TDiTM Stitch #22

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months Here's an unusual stitch for you...and one that has great potential. How about with black seed beads for eyes, or a string of seed beads and bugles for the tail? This little dragon fly is stitched using the jumbo template zigzag size...finally found a use for that! The zigzag only has the right slant stitch used...as the opposite side is not required. Of course you could alter and have the dragon flys slanted towards the left is you used that "back side" of the zig zag stitch for your base. No beads on this stitch...but they could be incorporated in the eyes and both...I just didn't think of that until I was well down the road past this stitch. Duh! This version is stitched in Perle 8, olive green.

TDiTM Stitch #21

Reference: Twelve Dozen Stitches in Twelve Months We're still working in my flower power phase; actually, I think the last flower will be about 30 or 32 numbered stitch. I am at stitch 50 for design, and stitch 31 for stitching with thread. So, that means stitches 22-31 are done, I'm just not sharing yet. Really, I don't want to scare folks off with too many at once...and I need a buffer to post when things happen. Like the pneumonia I've been dealing with these past 2 weeks. Thank goodness I didn't have to "think" and design something! This little stitch was just happily waiting it's turn. The threads are Perle 8 this time and the beads are gold metallic seed beads.

Pink Flower Bed

I've been working on some round robin blocks lately. And, put TDiTM Stitch #12 on one of them. A little pink flower bed...

Grandpa's Garden #2

When I posted my portion of the Round Robin, which I titled Grandpa's Garden, I wanted to include a photo of a tree with cow charm. But, my camera took a perfectly horrible photo that was so out of focus, I barely recognized it had a tree in it. Of course, the block was already on it's way before I realized this error. My cyber sister was to my rescue and send me a better photo once the block was received. So, belatedly, I thought I'd share it.

Grandpa's Garden

I've been working on a block effort for a cyber friend...a tribute to her late Grandfather. From her accounts, he was a very devout country gentleman. Every year he planted a large garden...so I attempted to stitch a small garden spot on the block. The base fabrics in the constructed block are from her grandfather's ties. It is an honor to contribute to a block for my friend. Two other ladies have already gone before me, and others will follow me, so the final block will be a surprise to me as well as my friend.

My contribution will be the garden, and some seam embellishments. Here are some photos of the garden's corn, lettuce, "tommy toe" tomatoes, cabbage, carrot tops, and watermelon. Hopefully, I have done the memory of his garden justice.

The corn stalks are covered floral wire with gold rice beads for the ears...covered in 4mm silk ribbon...and more SR for the leaves. The lettuce is a cast-on stitch done in variegated green (perle cotton, sz12). The tomatoes have floral wire covered in brown fiber threads, with tiny little plastic branches covered in green threads...with various clusters of gold, green, red beads to (hopefully) resemble small tomatoes. The cabbage was cool to do...they are lime green rick rack roses. The carrot tops are silk leaves with clipped edges...and the watermelon vine is a peace of tatting from a dear friend.

Beginner's Anatomy of a Stitch

Can't do a colonial knot or Hungarian braid stitch? Yeah, me too. And for a few months now I've been kinda hung up on my "lack of ability" instead of concentrating on my "ability"...more on the negative than the positive. (Weird, cause that's not usually me). But, just recently, while looking through Carole Samples book Treasure of Crazy Quilt Stitches (which I just love) I was struck by the awesome number of stitches...that were really just a mismatch of simple stitches that I CAN MAKE!

So, I decided to take a simple stitch...the zigzag...and add to it. I added lazy daisy, straight stitch, and french knot only. Those I can do! And was amazed at how far I could add to the basic lowly little zigzag...with no real effort.

So, I stitched up a sample to share..hoping that someone else might be helped to see that there is very little "magic"...just start stitching and see where it takes you.

Now, I don't advocate not learning new "established" stitches...but I say "Don't wait until you feel you are a SKILLED stitcher" just use what you do know and go for it!

On each photo, you will see two rounds of the stitch progression...I stitched in various color so you could (hopefully) see how the stitch builds from the basic zigzag.

I challenge you to take the basic zigzag...and add to it using only the french know, straight stitch, and lazy daisy. Change up the size of the thread...change up the colors...change up the height and width...shake things up. I'd love to see what you come up with...so will start a new string on the HGTV Message Board for needlework/quilting to share this blog and give you a place to post your photos.

Borrowed Pin Cushion Idea

I've been working on some Christmas projects. Can't say a lot...cause they are a secret! Sssssh...but here's the first one completed. It looks a little lopsided in the photo...but is really pretty smooth. Reminds me of a dough right before you plop it in the pan to bake. And, while I'd love to say the idea for these pincushions was mine...because it is brillant...but, alias that is not so. They belong to a wonderful CQ wonder artist!...her blog is http://ivoryblushroses.blogspot.com and the pattern/instructions are in the blog titled "Sea Dreaming'. If I was more computer savy I'd put a link in here for you...but, you'll just have to search this out for yourself!