Melissa's Lace and Fibers...

The time has come to add some more dimension and textures to the block...here's how it looks with the lace, ribbon and more fibers added. They make a big difference don't they! Let's look at closeups...

Here is the bottom left corner. The spiderweb roses are stitched in 6-strand pink rayon thread instead of silk ribbon. I didn't want them to compete with the silk ribbon roses I added to the center. They are not stitched, but are ready made and stitched down on top of a lace motif. Two little heart lace motifs are also stitched down next to the center one, this extends it out to fill in the center a little more...and in keeping with the theme of the project "Hearts and Flowers". A couple of butterflies found in the scrapbooking section of the hobby store add more dimension, and some little crafty hearts fill in some space in the littlest patch.

Now, the top left corner. A lace dragonfly and an embroidery patch butterfly have been added; along with a single little package rose. I've tucked two tiny velvet leaves under the rosebud.

And, the top right corner. Here is a good photo of two of the three crocheted flowers on the snail trail seam. I've had these for a little while...saving them...there are five in total, and Melissa's getting three of these little treasures.

Finally, the bottom right corner. No real change here yet...

The block is progressing nicely, everything is being worked in green, pink, and yellow to coordinate with the fabrics that Melissa used in her block. Next, the real fun begins! The beads go down! That is when the magic happens! IMHO! You know I love my beads! So more photos tomorrow perhaps!

Melissa's Stitches

The progress on Melissa's block continues...the motifs are decided on and the embroidery ones are stitched. So, it's on to the seams. Today, I'll show you the basic seams...before beads and such are added. Here is the block stitched...then I'll show you closeups.

Here is the lower left corner. The curves are simple wrapped back stitch and I traced objects (spool of beading thread, etc.) to help me make the curves. The others are straight stitched bases of herringbone and half circles...using the templates. The combination part is simple lazydaisy and straight stitches. You might note the little "stars" at the top of the one seam closest to the floral print...these are the 5-spoke stitches that will hold Spider-web roses.

 Next, here's the upper left corner. You can see the herringbone again, and the chevron and cretan base stitches...also from the templates come into view. The cretan is wrapped and the others have straight stitches and lazydaisy (detached chain) stitches added. Nothing hard...anyone can do this!

And, the upper right corner. You've already seen the heart motif...so the only addition is the chain stitch snail's trail...again, I used the half circle template to mark the line.

Lastly, the lower right corner. I've added a couple of little zig-zag bases in the smallest patches...and filled in around the motif with straight stitch "stars" and some blanket stitches. One of the little zigzag bases has a stem and little straight stitch leaves...these will be some sort of flower. Nope, I don't know what kind yet...but I'll decide that later on.

I'll start adding fibers and laces next...anything except beads. And, I'll be back with more photos then!

To Inspire, Comfort, and just Simply Enjoy...

I love roses. I can't grow them...unless they are really hardy!! LOL! But, I love them.

When I'm having a hard day and feeling down and sluggish...they cheer me up.

When I need a little inspiration, they become my muse.

I roam the web searching for roses of all kinds...and a lot of florist sites have photos that I download just so I can go back to my "rose folder" and enjoy them over and over again.

Hopefully, your day was brightened a little...just by viewing such beauty!

More Beading...

I have not been able to put this down! So, I'm still beading...

I added four Paua shell cabochons. The eyes are two little shank crystal beads, and to make them stand up and not fall to the side, I surrounded them with pearls for a base. The head is a jewelry crystal element that had to be couched down. I love the bling factor in this dragonfly!

Here's where I am now...and I have to stop for a while. I have to get back to some other stitch projects. The upper wings are being filled in with crystal seed beads and some bugles...and I'm thinking that the bottom ones will be a mix of different blues. I'm not at all sure yet about the tail...so we shall see how that goes.
For now...it's back to working on Melissa's block!

BJP 2011 Beading Started...

Wow, I am in love with this project! It is letting me use some beads that I have been "saving" for something special...and that feels great! I started with two Swarvoski teardrop beads...and used a surface peyote stitch to surround them.

Here is the side angle, the peyote make a little wall around and over the stone. If you want to get some really good instruction on this go to Beads East. They have great tutorials on various surface beading techniques.

Then, I added two round Swarvoski rivolis. These were a challenge because they were not beads (no hole)...and they were not flat on the back. Instead, the back came to a point! Yikes. I had to really hold them still while surrounding them with beads...yeah, more peyote stitch!

