Chinese Art Brush Class Enjoyment

 Last year I participated in a ZOOM class featuring Chinese Brush Art class with a traditional approach.   It was enjoyable and I learned.  

This year another 6 week session was offered, so I jumped on board.  

Week 4 had us redo the lotus which we learned last week and then do a rabbit.  My attempts at those:  

2nd time doing lotus

my first rabbit

Not sure how many of these I'll be sharing with you, however I am enjoying the comradery of the class and learning while still creating.  It's nice to imagine creating art.  That rice paper is so delicate!

Cozy into Winter Stitched

 It's stitched.  Now I need to figure how I'll be FFO (I believe that acronym stands for Finally Finished Object or perhaps Finally finished Off - Either would be pertinent).  

It still needs pressing  and I'll be doing a running stitch around the outside of the design leaving 6 to 10  threads as the boundary.  This makes it easiest for me to square up and know the line to stitch on if I machine sew the finish.  Still debating on whether it's calling to be a pillow/sachet or a small framed piece.  

The design is "Cozy Into Winter" by Jeannette Douglas Designs.  Stitched on 32ct. Wichelt Café Mocha with the called for threads.  

Later.... and enjoy whatever you are doing. 

February 2021 OMG

 It's too late to link up with Elm Street Quilts however, I plan to finish January's leftover Pilgrim  wall  hanging as well as the Sewing machine pincushion photo below, and get the Kim Diehl BOM finished from last year that needs layering quilting and finishing (photo will be shared later).  

Bernina 440 stitched embroidery with the  metallic thread, no problem except the wonkiness from the user artistic license placing that spool of thread on the top. 
Which will stay as it is and how when I was starting out (age  7) the spool on top would "dance" with me going as fast as I could bringing up fond memories.   LOL

Below are a few of the tools I use for tracking the needles.  

This first tool - the Needle Tracker lets me know which needle is in the machine as there used to be (esp. pre co-vid times) elongated times that I endured no machine sewing.   I keep this just beneath my sewing machine, handy but not in the way.  

The next is a needle wallet to store some unique needles I use.  Like Joan Shay's appli-bond, titanium and those chrome needles I just received from Schmetz.   I store this on top of my needle container shared in my last post.

This last tool is placed on the same needle storage box in the top drawer and is for lightly used needles that still have more life left in them.  It even has blank spaces that I can customize the type and write on or off for special notations.  I call this my needle parking garage.

Thought I'd share a glimpse of how I organize some of those parts of my hobby not yet shared.  

TTFN,

Jane

February 2019 OMG's proposed

Notice the OMG (S!) in the title?  Am hoping to accomplish several again this month.  They are:

This Community quilt quilted  and bound for my guild WFQG-

This PIG - A Prima Diva wallet that was all cut out at the Oct. 2018 retreat in A-bay-

This WIP - Bird song pillow that was started years ago with a Joan Ford class-

Get the January Applique parts caught up for my "Skitch A Day" .   It's a SAD (Skitch a Day) with Susan Claire of the Gourmet Quilter-

Plus there are a few other bits I'd like to get too 

but won't list them here as it would put me on overwhelm..., 

I'll just surprise you and me too as I go along this month.

February's OMG

Success.  Got this done during the first week of February.  "Now why do I wait so long?" I keep asking myself while scratching my head.

It didn't take that much time at all.  

Just finding it, pulling it out, pressing, cutting, measuring and then sewing and pretty much in that order.    Piece of Cake!

With our traveling itinerary I'm planning on quilting this up in March or April so it'll be ready for next year. 

I wrote this on the 7th of February to be able to link it up with Heidi at Red Pepper Quilts!  But I'll be able to add this link to the Q-1 finish link up with Debbie at The Quilter's Table.  Love all the incentives and gentle pushes I get from friendly bloggers.  Thanks ladies!

editing this on 3/1/16 - Since we're traveling and my lap top isn't agreeing with me I couldn't link this one up on time either, the link has closed but I am so glad it was done in a timely manner. 

