lots of experimenting...

i'm enjoying using the basket i showed you last time to hold bits and pieces of experiments and things i'm working on.

 Karen Ruane's lace class started this week so that is what most of the experimenting and stitching is about right now.  you can see what others in the class are working on over here.

lots more embroidery to be done on this lace piece

a ruffle with a hint of pink

a cross stitched heart hidden beneath

i'm always working on more than one thing at a time so i did spend a bit of evening time with crocheting the edge of an embroidered cloth...

and knitting some more on the felted bag.

on the second ball of yarn...2 more to go

i finally got out into the garden this week and planted mostly flowers but did plant some radishes and lemon cucumbers. never planted the lemon cucumbers before but that's all i could find in the garden center. it's a bit later than usual so i didn't want to do the seeds. another experiment. we had a thunder shower this morning and more promised for this afternoon. saves me from going out and watering the garden.

haven't been getting to as many of your blogs as i usually do and i'm sorry about that. there just aren't enough hours in the day. hope to catch up sometime soon. wishing you all a good weekend.

my new favorite cup...

I stopped at a new Goodwill thrift shop yesterday and spent only 99¢. An Emma Bridgewater cup from England. I just love it. It even made my morning tea taste better.
Click on all the images for a closer view.

the inner rim says 'BLACK AND WHITE CAT'

Here are the latest pieces made for Karen Ruane's class that is nearing the end.

funky puff with lace and bead

more funky puffs and an attempt at making one with a cathedral window design

a new piece started to add to the others

Karen has a new class starting on Monday called Buttons and More. Check out the description here. Maybe you'd like to join in. I've signed up.

And finally, a new basket I made this week for a friend. I hope she will like it.

A New Basket

I was with my quilt bee friends yesterday at another basket making class. I've been looking forward  to making this basket and knew it would be a challenge. It turns out that the challenging part was not the center design but the swirl design traveling up to the top. There are a few mistakes but I'm very pleased with how it turned out. It measures 11" in diameter and is 5" high. I'm going to try and replicate that center weaving with fabric.
And...I would love to try and make a little square basket with the same design. Maybe at the next class.
Here are some photos.

And something special in the mail from michelle in NYC...

a lovely card, some beautiful feathers, dried geranium, and a delicate lace edged hanky

Michelle will be making a feather to send to Jude for the Magic Feather Project.

And I've heard that Otis has sent Jude a feather.