Show and Tell

Here are a few of my faves from the neighborhood.
Hope you have time for a cuppa and a little show and tell.

Big stitches, beads, feature buttons, applique, and some stitchery.

It all comes together in Lynette's tiny pictorial.

Here is Barbara's tiny quilt - sew cute!!!

Diane worries about the scale of the cats:flowers & birds

 Here is one of Diane's gourds.

The beaded edging is pine needles!

This one is HUGE, I never saw such a giant gourd.
The edging/handle is burned lasso.

 Everyone contributes Rows for Valor.

Then Carolee builds the Valor quilts.

The GFG on the wall really is from Carolee's grandmother.

 I love this one-patch, Super clever design.

Especially the border.

Not to mention, Karen's great workmanship.

I guess this also counts as R/W/B, and as pinwheel?

Foundation pieced pillow case. Also a one patch.

Spinning the biggy/smalls makes it look like a Spool.

Sculptured T-Shirt Quilt.

LOL I should have got a picture of the whole thing. Of course this block was center top ;)

This one is from the museum, and traveling AQSG exhibit.

There were more pictures but my phone ate them. AARG!

Check out the sculptured edge!!!

I would have flipped the sawtooth rows so they appear to come from the sashing instead of from the block....but that might have made the green too overpowering? What do you think?

For sure that is the tiniest dresdens I have ever seen. Paper Pieced?

Pearl says I should get to work now.

Happy Monday!

Button Pictures

This amuses me more than I can describe.
I love fences, and I love pumpkins (no idea why),
and I have saved these buttons for ages.

Finally made a project with them-

and it is even finished in time for Autumn:)

 

 

The small jute bag was $3.99 @JoAnn's.

I used a blunt cross-stitch needle for stitching.

The tree is felt, and put on with a brown floss running stitch.

The same floss is used for outline stitching the horizon line.

Orange and white thread tacked on the buttons.

Then I backed the inside of the bag with Washi Tape, (so my stitches won't catch on anything inside my new tote.)

 

Designing Details:

Begin with the larger elements in the picture, then placement of the smaller bits will be simple.

Plan to include a horizon line, otherwise your art will be floating in space.

Dark colors recede, and seem farther away, creating depth of field in your picture.

Remember to included negative space too- don't feel like you have to fill up every open area.

 

Shank buttons provide an opportunity for layering.

Your beautiful buttons will each stand out, and your picture will have more interest, if you work to alternate:

dark/light

large/small

pearly/matte

translucent/opaque

 

 

RHQ Etsy:  There are 35 buttons in this collage. We added themed sets of 35 buttons to our Etsy Studio shop, in case you'd like to make one too.  Assorted sets include orange, pink and pastel (in case you'd prefer a springtime tree.) More buttons are available in our Vintage Treasures section. Enjoy!





Custom Dolls

Meet Alwina

 She is a very special gift, 

made by custom doll artist Molly B. Vehon.

 Can you believe all the beautiful details? 

Authentic Prim handpainted face.

 Check out the tiny zombie stitches!

I got to pick the white pumpkin fabric:)

You know how hard it is to get dolls perfectly stuffed like this!

Plus, Alwina's coffee stained hands and feet are scented with cinnamon,

just another extra charming detail.

What, you'd like your own custom doll?

Or maybe you now someone who needs a gift doll??

Molly can make you a doll for any/every season.

Convo with crochet artist T.Allie of 918 Girl Creations  to get in touch with Molly.

THANK YOU, MOLLY!

How I finally learned to crochet

This is Magical Motifs Vest designed by Ellen Gormley from the Spring 2013 #5 issue of Crochet 1-2-3 (Valu-Publishing), made with Lion Brand Tweed Stripes in the recommended #205 Caribbean, and yes, it has taken me all these 4 years to finish.

When I started working on this, I didn't even know you could "CL in ring" or "around."
I believed every crochet stitch had to be IN a stitch.

Imagine my shock when I got to the picot LOL

Friends gave me impromptu crochet lessons...but I had so much to learn.
The equivalent of learning to ski at the top of a black diamond run, right?

Finally, I found a crochet book with a GREAT illustrated glossary.

(I confess, I am old school. Video training frustrates me.)

This little Leisure Arts book by Melissa Leapman did the trick, 

Hats and Scarves:  12 Designs to Crochet

Here I even learned double treble. Plus, there's more fun projects to fit my new well earned crochet addiction.

Need books? Please shop our Alibris affiliate badge in right sidebar. Thanks!

 

Vest has eleven 5-row doilies joined by rosettes.

I'm impressed with Ellen's design

The variegated "Caribbean" yarn brings it all together.

 That smile makes it all worth the finish:)