I added a brown dimple dot I had in from stash to help set this off and altered the pattern to do my own thing. Thinking that small reveal of cream before adding borders would be a nice little pop of contrast.  That's how I roll and am happy with it.  Now I bragging,  but I have the brown binding all sewn and set too for after it's quilted.  Hoot hoot!!!  Future Note to self - Stop your procrastinating Woman!
Also I'm thinking of trapunto-ing (if that's a word) the hearts, flowers and the vase too then quilt the heck out of the rest of it.  Anyway, that's my plan, we'll see if it sticks.

Thanks Heidi for challenging us with this One Monthly Goal.  Two for two is my tally so far for the year.
So far, so good!  I hope I can keep up this momentum!



TTFN,
Jane

February's New FO will March on....

I started a February New FO while traveling and plan on having the embroidery finished his week.  When I met with friends this past Thursday  I looked high and low for the wool fabrics I 'll be using on the appliqued heart portions.  I guess I hid them too well.  Hopefully, I'll run into them this week so this project can get done this month. 

 

Here's what's done so far:

 

Excuse the hoop ring, Only have 5 letters more to embroider until the applique and piecing will begin  to frame it in.....

 

 

While coming back home this sundog was so bright and visible. 

 

 

 

Oh no, does the interpretation mean another storm heading our way in 5 or 6 days? 

For perspective, the photo stretched out with the distance to the sun.

 

 

 

Off to stitch alittle bit more. 

 

It's All About Me - My version...

I'm sure you have seen this little lady all around Blogland recently.   She is totally getting around in all kinds of disguises!   It's an Amy Bradley design that she generously offered to many different bloggers participating with this hop hosted by Madamme Samm of Sew We Quilt! that's being led by our cheerleader Marlene from Stitchin By the Lake.

The design was easy to do and I personally love all the different ladies being shared with the different quirky personalities of her maker.

 My version   -    Voila!

Amy- I love the posture of this lady with her hands on her hips.  If I didn't know any better I'd be thinking you've been watching me to design this one.  lol

It turned out cute if I do say so myself.  I deliberated just what to make for several weeks until the project  finalized in my mind.


So I minimized the pattern to fit onto my new food journal. 

Googling how to make a book cover and then fine tuning that process for a "more finished one".    I changed the directions on how to make the flaps so all of the edges were finished.  I also inserted many ribbons for markers. 
Having Diabetes II, this will be an easier way for me to really see how my diet, exercise and sugar levels are and what I might have  done the day(s) before and the day of any incidence of elevated numbers.

I actually used a makeup sponge under the shirt to poof out the belly just a tad. lol

Just looking at my smurky self in ALL of my abundance, even the bust line trying to fight gravity, (a no-win situatiton)  just makes me smile.   8')

Wanting an organic feel to this design, I choose to hand stitch the pink appliqued rectangle onto the book's background fabric using a DMC 8  heavy weight thread.  While proceeding on this project I assembled it so many times in my mind several times to figure out how to get the finished edge on the bottom of the appliqued part while  still allowing my figure to "Break out of the Box"  with my elbows sticking out over those pink borders.  It was a bit Tricky- but was  easy enough to do after giving it much thought and getting the correct order realized.    I'm Happy with that success too!  The only part I should have done was use a stronger stabilizer for thread painting my hair.  It did pull that fabric just a tad.

Since I'm always wearing earrings and love anything that sparkles and shines, a little  BLING BLING* crystals were added that would go with the  shirt.   For many decades I've told DH that if it sparkles or shines, you can't go wrong.  That Christmas he gave me a chrome toaster, of course that's Not quite what I had in mind!

 

The only flesh toned fabric I had was used showing the toned down back side.  Looks okay even though I don't have any freckles. 

 

 The  hair actually started as 3 pieces of a yellow/brown cloth so it would flow behind the ears and still cover over them appropriately, but I had too much fun thread painting my streaks onto it.  I think I got carried away since you can hardly see any of it.

