STITCHERY JOURNEY, PART 4

Now that the basic stitchery book is finished, the fun part begins.  The inside should contain all the necessities that a stitcher needs to accomplish her stitching tasks.  It's fun to think about all possible ways to gain this very thing.  For this one, I chose a pincushion, a thimble holder, ribbon to attach your scissor, and a wool folder to hold needles (with no "ouch" factor).   I like to thread several needles in different colors of thread to be ready for use as I stitch.

So----from the day I gathered supplies and ideas~~~~~~~~It went from this:

 To this!  As you can see, I did not use all the initial choices.  I wish I could tell you the thrill it gives me to see the finished product and how different it is from the images I had in my mind.  I could never think of all the possibilities of the finished product from the very start.  Each addition spurs another and so on and so on.

 

The pincushion gave me the most problems.  I tried many ways to make it and many ways to attach it but in the end ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 the best way I found was to cover it.  I had a small walnut shell stuffed pin cushion that was just the right size.  I wrapped it in my chosen fabric, folded it and sewed the folded ends underneath, then stitched the ends down.  I wrapped the ends with antique lace and stitched it in at the same time --
ALL DONE.

This is the best pic I took of the pincushion placement and stitching.  Before I stitched I played with placement of other things.  Here I had placed a needle folder made of wool to the left and began to design the front of it.  The scissor keeper and thimble holder would be on the right.

For the thimble holder, I placed a piece of 1/2 inch wide elastic inside the fold of my chosen sunflower fabric and stitched closely to it using my zipper foot.  The length of fabric?  I did not measure, but made it plenty long to go around my thimble plus some.  Making first and trimming afterwards is always my motto.  Bigger and longer is easier to deal with.  I hope that makes sense. 

I stitched across one end (left pic) and pulled the other open end elastic (right pic-see the elastic peeking out?)  until I gathered it enough using my thimble as a guide.

When my length was right I trimmed the edge with pinking shears.   I stitched the two ends together leaving the seam to the outside and to stitch it to it's appropriate spot in the stitch book.

The addition of the thimble holder was a sort of challenge because it seemed to get lost on the "page" so to speak.  My solution became a sunflower where I added the thimble as part of it.  the stem and leaves are wool.  Embroidery stitch is buttonhole and the leaves have a chain stitch vein.  The sunflower is wooden.  You'll be surprised what you can find in your stash of stuff is you make up your mind not to buy one thing.  My stuff is awesome!! ~smile~

See how lost the thimble was looking?  Something cool had to be thought of.

 s
Scissors--- I placed the ribbon in the place I thought appropriate and tacked it down enough to try it out.  I had to move it a time or two before I got it right.  Nothing much else to report about this--very simple.

The needle folder/holder is a great way to protect your needles from grabbing onto other things in your book.  Somehow seems they seem to do that if you don't enclose them some way.  Also, threads creep and crawl!

 AI small sign, hand stitched, announcing it's contents.  A button added for cuteness.  I had this darling birdhouse button that just seemed to scream, "USE ME, USE ME!  The pole is small vintage rick rack wrapped with green embroidery thread.  The edge needed definition so I accomplished that with large rick rack.

The little label is just a square of muslin and a hand written  message.  I used a fine point Pigma Pen, then stitched it down with a running stitch.  Ragged edge is my style.  Simple and ragged~~

 The closure is ribbon around a precious button.   Perfectly useful and a lovely final addition.

  

It's been such a pleasure doing this tutorial as I worked on a project I so totally enjoy!  I appreciate your close attention!  I appreciate your finding some part of my life to benefit you and your little section of the world.  JOY is something all of us seek.  Little things in life is where most of it comes from.  If you don't find JOY in small things, you may not find very much.  I find my total JOY comes from my LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  If you haven't found HIM, my prayer is that you will very soon. His Word says you will find him if you look for Him with all your heart, soul, and mind.  The place to look?  His Word--the Bible.  It is totally alive and will come alive in your inner most being, your soul.  He is life and brings life, Forever life which is where I find my JOY.  This world brings many many sorrows, but in the promises of Jesus Christ, I can still have ultimate hope and JOY!  If I don't come back before Christmas, Please remember to look for HIM this season.  Without Him there would be no Christmas. 

If you read my blog and enjoy any part of it, I surely would appreciate a comment.  It's the only way I can know you enjoy it.  I don't get paid for any part of it, just love giving a gift to you from me.  If you want to encourage me to do more, just leave me a nice comment.  

Love to all !

MOLLY

BOOT BASH BLOCK 10

Long time waiting, I know.  I am so sorry.  I hope the new block will be worth the wait.  I promise you that the next will not be this late.  It is already in the making.  It is designed, but not stitched.  I hope that will happen beginning today. 

