Quick Udate

Sorry I have not posted in a long time...summer is here and there is just so much going on.
I started a new job this year, My oldest son and his girlfriend have moved in with us and I have planted flowers and roses everywhere!!
Not been able to do much with my art this summer.
I did decide I had better get back to my bead knitted purse so that I may be able to enter it into the fair in Oct. I had almost forgot about it until I decided to clean out my art studio and thought "O my, if I don't get back to it I will never get done for the fair" So for the last couple of day's that is what I have been spending my spare time on.
I have not seen any of the quilts so I guess my sisters are as busy as I have been and have not done any quilting for the summer.
If I get time I will post pictures of the purse in progress...
It is the a Barbara Pratt pattern "Vanessa" I am doing it in an ecru color thread with an off white bead. I just love the knitted bead bags, I have 3/4 of it done so if I don't give up I will finish. This is the first one I have done in a full size bag, I have done some small necklace size but never a full size bag. I am real happy with the way it is turning out!!
I will try not to wait so long before posting again
Take Care all
Get creative!!!

STILL NO TIME

I have not posted in a while so I thought I would update everyone. I have not had much time to work on any of my arts. I have done a little on the purse I was working on, I am almost done. I still need to finish sewing it to the frame. Maybe I will get a picture up one day. I have been too busy working and playing. Not much crafting going on. Need to work on the SISTERS LEGACY QUILT I have more to do to finish this round, but I am also waiting for Terry to send me the next quilt.
I am going to try to crochet a pair of barefoot sandals for the cruise. I made several pair of them a couple of years ago for friends, but never got around to making myself a pair. I think I will do that for myself this year. Maybe will get a picture posted when I am done.
I did get a bracelet made from spoons done this weekend, it turned out really cute. I was just playing around, I need to find some old silver and do a couple for family and friends, I love the way they turned out. I made a practice one out of stainless steel.
Been looking for sun patients to plant in the garden for the summer, I have Pansy's there now and they are doing well, so I hate to pull them up to plant sun patients.
I also know that if I don't that come later this summer I wont have any flowers.
So still on the fence as to when to do this.

NOT ENOUGH TIME, CRUISE THE CARIBBEAN

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, been busy. I have started a new job, going to the tanning bed and getting ready to go on a cruise. My needle work is suffering!! I have not done any of the TAST and my Sisters Legacy Quilt is still waiting to finish the CQ. Terry still has the quilt I am waiting for, so I am not too far behind just need to get the CQ done so I can start on the next round. I am almost 2 rounds ahead with my work so I guess that ain't so bad. I just want to make sure I am working ahead instead of behind so I don't feel so much pressure to get it done. With summer coming on and the weather getting warm I want to be outside in the flowers instead of inside.
I did start a SRE purse to take on the cruise with me. I am just waiting on the purse frame I ordered to finish it. I will post pictures when done. It is all done I think, I may add more SRE if I feel the need later, it is a little sparse to me.
We are looking at a cruise of seven days with Carnival, we have been twice before, once with Carnival and once with Royal Caribbean and will try never to do Royal Caribbean again! Carnival was so much better for us.
I think Larry is planning to book it for May the 12th, from Port Canaveral, I am already tanning and looking at clothes to wear. Have been dieting for about 2 weeks and have only lost 5 lbs, o well I guess I will just keep trying and hope for the best.

LIGHTHOUSE QUILT

Here is a picture of a wall hanging I did for my sister after she and her husband invited my sister and I for a weekend at the beach. We really had a great time and I thought she would like the memento of our weekend. I used Cheaters cloth and added some quilting and photo's of our time together.

CQ AND RIBBON WORK FOR R3

Here is what I am working on for R3 it is the second one in a set of three. The first one is done picture posted in an earlier post.(cq block #1 done) This is what I am working on now. Still using the TAST for help

Three sisters update

Just wanted to update everyone on the Three Sisters Legacy Quilting.
We have almost finished round one. I think it is going great!! I just finished Kathe's today and will get it into the mail this week. (Peek at the photo) As soon as I get mine back I will add round one and the beginning of round 2 YAHOO!!!
I think all of them are just wonderful. I am now working on the second one for round 2 hope to finish it this week and start #3.

TAST FEATHER STITCH

Here is the Feather stitch. I did use this in the seam treatment, It is hard to see because of the colors. I added some bead work and colonial knots for the grapes, Also detached chain for the leaves.

TAST FLY STITCH

Here I am late again!! I have had this done but have not gotten it posted. So I will try to catch up now...I have used the fly sitich to do the stems and small leaves in small ribbon work.

OT--- I HATE BIRTHDAYS!!!---

OK I am going to get off topic today, I guess it will be alright once in a while.

Today is my Birthday, it is one of those days that you are glad you made it to, but you wish everyone would quit reminding you that you are OLD!
I have been dreading this day for a while now. I think when you reach 30 there should be a law that you no longer celebrate birthday's. They regulate everything else why not something that would make me happy and not aggravated.

