Stitcher's Meet and Greet 2015

Happy Spring!
Thanks for stopping by and to see bits about my needle passion.  It's nice to have you stop by for the visit and I just poured tea and laid out a couple of biscuits to enjoy.

Hi.
My Name is Jane
              and I love needlework.
                                        Of All kinds........


See I could belong to a QAAA.  
Quilters, Stitchers, Needlewoman Anonymous Addiction Association.  
Okay then, NAAA.

What I'd love to share today are a few of my favorites from the years.  A mix if you will of items I created and treasure.


Blackbird Design- Easter Parade - 2012

Detail of the frame.  It's absolutely gorgeous and with the aged brassiness and elaborate carved designs reminds me a bit of Romantic times especially with the color mat selected to go with this piece.  More information is here for the Easter Parade.









A new to me stitch, the Smyrna Cross and I actually changed the design in this counted Cross Stitch Pattern to depict the Holiness of Easter with three crosses, one larger for Jesus  instead of the published squares in an X pattern.






Another from 2012 ......my First Biscornu

I gave this to my Mom since she has a hot pink aka: fuchsia color in her sewing room and a lime green and burgundy in the living room.  Oh yeah, she's afraid of color- NOT!

Secret Needle Night Kit, Lil Peep - 2010

 This was a kit I purchased through ebay initially made available through the Silver Needle.  I chose to finished it off as a flat fold and did a ruched silk ribbon edging and used a soft pastel print fabric for the backing. To learn more you can click on Lil Peep.



Joy finished in 2010.
Was a quick happy stitch where I didn't deviate from the recommended threads, linens or design.  

Winter Whites finished in 2010

I used a wooly white for the sheep in this piece.  I love to do alphabets with cross stitch for some reason.


I don't know the name of this piece, just know I finished it in 1991.

 How do I know that?  I actually stitched it into the cloth between the bears front paws,

J EMERSON     1991

Then some of the quilts I've created and loved...


Field of Flowers - 2013
Made for my only grand daughter

with the Pompom Blog Hop Pillow of the same year....

Both of these were quilted by me.   Doing my Happy Dance just thinking about it.

The Alien Invasion Quilt - 2010

 Started this without a pattern, just using nine patches and rail fence blocks alternating with a solid background.  I also have seen this same pattern numerous times and everyone calls it somehting differnt but it all started after purchasing a jelly roll of Alien Invasion fabric line then I dove into my stash.

Had enough of this star fabric for the backing and did a meandering star quilting design on my home sewing machine,
 a Bernina 170,  fondly known as Janina.

The piece de resistance is this......what I did with the BACK!

Funny looking alien ain't he?  LOL  Took me awhile to figure out what I was going to do and then figure out how I was going to do it.    Doing another Happy Dance remembering and it resides in the youngest grandson's bedroom.  Luckily I found a "Toy Story Alien" version lamp which goes well enough with it and it was all gifted together for Christmas one year.  Which reminds me, there is a CARS strip quilt started around here somewhere, I best get to it for his bunk bed before he hits his teens.  lol

The Nile Quilt (shown in the camper while we still had one.) - made quilt in 1999

This was NOT quilted by Me but by Leslie Armando in Glens Falls, NY 

The label sharing the particulars of the quilt.  I drafted a Pyramid design to stretch the eye with a perspective drawing.  Doesn't show too well here but if you expanded it, it would be more evident of rays emitting outward from one central point.  I was playing around trying a new technique using Cheryl Phillips book about adding perspective.   

Lavender Fields - 1999
A color wash Irish Chain

This is a king quilt and it is covering my sleeper sofa.  My home isn't large enough to get a good picture of this beautiful quilt.
It also won Viewers Choice at a quilt show back in 1999.   

The RUN of color in the lavender Fossil Fern fabric

Back then making a four patch posie configuration style pillow to complement the quilt,
but it's not matchy matchy if you know what I mean

Even then I'd make 2 pillowcases to go with a quilt.
Same fabric as the four patch posie styled pillow.

My love of the needle started when I was young.  Before attending any school and I loved to help my Grandmother who would treadle on her machine making nightgowns and other goodies.  I helped by keeping her pins the same depth on the pincushion and/or keeping them all in a line or remembering sitting beneath her machine asking if I could pump the foot petal.    The pin organizing is a family trait that I happily watched all 4 of my grandchildren do the same thing with  my pincushions.