I also wanted the shirt to have a creased look at the bust line so I cut it apart and stitched it like that.   Notice I was super careful on where those dots ended up?  Being a seamstress and making my own clothes for many years I didn't want any provocatively placed dots! lol

Aging as I am, reading glasses are a must and sunglasses for that matter too.  Typically I am wearing them on the front of my shirt or blouse when they are not on my face, so I auditioned that look on the pattern as shown to the right. 

First, I drew in a plain frame but that looked dorky.    So then I colored it in to change them to sunglasses and that seemed to take away from the cute quirkiness already in place.  Since I didn't want that to happen  I chose to eliminate them all together.    Sometimes when you're creating, it's good to know when to say when! If you know what I mean  {a little laugh now}.    To add my glasses and a pen holder to this journal, I added a touch of webbing to do this.  These loops make it convenient and make those items super handy whenever needed.  8~)

I also choose to put my  words on the inside title page of this journal instead of the on the cover. 

                AND SO IT BEGINS......



It's a happy reminder of this fun hop for me to use everyday.  It makes me smile everytime I go to log into it.   Perhaps I'll be drawing a skinnier version of me on the back cover as I wanted too but my drawing abilities have there limits ya know.


Happy too that this New FO is finished which is a challenge I participate with lead by Barb of Cat Patches.  This project also completes one of the items of the list of four I mentioned to getting it  done challenge in February.  Another challenge I participate with that Judy Laquidera of Patchwork times leads and has links for.



Thanks for visiting my blog and if you have time, please use the links below  and have fun checking out other bloggers participating in this Hop.    Of course a nice comment always makes my day too if you feel so inclined.  Here's the list of bloggers for the final day of the "It's All About Me" Blog Hop.


Cherry Blossoms
Hill Valley Quilter
Dachsies With Moxie
I Like To QuiltBlog
Quilt Smiles
More Stars In Comanche
Tea Time Creations
Shedding the Wolf
Life, Quilts, and a Cat Too
Judy at That Other Blog
Madame Samm

My appreciation goes to Amy Bradley, Madamme Samm, Marlene and Timeless Treasure for all you gave and did towards this hop.

It was fun to do and I am really  glad to have participated with it!

TTFN,
Jane


 

Another blog hop starting soon

Since the first Hop, In Your Own Words that  I participated with was a nudge to get somethingthat  I've wanted to get done actually DONE, I decided to participate in a couple more Blog Hops this year, you know these can be addictive!  This one is based on a pattern by Amy Bradley is being hosted by Madame Samm from Sew We Quilt and our cheerleader for this hop is the very nice Marlene from Stitchin By The Lake.

It is starting this week, I'm a Bit Biased kicks off on Tuesday, the 19th!

 Each participant received a pattern from Madamme Samm that was designed by the talented Amy Bradley.  I'm sure you know her characters, they all seem to have a very unique personality.  With this hop each person is to use that pattern and base their project  on their own personality.  Should be interesting and also perhaps a bit revealing!  LOL

Here's a list of who will be sharing their creation according to the date(s).  I hope you enjoy this hop as much as I enjoy seeing all that creativity and eye candy.  My heart is accelerating as I speak!
Enjoy the hop!    I need to finish my creation that's a WIP.

Jane

PS:  I've been playing in my studio most of today and getting quite a bit accomplished despite just piddling around!    lol
Can you see I've left some hints in this post what my character is going to reveal?   lol

Stash Report 7 of 2013

Judy Laquidera of Patchwork times is our fearless leader in looking at our stashes in this manner.  Thanks Judy, it adds a whole new perspective to my craft of quilting and keeps it real. 

Stash In: 0 Yards

Stash Out: 1.5 Yards

YTD In: 17.5 Yards

YTD Used/Out the Door: 17.0 yards

 

I'm able to count one and a half yards used up this past week with several little finishes!  That means my numbers are ever so close that they may actually flip to the dark side by next week.  Yahoo!   Even better yet is that the runner was in my Get R Done challenge for February! 

