some more rain magic...

we had a wonderful rain storm yesterday and it's still raining here today...a nice steady rain. my little  garden is oh so happy. look at the difference the rain has made in just 5 days.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES FOR CLOSE-UPS...

this is what it looked like on Monday

 

and here it is today, Saturday...and it's still raining

i have enough projects going so that i don't ever get bored. still working on lace making with fabric as learned in Karen Ruane's class.

hand dyed cloth, knitted scrap, sheer fabric all joined and embellished with embroidery

close up of french knots and bullion knots and open blanket stitch above

Karen's Simply Stitch class starts on June 17th. check it out here.

a bobbin lace friend showed a quilt she made using the 'disappearing nine patch pattern' and i had to try it.

click the link above to see how this started out as a nine patch

 decided to use this pattern in the making of a quilt. i have had these redwork hat blocks for many years and have collected some fabric to use for the quilt and it seems this is the right time.

there are 2 each of 6 different hat stitchings

these are the fabrics i'll be using

it will take a while but i'll be making the blocks little by little. you already know that i like working on many different projects at once.

hope you are all enjoying your weekend and i know some of you are celebrating Memorial Day weekend with family and friends (here in the US), so enjoy.

thinking about rain...

I'm no longer remembering what rain sounds like, feels like... The tropical storm that was going to somewhat save us this weekend fizzled out and we got nothing. I put out more pans of water this morning for all the little creatures after I saw a bird feasting on the water from the a/c drain in the backyard.

I've been searching for an inexpensive hassock, ever since I saw this and I found one at Hobby Lobby yesterday that was on sale.  Another project to work on but usable as is until then.

I started a bobbin lace project, with beads, a couple of months ago and it's finally finished. I was not happy with the color and size of the beads I chose, after starting, but decided to finish it anyway just for the experience of working with beads. I made a purple velvet purse and decided to use the lace piece as a decoration for the flap. The flap is trimmed with a green rope and I will make a twisted strap with the same rope. It's kind of dramatic looking but not at all something I would use. I was encouraged to enter it in an exhibit that will be at the Austin airport from August 17th through September 7th. The Austin Lace Guild will be exhibiting their bobbin lace pieces. I've also submitted three lace trimmed pouches that I made and some fancy bobbins I purchased last year. I hope to have some pictures of the exhibit when it is on display.

a much deeper purple in person. it measures 8½ x 7½. not yet completed.


July 31, 2011 --- UPDATE ON THE PURSE: it is lined with brocade fabric, the strap has been added and it is now complete.