As I was growing up, I sewed often even competing with Mom for time on the Singer sewing machine.  It was a Singer featherweight long before they became a popular commodity like they are today.  I actually made a drawstring bag to hold my curlers when I was 7 and then shortly after that learning to knit.  I remember around 4 or 5th grade knitting a dusting mitten sewn with extra yarn latch hooked onto one side to catch the dust. What colors did I pick at that age - Royal purple and Lime green.  Then knitting numerous slippers for gifts, dishrags and then a cape to wear to football games in my teens. OMG those shoulder seams I sewed together were all wrong and I hated to wear it though I had learned how to change colors for the Greek key pattern near the bottom edge and the fringe I placed on it. You can tell it was made in the late 60's and early 70s.

If I couldn't get to the machine when I was around 9 or 10, I did counted cross stitch, crewel, needlepoint and knitting for my needlework fix.  While in Junior High a friend, Patti and I would skip lunch and save our lunch money so we could go to a fabric store downtown and purchase a McCalls, Burda or other pattern buy fabric and any notions needed so we could make a dress that night and wear it to school  the next day. We had a blast being creative and the amount to do this was a savings instead of buying clothes off a rack. She was my BFF in sports, band, chorus, Honor Society, cheer leading, etc....  Unfortunately her family had a tragic car accident and that friendship ended abruptly with her demise at age 16 while we were Juniors.   But thankfully I learned early on how much fun crafting with like minded individuals was and knew those special times were ones to cherish.

So after that and college and even marrying my High School Sweetheart, becoming pregnant I wanted to learn how to Crochet so Grandma gave me some instructions and there I went. Baby Booties, more dish clothes, a ripple baby afghan and then those granny squares.  YUM! ( I actually made a crochet granny square afghan all edged in black along with a carnival of leftover yarn colors and scraps, but it was destroyed in a flood many years ago.)  Always sewing however I could.  Embroidery, linens, Household items, Strawberry Shortcake Bed Canopy, Roman shades, 3 pairs of Colonial Muslin, Double Ruffled with Cluny Lace trim, coveralls, guns bags, tool organizers,  etc...
I wished I grabbed a photo of the Ornaments I sewed when I was first married too.  My son, age 40 has them all and places them on his Christmas tree each year.  They are made of felt, sequins and beads in many shapes and colors resembling:  Santa, a candle, gift packages, a jack in the box, drums, a nutcracker, toy train engine and other decorative items seen during the holiday season.  I think it started with a kit from Hershner's Catalog.  Such fussy work when I look at them now that I think I must have been nuts!  But realistically we were just starting out and since my husband worked nights and I worked days I found the evening long so enjoyed the quiet with my needle after the babe went to bed.

Present day imagine that, it is something I still enjoy.   Currently here is what I'm focusing on this month:

In the counted Cross Stitch arena: Winter's Alphabet designed by Lizzie Kate

Working with Wool and probably Beads for this candle mat designed by The Little Red Hen:

Machine Quilting on my Bernina 440: The 40 Diamond Quilt based on the 10 minute block pattern.

Thanks for stopping by.  I've enjoyed your visit while sharing our passions for the needle.

Thanks Madame Samm for brainstorming this terrific idea of this Stitcher's Meet and Greet for 2015.  Make sure you check out these others who are part of this Springtime Gathering of the Stitcher's Meet and Greet.



List of 35 Blogs of our today's "Meet & Greet" .
You may need to right click your mouse on the person's name to be taken to a new tab/window of their web address.  

