another sampler February 18, 2012

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I like to have some handwork that I take with me.  This is one of them, I finished it up last night.  I’ll get it framed next week.  This is one of my favorite Dorothy Parker quotes.  It was my husband’s idea to add the picture of fruitcake.

 

I love it when my family chimes in and helps. They are all so creative and have the best ideas.  My husband is a tech guy but he seems to balance the left brain, right brain thing very well.  He wrote a book, which you can read here, and he’s into movie producing (he even has an IMDB page which you can find here).  Why yes, I am bragging.  He’s pretty awesome.

 

Next week I’ll be working on three tiny little pieces, the hind end of a cockatrice, and possibly some beadwork.  I’ll be packing up everything I need in my new travel cases and hitting the road.

 

 

 

 

Also, when I get back there will be some changes to my pages. I’m going to have a separate page of items that are for available and for sale.

Projects on the Go February 18, 2012

I always have one or two projects on the go.  Some are simple enough that I can keep them in the car for those times when I’m waiting to pick up kids or waiting for an appointment.  My “go to” carrying bag has always been a plastic zip-lock bag, because I’m classy.  Today, my dear friend dropped off three small bags that are the perfect size for carrying projects.  I chose a couple of designs and she machine embroidered them for me.  The “D” logo and bag is a “freebie” that she included because she is incredibly awesome.

 

If you’d like something similar you can contact my friend via her website.  She seems to be able to embroider anything and everything.  We’ve ordered hats, she does lovely blankets, glow in the dark pillowcases (especially nice for kids going off to camp), backpacks… everything.  And very reasonably price.  Here’s the link… http://www.spotonembroidery.com/

white February 16, 2012

Artists often work in a single color for a show, or a set of colors. I love this idea and someday I will have the discipline and attention span to do this.  I love the idea of an entire show of albino animals with plants and animals that are white.

 

Just a thought.

 

   

amethyst February 14, 2012

Done.  Really. I am not going to stitch on one more bead.  Maybe.  But right now, it’s done.  This piece will be donated to the Pratt Auction which is May 5.  I love the auction so much, they do a great job of everything and it’s just a lot of fun.

 

            

 

 

“amethyst”        $300 (nfs)           17” h x 12” w x 18” l     silk organza, wool felt, wool, cotton jersey, glass beads, amethyst beads

works in progress February 9, 2012

I’ve got two pieces that I’m working on right now.  One is another little sampler.  This time a favorite quote from Dorothy Parker – I’ll let you try and figure out which one!  I should have it in a frame by the weekend so will post it then.

 

The second is an idea I’ve had for awhile.  It’s from the realm of “natural history”.  I’m not sure when the idea came together exactly, but I started working on it over the weekend.  Cutting fabric and stitching.  This is a 3D piece and if it turns out, it will be my donation to this year’s Pratt Auction.  If it doesn’t turn out, well, I’m screwed. I’ve no idea what I’ll donate.  I’ve already missed the Drop-Off Party and the drop deadline is Friday.  But I have a wee “in” with my printmaking instructor so I might have a day or two leeway.  I’m going to need it.

 

Anyway, this is a sneak peak.  It’s almost impossible to tell what this is going to be.  If you guess a pile of rags being stitched together, you aren’t far off.  That is exactly what it looks like, and for the most part, that is exactly what it is.

 

more to come!

Ready for the Anti-Valentines Show February 4, 2012

I finished stitching the final piece and getting everything framed. Why does it always feel like framing takes as long as stitching? 

 

The show is being hung on Sunday and will hang for the entire month of February.  If you are in the area here are the details:

 

Stuff What I Like
2915 Colby Ave
Everett Washington

Monday- Saturday
11am-8pm

 

Artist Reception, Saturday, February 18th, 4 – 7 pm

sewing with a machine January 31, 2012

I’m sewing a jacket and dress for my daughter. She’s big into cosplay as I may have mentioned. Last year it was Hetalia, this year it’s Homestuck. I know nothing about either other than it consumes my daughter’s and her friends’ lives. There is a semi-formal dance this weekend and she’ll be going in character.

 

I do so little machine sewing.  It’s always a big event around here when the sewing machine is brought out – mostly because I set it up on the dining room table and take over even more space than usual.  The cats get especially excited because they love to sleep on the fabric and the pattern instructions.  And don’t even talk about the leftover tissue paper from the pattern pieces – best cat toys ever!

 

I love the colors that my daughter is using so am diligently saving the scraps to make a snail.  Photos of said snail to follow, at some point – it’s not at the top of the list at the moment.

 

Speaking of sewing, have you ever seen this little gadget?  When I was learning to sew back in high school, I used a safety pin to thread elastic or string through the casing.  This worked nicely but wasn’t the ideal solution.  I recently found this little gadget.  omg.  Are you kidding me?  Has this always been around?  It’s a bodkin.  I love my bodkin.  I love the word bodkin. 

a little embroidery January 27, 2012

I love doing this type of embroidery. I don’t do enough of it.  I read this sentiment on Tumblr and just had to embroider it.   I’ll iron it and frame it like the one on the left.  I did this one some time ago, and it was in the shop but it kept ending up tucked behind the counter or in the back room.  I think it must have offended one of the volunteers (hahahaha).

 

I am happily married, really I am.  I’m not sure why these appeal to me and make me laugh. 

a little sample plush January 24, 2012

okay, not so little.

 

I am teaching at a summer camp and was asked to make a little plush to have at the table for a “summer camp show” this weekend.  I had this sketch in my little sketchbook and loved the simplicity of the shape.  I wanted the students to be able to see what a very simple pattern would look like once you added some nice features.

 

I’m going to have the students work on a much smaller scale so that they can finish a piece in one session, or at least come very close.  They’ll move from pattern, through cutting, stitching, adding embellishments, to stuffing. 

 

You can find more info on the camp, here.

from this angle January 20, 2012

He looks like a hedgehog gone awry.  hmmm.

 

He’s supposed to be a fish.  See his little fins?

 

This is an unfinished piece from last fall. I dug him out because I still like him, he just wasn’t exactly what I wanted at the time.  As I was stitching I realized that he looked much like a bumblebee, thus the title. And the stinger.  He’ll be mounted on a stand, next week if we can dig ourselves out of the snow that continues to dump around here.

 

“sting like a bee”       felt, organza, threads