the sun is finally shining....

and the rain has stopped for the moment but more is predicted. You've probably all heard on the news about the floods in Texas. Lots of people lost everything and so many trees were just snapped in half so there's lots of cleaning up going on. I am lucky to live in a neighborhood where there was little damage. The good side of all this is that we are no longer in a drought status. The lake has gone from 36% full to 74% full and still rising. This is good news for so many reasons. Wishing the best for all those who have lost friends, family, their homes and belongings.

Have spent lots of time indoors this week avoiding the dangerous flood areas and there is lots right here in my own little space to inspire.

This shell was gifted to me from a friend who just came back from Florida. Can't wait to doodle a similar design with paper and pencil....such a beautiful pattern.

click on the images...

pattern on the bottom of a sea shell

I did test out some colors to surround the paper weavings I've been doing. There are 16 blocks to put together which will make a paper blanket about 16" x 16". The final decision was blue. I'm crocheting around the block and then whip stitching the pieces together.

a very soft bamboo thread to edge the weavings

Lots of wonderful things happening in Karen Ruane's latest class Embroidered Pockets. We are working with ledgers as well as with cloth.

inspiration from children's books

using a Sunbonnet Sue book as a ledger

stitching and doodling on broderie anglaise

added bumpy bits over the lace motif

Working on the back of this pocket today....so nearly finished. Have lots of ideas for the next one so can't wait to get started.

Hope you all are having a great weekend and hope to see you next week.

JUST A FACT:  Honey does not spoil. You could feasibly eat 3000 year old honey.

successes and failures....

I've managed to completely piece the top of the redwork hat quilt. Decided to edge two of the sides with prairie points....some embroidered with patterns of the hat bands showing in the fabric. I probably shouldn't stitch those on until the top is quilted. Lots of ideas of how I want to quilt this but need to do some sampling to see if my ideas will work. The plans are to do some hand quilting and some machine quilting.....more on that at another time.

click on the images....

embroidering prairie points

I'm wondering if this will be enough.

just playing....might be an idea for tile work.

the edge....facing inward is how I plan to place them.

Continuing to weave with the Shosenshi paper on the pin loom. I did try leaf dyeing on a couple of them but that was not very successful. Maybe I'll try adding some paint or stamps on these but they will not be part of the paper blanket.

woven paper and other paper embedded with rose leaves tied between 2 tiles and placed in walnut bath.

opening the bundle

looks like it's coated in mud....not very pretty.

I did experiment with crocheting some of the woven squares together which worked out fine but I think I would like it better with a color. It looks too drab. I do have some pretty colors of this bamboo yarn so I will continue to experiment.

too drab....need to experiment with other colors.

And.... did do some more experimenting with the paper manipulation but haven't been successful ....yet... in achieving what I'm planning.

color catcher sheets fused to cardstock, pin pricked and stitched

I watched this wonderful video of an embroidery of the Magna Carta that was fascinating. Thought you might like to see it. The video is here. The link I planned on sharing was just made private so I'm hoping the link I'm providing will work for you. You might have to be signed onto facebook. The embroidery is being exhibited at the British Museum right now. Wish I was close enough to visit.

....and...
JUST A FACT: Stephen Hawking's father, Frank Hawking, was a bee keeper.
You might enjoy this little video describing why the bee's build a perfect hexagon....it's HERE.

It's still raining here in Texas on a daily basis....on and off....the ground is saturated but more rain is predicted. Have a great weekend and I'll see you next time.

mostly weaving....

I spent most of my time this week weaving with the Shosenshi linen paper I showed you last time. It's here if you missed it. At first I just wove the paper on the pin loom as it presented itself with all the kinks and creases but I decided I wanted a cleaner, more balanced look so I started straightening the paper as I wove and I'm loving how it looks and feels. It has a kind of crisp feel but I've read that it will soften with time. I did try weaving in a pattern but it didn't show up well so I just doodled over that one with a cross stitched flower and did a crochet edge....just a sample for the ledger. I also tried that same pattern with yarn and it shows up so well....another sample.

click on the images...

They work up quickly and are very calming and relaxing to do. I'm thinking of connecting them to make a paper blanket....maybe with a contrasting bamboo yarn. I'll have to do some sampling. There are lots of interesting patterns and designs for pin looms and zoom looms on Pinterest, if you are interested. Just go to Pinterest.com and do a search.

I did also play with some paper folding and manipulating.

manipulated paper with pin pricking

I'm working on one where I've fused some color catcher sheets to cardstock. Hope to stitch on that one this week and will show you next time.

Also still working on the hat quilt. I'm having to piece fabric together for the borders and it involves matching the hat design fabric so it's taking a bit of time.....lots of basting to be sure it's matched up correctly.

We've had non-stop rain here so everything is lush and green and no need for much hand watering. One morning it was raining so hard that the rain looked like long running stitches.

Have a great weekend and hope you'll come back again for a visit.

it was a challenge....

but one that turned into a wonderful meditation. After awhile I was in the zone....I was on my feet for hours but I did get it done. I guess I ought to tell you what I'm talking about. I was gifted a hank of some wonderful Shosenshi linen paper. It looked like a hank I could just put on my swift and wind up like I do my yarn....however, part of the hank was in tangles and putting it on the swift just wasn't working. So, I hung it from a magnetic clip on my door and that worked out much better. I know it's probably hard to believe but I enjoyed doing it. Now that it's done, I hope to do some weaving on my pin loom that I showed you a couple of weeks ago. Will show you some weaving next time.

click on the images...

started out on the swift...one side is a tangled mess

hanging on the door

there are lots more balls now....

I have worked on my redwork hat quilt and it's a challenge doing this without a pattern....calculating what to cut for the next round...and not sure how it will actually look. So far, I'm liking it. Just a couple more rounds to go but not quite sure yet what that will look like. I'm also starting to think about how I will quilt this and my plan, so far, is sounding complicated in my mind. Hoping I don't lose interest on the way to the finish.

thinking it will be about 50" square....not sure yet

....and I did play with some Alcohol Inks after watching a video that looked interesting. You can see it here. It was in the Joggles newsletter I received. I've had the inks for a long while and want to play a bit more this coming week.

alcohol inks on a plastic box and on a ceramic bead

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend. I have a long list of what I want to accomplish today so I'd better get started. See you next time.

mostly paper play....

So many exciting new ideas in Karen Ruane's class Reinventing the Page that I spent most of the week on paper play. I'm getting ideas from ideas....it's a never ending stream of inspiration.

click on the images....

some nice images as my printer runs out of ink

little stitched booklet

little stitched booklet 3" in diameter

booklet created with printer and watercolor paper 4½" x 3½"

And I couldn't resist trying this.... found here...

flextangle

The weather has been outstanding this week....beautiful Spring days....no complaints....hoping for more of the same. Wishing you some beautiful, creative days.