Monday's thrift store finds...

The best find was the blue indigo dress that is ankle length (lots of fabric) and looks like it's never been worn. The dress actually fits me but I'll make much more use out of a blouse and want the rest of the fabric to use in cloth pieces, so I'll cut it down and lengthen the sleeves and the rest will be fabric to play with. Amazingly it was half off so it cost me $5. Off to wash today's finds.

Indigo dress, woven satchel, linen napkins

The Dragonfly and the Butterfly

Had never seen a dragonfly with a red body until this morning. Went out to turn off the sprinkler that was watering the grass and this beautiful dragonfly was flying around me and then landed on a small rose bush. I ran in and got my camera and luckily he was still there when I returned. After doing some research, I believe it is an Autumn Meadowhawk. While clicking, clicking, clicking, one picture after another, along came a huge, beautiful butterfly. He landed on a branch of the yaupon tree and stayed there for about 3 minutes while I continued to click away.

Autumn Meadowhawk

Would probably see a lot more if I stayed outside more, but it's still much too hot. Looking forward to cooler weather.

Update on Circles Cloth...

Ger and Kaite suggested that the brown velvet was not right for this piece and that I should stick with the blue and white. I agreed and have added a different fabric to the left side of the piece. I plan on embroidering some of the circles in this two tone beige fabric with different shades of blue to bring the piece together. There's a little sample of the fabric in the upper left corner with some colored circles. Keep the criticisms and comments coming. You are all so helpful and I need lots of help...

click on photo for close-up view

More on circles cloth...

I've been adding to the circles cloth and taking away and adding... you get the message. Hard to decide in which direction to go. I did some weaving on the right with ikat fabric and found a velvet bit that I had found at the Houston quilt show a few years ago. It's just sitting there now until I decide if I like it well enough to stitch it down. I do have some pieces to still add and lots of stitching planned. All comments and criticisms welcome.

Wrapping Rocks...

A new blog has been formed by Kaite in the spirit of natural dyeing. Check it out as people from all over the globe will be posting their pictures. I went out this morning, gathered some flowers and stems and wrapped 2 rocks and a brick. I used cotton t-shirt fabric remembering how easily t-shirts get stained with food and such. I sprayed it over with vinegar and water and now I wait, and wait, and wait for nature to take its course. Here are a couple of pics that will also be posted on the blog 'wraptrees'.

Manual of Needlework

If you're looking for a good reference book of needlework to have handy, you'll love this one. It was originally published in 1958 and has 499 pages chock full of instructions and illustrations of all kinds of needlework. I had taken it out of the library and once I looked through it, I knew I had to have it. I was able to get it on Amazon very inexpensively.

Looks like some of you really liked this one because they appear not to be available on Amazon any longer, unless you want to pay $70.  I paid $7 for my copy. Maybe some more will become available.

A Mango Seed with a Face

Just ate a mango and I opened the pit to get the seed and there it was---a face looking at me.

Hope to plant some mango seeds in pots real soon.

Circles from loose weave blanket...

A few days ago I posted a great find from the thrift store. I had cut some circles from the blanket and have done some applique onto a linen napkin. The circles did not turn out the size I hoped for so I did some chain stitching around each one to make them uniform and to give them depth and dimension. I'm happy with the way they turned out and now I have to decide what to do next. I have a couple of ideas that I'm playing with so will be testing out different stitches. Click on the pictures for a close up view.

Wrapping Trees and more about natural dyeing...

I read India Flint's article about tree wrapping on Hand Eye and decided to try it. Kaite will be keeping track of all us tree wrappers around the world on her blog . Went out early this morning and wrapped a couple of trees ( fig tree and yaupon ) with muslin. Now the waiting and watching begins. It takes a long time for anything to happen so I'll have to just forget about it for a long while.

I also emptied a jar that has been sitting in the sun for weeks with a broken up avocado pit and some fabric and thread. The pit was completely gone but I'm happy with the color and markings that developed.

Great find at the thrift store...

I stop at the thrift store every Monday after getting my allergy shot. I have more fabric at home than I'll use in a lifetime, but I just can't resist the thrift store.  Most of the time I walk out with nothing but this week I found a wonderful large woven blanket. Came home and threw it in the washing machine. I always wash my finds as well as new fabric to make sure it's clean, free of any sizing, etc. and also to be sure it will hold up to future washings. And then, I started playing. This blanket will go a long way. I love the loose weave of the fabric.

To Have Great Artists, There Must be Great Audiences....

an enlightening video...


Rob Kapilow at Gel 2010 (composer, pianist, author) from Gel Conference on Vimeo.

A Sneak Peek....

I belong to the Austin Lace Guild and each of the members has made a shirt showing off their lace and other embellishments. I have started embellishing my shirt with prairie points on the lower edge and a lace collar that I recently dyed with avocado peels. I expect to embellish with samples of quilting, knitting, crochet, embroidery and who knows what else. I will update as time goes on. The ladies wear their shirts when they attend classes, lace day, etc.

Entrelac Knitting

I taught myself to do entrelac knitting this weekend. Love that woven look. If you want to try it, there is a relatively easy scarf pattern on http://www.knittingdaily.com/ . Here's the direct link if you're already a member there: http://www.knittingdaily.com/media/p/24498.aspx . There is also a video, if you need more help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcLxMt9GehM . The scarf instructions were easy for me to follow. I suggest you try it with a variegated yarn first just to learn how it's done. Hope you will try it and let me know about your experience.

More patchwork beasts...

Practing stitching faces and new stitches learned in Jude Hill's class. And some more beasts in progress. Lots more additions of fabric and stitching to be done. Having lots of fun. Don't want it to end, but it will on Sunday.