...and the ideas just keep pouring out! Last summer I 'rusted' some fabric then folded it up and filed it away. This last week a small piece of it found its way onto my work table. Then there was the trip to the hardware store to see if they had copper or brass washers... and wonder of wonders this is what started coming together.
Okay, so it doesn't look like much, but just wait....
And then this began to happen....
Aren't they cute??
Auditioning further additions and it is just so unbalanced. So what was added comes off and....
this gets added instead. I think of the piece as "Winter Thistles" even though the washer flowers don't look like thistles... In the middle of the night I started thinking of what to use for stems. First thought was to embroider stems and then I thought why not try using clippings from the bushes....
In the meantime there was another trip to the hardware store for more copper washers. The same man waited on me and must think I have slipped a bit in the head as I then asked if they had large copper staples.... Next piece would be called "Summer Thistles"...
In between working on this I have also finished the top to another piece and have begun top stitching it.
Happy Creating!
Oh my, has it been that long since I've blogged about quilting? It does feel like it has been ages or maybe there just wasn't anything that interesting going on in the loft! ....until this week.
This week was the Fyber Café meeting. It is a group of women who have a wide range of skills from art quilts, to dyeing, to weaving, etc. This week Vera had us do a hands on project (which I wish I had taken pictures of). It was so 'out of the box' for me but now that I have it sewed, washed, and ready for lots of beading I'm excited to see the final outcome.
A little background: dissolving stabilizer sheets, lots and lots of scraps (material, yarn, ribbon).
Vera has a connection with someone and she brought in these plastic bags that go into an autoclave. These plastic bags dissolve in water and she also brought in a huge bag of her scraps for us to use. Others also brought in scraps.
You work on the first sheet of dissolvable plastic layering threads, yarn, ribbon, scraps of material and you fill the sheet. I tried to stay in pink, purple and teal.
Then you lay the second sheet over your random collection, pin it, and then over stitch it heavily. After all the stitching is done, then comes the final step. You soak it.
It doesn't take much hot water to have the plastic dissolve.
Then begins the fun part (as if what came before wasn't fun enough). You get to decide what actually you are going to do with this. First thought was to finish it then cut hearts out of it and send them as Valentine postcards. Now the thought is to embellish it and frame it.
mmm....which color beads to use?????
Here is a little quick project. If you make enough of them you could hang them all over tree branches.
The bird just needs an eye added. Not impressive alone but think what a whole flock of them would look like!
Happy Sunshine (it is out today!)
To be with family for the holidays is priceless!
So many fun events were crammed into the two weeks I was visiting with children and grandchildren in SC and TN.
The random act of a stranger to offer to take a family photo will always be remembered! The Bald River Falls isn't this spectacular very often but then it isn't very often that such a good looking group gets together either.
Someone told a good joke....and Grandma was not in on it!
This is part of the old homestead that is on the family land where Sarah and Joe live. Joe took me on a walk to the back of the property.
Everyone has heard of Ginger Bread House decorating but you put the family together and then living in the south and it is the perfect setting for Ginger Bread Barn decorating! The competition is a normal occurrence in this family.
The talented, creative, funny, zany barn decorators.
Muriel brought her violin with her and I am so glad she did. She has taken lessons for a few years now and she is quite good. We couldn't talk Kenzie into bringing out her clarinet....even though on the night I arrived we were back in time to hear her play with the school band.
Kenzie with the 'grandma is taking pictures again' look!
Kayla and Sarah relaxing together.
Joe by his favorite cooking tool....the gas grill!
And the most important picture of all.....the ruler of the house!
Stormy Cat!
A quote from Randy Susan Meyers, "Maybe when we recognize the trivial for what it is, we can concentrate on what we love the most, what we most treasure." And that to me is Family!
Happy New Year!