Block 9 is now stitched

I think it needed a little more contrast between the boot fabric and the flower fabric, but it will have to do for now.  Keep this in mind when you chose your fabrics.  Your choice of thread can fix this problem.  Too bad I didn't do that--HA--.  A contrasting thread instead of a flower matching thread would have helped.  I still might just do an outline in --uh--maybe red!  or cream!  or gold!  Oh ell, you get the picture.  Just a note.  My two year old DGS needed something to do  hile  atching  innie the Pooh on my compouter.  SO--he picked off my W key and chewed it up!!!  Needless to say, he  ill not be  atching  innie on MY computer anytime soon.  I ask him, Cullen, what did you do to my W.  He said, " Me cew it up".  How can you get mad at that????  Precious.  It will work, but I have to hit it extra hard, so sometimes it doesn't show up.  HAHA  One of the many perils of my life as a Nana.
OK--On with the next block--you know--the late one--BLOCK 10.
TA DAAAA

It's another well worn boot, a work boot, I think.  It has sloshed around in the mud, blood, and poop until it's color has changed and the leather is soft and wavy.  I know you must have had a pair like this before.  The fall leaf gives an added touch of the Fall Flavor.  Hope you enjoy and GET BUSY because I am and the November will be up in time--i hope--don't hold me to it--PLEASE!  Just be patient.  Love you guys!  Stay cool--in all ways you can!!

One more thing.  I  ant to show you a pic of a block I decided not to use.  I just didn't like it in the quilt.  It didn't fit, but some of you might like it.  If you do, e me and I will send you the pattern or maybe even post it.

I hate to ask, but I really ould like to k now if you are using/enjoying/collecting my blocks.  Remember these are FREE for your personal use and if you let me know by way of a comment if you are enjoying them in some way, it kinda just keeps me pumped up to provide them for you.  I love blogging, but sometimes it is hard to get around to doing it.  Thanks for your support.

BOOT BASH BLOCK #9

I am still behind, girls, but trying to keep my head above water.  Things are slightly better here at Fryer Ranch, but we are in the worst drought ever.  The last two days, wild fires have run rampant.  We are lucky that we were not hit, but surrounding lands and homes were destroyed.  Every available male person has been fighting fires (I am sure some women too).  The wind blew up to 30 miles a hour which moved the flames quickly.  For now, things are better, but until we get some rain, we are still in danger of fires.
My Boot Bash #9 is designed, but the stitching is not finished.  But as with last month, I am posting the pattern anyway and the pic of mine as is with the intent to update with the finished one soon.  You girls know what to do.  Mine is just a starter for you.  You are to "make it your own" using your own choices of fabrics, stitches and additions.  Don't forget the Flickr group if you feel like sharing.  You inspire others in their work when you do share.  The link is on the sidebar under the pattern links.

My family situation is a little better.  The little boys are home for now.  Keep up the prayers, please.

BOOT BASH BLOCK OF THE MONTH is Finally Here!!

Well, it's been a long time coming, I think.  I hope you all are ready.  I am not COMPLETELY ready, but  I am ready enough to start (I hope).  This is why I do free patterns--you can't charge people when stuff might go wrong!  Well, enough of the negative.  The Tree Time BOM of 2010 went really well, I think, for my first, so I am going to try again.  I hope you will join me in 2011 to make a quilt that represents a TEXAS ICON, THE COWBOY BOOT! 
Simple stitches made by hand or machine are used with cotton and some wool for my 8 inch finished blocks.  They are designed to be month appropriate and include the embroidered month, but you can easily leave it off and change the additions and colors so that they are not month appropriate.  Please "Make them Your Own", as I have preached before so that yours will not look exactly like mine.  Let the designer in you shine.  I am just giving you a head start.

Sew and I MEAN SEW--get started and when you are done, let me have it!!  Literally!! and I will blog them on a special Boot Bash page on my blog.  If there are enough, I will set up a Flickr group.

Remember--no bitchin, only stitchin!!
(My new motto!)

FREE VINTAGE EMBROIDERY PATTERNS

UPDATE!! I found the Valdani thread that I have been using. I bought mine at a quilt shop basically because I loved the varigated coloring. The colors that I love are Vintage Hues colors in a size 10. These colors are represented by a letter P. It is three strand thread on a spool. Go here to see this particular thread.



I have discovered the sharing of retired embroidery designs. Enthusiests are collecting and sharing the designs that are retired/non copyrighted designs. I am giving you several blogs where you can find/save/print all kinds of designs. Other information is also given. From which designs it is OK to share to how to share them.
The Pattern Bee
Needlecrafter
Guaya
Threadful Art
Vintage Transfer Finds




The Sewing Palette

is a very information packed site. Be sure to visit it especially if you have patterns that you can share with them to help "fill in the gaps" of their History of Vintage patterns.