Mdm Samm @ sewwestitch

cross stitcher

Cori@creativityamongstchaos

applique

Hilda @hildisgoodlife

cross stitcher

Meet Maria at little room in the attic

cross stitcher

Elizabeth @ecoughlindesigns

applique and red work

Theresa @bumbleberrycottage.com

cross stitcher

Anita from quiltinanotshell

applique embroidery

Judy at frimart

cross stitcher and applique

Linda @ buzzingandbumbling

applique

Neinke At debordurrvrouw

cross stitcher

Barbara @ catpatches

embroidery

Melissa at missourimel

cross stitcher

Baa @baasamazingadventures

embroidery

Thearica @ stitchandquilt.com

cross stitcher

Lynn @happinesiscrossstitching

cross stitch

Mary @Ipiece2Mary

cross stitch and applique

cross stitch

Jill @ appleavenuequilts

cross stitch and applique

Jane @ Jane's Quilting 

applique

Tonja @ zabawa

cross stitch with decorative seams

Marlene @ stitchinbythelake

wool applique and cross stitch

Daria @ zinaidaanshe

cross stitch

Jane @grandmamastories

cross stitch

Mary @needledmom

Cross Stitch and embroidery

Sherry@sherry-blessingsfromournest

embroidery

Jane@quiltsmiles

cross stitch

Kathy @kathyquilts

embroidery

/Jill @ appleavenuequilts

applique and cross stitch

stitching noni @ firefliescatsinthegarden

cross stitch

Karen @ quiltscrowsandcardinals

applique

Judy @ judy cooper

embroidery

Cindi @ twistedtangledthreads

cross stitch

Lydia @ yoursunnystory

embroidery and cross stitch

Ella and Nesta @ellaandnesta

cross stitch

Mrs Meyer @ withworkinhand

cross stitch

Cathy @ cathycrossstitch

cross stitch

Happily finished with

two more of my UFOs.  Yippee Ki Yi Yey! 

The first to share is the BBD Easter Blessings all framed.  This piece has been stitched for awhile and laid  placed carefully  in the   armoir that holds my stitchy stuff.  Glad I'm focusing on getting things completed around here, it feels really nice seeing it hanging up in the bedroom now. 

 

The colors of it are perfect in the boudoir which hosts a very outdated mauve color that I 'm not changing.  I just may make a new quilt to go with those colors to update the bedrooms look, Sonya's Windows may be perfect.   I know you can't see it but each piece I stitch I  insert my  name and year into the piece so it's hardly there. 

 

Here's a closer view of the frame selected, I just love it!

On Saturday it was Small Business Appreciation Day.  Luckily I supported 3 small businesses with my typical support. 
Tip Top Frame for the piece above.
A Mano, a local bead shop 's class  that I attended so I could get another UFO finished.  I wasn't able to complete it there,  but made major headway on it so later that night I continued on and was able to finish it Sunday morning. 
oing another little happy Dance!




Ice bracelet completed! Yaaah!

It was very simple to make and I have another ICE Bracelet kitted in light green and coppery red that is so tempting to get into just now.

Perhaps in a week or two it can be started while the making of this one is still fresh in my mind. 


Thanks for stopping by and letting me know what colors work best for The BigEZ.  I appreciate visiting with you and the input.  What ever you are doing today, do it with ZEST!



Jane
Off to pick up PGS#3 from preschool.....




 

Youngest grand child on his way..

The youngest grandson (PGS#3) who is 2 and will turn three at the beginning of December is now a big boy and attending preschool. His Mom isn't sure that he is really ready so she is paying her daycare provider through the end of September to reserve his space there. Preschool occurs 3 times a week and I know he is ready and happy to get to go to school.



See what I mean, he did fuss just a bit when we were ready to leave but he did fine. I just wonder when the I'm not going to school today phase will kick in. Perhaps I'll be lucky and if it will happen it'll be when it's 40 below zero or something handy like that. VBG!

These next two shots are quite washed out, sorry about that. Somehow the camera setting shifted.

His big sister is in first grade now and when she got home after the first day of school she wanted to jump rope. Ahhhh..... I remember those days when I considered that fun. Now 2 jumps and I am winded and just try to breath!

She was so proud and couldn't wait for Mom and Dad to come pick her up to show off her new skills. Check out that smile while she's jumping....uumphh, what a show off! giggle

This is what she learned (of course you need to sing it into a rhyme):

Ice Cream Soda
Bananan Split
Who's your boyfriend
I forget

Is it
A
B
C
D etc....and which ever letter you can't jump by becomes the first letter of a boy's name. Oh those simple times. {smile}


Here are a couple of recent finishes.

Jeweled pavers is Tout Fini! Attempting to get an artsy pic. (if I do say so myself, it's not too bad LOL).


A view of the back. I Like to finish by using some leftover blocks in a linear orientation besides I threw in a bit of a Kaffe fabric that worked too. It was at this time when I noticed that the camera was not set correctly and was wasing out the shots. You'd think I could have taken another shot of the back showing the true colors BUT NO, didn't think of that. Oh well.


Blackbird Designs Easter Parade also finished, that is except for the framing.


Closeup of a little variation that felt right for this piece. Flipped some design details and added in three crosses representing calvary with the center cross more embellished.


