibilities are a comfort doll, crazy quilt block, or a small evening bag. We'll see what the fabric tells me when I start sewing.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Random Chatter & a Quilt

Blogging is likely to be sporadic for the next couple weeks. I have posted all the stocking details I have already sewn. I have more to do and plan to blog the finishing process also. Time is not really abundant right now. We thought we made it to the home stretch for buying our first home, and then we met with the lender this morning. There is a list of repairs, albeit minor, that need to be done before we close and the seller is unwilling to do anything more. We're going to take another look tonight and see what we can do. This is just another obstacle to overcome. When we actually own a home, I'm sure there will be many more situations to deal with. So this is just practice.

I'm still percolating thoughts for the Take it Further challenge. I've come to the realization that my ideas are more suitable for another slow cloth type project than something that can be accomplished in the time frame alotted. I'm toying with the idea of adding a personal challenge, say making smaller projects that can be completed each month. This may seem obvious, but ideas for smaller projects are more challenging for me. I'm considering sticking with the admiration concept and spending the rest of the month working on a quilt that I started for my husband, the object of my admiration. It's a traditional quilt that I designed with his help a few years ago. I have it well started, but not nearly close to completion. I created a Celtic knot pattern with four interwoven parts. Along all the edges I have begun sewing on the black bias strips - by HAND. I don't know what I was thinking. If I ever make another, I will probably use the sewing machine more. I have almost one panel done. The design is worked around a square. I need four panels, plus the corner bits added after mitering the background strips together. I don't want the center square competing with the knotwork for attention, so I have chosen a solid tan fabric. On the tan, I plan to use thread to match the brick red fabric and do another Celtic design with the quilting stitches. Same for the wide outer border.

















My other idea is to use this month's color scheme and make something small. I thought of doing crazy quilt postcards, but don't know if I could actually mail them. I'm also toying with the thought of making a comfort doll. I've been wanting to join in making comfort dolls and just haven't done it yet. The project seems to be going very well.

On another note, I've now been nominated for the You Make My Day award by both Candi and Gerry. I am now supposed to nominate another ten bloggers. Many of the blogs I read regularly have already been tagged. Off the top of my head I can think of several: Sharon B, Elizabeth, Allie, Candi, Gerry, Jo, Carol-Anne, Melissa, Sue, LinMoon, Pam Kellogg, Robin, Ruth, Annie, Tenar, Debra, and the list could go on. There are many, many more in my reader. Take a look and they may inspire you as well.

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Stocking Detail 37

The left seam is a buttonhole stitch laced with silk ribbon. Each end of the buttonhole stitch has a silk ribbon French knot. The right seam is a chain stitch sewn with Caron wildflowers silk floss. I have this urge to lace it with something in the style of the Pekinese stitch.
The lace motif is hand dyed. I received it in a swap years ago and it fits this stocking nicely.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Stocking Detail 36

The pink seam along the bottom is sewn with hand dyed silk/cashmere knitting yarn. First I did the Portuguese knotted stem stitch and then groups of three pistil stitches along the top.
The upper right seam is palestrina stitch with detached chains along both sides. It was sewn with Caron waterlilies silk floss.
The motif was made with peacock feathers whipped down with pink floss.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Slow couple days

I have more stocking details to share, but don't have the posts ready yet.
I also plan to type up my current lists of in progress and planned projects to help me prioritize.
I have ideas for Sharon B's TIF challenge. She gave a color scheme and a concept to choose from. I'm going with the concept for now. It may develop into more than a month long project, so it may be better to do something simple with the color scheme, but we'll see how that goes. My original plan was to do a crazy quilt block each month for the challenge. This month's challenge concept is who do I look up to and admire and why? My first thoughts were more along the lines of an art quilt. I have since made some notes in a journal. I'm still taking notes here and there and trying to brainstorm ideas for symbols to use. I'm going with my husband as the person I admire. He's my hero, my knight in shining armor. I can't imagine anyone better.