I can remember as a child I would think Yahoo tomorrow is my birthday no one can forget that, It is the day after Valentines day so there is no excuse.
Now it is a curse!!

When you ask someone to remind you of something they always forget, Hope they will forget something, be sure they will remember!!

Birthdays are like that, everyone has to tell you that it is your birthday.
Like your body did not tell you that this morning when you went to get into the shower.
Walk in take off the clothes, tell yourself not to look....what do you do you look!
"Oh my god, why didn't someone tell me I had a black hair a foot long growing there" The eye's have gone to bifocals, so you can't see anything unless it is in a light bright enough to melt plastic.
Yes the hair is grey, all your body parts forgot that they are not running a race to see who can get to the floor first!
Then when you finally find something that will fit over the body that has went south,
The Phone rings with a voice telling you
"ha ha you are older than me, you are older than dirt"
"Hope you have a Happy Birthday" got to go.
Sit down at the table, You are glistening again, no you have not just run a marathon
you just are sweating like you have. Take off a piece of clothes. Try not to think about it but....there will be someone who want to remind you that you have one foot in the grave and you are hanging on by your nails. :)

CQ block #1 Done

I have finally finished my first CQ block, I can see where I have done a few things wrong. I almost did not leave myself room to sew it to the quilt top for the Three Sisters Legacy quilt. I will put a border on it when I get the quilt top for the next round. Now to start the next block, maybe I wont get so carried away with the embellishment.

I have just found out the next stitch for the TAST is the feather, I love the feather stitch. Can't wait to get started on the next block.

VELVET AND RIBBON PIN

Here is the pin I finished the other day, I had almost forgot to post the picture.
It is OK, I am sure the next one I do I would be able to do better.

TAST

Here is the full block with the silk ribbon and photo that I added. This is really the first time I have ever tried to do silk ribbon in anything....I think it looks great if I do say so myself. (kinda got carried away, maybe?)

TAST-ALGERIAN EYE

Here is my Algerian eye, I still think it looks more like a circle than an eye. I don't care for it too much, but it will be OK after I get more stuff on the block

TAST

I did the Algerian eye stitch today for the TAST. I think mine looks more like a wheel than an eye. Did some ribbon embroidery also. I love the way it looks, think I got a little crazy with it. But I still like it anyway. Guess that is the way it is suppose to be a little crazy :0
Will try to get some pictures up tomorrow. It is getting late and time for me to try to get a little sleep.

FINISHED R1

I am now behind again on the TAST instead of working on the next stitch, I made a ribbon rose pin and I finished my last block for the Three Sisters round robbin.

Now I am thinking about round two. Still have not decided what to do. I have been surfing, and I still think I want ribbon embroidery. Just can't find a pattern that I would like to use.

TAST

This is what it looks like all together on the block. I am going to start the next stitch today or tomorrow.

Then I need to get back to the Sisters round robbin.
I have my last one to finish for this round. Now just to wait for them to send me the quilt tops to add it to.

You can see all the photos from the TAST and the Sisters round robin at my flicker site. Just look to the right and find the TAST link and the Quilt Pictures link and it will pop you on over.

TAST-CHEVRON

Here I used the chevron stitch for a border. I don't know why, but I had a real hard time with this stitch. I bet I had to rip it out 3 times before I got it right.
I think I have it now, not real crazy about how it looks but it will have to do.

TAST-CRETAN STITCH

I used the cretan stitch for the large leaves of the ribbon roses. I really liked how it turned out and I have never done the stitch before or the ribbon roses.
I am having a great time :)

TAST -Herringbone, Detached chain, Buttonhole

Here is the first pictures of my TAST

I decided to use CQ blocks to do the stitches on, so that when we are done I would be able to use the blocks. I have never done CQ before and think this is a great way to start, and to learn some new stitches at the same time!!

If you look close you will be able to see the Herringbone stitch used for the backdrop.

I used the detached chain for the flowers and leaves and the buttonhole stitch for the vine.

TAKE A STITCH TUESDAY

I have been working on the TAST all day, trying to get caught up. I have finally gotten caught up!! I will post pictures on my flicker page tomorrow. It is a great chance to learn some new stitches. If you get the chance take a look at the favorite links bar at the right and check it out.!!

EMBELLISHMENT DONE

I have finished Kathe's quilt embellishment, now I just need to wait for Terry to send it to me. Now I am looking for a silk ribbon pattern, I think that is what I want to do next. Maybe something with crazy quilting on it. I just love crazy quilting and would like to try a small piece. Maybe a heart? Not sure but I will come up with something.I still have mine to get done for R1 and have not wrote out Terry's tags. I need to get to that soon. I did finish getting my craft room cleaned out this week, so that is a good thing. I also got my TV hooked up in there so when Larry is out of town I can stay in there and leave all my mess out of the front room. I am trying to get so much done before I have to go back to work. Got to get in as much as I can in the next couple of weeks. I have seen what Terry and Kathe are both working on and I think both of them have great ideas!! I am just so excited about this quilt top that I can't stand it. We are all going to have a great heirloom from all of us. It is going to be so wonderful.
Well I guess I will quit rambling on and get back to my quilt top

