11 Flower Gardens Finished!

Oh, dear, I have been a bit slack posting this year so far! But, I have been working. Here are eleven small pieces that are finished. The backgrounds have to be touched up with the iron. New photos will be taken as I want to turn some of these into prints.

These will be matted to fit an 8" x 8" frame. The actual opening is 5" x 5". All my small gardens have a few dandelion flowers embroidered in them. When I was a child, I would pick them in the grass and bring them to my mother. I can hear her now: 'Oh, Judy, these are lovely'. I also remember that they never stayed long in the house either!!
Enjoy!!

• QuiltCon 2019 is opened in Nashville, Tennessee this weekend. You can see the winning  quilts HERE   

Work in Progress

I've been working on some Flower Gardens that will eventually be framed. These are a bit bigger than the framed 5" x 5" ones previously created. So for the past few days, creating the bits and pieces needed for these small art pieces, from threads and organza, have taken up a chunk of my time.

In this photo, I've hooped green organza and free motion stitched small irregular pieces to use as foliage.  I do like the spring action hoops for quick release. These can be purchased quite inexpensively. I believe, mine came from Wal Mart.

I use trays to put project pieces on. As you can see, some of the tools needed are in easy reach. Besides that, I can carry them from room to room, depending where on where I wish to work.

Cut out stitched pieces from organza

Small flower pots were drawn on fabric, stitched, cut out and machine appliqued to a background.

I put a temporary mat over the background to give me a boundary for working. As you can see, some of the pieces are already stitched to the background. Some applique pins are holding a few other pieces in place that will get stitched tomorrow. Then the hand embroidery begins.

I will post about the finished pieces when they are completed. Stay tuned! Check out HERE how these came to be created.

On another note, I joined the Mahone Bay Quilt Guild in September. They have a great web site that goes back quite a number of years. Grab a cup of something and check them out HERE. 

Enjoy!!

Sparkle Sock Yarn and other 'Stuff'

I visited the Alderney Farmer's Market, Dartmouth, on Saturday. Jill, my daughter, was set up there from 8 am - 1 pm. There were lots of vendors, from food (vegetables, fruits, meats, baked goods, jams / pickles, breakfast items, coffee . . .) to clothing, jewelry, carvings, yarns and more.

I purchased some yarn with a hint of sparkle from Elegantly Twisted Yarns, owned by Andrea Hiscock and Connie Dolomount. Andrea is a fellow Newfoundlander, living in Dartmouth. Here's my purchase. The sparkle, called Stellina, doesn't show up here but it's gorgeous! Of course, I won't be knitting with it but cutting it up to use in my art work.

 

When organizing the studio last week, I found a few small projects / samples of work that I had forgotten about. Have a look:

Cross Stitch Quilt Block stitched about 20 years ago

From a workshop I took at the International Quilt Show, Houston, TX, 2001

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I have no idea at the moment what I will do with the about pieces but they are hanging on my design panel for inspiration. Maybe I will have a whopper of an idea.

In any case, here's more sewing / quilting ideas:

• Reading Pillow Sewing Tutorial 
• Fabric Basket (download)  
• Things to make with Fat Quarters
• Reversible Bag Pattern 
• 11 Fat Quarter Ideas for Christmas (next year)   

Enjoy!!

Second Finish

My studio has new curtains! A second finish for me in 2019!!!

I figured I'd buy curtains for the three windows. However, after bringing home three different sets to try, I decided to make some instead. Atlantic Fabrics, Bridgewater, had just what I needed. The fabric looks like linen and the colour works with my colour scheme.

A partial view of my studio. These windows face the front of the house.

Check these out:

• Studio space of Terry Aske 
• Quilt Studios (lots of eye candy too) on Pinterest HERE,  HERE & HERE
• Sewing Room Makeover Ideas, More HERE    

Enjoy!!

First Finish for 2019

The 12 Days of Christmas wall hanging that I started in December is finished! This is a free pattern from All People Quilt. It caught my eye when I first saw it and I saved the link just in case. When I decided to take a quick trip back to St. John's, early in December, this was the right size project to take. All the fabrics and buttons were from my stash. The colourful batik, used for the back and binding, isn't a Christmas print but worked perfectly! The cream background is a linen type weave with gold threads.

The wall hanging is actually straight. My camera taking was a bit off!!

Enjoy!!

3 Pillows

Now that the Twelve Days of Christmas are over, I can show you these quilted pillows my sister, Joan, made us for Christmas. Joan was posting photos on Instagram for the Twelve Days of Christmas and one of the pillows was day 12. I didn't want to spoil her fun. The pillows have 12 triangles of the Flying Geese pattern. You can see more of Joan's Instagram photos @lovemombo. She shows among other things, quilts, knitted socks, children's clothes and garden stuff!

These pillows match two quilts that she previously made for us. The center pillow has stitched and beaded motifs that she found on a piece of fabric at a thrift store in Tennessee. She sure knows how to use such different finds! Thanks, Joan. Love the pillows.

Now for some things I found:

• Pillows on Pinterest HERE and HERE
• 30 Modern Christmas Pillows 
• Batik Log Cabin Pillow 
• Free Modern Quilt Pillows 

 Enjoy!!

Nifty Idea

I was roaming the reduced Christmas section of the Superstore a few days ago, and came across a useful item for my studio. Part of my room has a step wall so this mantel stocking hanger is perfect for using on the ledge beside my machines. It's heavy, won't fall off and can hold a fold up travel case that I found at Dollarama a few years ago. I keep scissors, sewers aid, clips and whatever else accumulates next to the machine. The table top is not as cluttered (for now). I hope they aren't all gone as I need to purchase a couple more!

