Timothy in the tree

Finished and still looking a bit worried even though he has buddies and friends in the tree with him .. there are other little bears... mousies in their walnut shells... a black sheep ... and several little owls and other birds.....

Where I placed him, I can see him from the kitchen ... watching and wondering.....

Stitching again...

This little pincushion has been sitting around (everywhere in the house really) for months to over a year ...well, it must be over a year now...

Totally lost any creative mojo during the main basement area reno.. then we had water damage go from upstairs into the basement and ruin all the renovations we had just completed... then, got that repaired and refurbished and then...the stupid stove went on the fritz causing yet another renovation.  WE discovered that "no built in ovens are to be placed within 12 inches of the cooktop or damage can occur to wiring inside the built in oven"..  ...   so had to opt for a complete range, as we call them in this country ...  which meant we then had to have the granite counter top re-cut to accept a total stove instead of just a cooktop...

The granite cutting was a disaster, and the opening is not the size we need, it is slightly larger and still not square, but you can't make a hole smaller once it is cut.  The guy who installed the range finally managed to make it sit as squarely in the opening as he could and it looks okay.  Not perfect, as it could have been if the granite guys had known their stuff ...but, okay.  Oh, and, the first range had Convection fans that were not working, so we had to order a second stove... which has now been installed and is working great.

This is the type of thing that goes on all the time around here.... or so it would seem.  Thirty plus years of renovations have taken their toll methinks.... if I never have to lift a finger to do or even to oversee anybody else "doing" things round here.... it won't be too soon for me.  I'm so done with renovating.

So, there you have it... and, now ...

Got the last embroidery stitches done on it finally ..or thought I had.. stitched it up around almost the whole thing leaving a small opening to turn it through..I am used to small turning openings from doing the little bears...and, got it turned with no difficulty.  However, I don't like how that corner doily bit opens up so deep under it after all...so now I need to do some little stitches to hold it down at almost halfway into it.  That will be a bit tricky as I need to begin and end and, also stitch, on the inside and outside the already turned pillow.  Darn it.  Oh, well, it must be done.

Here it is so far...  this is the part of the little corner of doily that I don't want to lift quite so deep into it if you know what I mean.  Part way will be enough for me.

Here it is next to a completed one from ages ago when I took Karen's class.

Hatching some eggs

I made up a second sheet of fabric in bright whites.  The piece with the flowers embroidered on it was sent to me in a fabric swap organized by the first group I took a class with.

If Lexxie visits my site... which I don't think she does ...she may remember this piece... look Lexxie!  I'm using it.  It is shiny and she loves shiny ... well, actually ...who doesn't? ..hahhaha... I think Magpie is the middle name of most women.

I did the same thing I did when I was making the pin cushions.  Seeing as I just can't visualize things finished without a frame to view it in....I viewed it with my newly made egg template.  Perfect.  Now, I can work away on it ...inside stitched lines...but, always with my viewer nearby.  Grab. Place. View.

Love it....

I decided to make several ...    in the same style as my cushions.

 Here is the first one so far.

Thinking about it.....

Karen stopped in to see if any stitching was happening in between snow shovelling...and, well, ...it wasn't, of course.

It's already been almost two weeks since somebunny decided we had to tear the drywall ceiling down in the finished tv room and replace it with a suspended ceiling.  Mostly because of some wiring ..  ... and, well, .. you know how it goes....   it does take time, effort, and lots of work, to get things back together again.  Now that he is back at work after the Christmas break... he only has such a few hours each day to work on it...

So, the room still looks like this...plastic protecting the other half of the room... drop cloths covering the carpet, tools all over the place and lots happening overhead..

Moving some pot lights and re-arranging wiring, etc...

However, my stitching buddy came for tea on Monday ...  and, although we didn't actually do any crafting or stitching...we did discuss what we are going to make in 2014 and that got me thinking 'bout stitching..and that lead to looking at stitching stuff later in the day, and that ... you get the drift............................

I've decided to make a pouch with the completed blocks from the first stitching class I took with Karen. It was going to be a wrapping cloth...but, since doing the little pin cushions and loving them...I decided to turn these into a smaller project that I know I can and will finish.   I do like the joy and satisfaction of completing a little project and being able to look at it and say..." I made that".  Maybe it sounds almost arrogant, but to me it's more just a bit of slightly smug satisfaction in knowing that I worked diligently and carefully on something; actually finished it off, and am happy with my project.  I like that feeling.

Here is the placement of my blocks...it could be a smallish wrapping cloth, I suppose ... or I could make a few more blocks and make it somewhat larger....but, no...I've decided a decent sized pouch that I can use for bits of lace, or pieces of fabric, or something like that, will be better.  Useful and still pretty ... just what we were striving for actually, if we were going back in time in our minds and hearts while stitching away on our treasured little bits of fabric and trim........

For some reason, even though I didn't measure any block....they all turned out to be exactly the same size across.  How strange is that?  They are not  the same length.  I may add a bit of lace or some trim here and there to change the centre as it might look like a seam down it.  That may look just fine.  I won't really know 'til I have it stitched down.  But, if it looks strange, or I don't like it  ...I can fix that .... we have ways.   I'll decide later.  Probably much later.......

If you come to the blog sort of regularly, you may remember seeing some of the embroidery and embellishment, but if not..here are few shots of the areas. I tried to incorporate most of the techniques that Karen was showing us in the class.

