Monogram Tote Bag

Every year I like to create a gift for our small group girls that is something they all get yet I can personalize it to each one as well. So here is another Monogrammed Tote! This girl is a new girl who I've only met a few times so as I was putting it together I was trusting that the Lord was helping me create something that she would love.
What I did was go through my fonts in Word and picked the one I liked best, printed it out, then traced it onto the black and pink polka dot fabric, and cut it out. Then I appliqued it using my sewing machine with a zig-zag stitch made of small stitches because I wanted to fray the edge. It's not perfectly done, but that adds to the edgy-yet-pretty style I wanted.
I used some white vintage ruffle lace to tie onto the handle and also a little piece patched onto the 'C'. Then I attatched a flip-flop charm, and a mother of pearl carved bird nesting at the top!

I hope Correna loves it, and that it helps her feel welcomed as a part of our small group!

Lillian's Hankie Block: Progress

I don't usually keep track of how many hours it takes me to finish a piece so I'm trying to diligently keep track of time as I work on this block! So far I've spent 5 hours on it.

I added pearls to the blue and pink hankies!

I also added onto the seam treatment around the silkie. I used pastel pink TESS Sleave Silk thread in lazy daisy stitch with 2 small straight stitches on either side! Then I used a small bugle bead in pastel blue at the top of each scallop.

I think the seam treatment gives the silkie a pretty frame!

At the top I created a running stitch flight path in 1 strand of variegated floss. A butterfly in variegated 4mm silk ribbon using two lazy daisy stitches and two ribbon stitches with a couple of straight stitches in the floss for antenna.

For a touch of color in the lace around the silkie, no beads or stitches looked right there so what I did was create "shadow work" by using the blue 4mm silk ribbon in one large straight stitch beneath the tip of the lace and then tacking it down from the top of the lace. What it creates is just a hint of color through the lace!

Lillian's Hankie Block: Beginning Work

I've finally picked up Lillian's Hankie block and started working on it! First I've had it hanging near my work space for about 6 months, here is a link to when it first arrived. I always gave it a little thought every time I saw it, as to how I was going to embellish it and didn't really feel confident to start work until I had a solid idea to work around. I did need to back it with some muslin because it was very light and almost sheer. Then I talked about it with a dear friend (Wendy) who also crazy quilts, I think that was the most valuable tool to get me started! Bouncing ideas and talking about the feel of the block and what I could do or why I wouldn't want to do certain things was the most helpful thing I could do! A lot of people do SRE over the top of prints to make them 3D but I felt that would ruin the whole aim which is showing off the hankies, so I decided that I'll do little touches to the prints to bring the eye to them but not cover over them. Also anything really large, bulky or motif like is out of the question and would just take over the block, so I started thinking...How am I going to embellish it? I came to the conclusion that the block is pretty much perfect as is, so all it needs is little touches to make things pop, which is a lot different than most blocks which are usually blank canvases! The blocks really do "tell you what they want" in a sense, and all it takes is some deductive reasoning! LOL Anyway this block wants to be very dainty, not over done, just enhancing it's natural beauty!

The first idea that came to me was the birds nest, Lillian really loved the idea of finding a nest during a walk. At first I pulled a few threads to mix together but as I started stitching it in, using a stem stitch and a metallic thread it seemed perfect just like that. I added some tiny size 15 blue seed beads for little eggs. The next idea was the scallops around the print and I made them using a small button and traced half of it repeatedly and worked it in stem stitch using 1 strand of light green YLI silk floss. I plan to embellish the scallops further later on. Then I had the idea to add light green size 15 seed beads along the 2 long sides and all the green really pulls out the embroidered flowers which were originally on the hankie edge.

It's really hard to capture what the eye sees in photos, and even though these photos look really well the block and work looks even better in person.
I had an idea to tack the hankies with the pink flowers with three straight stitches in a green to match the leaves and a size 15 bead that matches the flower color perfectly. One at the tip of the corner and 2 more in dips on the sides.

Tatted Snowflake: Ornament 3

I tatted up another snowflake from the book Festive Snowflakes and Ornaments for Needle and Shuttle Tatters. This one is #3 on page 6, it's also 1 shuttle design which is pretty much the same pattern as #13 except that the threads aren't joined. I really love both variations! I tatted it up in DMC Cebelia thread size 30 in Snow White. The negative space on each is really pretty to me!
To get the thread spaces more even what I did was use the method of putting 2 dots on my finger in the recommended measurement, so I didn't have to get out a measuring tool for every one.

Tatted Snowflake: Ornament 2

I tatted up another snowflake from the book Festive Snowflakes and Ornaments for Needle and Shuttle Tatters. This one is #13 on page 19, it's a 1 shuttle design that I absolutely love! It's so cute! I tatted it up in DMC Cebelia thread size 30 in Snow White. I was originally thinking of doing lots of different patterns but I love this one so much I might tat up a few!

Tatted Snowflake: Ornament 1

Wanting some more tatting on my tree I got the book Festive Snowflakes and Ornaments for Needle and Shuttle Tatters and I marked out a few that I want to make, the first one is #7 on page 12! I tatted it up in DMC Cebelia thread size 30 in Snow White. I worked the pattern with 2 shuttles instead of the original 1 shuttle + ball and doing SLT, it looks a little different because of that but I still love it!
I'd like to have a good tree full of tatted snowflakes for next year so if anyone knows of any nice small 1 round snowflake patterns with pointy tips please share the link!

Craft Room Update

I got this lighter looking embroidered curtain at WalMart I think it works better than the old one, though I do need to get a second one to fit the window better. We just got a skylight to put into my craft room too!!!

Pink Block Framed Dec. 2009

Back in 2008 I had finished a 6 inch pink block (Pink Block) and thought I would turn it into a purse and had gotten to this semi-finished stage just waiting to be sewn up...well it sat...and sat...and then we moved...and fixed up our guest bathroom (still in progress need to update with newer photos) I'm making a white tatted edging towel for the bathroom...and as I was thinking of how to decorate said bathroom more and I remembered my pink and white block!!! I grabbed one of my ready-made-art "frames" that I bought at a discount store gutted the art, painted the frame white with spray paint, created a matting with pink fabric, and voila a pink and white art piece!!! It took almost 2 years but now I can say it's a completely finished piece! Yay!

Sweet Dreams Pillowcase Set

I finally finished one of the Sweet Dreams pillowcases, I don't know when I'll work on the other, they are a ton of work just one of the large letters would be enough as a monogram but 2 + more letters for the words is a ton! LOL I started using a hoop to help it not pucker as I fill in the letters with stem stitch using 2 strands black floss.