 I'm having such fun, I almost forgot to stop and take photos!

Woot! Woot! I'm so Excited...

My very first book is in the proof stage! Here is the image of the back/front cover!!

 

Actually it's the second book I've written...but the first one is still in production...and this one just flew right through that phase...and jumped in front of the other one! How great!

All of the TDiTM stitch charts...and more will be in this...in three different scales! And four complete sets of monograms...104 total! And more than 50 embroidery motifs (I'm getting really good with Illustrator!!)

I'm so excited...the book proof is supposed to be in my hands next week. I have to make sure all the content is correct...and the print quality is good...and a hundred little details. Then, it goes to full production!! I hope to have it for retail by the end of February or March!! Yeah!!!

So celebrate with me!! Woot! Woot!

No School Today!

In the south, if it snows this much...nothing moves!

That's the view from my kitchen window this morning. Here's the one from my front porch.

If you note the mailbox...you can see that the street is completely covered in snow. And, there's a thin sheet of ice below the snow. All you folks that routinely get snow...will think "so what". But, here in the south...we don't have snow plows because we don't get this much snow but every 5 years or so. Everything is quiet...still...and no vehicles on the road. That will change later today...but for now everyone is safely tucked inside.
Here is a view of my steps...as this is a garage apartment.

See how nice and clean they are! I just swept off the snow. My daughter laughed at me last night, when she saw I had gone to the grocery store...not for milk or bread...but for rock salt! Before the storm hit I covered my porch and steps with it! Made cleanup so easy!
Here's a view of how close I am to my Mom's house...which is why I'm in this little apartment in the first place. It's great to have her (and my brother and SIL) right next door!

And lastly, all these little foot prints...are actually paw prints. And Buddy loves the snow, here he sits...after I have called him upstairs twice. He wants to stay and chase the blackbirds in the snow! Perhaps later today...

Melissa's Heart and Bow

I'm still working on Melissa's block (see posts for 1/7 and 1/9). I finished the embroidery motif of the little bow with hearts. Here's a reminder of the design traced on to the tissue paper and basted to the block.

The design is a little hard to make out in the picture....but here is the finished (without the beads) embroidery.

It turned out to be really sweet. I'll still add some little pearl beads to the tiny flowers. But, that will be later on when I start beading on the block...so I don't snag my embroidery thread on those beads! I added a little butterfly done in 4mm ribbon. This little fellow is included in my templates files on the Yahoo site. So, if you have not yet signed up to get those files downloaded...just go to Yahoo Groups...and join the ShawklBlogFiles group. I'll be uploading all the stitch charts and stitch photos for TDiTM in the next few weeks too...and have other tutorials there as well. It's not an active "group" with lot's of messages and such (well at least not yet I suppose...depends on how "wordy" y'all get!) But, is just a quick stop place for me to upload the files I would like to share with you.
Okay, back to stitching!

Melissa's Drop Flowers

Okay, I'm a little further along on Melissa's block...see earlier post on 1/7/2011 Here is a reminder of one of the motifs I'm going to embroidery. I traced the design onto tissue paper, and basted that to the block.

I thought that I'd share a few process steps with you. I like working with tissue paper, because it is fast...and I don't draw directly onto the project (which means I can change my mind if I wanted to move it before actually stitching). In this design I will not embroidery the flower heads...I am debating beads or silk ribbon...and have not yet made up my mind. But for the stem and leaves...it will be embroidery. To start, I stitch these areas in a simple backstitch in olive green perle cotton, size 8 thread.

Now, you can see from the photo that stitching through the tissue paper can be done without tearing it to shreds. I think there a few things to remember when doing this however...mostly, be gentle in handling...for obvious reasons. Also, having the block in a frame...and you can barely see the side of my little Q-snap frame in this photo...is key to keeping the work flat, taut, and easy to handle. Work carefully in a needle up, needle down motion...not both steps together as a continuous flow. That helps to not "disturb" the tissue while you are working.

Here's what the design looks like when the tissue paper is removed. Very simple and basic at this stage. The point is, you don't have to stitch the entire image...just get the basics in with the tissue paper as a guide. Next, I'll go to the bottom of the stem and work upwards wrapping the backstitches...and then the leaves will be wrapped as well.

