A Short Video of some Motifs/Techniques Learned in the Free Courses!
Along with the Swan Thimble for this month (previous post)...here is a bonus thimble for fall! 
This month's thimble design is a beautiful and graceful swan...hope you enjoy her!
eight years ago today...sitting by my daughter's bedside. We were waiting for the arrival of my darling grand-daughter, Aidan. I can hardly believe that she is eight years old today! Time sure is flying by!This past week we've been busy dying lace and now, I'm trying to get more cabochons beaded. Here is what I have so far...And here is what I have remaining to do! But, there won't be much accomplished today...cause it's a special Birthday!! Hear me singing?...Yeah, it's pretty off key! Ha!
I finished my work on Ruby's block for the Roses, roses, roses Round Robin on Crazy Quilters International Yahoo Group. The beginning was some silk ribbon rose buds to direct the eye. These went up to the tatted doily that had already been placed on the block by ruby.Next came a button cluster to balance the size and color of the gorgeous wire rose done by Cathy L. in the round before mine.Then, a seam treatment with more pink and clay roses.Lastly, bits of lace and a large button to fill in space under the seam line, and to keep the eye moving around the block.Hopefully, you'll agree that I've done a good job of continuing the movement in the block from the heart at the upper left corner, to the wire rose, to the button cluster, and along the seam to the right of the block. Now, the next person has the job to continue the path with their own beautiful work!
Almost done with the daffodils. Two still need petals. They has light cream ones...but the background fabric was showing through too much, so I removed them. Have to find some white fabric that is thick enough to keep the background from showing. Guess it's time to go shopping!
Aidan and I spend a restful weekend dying some lace. She also put a considerable amount of time to learning to write in cursive letters...and is very proud of that! Her birthday is this Wednesday, 8 years old, and she is growing up so quickly! Her lace was mostly a mis-match of dark colors...nothing I'll ever be able to use. But, it's only lace..and down the road...I can always dye her pieces dark red or blue! Ha! But for now, we have plenty in the colors that I can use.And a few really special favorites as well.So, it was a good dying session all things considered.
More adornments...for the Dragonfly Quilt. There will be tons of stuff before I'm finished next year. It's nice to be working on a long-term project...especially one that has been in my head for some time now. I like the vintage quality of these wired florals...and the use of the lace leaves. A stem still needs to be created, and they will be grouped on a piece of lace perhaps...when they get stitched into place.But, for now...they'll just sit in my ribbon drawer...awaiting the creating of more.
The dragonfly is almost done. A row of tiny seed beads is still needed to be stitched around the tail; the water soluble needs to be soaked off, and the blue felt needs to be trimmed away. Then, his new home has to be completed...on the Dragonfly Garden quilt...and he needs to be stitched down with another outside row of beads perhaps.Perhaps it is a she? With all this bling...And, yes...it is large. But, the quilt will be too; so the scale will be fine for that project.
If you haven't seen it yet...Pat Winters has a new BOHO book just released! Her bohemian bags are just gorgeous...I know because I am the very proud owner of a beautiful pink one! And her instructions are easy to understand so you can construct your own. So, hop over to her blog for all the instructions on ordering her book today!
I made some minor cosmetic changes to the blog design...and I hope that it loads faster for those with slower DSL or Dial-up
Well, I was able to get the heads on the tulips finished yesterday. Now the base block is complete, ready for the sheer overlay fabric and all/any other embellishments along the path. But, before that step...the other base blocks need to be done. My eyes get tired more quickly working on the light table. So, the second block awaits me today!I did spend a little time working some more on the huge beaded dragonfly. Do you remember it? Here is where we left off...
Any guesses...what will this be? No fair peeking.The journey continues...and barely begins.Here are two more hints.
And the final big clue!
If you guessed the layout and start of the shadow-work blocks for the Dragonfly Garden quilt...you'd be right! And the first block I'm working on is the tulips. Yesterday the backgrounds were all measured and cut...and then the stems/leaves for the tulips were fused into place. Today, perhaps I'll be able to get the tulip heads in place...and them move on to the next block! ETA: 4/6/2012 If you would like the tulip shadow-work pattern, it is free, and is located as a pdf sheet in the Shawkl_Blog_Files Yahoo group files. Look in the Quilting Patterns folder, under Shadow Applique Florals.
My eyes are tired of looking at these little beads...so I'm finished with cabochon making for a few more days. I finished several more for the Dragonfly Garden quilt.
And managed to get some new ones done for the Etsy shop as well.
Here's a "R" motif for your collection of monograms...
