11.29.11
Great new website for people who like to goof around on the computer. http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/noflash.html
You are welcome.
11.28.11
I do not like cake and rarely eat it. Chocolate holds no fascination for me. But if I had had THIS
from Clever Cupcakes to go with my tea, I would have eaten in. Most of it. Unfortunately, I live about 1,154 miles southwest of Montreal.
11.27.11
CHRISTMAS 2011 STOCKING, part 7
I like it. It seems a little large. It will only be showing half at a time but it still needs something.
BEADS!!!!!
11.26.11
CHRISTMAS 2011 STOCKING, part 6
I sketched the left half of the tree, then placed the templates on the fold of the packing scrap paper and cut out the full tree. Then I traced them onto freezer paper, ironed them to the wrong side of tree fabric, doubled. Now to stitch, clip, turn, and press.
11.25.11
How to quilt? I pin my fabric to the batting. I decide to quilt the top to the batting with nothing behind. I try it out. It works fine. I will choose a lining later and put it in last. I am a novice at machine quilting. Should I try random circles?
Interesting effect but it does not really become a background. You can see the plaid really is not plaid. Maybe straight lines will will disappear yet bring a little dimension to the stocking.
11.24.11
CHRISTMAS 2011 STOCKING, part 4
In my mind, I picture my angel in the dark blue of the night. I go to my Christmas fabrics and pull a very nice blue. Then I stack some greens on it to get the effect.
The poinsettia print on the blue will be lost. The blue kills the greens. Pull more fabric from the drawer.
Red with a funny almost plaid in silver. Very festive. It loves the greens! It will not dominate because the angel will cover most of it.
11.23.11
CHRISTMAS 2011 STOCKING, part 3
Sketching again. I need to give the doll a shape that will fit the task better. In the Julie McCullough pattern, Angel Hair,
the doll is in a straight diagonal line. In fact, the front of the gown
is placed on the fold. The doll for my stocking needs to reach up.
Julie's original has her arms genteelly carrying a basket. 
This is a step in the right direction. If I do not mind a seam or dart in the bodice, I can increase the gown and give it a little bend. I can reposition the arms.
11.22.11
CHRISTMAS 2011 STOCKING, part 2
First, I found a pattern in my pattern library that was simple enough to suit the project. I needed a figure about 13 inches tall and that would look good in profile. This pattern by Julie McCullough would be great. Oops. Can you read the size of the doll just below the pattern name? It is a 23" doll.
I took out the pattern and went to the computer. I am so proud of myself, I scanned it, took the auto-page fill default off, and asked it to please print it at 85% of the original size. I have no math that told me that was the size I needed, it just "felt"right.
It took 4 scans and then I layered the papers so I could get whole pieces. Then I transferred them to template material. Next, I need to audition fabric.
11.21.11
CHRISTMAS 2011 STOCKING, part 1
It is time for Christmas Stockings.
 | ||
I drew a shape on some brown paper that apparently comes in rolls perforated like paper towels. It is used to wad up and protect items in shipping. I rescued mine from the household recycling box. I have tons of it. I drew several stocking shapes and then I began planning some things to put on them. I have an idea on hold that just will not make it this time because I am captivated by the idea of an angel putting a star on top of a Christmas tree.
11.20.11
I find these little things enchanting. If you like them, too, you can find a tutorial right HERE
but you will not find any recent postings from her. I do not know where she went or who she is or how I stumbled upon these little things.
I have not made any yet but I have found a place to buy wool felt and I put THIS on my Wish List for Santa. I do not even know which 40 colors I would like but it is fun to imagine.
11.19.11
The leaves are mostly brown with a few reds left. The yellows are just about all gone.
11.18.11
Early one morning, I looked out my studio window and something was looking back.
11.17.11
I LOVE ROBERTA HORTON
I am reading every word of this book
And I have read these
and now I want to read the rest as well as all of Mary Mashuta's books.
I am reading every word of this book
And I have read these
and now I want to read the rest as well as all of Mary Mashuta's books.
11.16.11
While I was on the fabric.com site, I noticed they had a
sale on Shiva Paintstiks --half price! I have long wanted to try them out. How could I
resist since the addition to my order provided me with free shipping and
therefore the Paintstiks were virtually free.
I ordered this
I did not know they would come with this book
It works out very well for me. I had recently added this
book by Ruth Chandler,
Liz Kettle, Heather Thomas, and Lauren Vlcek
to my personal library and I have hopes of using it like a workbook to try
new techniques. It is spiral bound which I think is BRILLIANT. I think I invented that. Most
of the books in my library that I needed to use flat, I ordered in paperback if
they were available that way. Then I took them to one of my local business and
printing centers and had them sliced and spiral or comb bound.
THIS book is a HARDback and comes already spiraled! BRILLIANT. Yes, it
is worth two brilliants. Each technique is wonderfully described and the
photography enhances rather than detracts. Some books I have show pictures
thrown in by a clueless editor who knows photography sells a book about art but
has no clue how to use it.
Even if it is a day when I can not get out my plastic table covering and
paints or set up my machine and clear my work area of everything except shiny
threads, I can read through the book and find something to think about.
11.15.11
Look what I have.
This flannel fabric was a
real deal at fabric.com and with this
I will finally have
the perfect winter nightgown. I like mine to cover my wrists and ankles. I
tried in vain to find flannel gowns long enough. I have longish arms for my
height and no one makes gowns that go down to the ground. I tried to find TALL
sizes but the selection was not what I had hoped. I still have not found the perfect
robe but maybe I will find a pattern I like for that, too.
11.14.11
Mailed to another sister-in-law for a belated birthday.
Earrings and a pendant in acorn style, a small lavender sachet, and a purse made from a pattern which could be by Indygo Junction, but I really do not remember. I used for the tab a piece of fabric my mother had hand-dyed and painted, then practiced her sashiko. It makes the bag special to me.
11.11.11
The newest basket is finished. Diane Simoneson guided me
through setting up a twill and following a pattern for an Indian style chevron.
Look at that rim treatment. I would rate it a 7 of 10 in difficulty. It sure
was a challenge. I look forward to some chair caning classes and another basketry semester beginning in January.
11.10.11
Yes, it should link. Go ahead and click it. It comes in yellow, too.
If you follow fashion, you might have known that it is a KateSpade sweater. It is not my cup of tea but it will really look good on SouthFloridaSis.
You might even think that $179 is a bargain price since you can find it upwards of $259 in various places on the internet. I thought it could be done up with a little hand work if the right sweater could be found. Two weeks ago, I received in the mail, the perfect LLBean sweater in the perfect color so I began sewing on the little daisies. Here is the progress so far. The red thread is basting.
Unfortunately, the internet knows I have been looking at all these sites that have the Kate Spade cardigans on them and IT WILL NOT LEAVE ME ALONE. It has customized all the ads on the games I play on Facebook and everywhere I go to lead me to other Kate Spade fashions. HEY, INTERNET, THIS IS NOT FOR ME. KATE SPADE HAS NOTHING I LIKE OR WANT FOR MYSELF. DID YOU HEAR ME?
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