And, here is the end result after the backstitches have been turned into Wrapped Backstitch. I added some little detached chain (Lazy Daisy) stitches along the design as well. You might note that these are not in the same place or size as in Mary's original design that was traced on to the tissue paper (scroll up and you'll see this). But, Mary works a lot in silk threads and embroidery floss strands...I don't usually...most of my crazy quilt (and hence embroidery) is done is perle cotton. If I want fine details I use size 12...but for the most part...I stitch in size 8.
Whenever I finally make up my mind on what type of flower heads to use...I'll photograph them and let you see a finished motif!

BJP 2011 January Thinking

Here is my January Dragonfly for BJP2011.

This is my first year to join in on the Beaded Journal Project...and I already having a head full of ideas! Finally, I decided on a theme for my monthly beaded projects...critters! If you follow the blog, you know that I do a lot of blocks and projects for friends, cyber friends, and family.
 One thing I want to do for myself is a large crazy quilt project. I have visions of shabby chic with loads of white, cream, beige fabrics with bits of pastels in lace and embellishments. I have not pieced the first block, because I do not want them to be square...and have not decided on what I "do" want yet! Agrrrrr...some on brain, you can do it! Sorry, I digress...
Anyway, I thought that critters would be a good addition to the project...when it ever gets off the ground! And, I want the critters to be all sizes...some large, some small, some round, some not so round...a real variety.
Therefore, all of my BJP 2011 monthly projects will be critters that I can later stitch down to the crazy quilt full size project. This complicates the creation process some too...because each item must be able to be attached firmly to the final crazy quilt project. So, this first one is also a test! As you might be able to tell from the photo, I used water soluble (traced with a chalk pencil) and hooped it on top of felt. After stitching all the beads firmly into place...I hope to be able to carefully cut the dragonfly out and then be able to handstitch him into the CQ project...more about that when the time comes I'm sure!!

Here are the big stones I'm thinking of using...and other smaller ones will cover the wings, body, and tail. So wish me luck! I'm off on a new adventure in beading! Oh, here's a closeup of the main beads...I wish you could see just how gorgeous these are!

Melissa's Hearts and Flowers Block

Here's a crazy quilt block I'm beginning to stitch on for a cyber pal, Melissa. She pieced the block...and swapped with me. We are both going to keep the theme "flowers and hearts" in mind as we embellish each block. Oh, and you might want to check out Melissa's blog "Honey Bee's Bliss" as she is a whiz at silk ribbon...and I love looking at all her eye candy on her site!

This will be mailed by mid February...so, I thought I had better get started. My first thought was to do some seams, but then I had a second thought that the block was so small...about 9 inches...and I might stitch myself into a fix if I didn't figure out what motifs I might want to add. Embroidery is the first medium that jumps into my mind...so off I went to hunt some designs.

The first was easy, a simple monogrammed "M"...for Melissa of course! And this one was so fast to stitch, I just couched some 7mm silk ribbon down with silk thread in a matching color. Add a rose and some French Knots...done! Yeah!!

 The next motif was a bow with hearts...and I'm working on that so will have some photos later this week I think of a finished product. I don't remember where I got this little heart from...but most likely it was the Flickr Pool I belong to called Hoop Love Vintage Transfers. Check them out! They have some great embroidery motifs you can use on your own projects...and contribute some to the pool too!

 That one's a little hard to make out...perhaps this last one will be better. By the way, these were printed and then I traced the image on to tissue paper...so any errors are my own poor tracing skills...not the creator of the design. LOL! This last little flower is from a design of Hanging Flowers that Mary of NeedlenThread posted. If you have not checked out her site...you are missing a wealth of embroidery knowledge! It is my very favorite site to visit!

So, I'm off to stitch some more!

TDiTM Stitch #129

Simple, but effective. Add some flower beads or silk ribbon spiderweb roses above/below the lazy daisy trio...if it is stitched in green...for a very effective little garden row seam.

TDiTM Stitch #128

Starry, starry night!

The top row is done in metallic thread, and the bottom in bright teal.

TDiTM Stitch #127

Here's a mostly beaded stitch...

TDiTM Stitch #126

Here's another seam with only straight stitches. It is full, and I find it really pleasing even without any beads.

But, with some pearls at the bottom of the little arrows...or on the T-bar of the base stitch might be good too!

TDiTM Stitch #125

Check the side bar for a link to all previous TDiTM Combination Stitches.
It is a little unreal to begin 2011 still doing Twelve Dozen in Twelve Months combination stitches...but we are almost done, and that is an odd feeling too.

Stitch #125 is all straight stitches...it could be dressed up very easily by adding seed beads to the ends of all the rays.