Quilt on

BLOCK FINISHED

Well I finished the embroidery last night. I decided to add some beading to the flowers, I think it turned out fairly nice! I just hand washed it this morning, Now to wait for it to dry and I will add some batting.
I am not sure how I will attach it to Terry's fabric, I want to do some applique so I can go around the flowers and not just have it squared off. But my applique skills are very lacking and I don't want to make a mess of it and have to do do it over!! By the way the K is for our maiden name. Because we all k's at heart.
I will just have to think on this awhile. Hmmmm
I now have it finished blocked and ready to add to Terry's fabricHere is the photo, I am in the process of sewing it to the fabric now.
Quilt on

I have started the next item for the sisters, it is going to be a photo of all three of us with some embroidery at the top. I saw a pic of Kathe's tonight It is beautiful. Can't wait to see Terry's tomorrow.

A GREAT IDEA: A while back I decided it would be great to have a quilt that both my sisters contributed to, but wanted all of us to be able to have something when done.So I thought a Round Robin, A little different from your normal round robin in that we would not use blocks but use a whole cloth. With it being a whole cloth we needed to make it big enough that we would have space to work but not so big that it would be expensive to mail (as one of the sisters did not live close) I decided about a yard would be good, it did not have to be a strict yard but around a yard would be close enough.The next step would be to contact both the sister's to see if they would be interested. They both thought that it would be a great idea, so now to decide what I was going to do. I decided that I would go and look for some cheaters cloth and just build around that.
THE NEXT STEP OFF TO THE STORE:I picked up two one yard pieces of fabric, I was not excited about what I had found. Went home to play with the fabric. It just did not work in the direction I wanted to go. So disappointed that night I decided to look at some of my quilting books.
BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD:After going through several books (I have an extensive library) I came across the book titled Memory Quilts in the making by Leisure Artshttp://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?id=3695636129535&isbn=0848718720"THAT'S IT!! I FOUND WHAT DIRECTION I WANT TO GO."A quilt titled Connecting Threads, that is the look I am after, so now all I need to do is go to the store tomorrow and find a table linen that has embroidery around the edges.
OFF TO THE STORE FOR THE SECOND TIME:Of course again disappointment. They did not have what I wanted, so I decided I would go to the thrift store and see if I could find a linen there. NO SUCH LUCK. This is turning out to be a pain, well back to square one. Headed back to the store again and decided I would get a yard and half of white muslin, then look for a iron on pattern. I picked out the muslin and headed toward the iron on embroidery patterns, slim pic-kins there. I finally decided on one that I thought would work.
HOME AGAIN:Well I have the idea, the fabric and the iron on. I am just not excited about the iron on. I just remember I have somewhere in my library an old book with tons of iron on's.I Found one that I like, decide I do not want to iron onto my fabric because it will not wash out so I copy the pattern with the computer it spits out 4 copies I cut them apart. Measure the fabric so I can get a 4" border around the fabric. Mark with a water soluble penFind a pleasing way to lay out the pattern,lay the pattern under the fabric and copy the pattern again with the water soluble pen.
LET'S GET STARTED:Ok now I have to do the thing I dread the most: pick out colors for the embroidery, I pick out a green for the leaves, pink for the flowers and a darker pink for accent.Get my hoop and off to do some embroidery. Work Work Work, it is getting late I am almost finished with the center medallion. NOT HAPPY!! I DO NOT LIKE THE COLORS!! go to bed maybe it will get better in the morning.
I AM OBSESSED:It did not get any better, now what? Ok take start taking out thread, start with the accent, not yet, pink, no. Take out all but the green, I love the variegated green so I guess I will go with one color. I can't pick colors so stick with something easy.
THE FIRST MOTIF IS DONE
FINALLY FINISHED THE EMBROIDERY:It has taken me a week but the embroidery is done, and I think it looks great! (even though I am not great at it)Now to wash out the pen marks, "O NO!!" I have used a thimble and it has left metal marks on the fabric. "Please wash out!" First try, Damn they are still there, I will use a tide to go pen and scrub it with a small tide scrubber, being careful that I don't pull up the threads."THANK GOD, IT WORKED" Now to iron and get a photo on it.
BACK TO THE COMPUTER:I played most of the day with editing photos of My Great Grandmother, Grandmother and My Mother. Finally got the three photos layered into one. With my Great Grandmothers doily as the back ground. I used the Microsoft Digital Imaging program, I really like this program it seems to do most anything I want to do.

On to making the Heading for the quilt and the Quilt labels. After playing on the computer most of the day I have my picture and my labels, printed onto iron on paper.Tried several layouts on the quilt and finally decided on the one I would use.Cut out my fabric squares for the iron on's and ironed them on. Pin them down where I wanted and on to the hand sewing.
HERE IS THE PICTURE OF WHAT I AM SENDING TO KATHE TO WORK ON





Now to get it sent on to the next victim
Live to Create, Create to Live