TAST, VEIL, KYLEIGH'S QUILT

I realized this morning I have not posted for 3 weeks. We have been getting the house and yard ready for company in 3 more weeks, and youngest daughter Katie's wedding. The yard has been a little more problematic, as it has been sadly neglected for 2 years while I have been working long hours and also the fact that with the California wildfires, a large concentration of smoke has been in my area, making for almost a month of "bad air days", and that in addition to several weeks of hot, hot weather and some 100+ and even several 108 degree days. The back yard is almost taken care of, and then I can concentrate on some trimming out front.


I spent this week getting caught up in the TAST
stitching on Stitchin Fingers.

This was my sample of cretan stitch. One of the ladies pointed out that the second one looked like barbed wire, and it does.











These are my examples of the chevron stitch, and Algerian eye (starry looking stitches).















Wednesday afternoon was granddaughter Kyleigh's and my "special day" and I took advantage of her being her to model
the veil I made 36 years ago.

At the time I made this, it was right after Romeo and Juliet came out, and I made a "Juliet cap". I machine appliqued all the lace on the bottom of the veil.















This is the back of the veil, and shows the cap a little better.

DD Katie wants to wear my veil, but does not want the cap and wants it shorter. It is a little long by today's standards. My task tonight is to cut the cap off, shorten the veil, and attach it to a comb.














Kyleigh has been wanting to have a "special day" for several months because she wanted to "sew and quilt". My friend Candi several months ago gave Kyleigh and I a litttle Janome machine for Kyleigh to sew with and she just lives for the days she can come over and sew. With Kyleigh's gymnastics, swim meets, art classes, it is sometimes difficult to find the time, but we did this week.

A long time ago, I received 4" samples of fabric from quilt shops. I had a stack of these and I gave them to Kyleigh to sew together. (That is why nothing really matches). She decided that instead of a quilt this time, she could make this piece into a sleeping bag for her American Girl Doll. This time she even quilted it herself. I just drew some lines on the back of the quilt that she followed. While they were not 1/4 inch seams, they were pretty even. She did a really good job and we both had a blast!

TIF MAY

I finished stitching on the TIF for May. I plan to assemble this into an eyeglass case for my sister's birthday in August. She will happen to be here, to attend Katie's wedding 2 days later, so I have a couple of weeks to assemble it. This time I used the color scheme for the month of May.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

Happy 4th of July to all who celebrate it!

Have done a little bit of stitching, but mostly working on projects around the house that need to be completed before the wedding, which is a little over 5 weeks away.

Hopefully will have a few pictures of some stitching in the next few days.

TIF JUNE

Well my TIF for June still looks like this. I had planned to make this into an eyeglass case yesterday after I got off work, but it did not quite work out that way.

We have been busy doing things around the house that need to be done before the influx of relatives for Katie's wedding.
DH decided that the next thing he is going to work on is a problem with the French doors he installed. My buffet sits right up against the edge of the door he needs to work on, so I had to totally empty dishes, glassware. All the stuff on the the shelf above it, and some tins on another shelf. So this occupied my time, instead of my finishing this project up.






This month as I was thinking of stashes and the stories behind them, I was reminded I also have a stash of sewing machines which I just added to this month.

1. I have the old Singer my parents got me for the Christmas I turned 13. It is in a rounded wooden case.

2. I have a Singer Touch and Sew John bought me right after we were married. It was used but it ran great. This is the machine he still uses to sew sails, and boat-related items.

3. I have a Singer Featherweight. Right before my DFIL died, when he was becoming incapacitated with his Alzheimer's, I flew down to attend a wedding of a friend in San Diego, and stayed with my in-laws. I was big into quilting and asked DMIL if she had ever seen in her garage sale visits a featherweight, and I described it to her. That day we put DFIL in a daycare for the day, and went to a bunch of quilt shops I had heard about. While we were driving around, she told me she had gone to a garage sale and had seen a little machine in the garbage, and asked the people if she could have it, or buy it. They gave it to her. She got it tuned up for $65 and said I could have it, if it was what I was looking for. It was right around my birthday and she gave it to me!

4. Juki Serger. When my oldest daughter got married, she wanted me to make the 4 flower girls dresses, of this really slinky slippery fabric. Halfway into this project my Singer serger had a nervous breakdown and I ended up buying this Juki serger and it is so easy to thread and the tension is always perfect.

6. Bernina 185. This is my embroidery machine, but I also use it for regular sewing and love it.

7. Juki TL98. This is the machine I use for quilting. This is actually the 2nd one I got, the first one was a lemon, so they gave me the demo unit and it works like a dream.

8. Huskystar ER10 embellisher. This is my newest toy, I bought almost 2 weeks ago with my economic stimulus check. I having a great time playing with this, and hope to learn more about what I can do with it soon.

ANOTHER GOOD MAIL DAY!

I recently ordered some little bliss kits from Pat Winters'
Etsy shop. Pat has the cutest little images printed on silkies, and the bliss kits include fabric, ribbon and beads, and other embellishments. I always love to visit her shop.