I am sharing a Superior Pattern #142 of some darling cross stitch kittens at play. I scanned them in from the in tact pattern sheet, so you may see a small amount of the adjoining design on the page. Please disregard this area when transfering this pattern.





Hopefully you can click on these photos, which enlarges them and then you can save or print them.

These designs are reversed and perfect for using a transfer pen. If you need these patterns right side up as you need them for use with a lightbox, take these patterns to your Photo program and flip them before printing them out.

I have more designs to share, so check back periodically to check. Thanks for visiting my blog.

I LOVE my followers. Thanks for all your visits and comments. I love hearing from you.

Sunbonnet Sue Sunday #14

A Rose by any other name is still a Rose? Right?

What if the name of the Rose is Sunbonnet Sue--That's right! A little trivia to start this monthly Sunbonnet Sue Sunday post. Sunbonnet Sue was also the name of a 1945 musical starring Gale Storm that was typed as a farce.

A Sunbonnet Sue Flickr group boasts 257 uploads. If you have some free time, you can spend some of it there. You will see crafts and quilts devoted to the star of this post.

I found a free quilt pattern here that includes the two darling patterns on the right. The Sam is one of the cutest I have seen. He is a little chunky guy. BTW--I found that one other author is cited as a source for the faceless children. Bernhardt Wall's characters were published about the same time as Bertha Corbett's. His girls wore a different style of bonnet and no aprons. Also, it is in Mr. Bernhardt's work that we first find a male character now known as Overall Bill. This article by QNL is excellent and gives the best complete history of SBS that I have found. If you are only going to read one, this is the one.

Marti Mitchelle offers us this free pattern over on her site HERE.

The March winds are the inspiration for Mom's Block of the month. No Shamrocks or excessive bright green, or Leprochans or pots of gold, thank goodness. Just a high wind and a homemade kite. I think her dad helped Sue make this kite and her mom provided rags for the tale. Her bonnet is tied on tightly so as she won't lose it. Her bonnet is worn on this day because her mother told Sue that if she does not wear her bonnet her hair will blow and become entangled . Sue does NOT like to sit for hours in front of her mother as she detangles her long locks. Mama put her hair up today and positioned the bonnet just right so that it helped hold her hair underneath to prevent tangles. It so happened that dad found the time to help Sue launch her kite today. Her dad took the kite from her and began to run with it. Sue tried to keep up, but was becoming so tired when suddenly dad let the kite go-----up----up----up it went. High in the sky. The tale was turning and twisting and flopping in the wind as the kite went higher and higher in the bright blue sky. Dad handed the stick with the kite tied to it to Sue. She just stood there with the sun shining down on her face as she locked her eyes on the kite. What a wonderful day today is. A beautiful day, a wonderful kit and great day with daddy. Sue will never forget this day---never.

SUNBONNET SUE #10-UPDATED

Remember in a previous SBS post I told you that I had only made "1" SBS block in my life. I lied! This is a quilt that I made probably 10 years ago. The 1930's reproduction fabrics made a great baby quilt for my neice's first baby. The quilt is put together with 2 1/2 in squares and strips to make it all fit. It has a SBS block in the lower left corner and a Bill Block in the upper right--and he's fishing! I love it! I had forgotten all about this quilt. I was looking in my pictures (stored on a flash drive) for something else and I found it.
Here is a close up of Fishing Fred. Both patterns came from Eleanor Burns book that I am sure you have all seen called SunBonnet Sue Visits Quilt in a Day.

Quilting Nana over at Creative Urges emailed me this week and allowed me to post her recently completed SBS quilt. It is made from vintage fabrics that she found in her attic! That is so cool. I love the idea of taking parts of an unfinished family quilt and finishing it with the quilters fabrics.

Be sure to visit her neat blog.

This a great link for a free Holly Hobbie pattern.

http://www.lyondenquilting.com/HollyHobby.htm

NOTICE: I AM WORKING ON MY OWN VERSION OF A TEXAS SBS. IT WILL BE A GIFT PATTERN TO ALL THE GREAT LOYAL VISITORS OF MY SBS POSTS. I WILL POST IT AS SOON AS I AM FINISHED. THERE WILL BE A REVISION OF THIS POST. CHECK BACK SOON.

I'M BACK--AND HERE IS MY--UH YOUR BLOCK!

IT'S TEXAS SUSIE! The bonnet is a replication of a bonnet that my great grandmother wore. I still remember her wearing it as she worked her garden. It had strips of cardboard inserted between the stitching to make it stiff. The cardboard came out for the wash and then was reinserted.

I wanted you to see the sketchpad drawing--all the erasures. LOL

I hope you can enlarge this for printing out!

Here are the pattern pieces--

If you take my pattern, I am asking that you link back to this post (also leave a comment). I appreciate you so much! I am working on a PDF so if you need that just let me know.
ENJOY!!!