Silk Paper--

My studio has been moved three times within the last year!

It's exhausting work to pack and unpack--put things away

and then forget where you put anything--it's not in

the regular place you thought!  and then there are

some things missing!  well, not really missing--I just

forgot where I put it--

The last time when I thought I was settled--

I came across my silk paper boxes--

I love silk paper!

What is silk paper you ask?  There is an excellent book

by Kath Russom on Handmade Silk Paper--

Yes, this is silk paper!! paper you can write on,

create structures with, shape every which way you want,

a fun activity too! 

The back of the box--shaped like a treasure chest

Another chest made from silk paper--front

side

back--

I just might make more silk paper--to use in my wall hangings--

a great way to use up all that silk roving I need to spin!

Miniature Block Stamps

You can give a gift to someone and eventually,

the gift comes back to you--

The giving works with non tangible things or

with tangible.

Case in point--the following small hangings

This  one was given to my mother for Valentines' day

many years ago--Recently, when she had her fall and

went into Assisted Living, we cleaned out her house and

I found this in her bedroom--it came home with me--

This one was given to my mother-in-law--

she loved red--and when she passed--

it came back to me.

These two small quilts are my treasures--and I'm

grateful they can be in my house again.

I created these little miniatures with stamps 

I've had them for years--although friends have asked to borrow

I don't let them out of my sight!  These tiny stamps were

used often--

I did find Bowers Art Rubber Stamps- creator,

James Bowers--he passed to the happy stamp heaven

in 2015--

there are tons of rubber stamps, but I haven't seen

any like this lately.

I just might stamp again since I found the stamps!

Thread Painting Or Needle Painting.......

Doesn't matter what you call the technique--it's still a 'freeing' opportunity to be yourself on fabric with needle, thread and motion.  

Laughing Cat Designs has a tutorial for her machine thread painting--

The basic thread painting stitch is only a free motion zigzag on the machine.  

The goal is to add color where it's needed--a zigzag stitch can achieve a

painting effect with different threads--it will also highlight and shade

different parts of the piece.

Check out the rest of her tutorial on how she uses thread painting--

Give a look at Nancy Prince's website--

This is machine thread painting!!  Just WOW!

We have seen many different types of thread painting at

Quilt Festivals--the quilts look likephotographs--just

unbelievable.   Nancy has a photo gallery to admire

plus a tutorial--you too could do this type of thread 

painting by machine.

For me, I prefer Needle painting by hand--

Mary Corbet has a excellent experiment that you can try.

Here is one of my Needle Painting embroideries--

the cartoon is from a agate geo stone--I loved the

look of the circles in various shapes 

I used silk threads to feature the highlights of 

the smooth surface of the stone

This was so much fun to stitch--I don't know why I

haven't done more of these--maybe, it's time to pick up

that needle and thread again to do some needle painting.

Another Warp for Towels

Okay--I'm ready to weave again--but, first you must wind a warp--big decision to be made--
What colors?  What size fiber?  What sett on the loom?  The last question will be answered first--
whatever the pattern is on the loom now--that's what it's going to be--yep, I'm just tying on and pulling through----AGAIN!  Think I've done this four times already--it's a regular twill pattern warped now and there is so many ways you can change the treadling to make different patterns.

What colors for the warp?--Easy--I go to my fiber closet and pull out all the colored yarns--and size, I don't worry about--anything goes in this warp.

I'm using bright colors--nothing white or natural, my lightest this time

is yellow--but the rest of going to brighten up the towel

How is this warp looking?  I'm not sure I want to leave the yellow now that

I've seen it in photos--might change that out.

and, I'm not worrying about the way the colors lay--just random--

try it sometime--it's a freeing--no planning!

The size of yarn runs from 10/2 to 8/2 cotton.

Okay, warp is ready--

just need to finish that last yard of weaving to begin warping again........

Small Things--Good Things

Thinking tiny --working Kathleen Tracy's 2019 Mystery Quilt--

This is April's block--cut and ready to sew--I'm keeping up so

far.

If you look at my blocks--there is no room for 1/4" seam!

Guess these blocks will be sewn again--it takes perfect

measurement to get these tiny blocks just right!

Remembering Adelia: Quilts Inspired by Her Diary quilt book (Kathleen Tracy) is being used to make Peony Stars:   

Want to give it a go?  Check out Kathleen's Facebook group--

so many wonderful free patterns in the files

and you too can think tiny.

ONE of These Days.........................................

One of these days, I'm going to learn to Brioche Knit!  That's a fact Jack!  I have several brioche patterns that I would love to knit--I have two videos in my library--there are multitude more in Youtube library...........................
For some reason, my mind will not wrap around this knitting technique--I get carried away by distractions too easily..........................................Now, here is another opportunity to learn

and it comes from one of the master knitters--Franklin Habit of

Brooklyn Tweed

 Just look at this---BASIC Brioche- 101

What better place to begin.......

oh gosh, he even has Brioche 102--knitting with two colors in the round!

And if, IF, I can get through 101 and 102, I can graduate up

to Brioche 201--Oh Joy!

There are pictures--lots of pictures--

I Think I Can--I Think I CAN!

Summer Time! And The Living is Easy..................

Oh Yeah!  Summertime!  What a song!  Easy breezy!  Great listen!

Come along to this summer time quilt along from Moda Bake Shop--
Ocean breezes, waves crashing and sand between your toes--The theme for the summer is Seashore with Ocean themed QAL.  This journey begins on June 3 with fabric requirements and ends on August 26 with the reveal and one last 'bonus' block that can be used for the label.
Hard to believe we are talking about Summer time and June--time stops for no one!

Mark your calendars for this one--should be cool breeze as we sail through

summer time!