The Christmas tree is back in its box (thank you Joanne) and life is returning to what constitutes almost normal in this house.
We fused like McKenna last Saturday at Pieceful Heart Fabrics. It’s always fun to see the different designs that people bring to work on. Here’s an oldie but goodie (Dusk til Dawn) underway…
and a pair of sea-horses from one of McKenna Ryan’s more recent series (Sea Breeze – Snooty Sisters)…
I was glad to be back at the store, which is a good thing because I was back on Wednesday for the first half of the Japanese Jigsaw class and on Friday for the Woven Quilts class.
On Tuesday I spent the day working on some Valentine postcards for a challenge put out by FiberArts magazine. The idea is that we send them to their offices in Loveland, Colorado where the staff take a look, photograph some for publication and then mail them back to their owners via the regular mail complete with a Loveland franking.
I painted and stamped, and added Angelina fibers, and quilted and beaded, and finished three.
This one is called Always.
Then there is XOX,
and finally, I love You,
I enjoyed my day making them and managed to get them in the mail on Thursday so they should arrive well before the closing date, not my usual last minute effort.
When I was at PHF on Wednesday I picked up the first three kits for McKenna Ryan’s Faith, Hope, Love series. I was very excited when Nancy called and asked me to make the shop samples. There isn’t as much cutting involved as in most of the Pine Needles patterns, but the backgrounds take a little work, selecting the right part of each fabric to get the desired effect. We are going to mount the pieces on 12″ square canvases so I have got them made and quilted up to the final finishing step.
Here is Faith,
and Hope,
and Promise,
I will look forward to seeing them finished and displayed at the store. That’s three made, and six to go.
In between times I’ve been working on a felted and embroidered piece. Bridget sent me a piece of felted alpaca wool that her friend had made. I had some ArtFabrik hand dyed cheesecloth, silk ribbons and pearl cotton, from the Schaumberg show in my drawer so I arranged the cheesecloth in what I hope is a tasteful design on some of the wool felt and felted it using the needle felting attachment on my Bernina sewing machine. Then I added three spirals, carefully felting them on to the cheesecloth background.
Next came the embroidery using perle cotton. It’s not finished yet… I need to get some more of the wild rice color thread. I used matching wide ribbon to make the leaves on the weed and the french knots, stopping only when I was out of ribbon. And then the beads…
First a general view,
and then some close ups…
I’m not done yet. Apart from the embroidery in the spaces on the dark cheesecloth I want to add some more “weeds” in the center of the piece. I’m still trying to decide just how I will make them and what fibers I should use.
This week I want to work on my piece for Riverwalk Quilters Guild members’ challenge which will be on display at The Gathering in March. I know what I want to do and I’m hoping to get a good start tomorrow.
This snow is good for my quilting. I really don’t like going out in the car unless I really need to. I can do my cardio on the treadmill in the morning and then get straight to work.
The back yard looks better with a sparkling white blanket. I took some pictures on Saturday. Even the weeds were looking good!
Listening to the forecast it sounds as though I’ll need to take some more this week …
