Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Catchup on Projects!

Boy do I ever miss my home computer and my laptop as yet does not have any of my useable programs on it so I’m stalled with that baby too – only readable stuff. I can’t even use my printer as my CDs for upload are with Tom and my hard drive getting fixed. BUT it’s just about ready to come home so hopefully next week I’ll be up and running again and able to find my large sized postcard pics and send to be included in the CQA spring issue article on “Miniature Masterpieces”. Then he’s taking my laptop to ensure all the correct programs are on there and then I’ll have both lickety split again!!!

Tatting:

OK a while ago I learnt how to add beads to my tatting and since then have been varying the Allison Edging for various looks and weights of cotton used. I love this basic trim and this time I made it into an oval – now just to find the perfect shape to use it with!!! LOL!

Coffee Sleeve Swap:

Within our WorldWideCrazyQuilting group I volunteered to host the coffee sleeve swap activity and had a few grabbers on this. So I uploaded my own guidelines and also some links to web articles on making these and the ladies are just finishing up, getting ready to mail out to their swap recipients. My recipient asked for washable (not fancies) so I used batiks, cotton laces and flosses along with buttons, beads and sequins to embellish my embroidery. This time around I did not satin stitch the edges but did the pillow slip technique (won’t do this again) and then had to hand stitch the closing together – YOWSERS!!!

So first off I stem stitched the vines, sewed on the button flowers and leaves, then embroidered smaller leaves and added seed bead topped sequins for smaller flowers. Then pulled out Marsha ??? book and followed her instructions of using tracing paper to draw your image and then baste to your piece and outline in embroidery. After that you remove the tracing paper and fill in with various stitches – I used the stem stitch as this is my second attempt and wanted to keep it simple. I then added with perle cotton chain stitched leaves and finished off with straight stitched scattered grasses.


On the final patch (so to speak) I found an “M” and also used the stem stitch to outline and with a different colour filled in some details. I then used the same sequins but a different colour seed bead for patch fillers.

The two seam treatments have the same cotton lace accents with cotton floss embroidery. Nice and simple and yes all washable – just might take some time to dry with the batting!!! Now I just hope she likes it as it’s on it’s way today!!!

Christmas Swap Postcard:

In the Chain of Hearts we once again are having our Christmas postcard swap which has to have a heart somewhere on it. This year I decided to try a different way of doing an already fun technique and I think I achieved it with my friend Pat’s help. See I tried out her needle felting machine and YOWSERS it’s a good thing there’s a finger guard as there are lots of needles on this baby. So I had my fabric image beside me, my bits n pieces of wool roving and by hook and by crook I eyeballed my image pretty darned good and it just fit into the postcard 4x6 inch size and it only took my 20 minutes – not like the 3 hours with my single hand held needle!!! I also did a Christmas tree but that baby is not quite finished – a later blog for it. I then went home and hand embroidered my outlines and decorations and topped the offering with a crystal heart and bow! Hope you like it Debbie!

I Got Mail:

On Friday I ordered through AirMiles (bonus on Black Friday) two books from Amazon.ca and they arrived today!!! A fellow stitcher mentioned to obtain the book “Drawing Trees” by Victor Perard if one wants to stitch realistic trees on their CQing blocks and then another fellow stitcher mentioned about this CD book you can buy “Crazy-Quilted Memories” (not keen on a CD though) but I found the book instead so ordered both of them. WOW WOW WOW, I’m itchin’ to get stitchin’ – both are fantastic and the ideas in the CQ book are just AWESOME!!! I now have special reading while I’m house sitting!!!

Yeppers lots of items mail out this week and many are on time or only a day late – pretty good for me – must be turning a new leaf getting ready for a new year!!!

1 comment:

Mosaic Magpie said...

Rose Anne,
If you only knew how absolutly perfect that postcard is for me! I have collected Santas for years. I have so many that now I only buy one that is different from any of the other Santas I have. I do not have any Artist Postcards and I certainly don't have a Santa like this. Thank you ever so much for somehow knowing to make the perect thing!
Deb
I did a post on the one I am sending to you, today.