Snowball for Rita

Here is the snowball I made for Rita!  She wanted pink and green with dragonflies and/or roses.

Redwork Class

        I have belonged to a yahoo group named Stitchmap since its inception a several of years ago.  Since then I have taken and been a mentor of the Crazy Quilting, Color Theory, and Fabric Weaving classes.  Yesterday I finished my 4th class - Redwork Embroidery.  Now Stitchmap is a group that educates.  If you sign up for a class and are selected to take it, there is a specific amount of time in which you are expected to finish the class.  If you take a class, you don't get all the lessons up front, you get them one at a time, and if you finish a lesson satisfactorily, you are awarded the next lesson.  You are not expected to figure it out by yourself, but are assigned a mentor who gives you tips, encourages you, and answers your questions.  All this is done for free and through volunteers.  Some classes are required as prerequisites to other classes.  For example, you wouldn't expect to be able to take the class on crazy quilting if you knew nothing of color or embroidery, and even if you are the "cat's meow" in color or embroidery, you are expected to take the prerequisite to be on the same page as your apprentices.
   Now I admit, opinionated as I am, that I have had my own questions about the policies of owner of Stitchmap and friend of mine, Shari J., over the years. One example is that at the beginning I wished she would give me all the lessons at once.  She explained that I should work on one lesson at a time because she actually wants people to finish the class and accomplish the goal of Stitchmap -- to keep the needle arts alive.  I still wanted all the lessons up front, but pressed on with a lesson at a time.  I have taken other online classes.  I am involved in no fewer than 3 online classes that I paid good money for ... and haven't yet finished!  Yet, In just a short time I finished the Redwork class (results above).  Why? - expectations and if I didn't finish I'd have to wait for the next Redwork class that might be a year down the road.  I also would be ineligible to take the next new class offered until I finished the class.  I am an absolute junkie on new techniques and learning about stitching so that wouldn't do.  I am the kind of girl who likes to finish things and am pretty responsible as far as things go.  However, even though I am sure I will finish my other online classes some day, it may be in a few years rather than in a few weeks. (-;  I'm conceding that Shari J. just may have learned a few things about human nature in her lifetime. (-;  It turns out that mentors can be for other things than just stitching.
    Shari's other criteria for a class is that while you will learn the technique of the class; you will also finish a project.  The projects of the Redwork class were several weights and a bag to keep them in.  My granddaughters loved these little weights (and wanted them).  I will let them use them when I am teaching them to sew clothes in the upcoming months.  One of them aspires to design clothing and so the first step will be to teach her to sew clothing.  The little one would not be left out!  The weights will be used to hold down the patterns.  I am also going to try using the weights with a needlepoint project I have started in Embroidery Guild.  I so pleased to have these cute enviable little bags to play with.  I also realized that some of the finishing I dread is not worth dreading.  I couldn't believe how quickly I sewed up the drawstring bag, especially in comparison to the time I put into some of my stitching projects.  The little spice bags were my idea of how to use some of the remaining embroideries.  I will probably use those to hold buttons or charms for my project bags.
    Lastly, I thought I knew a thing or two about embroidery since I have been crazy quilting for several years.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned and how I have "tightened up" the quality of my stitching.
    I guess the moral of the story is -- never quit trying to learn new things and never discount what you could learn from someone else.

Christmas Ornament Exchange

In EGA (Embroiderer's Guild of America) last month they did an ornament exchange and I participated for the first time.  The crazy quilted ornament is the one I made and the beaded ornament is the one I received.

Victorian Ladies Round Robin - Hideko's block

I finished Hideko's block.  (-;  I embellished the silky with some black and silver lace and a little bow with a pearl.  I also put a flower on her hat.  The little silk ribbon stars on top of the black lace are from a book called Ribbon Stitches Embroidery by Yukiko Ogura. The flowers on the left are also inspired by this book.  I did a button cluster on the right.  One of the buttons is actually from the Victorian time frame (second from top).  I also added a couple of charms, a ribbon and some seam treatments.  It will soon be on its way to Gerry H.  Hope you like it Hideko!

Practice Hardanger

Ever since I saw Hardanger in person I have always wanted to learn how to do it.  I have a passion for lace and this type of stitching can be very lacy looking.  So, I purchased a beginner's book Called Basics and Beyond by Janice Love and started practicing.  The results are in the photo above.  Traditionally hardanger is done white on white, but Janice suggested to try different color fabrics and threads to get an idea for what I liked.  I then started one of her projects which I will blog about when it is finished.  However, Christmas came around and I really wanted to stitch on something Christmasy and one of my favorite stitchers designed some Hardanger ornaments and posted the patterns for them on her blog (http://manya72.blogspot.com/p/free-patterns.html).  Anna Maria is crazy talented and these are the most beautiful Hardanger ornament patterns I have ever seen.  So, I started stitching the bell and just finished it.  Here it is!

I haven't taken down my tree yet so it will get a day or so to hang on my 2012 tree!  I just love it and hope to stitch all her patterns.  Thanks Manya for sharing your lovely patterns.

Sampler pattern give away

http://stitchingbyacornishseashore.blogspot.com.es/ is offering the Blue Ribbon Sampler book above in a give-away.  (-;