 

The celtic table runner is totally finished.  You've seen it probably a thousand times already, but I just have to show another picture of it but this time in a different layout and light.   Sorry, still no glamour shots of it.

 

 

As you can see I quilted a generic stipple in the green field area, leaving the pinwheels be, so they'd expand away from the surface.  I did start quilting around the phrase on each end section, but it detracted from the look I wanted so a lot of ripping out had to happen so I could bind it.

 

 

Wonder clips are just beautiful to work with.  Didn't seem to have a thread tangle going on with these like I did with the hair clips I used to use. 
I highly endorse them!

 

All done now and it's just what I want, perfect!

 

 

Also I was able to finish up the four makeovered pot holders yesterday.  Here they are.

I quilted around each motif through the top and the well worn terry cloth scrotched older parts I recycled.  After using a black heavy duck cloth for the back (binding too) I machine quilted those parts together using the lines of the different colored squares surrounding the peppers.  Then attached the binding by sewing it to the back, turning it over the edge and then topstitching the binding with my hem stitch foot #10 close to the edge.  Remember how nasty they looked before.  BIG DIFFERENCE!
This could also be a New FO for the February's challenge cheerleaded by Barb.

 

I have one or perhaps two more pot holders that I'd like to make today before those fabrics  all get put away.  I used to hate putting my fabric away after a project.  That's why I always sewed in a room that looked like it was hit by a twister.  Now, I love putting them away in an orderly fashion.  Letting them sit there politely on the shelves just waiting patiently for me to play with them another day.   I think the reason they behave so well now is perhaps because I've sent some of their family to CHARM SCHOOL and they've witnessed this. Mwahhh, haha! (Inserting evil laugh here.)  But let me tell you, if any of them are unmangeable, off to charm school they will go!

 

All in all, only a net gain of 1/2 a yard YTD.  "Not bad" if I do say so myself.

DAYBOOK February

I'm feeling ... pain with this back/neck disability issues

I'm seeing ... a mess around my house

I'm hearing ... the ticking of the wall clock
I'm thinking ... of playing in my studio
I'm cooking ... nothing just now, feels nice!
I'm planning ... how to finish some of these UFOs
I'm reading ... The Wedding Ring by Emilie Richards
I'm wearing ... my lounge grey and black  leopard outfit
I'm creating ... Chili pepper pot holders
I'm enjoying ... the quiet of the house
I'm sharing ... More SNOW at my door thanks to Nemo! 

We got around 12" of snow from the last storm but it is melting quickly and another storm is approaching.
This one is Orka I believe.  I wonder ...was the previous storm Moby perchance?  And the next  will it be Persius?....  lol

Jane

Get It Done....

All of the Get It Done tasks I listed to get done in January got Done!

Whoo Hooot!  

How I reported then done was to re-open the initial post and update the information there.  Here's the link where  all of that is listed.   Being so successful in January, Here's my list of Four for February.

1. Quilt and Bind The Irish Table Runner from the In Your Own Words Blog Hop. Finished on the 16th.
2. Make the  "All About Me"  project that I'm participating with.  It's another blog hop coming soon, an idea is fermenting now....This will be my NewFO for February.  Finished on the 26th, JUST UNDER THE DEADLINE.  It took me the longest time to really figure out how I wanted to use that cute pattern given by Amy Bradley.  Just love it now that's it's done and I'll see it daily. 
3. Piece the backing for the Lone Star Quilt that's been a languishing UFO for several  years, I need to get this to a long armer.  I was thinking of trying to quilt it on my DSM but it's a rather large quilt and I have other projects I could work on while it's getting quilted. Hopefully I can get it done tomoorow, the 28th!
4. Get another Lil' Miss Shabby Quilt block embroidered, besides keep up on the And Sew ON BOM, and my quilt guild's BOM offerings.  I don't want to fall behind, it's so much easier and fun to do when I keep up. Done, reported and shown on 2/6/13 

I know I'll progress , but how much?  Time will tell.

Jane