More Finds:

• I'm going to borrow a nifty link from my friend's last post at Magpie's Mumblings, Sew Free Patterns.  
• A retired St. John's surgeon transforms NL scenes and famous paintings into rugs. His wife (also a doctor) is a quilter friend of mine. Check HERE.
• This Half Round Hanging Basket would be perfect for hanging beside my machine too. 

Enjoy!

A New Year

2019!  WOW
We have spent our second Christmas in Nova Scotia. Mind you, we didn't move in until late October, 2017 so about 14 months. During that time we have built me a new studio (among many other projects). That meant everything except exterior walls and ceiling. Ours is a split entrance bungalow so most of the basement is above ground. However, the basement had a shiny cement floor but nothing else done to it. I now have a comfortable, large space with lots of light and electrical plugs. The windows and door still need trim and baseboard has to be installed. Storage units aren't built yet so I'm still using those stainless steel open shelving from Costco (brought them from NL). BUT, I can work to my heart's content!

I'm slowly getting more organized. At least I can find stuff without too much searching. I'm very pleased with all the space I have. Can you guess, I'm excited about that!! I managed to hang a few of my pieces in the room a few days ago. All the hand stitching pieces are class samples. The quilted piece is from a workshop I did with Libby Lehman, in Toronto, years ago.

stitch sampler in wool

top sampler has 50 different stitches

 

Row Houses in Hardanger - original design

My first work using free-motion, overlays of tulle and sparkly threads

 Enjoy!

12 Days of Christmas

My sister has been doing the 12 Days of Christmas on Instagram. Me, I didn't even think of doing that. However, I have been working on a wall hanging by that name. Last year I came across a free pattern for counting down the Twelve Days of Christmas on All People Quilt.

As I was traveling home to St. John's, Newfoundland on December 4th, I needed something to stitch. This free pattern fitted the bill. However, it won't be finished this year. Hopefully soon. Time flies when you are having fun!! So far, all the 12 pear shapes are stitched. The stitching has been done on the tree stand but I'm not satisfied with it. I didn't trace the lines directly on the fabric but on tissue paper. This was pinned on and stitched. When I pulled the paper off, the stitches pulled a bit too. And I knew the difference - DUH!!! So I have decided to do a thin machine satin stitch over the hand stitching.

I love the nontraditional batik I've selected for the border. When it's done, I'll show it to you.

Have a very Happy New Year!

More stuff:

• Into puzzles? I've been known to do one or two. Here's a link for doing them on-line.  
• Ester has a wall hanging for counting down the days.
• Here's a Pinterest link for the 12 Days of Christmas
• Eye Candy 

Enjoy!!  

Gifts

Here's a peek at a few interesting gifts I received this year.

Isn't this a unique gift for an embroiderer! I have seen yarn bowls before but never one for a ball of embroidery floss. This particular thread bowl (my name for it) was gifted by a friend who attended last summer's EAC Conference in PEI. The bowl was made by an artist from that province.

Gale, my granddaughter, decided that I needed a real plant for my studio. She chose this one because she liked the bowl the best. I think she did a great job of selecting the perfect combination!

This ornament is the Signal Hill Star. It was created by Darrel Pike, Saltwater Pewter, NL. Each Christmas season, a large star like this one, is hung on Cabot Tower, St. John's. It's light can be seen from all over the city.

My brother, Don Eady, Sandy Point Stained Glass, made these for our tree.I have quite a few of his gorgeous stained glass pieces.

I was entertained by humming birds on my patio, last summer. My daughter found this delightful beaded humming bird for my tree. She usually gives me an ornament on Christmas. Many of them have been from her past travel destinations.

I treated myself to one of Anne Lucas's needle felted Gnomes when I was in Newfoundland in early December. This is a 'cute' one!!

Did you get a chance to check out the links on the previous post? Well, here's more:

• Interesting felt ornaments HERE (scroll down)
• Stained Glass Ornaments HERE  
• Beaded Christmas Tree Ornaments HERE 
• Yarn Bowls HERE 

 Enjoy!!  

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas wherever you are!

Today's post shows a few photos of getting ready for Christmas. I know, this should have been done a few days earlier but life takes over.

Gale decorated her own tree at my house. She chose all my bird ornaments to put on hers. Then she looked over at mine and saw a few things she liked and said "that would look better on my tree"! Of course, you know where they ended up. BUT, it's all about making memories. We had fun.

This is Gale's tree

Tree with Shimmer Ornaments

We had a green Christmas but snow was on the ground when this was taken

My Christmas Pudding from an old recipe mom used to make

Made back in the late '90's

Cookies for Santa that Gale & I baked. She did the decorating!

Now for a few links to check:

• Ten Textile Artists Pushing the Boundaries
• Exploring Textile Art on Pinterest HERE
• Art Textiles: Made in Britain
• The Textile Blog 
• The Textile and Fiber Art List   

Enjoy!

Sew Together Bag # 2

I can finally show you this Sew Together Bag that I made for my sister last August. Her birthday was yesterday. Needless to say, the bag had some goodies in it too.  Happy Birthday, Joan!

Check these links for tutorials for making this bag HERE, HERE, &  HERE.
Pinterest has lots of the bags HERE
My first Sew Together Bag is HERE 

Enjoy!