Today I'm still trying to get somebody to buy my sofa and loveseat... because, Monday some new ones are arriving ... who wants a really nice sofa or a  loveseat, traditional style...exceptional shape...for next to nothing? ... Anybody in Calgary reading my blog? .....

It's Christmas all over again at my house!!!

woohoooo....!!  I did a trade with one of the ladies in my stitching group... and both of us were getting pretty down in the mouth, because her pincushion to me went astray.  It's been in transit since early December and ...well, ... should've been here long before now, so we figured somebody else got a nice present .... but, it's arrived today!!  and...it is beeeyoootiful!

Soft creams and ecru colours with bits of greens and some pearlized seed beads.  Such beautiful attention to every little detail.  Click on the photos to biggify and see things better.

I don't recognize the stitch along this corner of the edge.... but, now confirmed... it is crochet.....

So many little corners to look at over and over again...tiny stitching and details to check out ... I'm back and forth between windows with it to look at every aspect of it in really good light.

I loved it in photos I had seen of it before I got it....and it is even more beautiful "in person" .... oh, what a fun day today is!!

And,  now...into my curio cabinet with it.... so no grubby hands will touch it.  Yes, you can look at it..but, from behind glass.......... so it will be a treasure well protected ....

Beginnings...

... of my next pincushion... my fourth now... wow!.... not that I'm speeding along or anything.
A few little French knot flowers.  Look like Forget-Me-Nots..

It's so much easier and pretty quick too when I already have the 'master sheet' of fabric ready to go whenever the spirit moves me.  Remember the master sheet of pretty fabrics?  So much easier than putting each one together separately.                                                                     















Pick a nice area, figure out exactly the size and shape the cushion will be and begin embroidering..

Decide on some trims... embroider a bit more and soon, it begins to take shape... I love putting them together.  They are so tiny and dainty and I love working with tiny things.

What the?..

How did I forget to show you my second completed pin pillow?

You know me...all up in your face when I have little successes.... I can't believe I didn't blow my own horn the second I finished it.  Hmmm... must be getting old or forgetful or... something...

I know I showed portions of it...but, here it is now...all finished.

I gave it to my sister when I went to see her last week.  Her reaction was similar to mine when I held Karen's pin pillow in my own hand.    She said ... "I can't believe how tiny all the work and stitches are!" "It looks so much larger in photos" which is exactly what I said.  Even when we say the size..it just makes no impact 'til you see it up close and personal.  This little guy is 3 x 4...

Here are a few more views... this tiny edge on the lower corner (which I think may be tatting) is a tiny piece of a special hanky my Mom gave me when I was a kid...

As Karen says, for all of the projects we are making... why leave our treasures hidden in drawers where nobody sees them ... ever.  Even though we are cutting them ..  we are recycling and repurposing some lovely things...and lots of folks will now be recipients of the new items and be able to perhaps display them or use them.  It's a way to give new life to what was hidden treasure.

I'm thinking Mom would have loved to see these little creations and wouldn't mind at all that I've used my hanky to make them look beautiful.

You couldn't buy this...

That's right.  And, I've coined the term "Karen-ism".    Because, Karen always says it.  Indicating that we made something ourselves and therefore it just could not be bought in any shop, anywhere in the world.

I made this little square.  Not the fabric itself, mind you....because my buddy Maggi actually bought it for me in the U.S. ...
(and, thanks for that Maggi, I love it ! ) but, the actual square.

Not that it is totally square either, but as Karen also says ..that's the beauty of it.  It is a bit different and we shouldn't worry if the square police show up... they can't do a thing about it.  And if you notice...the little hem is turned up over onto the correct side of fabric...not turned under as we would normally expect.  But, see....that's the beauty and originality of it all. 

It's a cute little patch ... referencing utility in the world of hand stitching  ... and also it is pretty ..referencing the other thing we need in our lives... some 'pretty'.. which is what this 'class that isn't a class' is all about.  

See this area on my wrapping cloth?  Doesn't it just cry out for something?  A bit more titivating?  A bit more care and attention?  A bit more of me and my personal additions to this cloth?  Of course it does.  As a matter of fact, it looks practically naked to me....now that I am getting used to adding more and 

more of my new found knowledge of fun stuff.

.

That's where I decided to put my cute little square ... seam now held in place with stab stitching and running stitch... 

Then, because I could ...I even added a few French knots, some raised bullions and a couple of web stitches...it is not done yet....nope....more will be added ... but, not too much more..just a few more knots and webs...

I love my little square patch .... 

                                                             

Couching

But, with a bit of a difference ... I tried a bit of gauzy chiffon type fabric..on a little piece of silk I found hanging around ..

That was fun.

Then I made some Prairie Points.... apparently it's just folding little squares to look like mountains...well, that's what they remind me of anyway...

Maybe when I piece my fabrics and trims...this piece of lace that is also pointy will add some interest....

Onward..... Rouleau Loops next ...

You want me to do what?

Why do I haff to do it?

...just because you don't knit and I'm the only bear in the place with a sweater... ?? what kind of reason is that? C'mon...they've all got fur.....

Alright, alright!! If I look so cute in my store bought sweater...I'll do it. Look.... I'm doing it.... makin' snow angels..... good grief ...what will she think up next?...

There.... done.... good enuff? ..... it better be... look how deep it's gettin' ... and..I'm covered in it.

awww... now, lookit this.... I can't even shake it off... and oh..help.... ..it's all over me bum as well!

That does it..... I'm not leaving here til I dry out and my nuggets are nice and toasty !