So close....and yet, not done
Monday, April 28, 2008
I think it looks great! (and I don't often say that about my stuff) but the lace I'm using for the edge is TOO SHORT! ARRRRGH!
So, I guess I'll run up and get a length and piece it in. It's WAY too expensive of lace to replace it all with a new strand....and I think I can seam it together so it's not TOO obvious. Wish me luck.
However, it will be a day or so before I get up to Joanne's to buy new. Sigh.
Always something, eh?
Labels: beading, Crazy quilt, embroidery, lace, silk ribbon embroidery
Busy playing!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
This is the latest in my real flower scans - the most notable being the one in my header that I use all the time. I'm a big gerbera daisy fan and so I did a scan of this one. I'm playing with a lot of macro cropping. Very fun and very orange!Other than that, I've been really busy playing the last two days. I have a new Widget Inc. podcasting project I'm working. It really only relates to Denver folks, but I'll let you know when that happens! I do love my professional life these days - it really is like playing more than hard work. Most of the time.
Then I'm still trying to finish the baptism pillow - that's today's project!
Yesterday I went to the Rocky Mountain Bead Society's bead show and it was fabulous!
Look at all my spiffy loot! The smallest, yet most notable is the purchase of delica beads! I've been wanting to get into them for a LONG time! So, we'll see, maybe I'll do something wonderful with them soon!
Last night we went over to a friend's house for a yummy dinner and the kids had a blast! What do you think of my pink power ranger? Fierce, isn't she? (and yes, that was a Project Runway reference!)
Labels: beading, Denver, digital scanner art, family life
A little trash to fill in! :)
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
However, just to fill in, I ran across this - I've seen some dogs he does too...very cool!
Labels: art, inspiration, ponderances
More WHITE! :)
Thursday, April 17, 2008
I'm really quite thrilled with how it's turning out and I plan on going through and anchoring it all a bit more for an 8 year old girl! :) I can't wait to finish it off in a pillow tho...I think it's going to look great.
However, speaking of not looking great, the day after our 80 degree weather, we had this. It's all gone now (was gone by noon) but I'm officially on strike. It HAS to quit snowing!
Happy Spring everyone!
Labels: beading, Crazy quilt, family life, silk ribbon embroidery
Spring has returned until tomorrow!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Speechless
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Labels: family life, ponderances
The easiest rose - Silk Ribbon tutorial
Monday, April 07, 2008
So, here's the very first step in simple (and I mean simple) silk ribbon embroidery. You need a long needle with a large eye. I actually use a variety of needles although they sell them specifically for silk ribbon embroidery (also known as SRE, I may shorten that name!).
Anyway, the first thing you have to do is thread the needle. This is important because otherwise the ribbon frays and is hard to keep on the needle. So go ahead and thread the ribbon through the needle.
Then, you're going to pull the ribbon just far enough so you can reach the end of the ribbon to prick it in the end.....sew through the end of the needle
You will end up with just a little tail....tighten the loop you've created up on the needle so you have as much ribbon to work with as possible. You will end up with a tightly threaded needle that isn't going anywhere! :)
Next, you're going to start a straight stitch down the length of the ribbon between the knot and the fabric where you pulled it through. I would vary the length of these stitches - it makes the rose look much more natural. It's especially nice if you do the stitches closer together near the knot and make them wider the closer to the fabric.
When you've got it threaded you simply stick the needle right back where you started from. Basically putting it almost in the same hole.
Pull the ribbon gently right down through and the knot you made will not only hold it, but also make the center of the rose!
And VOILA! A lovely and really really simple rose! Vary the ribbon thickness, width and many other things to get a variety of looks. Variegated ribbon looks lovely!
I hope you all enjoy and if you do any of them, please send me the photos! Feel free to email me or post here if you have any questions or problems!Labels: silk ribbon embroidery, tutorial
1950's, victorian white and Amish/Mennonite inspiration!
On top of this, I had a fabulous weekend! It actually started Friday with my being allowed to stitch on this:
If you want to read more about the fabric, I've written about it on my Houseblog, because it is fabulous vintage 1950's fabric! Be sure to check it out if you're in the Colorado area, because it's going to be included in an exhibit down in Colorado Springs. I helped a gal in our neighborhood, who is a textile conservationist do the stitching and it was very educational! It took some time to catch onto how to do the stitches, but hopefully she won't have to take out too many of them. I'm hoping to work on another post soon about her suggestions on preservation, mounting textiles and much more helpful neat stuff!
Then, speaking of the Denver Art Museum, a good friend asked me to tag along with her to see these:
This is an exhibit of Mennonite and Amish quilts. Great stuff! Even better yet, the Denver Art Museum is keeping this as a permanent textiles exhibition area! Yeah DAM!
So, after all of that, I had to get home and get to work on my own stuff. This is going to be a pillow for a really good friends daughter who is going to be baptized in the Mormon church. Her outfit has to be all white, so I figured an all white pillow would be a nice memory of the occasion.
LOVING the lace and I even found a handkerchief with an "M" on it (upside down in the photo) but it's a really huge challenge working in all one color. Obviously it's really variations of creme and white, but it makes an interesting study in textures.
It's been a busy stitching weekend and my next post will be a tutorial on my FAVORITE easy-peasy silk ribbon flower! So, watch for that (hopefully today!)
Labels: art, art show, Crazy quilt, Denver, embroidery, fiber art, inspiration
Inspiration from the "Quilt of the Month".
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
I've talked about the International Quilt Study Center's quilt of the month, but this month I gasped when I opened this one by M. Joan Lintault - gorgeous! (there's a close up on the site by the way)This is what really got me:
"In her pieces Lintault employs an innovative construction technique. Beginning with white cotton, Lintault dyes the bases for the individual forms. These she later embellishes extensively using applique, quilting, and embroidery. Finally the forms are affixed to a lace under layer, which creates the illusion that the objects are floating in space. "
So feel free to oooh, ahh and enjoy!
Labels: embroidery, fiber art, inspiration, quilting
