HUGE Cabochon SALE!

Good morning everyone! Hope you are having a great beginning to your week!

  In celebration of our Thanksgiving holiday this week, I'm having a HUGE sale at my Etsy shop on beaded cabochons. All of them are marked down now...to 50% off their original price. (Many are not below their wholesale button price, before I even beaded them!). There are dozens to choose from.

  These sale prices will remain this week...then I'll adjust the prices back to the original Retail Cost this weekend.

  So, if you have been wanting some glorious beaded cabochons...hop over to the shop and check these out!    Hugs!

Peacock Blue w/Black Velvet Ribbon Pincushions

These pincushions are similiar to the last post version, the fabric is "flipped" with the blue solid on the top and the printed at the tip. The roses are black rather than light blue. Instead of ribbon loops, the top is covered with a black lace motif and a velvet bow sits on top, with 3 crystals covering the sewing threads.  

Sorry the photos are so bad...the black is hard to get when it is so late in the day and the sun is going down. These are more "elegant" with the lace and simple velvet bow; while the light blue version is more romantic in style.  

As before, these are filled with emery to keep your pins and needles nice and sharp. There are four of these available at the Etsy Shop.  

Emery Pin Cushions

Still working on pin cushions...can't seem to get them out of my mind. This one is about three inches lont and shaped like an ice-cream cone (can you tell I'm hungry while typing this?). It uses peacock blue as the main color and has a vine of beautiful light blue roses with crystal accents winding around the tip. The top is covered in ribbon loops.

So far, four have been made...and loaded into my Etsy Shop...hoping more will come later. Still alwo working on purses...but Thanksgiving cooking is beginning to call me as well...so will have to see how much time I have to spend on these this next week.

Hugs,
 

CQJP 2017

If you may be interesting in taking over the Crazy Quilt Journal Project effort...please send me a note. I'm thinking that next year will be just too hectic (as I'm so behind in so many things) for me to really do it right...and so considering pushing some things off of my plate...and it is one of the things that may go.   Would rather see it continue under someone elses efforts than see it end.   Thanks for considering.   Hugs,  

A Gentle Helping Hand is Needed...

Good day all! Hope you are having a wonderful (and productive) day!   If you get a moment, please check out Pam Kellogg's latest blog post... and lend a hand if you are able to help out...and would like to do so.
I remember when so many of you reached out to me when I needed your help after my sewing machine just shut down (memory board went out)...and it meant so very much to me. Pam is facing much harder challenges than that...and I hope you will be in a place to donate even a small amount. Small amounts add up fast when we all just reach out a little bit to help each other! Thank you!
Here at home, the days are certainly getting cooler! This apartment is beginning to have a good chill during the day...so I know that soon I'll be putting the quilts back up again. You may not know, but we get a cold north-wind howling under the front door and the north-facing windows. To help with this, I hang cheap purchased quilts on these windows as curtains...have added grommets to them. Their thickness stops most of the wind and I get to enjoy the quilts at the same time. Also, makes me feel like I'm snuggled into a warm den for the winter...but I do miss the sunshine until Spring comes again.
I'm still working on CQ Purses...have four stitched; just need to get the clasps attached...perhaps tomorrow. We shall see!
Sending out HUGS to everyone!

Pin Cushion Gift Sets

Pincushions have long been a great gift for sewing buddies. My cyber pal Jenny included one this week on her blog Elefantz that had a pocket...and I loved that idea.   

It really got me to thinking.     

So, I pull out all of the little "technique" samples from my Crazy Quilting Volume II: Ribbon Embellishments book...and created pincushions with little embellished pockets using the samples that were the right size for a small project. So, if you have this book...you will recognize some of these "pockets" as starting with the examples photographed for that book.  

 All of these sets have the pincusion AND a wee little purse for holding you thimble. It is on a chain with a ring for attaching to your sewing tote/bag/basket or attach it directly to you scissor's handle. 

The pincushions are filled with crushed walnut shells so are a great "weight" and sit nicely where you place them.     

The lack of poly-fill also means that your pins won't rust as the walnut shells will not hold moisture as the polyester stuffing would.     

It also means that they weigh more, so these will be shipped in a small Priority flat rate box. Two sets fit into a box nicely, so if you order this second set the postage will be reimbursed for that second set.
These are available now on Shawkl Designs...but they may go fast. The purses have already all gone...but I've cut out for some more and will post these just as soon as I can get them finished. BTW, the thimble/scissor are not included in the set...just examples in some photos.    

Victorian Roses Purse

I've gotten the last purse completed, of the group I had started. This is the largest of the group and has a very different kind of clasp. The others have sold, but this one was listed today at Shawkl Designs Etsy Shop if you are interested in purchasing.  

  It is very Victorian styled in black velvet (with some emerald green silk in the front panel). The laces are all beaded over the I've included several porcelain roses along with the silk ribbon roses for adornment. The back is solid black velvet.  

  The clasp is very ornate so "Victorian" is really the only style that fits such a wonderfully opulant clasp. Usually, I like clasps that are "sew-in" types but this actually is made of several parts that fit together and screw in place. I'm not sure it was less work, just a different process but took about the same amount of time to "install" and was a bit frustrating to work with. It also costs about  2-3 times what a standard clasp did, so also not entirely sure it is work that expense. But, it sure is beautiful!  

  I like the finished look of the clasp, and the chain handle...even on the inside.   This purse is the largest finished yet and measures about 11 inches long by 7 inches wide at the fartherest points. I have some more small purses in my head...but have to get them drawn out and pieced before I can begin embellishing. So, I may have a few smaller clutches before Thangsgiving to share...will just have to see how much time I have to sew between now and then. Ha! 

Green Ribbon Lady Bag

I'm having a great weekend! Aidan came for a couple of days, so that was a real joy for me! It slowed me down a little...but was so worth it! Grandchildren are just the best!

  I found time when she went home this morning to finish up the large coin purse I've been working on. This is oversized so that it can fit a small sewing project OR have room for keys, tri-fold wallet, and phone. This is a double clasp...so there are two seperate insides. A good way to seperate the embroidery threads and silk ribbon from your thimble, scissors, and packs of needles.

I've also reduced the price on the tiny black velvet peacock bag...which would be so beautiful hanging from a chatalaine or side of a tote bag. It is tiny, but can hold a package of needles and your thimble.
These are both in the Etsy Shop at Shawkl Designs. Hope you will go and check them out! Hugs,

Need a Christmas Present for a friend?

....or a sweet little "prettie" for yourself? Just finished to hinged purses and put them in my Etsy Shop.  

 

The first is a more traditional style CQ purse with silk ribbon roses clustered in the center and beaded seams in the outer fabric patches. The materials inside/out are silks and the hinge is beaded as well. More information in size, color, etc. is at the Etsy listing (link above).  

 

The second is the same length as the first but tall and skinny done in black velvet. The beading is all hand sewn by me...in a variety of glass and Swarvoski crystals. The design is a peacock feather and the henge is also beaded in Swarvoski crystals. The inside is peacock blue silk. More information in size, color, etc. is at the Etsy listing (link above).   I'm shipping to the USA and Canada as these don't weigh much. Hope to have some more done this month...but I'm moving pretty slow at present with my CFS...so not accomplishing even half as much as I'm wanting to get done...so, we shall just see what I can get finished. :)