it's been awhile.....

since I posted but I have been stitching, lacing, crocheting, knitting and doing a whole lot of experimenting. I've been creating a lot of small scraps and hate to throw anything away so I've started a scrap scroll that is attached to a wooden spool. I'll have a scrap scroll library someday as I have quite a few wooden spools to fill.

click on the images for closer views....

scrap scroll on a wooden spool

The triangular shawl I was making for my knitted coat is finished so I'm ready for winter, if it ever arrives.

crocheted triangular shawl....goes over my head like a cowl

The bobbin lace tree is finally finished. The finishing was a nightmare...trying to manage all those hanging threads with knots in them. I did think I would be able to hide the knots but didn't do a great job of that. I finally gave up and tacked it all down after spending hours trying to make neat braids. Not a perfect ending but I am pleased with it nevertheless. It is in a glass shadow box frame.

this is what it looked like before braiding

after auditioning lots of backgrounds, I decided on this green wool felt. The color is much more vibrant in person.

....And I've been having lots of fun making all kinds of paper and fabric samples in Karen Ruane's class Sampling for Stitch.

an accidental happening ... letter over fabric and doodled circles

There are more images of what I've been up to over on Instagram. So hop on over there if you're interested to see them.

Have a great weekend and see you again sometime soon.

a musical theme...

Another pouch completed. This one was started awhile ago and just got lost in the UFO pile. It's a small one but with lots of detailed stitching. It all started with a hanky and a piece of pink dupioni silk.

click on the images for a better view...

cutwork, puffs, embroidery, and a ruffle

the back...musical bumpy bits, embroidery

close up of cutwork and embroidery

an inner pocket

a doodled lining

I'm making good headway on my bobbin lace tree. Almost 2/3 complete. Anxious to finish this one so I can start on something new. Braiding all those long threads into a tree trunk will be a challenge.

all those loose threads will be woven into a tree trunk.

It's been a good week for so many reasons. Some hope restored for the future.
Hope you all have a great weekend.

another class has captured my attention....

I started a new class with Karen Ruane this week....Reinventing the Page....you can find the details here. As usual, it has taken over my attention with all the different forms of paper play that Karen is demonstrating. I started out with inspiration from some fabric I've had for years and some  paper and fabric play from an earlier class.

click on the images...

inspiration from fabric and previous paper and paint play

forming a design

a repeat pattern

Lots more experimenting to be done. This is just a start...

I didn't get very far with that hat quilt block I talked about last time....but, I have decided on how the first block will go together. I'm thinking those empty square spots will be white. I haven't cut those out yet.

hat quilt block

I'm slowly working on my bobbin lace tree. It's slow going since I only work on it once a week when I go to lace class but I'm happy with the way it's progressing.

bobbin lace tree

The garden is doing well and we are lucky to have been getting some rain so no need for very much watering. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Started a couple of new things....

I have started knitting a button down short sleeved sweater. I'm not liking the sheen on this yarn but I do love the color. I wound the yarn so it would fit perfectly into my new wooden yarn bowl by Furls. I'm following a chart for this section which is the waistband and I'm sure you can see I've already made a mistake on one of the cables....I do have an idea of how to fix it so that it is not so noticeable but I will not be taking out all those rows.

click on the images

started with the waistband

I've been enjoying crocheting these tiny yarn motifs. I do love all the colors but haven't yet decided how I will stitch them together.

crocheted motifs with 1 ply needlepoint yarn

Also started a new bobbin lace project that is a real challenge. I couldn't do it without the help of my wonderful lace teacher Karen Hickman.

that's a picture of what I hope my tree will look like but I'm doing it in purple, green and lavender.

The Modern Quilt Guild Show is in Austin, Texas this weekend and I went with a few of my quilting friends yesterday....lots of vendors and lots of quilts. Here's a link to their blog where you can see some of the quilts as well as a list of the winners and their quilts. Some very inspiring and creative entries. I only bought a couple of pieces of fabric but ordered a couple more of the ones that were sold out when I came home. Carrie Bloomston is the designer of these Windham Fabrics. It will be fun to cut into the different patterns in these designs.You can see the whole line of her fabrics here.

bought the paint brush fabric and ordered some of the other two.

My front yard is full of double Narcissus and I can see some buds on the Salvia. We are having really comfortable days but a cold front is due in tonight so winter is not quite over. I am so lucky to live where we are not having all the snow, ice and cold that I know some of you are enduring. Hopefully it will be over soon. Have a great week and see you next time.