This one is called Gracie.















This one is called Willow.




And this one Bella.
















I plan to use these images in a fiber book I am going to make. I joined the Fiber Books Group
on Stitchin Fingers. Pat already has hers done, a gorgeous fiber book in the shape of a mermaid's tail. Pat's Oriental Tote was recently featured in Belle Armoire:



Anyway my fiber book is going to to be for Kyleigh and fairies, and I am going to incorporate
the above little girl images into the book.

WhAT I'VE BEEN UP TO, TIF JUNE, TAST

As mentioned before, I joined the Fabric Postcard Group on Stitchin Fingers, and this is the one I sent to Penny.



















I also made this one and sent to a friend Marilyn who is a mixed media artist and always makes such lovely comments about anything I am working on.















This is for my TAST (Take a Stitch Tuesday) Group I am also in on Stitchin Fingers. I added the detached chain stitch to what I had previously done on my buttonhole sample.
















Lastly, this is my Take It Further Challenge project for June. I am going to try to make it into an eyeglass case today and should have the finished project tomorrow.

GREAT MAIL DAY!

Yesterday was a great mail day for me. On
Stitchin Fingers I joined the Fiber Postcard group and signed up for the fiber postcard swap. I mailed mine to partner last week.

Yesterday, I received my beautiful postcard from Tricia Cook in Kent, UK. I am so happy with this, it is just a wonder to look at. Tricia is a textile artist and teacher. Thanks again Tricia!





The other thing my postman brought was a purchase of mine. Karen South puts together the greatest CQ packages. She was having a Real Deal Sale, you buy 2 and you get 1 free. You can even tell her what colors you would like and she coordinates the packages for you, includes some lace, and threads, buttons. I have always been thrilled with her packages they are so nicely put together. I choose blues and greens, purples, and also some neutral colors.

Stitchin Fingers, TAST

Last month, I joined Sharon B.'s Stitchin Fingers
and have joined a number of groups. I joined the Take a Stitch Tuesday group which I didn't have a chance to participate in last year, and this is going on the third week.

This was the first week's stitch, the herringbone. The picture is sideways and I can't seem to fix it right now. Since herringbone is one I am quite familiar with, I decided to use it in different ways than I normally do. I laid down some silk ribbon for the stems and used the herringbone to anchor it, and then the flowers are all herringbone. I was sort of following the designs on the batik fabric for the flowers.


This was last week's stitch, the buttonhole stitch. This again is one I am well-familiar with and decided to do something different.

I think I am going to use this week's stitch, the detached chain stitch to fill in my paisley shape.














Another group I joined was Fabric Postcards and I have made mine for my partner, but better not share that one until she receives it.

I also joined the Hand Embroidery group "Do it Your Way" stitch-along and will have to figure out what I am going to do my stitches on. That one starts July 1.

CANDI'S BLOCK, MORE ON CQ VEST

As mentioned before, I am in an ongoing CQ RR with a group of friends: Susan, Gail, Moira, Candi and this month I worked on Candi's block.

Some of the stitching I added is hard to see, it was the string of pearls stitch going up the light purple seam on the right hand side of the block. Also below the image of the girl, I added the lacy trim along one border. And below that I did the silk ribbon embroidery on the dark purple at the bottom.







Also, last time I posted pictures of my vest, I should have pointed out the stitching that Susan did. I couldn't read my booklet right apparently the first time. She did the centipede-looking stitching, as well as the fan and the stitching above that.













Also on the opposite vest front, she did this pleated ribbon treatment with stitching. Sorry Susan, I didn't mean to omit you. I was so busy
trying to figure out what Candi had done, as she hadn't written in the book, and you had noted some of what she had done, didn't mean to ignore you!

CQI PURSE CONTEST, ALL THE ENTRIES

They posted pictures of all the entries for the 2008 purse contest, including showing the first, second and third place entries which can be seen on the CQI Blog here. Congratulations Cathy, Lynn S. and Lauri, for your beautiful purses!

I inquired about where I fell in the lineup out of 13 entries, and found I was #5, so I am happy with that.

My second good news yesterday was that I am down 13 pounds, in 23 days. Hopefully I can get more off before Katie's wedding August 10th, that is my goal...

The third good news was that yesterday DH installed one of the double-paned windows he bought 2 years ago, in the spare bedroom. He did most of the work, I did a little lifting, but it is in, and all he needs to do is caulk and put the trim back on the outside. I need to do a little painting work touch up in the bedroom window sill. Will take pictures later after it is all done, and post to my other blog.

CQI PURSE CONTEST ENTRY

They posted the results of the CQI purse contest awhile ago, and I can now share my pictures of my entry. I was up against some really talented competition and I didn't place,
but I am happy I finished it up and tried my best.

This was one side of my purse. My whale has crystals on his fins for his barnacles. This part I did all by hand.

My original thought was to have a mermaid sitting on the bottom. I had a mermaid machine embroidery design I was going to attach when it was finished. (Too chicken to embroider right on my pieces and good thing).