A Closer view:



One of my current WIPs,

I really don't care for the ribbon that was kitted with this scissor fob that I recently won on ebay. It was a great deal from a lady that I enjoy doing business with. Besides this kit I also purchased 4 others to complement my scissor collection. Not sure yet what I'll use for the cording or ribbon trim. Will have to sit on that for a bit while the C.O.C. quilt is worked on.

Current and URGENT WIP:

Would you believe that this will be a finished quilt in 3 weeks? What do you think besides get your butt moving faster Jane.
Thanks for stopping by to visit and perhaps leaving a message. Your comments are always appreciated and I enjoy viewing the links to your space to see what you've been up to as well. Blogging is truly a nice benefit of living today. See you soon.

Jane

Whiz, bang POW!

Life continues to throw wrinkles my way but I do find the silver linings. Hurricane Irene left a devastating path along the whole East coast and the devastation is amazing. Without power and a just a bit of damage with erosion on the waterfront of our property and food spoilage we didn't fare as badly as quite a few of our neighboring friends, they lost everything. We do need to install our electric service line and both of us are thinking of having it buried to eliminate any future damages done to it by storms. Currently we are waiting to hear back from an electrician. Along the roadways where there were no brooks or rivers the erosion was amazing to see what flash floods could do. Tearing up the road shoulders, support systems and making ravines wherever the water wanted to go, carving out paths through tarmack even. Flash floods are something that typically don't happen in our neck of the woods so it is with a renewed reverence for water that I report this.

I have always had respect for our fore bearers in working in lamplight while doing their craft and found myself grateful to have flash lights and candles for working on my WIPS while we were without communication, power and even cell phone coverage. My silver linings were that I was able to finish my BBD Easter Parade while the lights were gone, and also made huge headway in my monstrous sized quilt of the Jeweled Pavers, aka Patience Corners. The binding was just finished this evening so the only bit left is to make the label for it. Our daughter borrowed our camera to capture the damages she had from Hurricane Irene, so when I get it back, I'll be showing you my finishes.

The next focus on my WIPS, (After the above mentioned label of course) is to finish my borders on the C.O.C. quilt that will be in next month's quilt show. The acronym for that quilt could be Color on Color since it is quite boldly colored and not my usual trend, but it was an exercise in color for me that started as the Cadyville "Orange Crush" Mystery quilt. It was started a couple of years ago as a "mystery quilt" with Bonnie Turner from Quiltville.com. so I did try to follow her recommendations BUT I did have a scrap Madras skirt in my scrap pile that I thought, those colors were close to what she suggested and would stretch my color consciousness too and the rest as they say is history. So recently, during Hurricane Irene, while stitching the other items, I pondered and finally figured out what the best border treatment for C.O.C. quilt is calling for. I only hope it works and can be finished quickly.

Will be back with you when I can.

Jane

During day one of the Hurricane, DH set up our generator to at least run freezers and our medical equipment. It was a gas powered one that kept reving up and shuddering down. Then in the middle of the night, while it was whizzing more strenuously "ka- POW"! She broke down.
Great! with our medical equipment, a machine for his heart and then my C-pap machine for my apnea we were literally sleeping with one eye open, or at least that's how it felt. Thankfully a friend tried to repair it but alas, without success. Thankfully our local fire dept loaned us a generator the last day of our lack of energy, what saints they were and are.

Easter parade coming along very slowly, here it is.



Thank goodness for getting distances with a camera. His nose looks kind of flat so after quickly checking and comparing it with the chart I see it's messed up and needs to go one stitch to the right. I'll be getting to that hopefully later on tonight. I keep marvelling at how I can mess this up!

PGD#1 is here today. She asked me so sweetly before she went to school "could we make this dolly"? I purchased this book while away at the retreat last weekend. I shopped on my way there and then again on my way home. I do miss Joann's Fabric Stores! It was so convenient when they had a store locally. Now the closest one is an hour away and with the price of gas it adds to the cost of my projects. Good thing I have a nice stash! I also hit another quilt shop while traveling in both directions that is located about 90 minutes away only going in one direction. Did acquire a bit but did try to be reasonable with what I purchased.

This afternoon the plans are to start making the doll on the left when she gets home from school. I just love that she is interested in crafts and sewing. Wish us luck!

Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate all of the lovely comments and getting to know you.

