Embroidery Designs

Aren't these the cutest! I have found a great site that has some free embroidery designs...and these are two of my favorites...which I will be using soon.

If you'd like to see more...and her stitch library too!!...check out French Knots!

Mermaid Block for Jodi Finished

Finished! Yeah!

My round of the mermaid block swap is complete. Several ladies from the HGTV Message Board have been doing a crazy quilt round robin for the past year. I finished the last block I have to work on this week and put it into the mail. It feels good to get a project completed. Here are some photos of the areas I worked on.

TDITM Stitch #100

Why is it that 100 always seems like such a milestone? I'm not sure why...but it does...and we made it!! Woot! Woot!

Only 44 more to go!...Hmmm, that does sound like a lot doesn't it. Well, not to fear...at present I have stitch "doodles" up to 132...and plenty of ideas left. I have charted in my computer up to 107...so have to get busy on that!...and I have to stitch these and get them photographed!!

TDITM Stitch #99

Wow, we are nearing the 100 mark! When I started, I wondered if it was actually possible to get Twelve Dozen seam treatments...using only what I knew at the time. The French knot, lazy daisy (detached chain), straight stitch, and backstitch. Well, it continues to surprise me!

This little stitch is very minimal...and would be good with floral beads added at the top of the curves I think. It is a good stitch to just build upon. Hope you enjoy stitching it!

TDITM Stitch #98

Happy Independence Day to all my USA friends!!

To celebrate, here's another seam treatment for you!!

The spokes on this stitch remind me a little of fireworks! I can imagine it in red, white, blue and metallic threads. Hope you all have a great and sunny day, filled with fun, family, and friends!...Oh, and lot's of stitching of course!!

TDITM Stitch #97

This stitch really appeals to me somehow. Certainly it is easy...but, I think it is a favorite because of the potential it holds.

The length of the longer side could be altered to fit any odd shape piece...making it a good "filler" stitch. I also like the "cross bar" on the longer stitch, and can see this as being changed out for a bugle bead as well as the long stitch along the base...different colors...seed beads for the French knots. Hmmmm.... yes, this is a favorite I shall be using again and again!

TDITM Stitch #96

Wow, I can hardly believe that it has been months since I stitched a new seam treatment! I really have to do better at keeping these going.

Funny how the simple things seem to always get a smaller priority...

So, let's catch up a little. Here is stitch number 96! We continue working with dueling curves as the base of our seam treatment.  These are found easily in rick-rack...and you could use any size to scale with your project.

Or, an alternative would be to stitch the curves as part of the seam treatment as well!!

More cabochons!

Okay, I'm addicted...it's true! I love beading these cabochons!

A dear friend from the HGTV Board, (hugs Renee) ordered two special ones, and I finished them up this morning. Aren't these super cute and girly!

And I added two others to the shop this weekend.

I've got to get photos of a red and black one just completed as well. And, for all the TDITM fans...I have three more stitch treatments I also need to get photos of!! Perhaps I can manage to get all this done today, and post tomorrow...

Seascapes are not all Blue...

The water deep down at the bottom of the deepest deep...is dark and sometimes murky. When I saw the dark gray and brown tones on my friend Coleen's pieced block in our round robin titled "Faces, Faces, Faces" I immediately thought of this part of the ocean. Dark and mysterious...

So, I thought of a sea witch as my use of her clay face. Hope she likes my interpretation of her block.

More Buzz...

Just got back from a wonderful visit with friends in Ohio. We went to bead shoppes, a wonderful thread store, and spent the day at the Columbus Convention Center viewing some GORGEOUS quilts at this year's National Quilting Association Quilt Show. Astonishing work.

I took loads of pictures, but we were instructed not to post any photos of the quilts without express permission from the folks actually making them. So, I have a show brochure and will be contacting at least a couple of them..to see if I can share their creations with you.

While in Ohio, I finished working on a crazy quilt round robin block for Becky...my hostess! It was kinda strange working on someone's block as they sat across the table from you...but still, I was happy with my work, and Becky loved it too. Here are some photos for you as well.

 First up, embellished silkies. I love to take these and over-stitch some of the areas to give it more dimension and interest. The image is printed straight from my inkjet printer, on silk fabric sheets by Jacquard. I purchase mine at www.fiberonawhim.com but am sure they are available elsewhere. The sheets come in cotton, organza, and silk...easy to use...just load them like a standard sheet of paper, hit print, peel off the paper backing and you have a beautiful printed color-fast image on fabric! Isn't technology wonderful!!

My favorite part of this stitching is the basket. It came out just as I had planned. And, the little beaded snail in the bottom right corner of the image is just too cute!

 Here is the other little girl in the block. Her cart is filled to overflowing with flowers! Her sunshine is from a button cabochon I beaded while at Becky's...we picked out the button together while at the quilt show. It was a perfect color and that was great to share that find!

And, here is the last of the embellished silkies. A branch of wisteria for this little bird. The branch and leaf vine are stitched with velvet threads, which we found while shopping at the thread store! Yeah!

Under this image a bit of the beaded lace motif can been seen, and one of my simple beaded seam treatments to the right, along with tatted trim.

 These flowers are made from silk ribbon florals, plucked right off their plastic stems and pulled apart. The petals are then layered and secured with a pearl stitched in the center. Some pink checked and wine colored ribbon roses are added to the tatted doily and peach beaded lace trim piece. I love the look of all the layers of texture.

A little swag of graduated size pearls can barely been seen on the left side seam treatment; as well as the porcelain rose beads added to the pink seam treatment above them.

My contribution to this area of the block was it's start of lace and tatted doily, the wired wine colored roses and velvet leaves, the porcelain roses, and the wired pearls twists. The twists were created by stringing pearls on a short piece of wire, securing the ends by bending them tightly...then twisting the entire length around a pencil to make a coil. Each is couched in place with beading thread to secure it to the block.

Below the wired ribbon cluster is this spiderweb. It is created just as the spiderweb tutorial (earlier post) indicated. The beaded spider is from my collection, and was purchased by Becky's sister...my friend Donna...for another of Becky's block. She graciously let me use it for this block instead. It fits perfectly witht he colors and style of this block.

And, lastly...here's the button cluster placed on the block. I loved all the crystal beads and buttons. The photo does not do a good job of showing how it reflects the light.

The block was really pretty when done. The other ladies working on the block, JaNae and Karen, added their own beautiful beading and silk ribbon...so the finished block was just gorgeous! And, most of all...Becky was very happy with the results. She plans to frame it and hang it in her home, which makes me smile!