My Bernina decided 2 weeks ago to have a nervous breakdown and started playing tricks on me. The first design I tried, it got off in the sequence of colors according to the chart and I put in pink for a shell, and it sewed out the mermaid's hair. I finished up the design, but it was off on another color too, and it ended up looking too stupid. This was after I spent 2-1/2 hours making 25 color changes.

The next day, I decided that maybe there was a flaw in the design, and I would try another.
The second design got to about color number 3 and it stopped and came up with an error message that said there was some sort of internal failure. I tried 1 more time but I only got to about color number 1. During all of this time, it had been breaking thread every other pass, despite changing multiple needles, multiple types of needles. I finally gave up on the mermaid idea and decided to just finish my purse, as it was down to the last few days. But it was frustrating. I picked my machine up yesterday and apparently there was a broken spring.




This is the other side of the purse.

I think now that the contest is over, I am going to add some more beading and things I did not have a chance to before.

MAY TIF, JUNE TIF, MAIL SURPRISE

Well May got away from me. I quilted and sent away my Spring Quilt Swap quilt, worked on and sent off 2 RRs, and the biggie was finishing up my CQI purse last week.

So I finally got to piece my block for the May TIF last night. I am going to make this into an eyeglass holder for my sister's birthday in August.







June's TIF concept is about stashes. Sharon B describes it: "Stashes are either purchased or scavenged materials that have accumulated over time and as such they often have a story to tell........So this month, the idea is to think about is stories that are, and stories that are possible."

This is the color scheme for this month.

Well I am certainly not going to take a picture of all of my stashes but I will list them.

This one though, is the one that got me started. A long time ago, when my 2 daughters were small and living at home, DH built me a room upstairs in the crawl space that was 8 x 10. This was my sewing/craft room. At that time, I had 2 knitting machines, and I collected a HUGE stash of yarn.

These are just the ones that are on the wall of the cone yarns. I have about 10 large boxes of skein yarn, and more of the cone yarns. But I went way, way overboard, and I am not even really knitting anymore, but I still have this huge stash.

When my daughters left home I acquired 1 of their bedrooms for my office, and 1 for my sewing room. The yarn stayed upstairs.







Next I started quilting and I have a HUGE fabric stash. They are generally separated separate stashes of:

30's fabric. (HUGE)
Civil War reproductions (HUGE)
Homespuns (HUGE)
Red, whites and Blues (HUGE)
Nauticals (HUGE)
Chickens and Roosters
Neutrals
Reds
Blues
Greens
Browns
Blacks

Then I have a large wool stash, because I love doing penny rugs, etc, and have wool threads to go with those.

Then there is the CQ Stash with
Fabric
Threads
Laces
Hankies
Buttons
Beads

Anyway, this past year, I have been whittling down my various stashes, and trying just to use what I have and not buy anything else, although I have bought some threads and laces. I also donated fabric for the 19 pounds of red, white and blue fabric for the American Hero quilts, and some for another charity. I shared some of my Civil War reproductions with some friends.





Last night, after I pieced my May TIF, I went ahead and pieced by June TIF. I used what was in my stash and they are not usually colors I use so there were not many choices.

















Lastly but certainly not least, yesterday's mail brought his beautiful postcard from Jo in NZ. I was the winner of her May drawing. It is just lovely. Thanks again so much Jo!

MORE PATRIOTIC, CQ VEST FRONTS HOME

I love patriotic quilts, and usually before Memorial Day I switch my quilts on the wall. I thought I had all my patriotic quilts out last week, but kept felt I was missing something. John built a long time ago a deacon's bench that sits in our entry way that has a lift up seat, and I have a lot of quilts in under the seat. Kristen brought a friend over the other day, and wanted to see some of my quilts. I took her in the bedroom, where I have Dear Jane on a quilt rack, and several others, and realized this was underneath the pile. It is called America, and it was designed by Teri Christopherson in a book called Mulberry Lane. This was quilted for me by Susan Nixon, when she formerly had a quilting machine in 2001.






This was a BOM that I hand appliqued, I actually made 2 of them, one for me, and one for the LQS. This was quilted for me in 2000 by Bonnie Hunter. I can't remember who the designer was of this one.

These two quilts look so nice on my blue walls!















Last week I got back my vest fronts that I sent along in our small RR group of friends: Susan, Gail, Moira, Candi . I have had these vests fronts made for quite a few years, and asked them to help me finish my UFO. They came home last week and I am thrilled with the embellishment these ladies did. There is still a bit to do, but it is very close to finished.






















Gail helped embellish this bush that I had already stitched and added beads and flower buds.















Candi did this lovely heart with SRE flowers.



















Not exactly sure about this one, Candi didn't write in my accompanying book.











Not sure about this either.

There are a lot more seams I didn't take a picture of, or acknowledge, but I love them all.

I see I have more transcription to do, better get back to work!

Next week I will be able to share my CQI purse entry, after the results are out. I love it, even though I am up again stiff competition in the contest. There were 13 of us, and the other entries are wonderful.