Jane

Current WIPs

The BBD design Easter Parade is slowly being worked on. This is my progress so far.



For such a lovely little pattern it's amazing how many times I've had to rip out my ill-placed stitches. How did I do that I keep wondering. Going back trying to figure out how I keep messing up. I really am befuddled as how I am messing this up. Normally counted cross stitch is super easy for me. Perhaps it's all the interruptions with the little grandchildren around. Maybe I'll have to just stitch when it's quiet. That may save some of my efforts and wasted time doing it wrong and then going back to rip and then stitch it correctly.

As for the sewing I currently am working on a hospital gown for the friend of my granddaughter. Just 6 years old and fighting such a horrendous disease. Every time I try to work on this my heart aches so for the little one, but I really need to get this done and let the love stitched into it comfort her somewhat. Buck up Janie and get it done.


When a couple of friends and I gathered for our one day retreat, I did get the robe I'd love to make DH cut out. Since the fabric I loved and thought would work best, the tie-dyed cobalt blue fleece, was very limited I had to buy 2 separate pieces of it and took what was left on two bolts. YIKES!



The sizes of the pieces don't fit with the size of my pattern pieces...... After a bit of F&F (fudging and figuring), I'll be piecing the sleeve fabrics together to get the length I need. I've never seen a sleeveless robe have you? I don't want the seam to fall near his elbow joint so I'm hoping that it'll fall near the upper section of the sleeve. This pattern has an unusual sleeve pattern I have never sewn before. I have sewn regular raglan sleeves but never one with a dart like formation on the top of the shoulder, so I have a bit of cautious trepidation about this pattern. Besides that, it calls for an interfacing and with the stretchiness of fleece, not sure how well a fusible interfacing will hold up. The next thought is a stretch stitch, guess I'll be looking that one up in my bernina stitches, wish me luck.

I do hope both of these will be finished this week. There is a retreat I'm attending shortly and I need to get packed and planned for what I'll be bringing to work on. With the phlethoras of WIPS and PIGs it shouldn't be a problem. The only problem is I have a tendancy to think I can get it all done. LOL I know, funny isn't it. One project that I know of so far is the Number 1 UFO - Patience Corners. As far as any other projects, I'm not sure what else I'll be bringing yet.

The Patience corners is the ufo number that is up for March with Judy Laquidera's UFO challenge. I am so pleased to participate with this challenge. So far this year has been the most successful year with participating in this type of challenge yet. January and February's projects have both been finished and are off my list with a couple of other finishes to boot. In previous years, I've participated with my Mom's guild challenge on finishing a UFO in 2 months times by being selected in a similiar manner. With that challenge, I only managed to get one or possibly two done in a year's time. Perhaps it's my listing smaller wall hangings and quilts on this year's list. This month though, it's a king size quilt. So there are a variety of sizes and a variety of quilty things on it. Some participants even have knitted, sewn or counted cross stitch items listed as their ufo projects. My list just has quilted items on it for her challenge. Though to be honest, I am still exceeding in my one project a month (OPAM) challenge that I started participating with 2 years ago, so I am super happy about maintaining that while embracing JL's challenge. My problem though is that I think I have projectitis. Even though I cross some ufo's off my list, my mind or eyes sees another beautiful quilt or item and WHAM! Blammo! BLING!!!
there are now 2 more projects to do right after. I tell ya, it's a mystery.

Jane


PS: While reading my email this AM, I ran across this quote and it seemed a perfect ending for this post. Enjoy,

"Activity is not achievement. It is not enough to rush about beginning a lot of things and keeping busy. A well-spent life is one that rounds out what it has begun."

-- Eknath Easwaran

The end of January already,

Boy has this month flown by. It's hard to imagine it's already the end of January. There are a couple more things I really wanted to finish. I did actually start my BBD Easter Parade.



Not much to show for yet but check back next Monday. I plan on having Mondays be my counted cross stitching updates for this blog. I hope it will help me progress on the many I want to stitch.

Recently I joined a yahoo group for blackbird designs. What a group of talented stitchers and while checking out some of the many blogs I was inspired to perhaps pull out my Red Thread from Bent Creek and stitch one month's design per coincuding mnth this year. Who knows perhaps it will be finished by February 2012. As for the other 2, I'm off to finish them. One is a promise to my Mom and the other a hope for myself.

Enjoy your day,
Jane