It’s this weekend in Statesville, NC! BFF Laura is coming down from Virginia! Cannot wait!
Jan28
Monthly Archives: January 2011
Jan25
Sometimes…
I just like to sit, watch TV and knit a dishrag. I’ve used these old #10,1/2 needles till the finish is starting to wear off.
Jan23
Another source of inspiration and instruction
That would be Kathy Shaw’s blog, shawkl. Look at how she makes and uses templates for even stitching on seam embellishments:
Shawkl: English Garden…template seams
Jan23
Protopocket #4
My craft felt sheets measure 9×12″. I turned down 1,1/2″ on each end and ran decorative stitch #20 across 1″ from the outer edge. The stitch above is set at 5.5×1. Below, 5.5×2. I used decorative stitch #13 to seam the pocket 1/2″ on either side. To look right, stitch #13 should be done with a clear bobbin thread. I was too busy playing to change the bobbin.
The resulting pocket is probably larger than I can use for my big idea, but we’ll see…
The resulting pocket is probably larger than I can use for my big idea, but we’ll see…
Jan22
I needed earrings
I wish I could say I made this beautiful Colombian emerald necklace, but it was a Christmas gift from my husband a couple of years ago. I didn’t like the earrings that went with it, so he didn’t purchase them.
When JTV recently had a sale on Colombian emeralds, I ordered this pair and some sterling silver “Gemtite” settings. The settings worked just like the “Snaptites” I’ve used before. Within seconds, I had earrings to go with my necklace! Total cost: About $40.00!
Jan21
Hmmn? So far, so good!
Well now, it’s pretty obvious that my big felt idea involves pockets so I’ll call these, “protopockets:”
Protopocket 1: My seam allowance (1/4″) is too small for what I have in mind, and too hard to maintain. The felt wants to slide a little. I used a Bernina #20 open-toed embroidery foot on these. The decorative stitch is #16 and is too narrow.
Protopocket 2: Much better! Both the seam allowance and the decorative stitch are wider. The seam is 1/2″. The decorative stitch is 4×4. I learned that it’s not necessary to backstitch to secure the decorative stitch, it just makes a waddy mess.
Protopocket 3: I used decorative stitch #17 set at 5×4. I like it!
Jan21
An Idea!
I’ve been playing with an idea lately and found exactly what I need to execute it with these Craft Felts. I found them at Walmart and they are made entirely of recycled plastic bottles! As far as I can tell, they’re also manufactured in America. Hopefully, I will have something very useful made from them soon to share!
Jan21
A Good Sale at Michael’s!
Scrapbook paper, 25 cents; Scrapbook page keepers, $1.00; Sugar and Cream yarn, $1.00; Bead Gallery beads, 40% off plus a coupon for an additional 15% off, other trinkets on clearance! I used my 40% off coupon on the J for PJ’s room. What a good time I had!
Jan18
I’d forgotten about this one!
Jan15
A fantastic source of inspiration and instruction!
I am having a wonderful Saturday, stitching, watching the Travel Channel, doing some laundry. I am stitching on my red and gold project. I am surrounded by favorite crazy quilting books, but a source I like to check for inspiration and instruction is Sharon Boggon’s blog, Pin Tangle. Her “I Dropped the Button Box” quilt has every type of seam embellishment you can possibly imagine, and that’s just one of her resources!
One of the (many) things I like about Sharon is that she uses braids and trim to decorate seams (like I have in this piece.) She also uses embroidery and beads to embellish those braids. Check out her beautiful attachment of gimp: http://inaminuteago.com/buttonquilt/buttonbox49.html