Happy New Year!

Some stitching, fresh veggies and a good read.

The blue Celtic Knot embroidery piece stitching is completed and I decided to do another piece using a light green fabric and green floss.

12/25/14

My stitching is getting better though my tracing of the pattern shows a rather unsteady hand, I think it adds the human quality, after all it is hand crafted and hand stitched.

This is the green fabric with the pattern traced and waiting for stitching. This morning I made an early morning visit to the Crones' Cradle Conserve to clock how much time it will take me to drive there for the Crazy Quilt workshop next Saturday. While I was there I bought some just picked vegetables fresh from the earth.

Below the tomatoes, are red and yellow carrots, white turnips in the center and purple and white radishes, I have them prepped for a salad for later today, with each slice I made the aroma of soil filled my senses, nature's perfume at her best.

Sunday, December 28th and here is a look at the stitching on the green piece I started yesterday evening and early this morning.

I still don't have any idea what to do with these practice pieces though the more I look at them I'm leaning toward journal cover.

I am about three quarters of the way through reading A Social History of Tea, if you are a tea lover its quite an interesting read.

Merry Christmas

A book, some stitching and a Wish for All

I have chosen the first book I'll read for the 2015 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge here is the link if you are interested.
http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.com/2015-witches-witchcraft-reading-challenge-sign-up-post/

I have read the Joyce And Jim Lavene Peggy Lee Garden mystery series books and some of the Renaissance Faire series and I'm looking forward to beginning this new series next week after all the hustle and bustle of the holidays pass and I have time to unwind with a cup of tea and a good read.

Stitchery update:
 I am making progress on the Celtic Knot embroidery piece I began stitching on Monday.

12/22/14

The blue micro pen I chose to trace the pattern onto the fabric turned out to be a good choice and the blue floss covers the trace lines well.

12/23/14

I  began stitching the piece without the use of an embroidery hoop, one thing I did notice is I should have used a second piece of fabric for stability, since this is a test piece I can make the changes which will include crayon tinting the knots.

12/24/15

Today I slipped the piece into an embroidery hoop to see if it changed the work, I noticed the stitches flowed through the fabric more easily.

I wish for all a Christmas filled with Joy, Health and Happiness.

A little stitch project

I have finally squeezed in some time to trace the Celtic knot pattern onto the fabric for my next hand embroidery project.

I was going to use the crayon tint technique I learned in October but this is a busy time of year and I barely had time to trace the pattern between packing, shipping and drop offs at the post office, so I'm just going to stitch it, I need something to unwind with in the evenings and this may due the trick.  Its a good piece to practice my stitching on.

I enrolled in an upcoming Crazy Quilt class held at the Crones' Cradle Conserve here in north central Florida, I am looking forward to a day long workshop full of stitchery, surrounded by other quilters.

It's a great way to start the New Year off crafting.

Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge 2015

http://melissaseclecticbookshelf.com/2015-witches-witchcraft-reading-challenge-sign-up-post/

I have just signed up for my first reading challenge of the New Year and I have added a link if you are interested in joining a new reading challenge for 2015. I am planning for the Crone Level which is 16-20 books.

A little crafting

The next hand embroidery I plan to work is the knot pattern above it's on the light box waiting to be traced, I may use the crayon tinting technique once I decide what color thread I want to use.

I haven't had too much time to get in much crafting as December is a very busy month for me.  I do try to keep a small project or two on hand for the late evening when I am winding down for the night, my latest project is the beaded scissors fob.

I have just filled out my registration form for the Crazy Quilt workshop to be held at the Crone's Cradle Conserve on January 3rd. I thought it would be a nice way to keep up with the embroidery. I have renewed my interest and working the stitches for me is very relaxing, not like when I was in my twenties.

Room with a view

I found my future dream window, I can picture pots of herbs lining the window shelves perhaps overlooking a garden.  Next year I am planning to look for another house and this type of window would be perfect. Though having it built to specification could work too.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

I finished stitching the crayon tint embroidery piece this week, I am not sure what I am going to do with it but I did enjoy stitching the piece and have several other projects in mind for the up coming weeks. I am so glad I decided to take the embroidery classes back in October, I have reignited my love of hand stitching and at this stage in my life find it quite relaxing.

My stitching needs to improve and I know the more pieces I make the better my stitching will become, I also need to try other mediums for tracing the pattern onto the fabric or use more strands or different threads so the traced lines don't show through so much, or perhaps my stitches are too wobbly and I need to practice needle control.

I love the addition of beads and the jingle bell to the center of the snowflake and I plan on making more pieces using beads.  I have a few sketched ideas in my creativity journal which I will eventually start in the meantime I have this l lovely  Hamsa Hand from Jerusalem Embroideries to do next.

pre-stamped fabric

And I bought this interesting piece of Valori Wells fabric a few weeks ago I thought would be perfect for hand embroidery.

time flies

A bit of hand embroidery

This month I decided to focus on myself a little it and enrolled in a Hand Embroidery class offered at the local quilt shop. I mainly wanted to test my knowledge to see if I could remember how to make the stitches with hopes I would renew my interest in hand embroidery.

The class  met on Tuesday afternoons for two consecutive weeks, the 7th and 14th so I paid for the class, purchased the necessary supplies and went home and waited for the class to begin.

The projects are from this book by Gail Pan: Patchwork Loves Embroidery. The needle book on the

cover and this pincushion are the project we made. When I first sat down and traced the embroidery

patterns onto the fabric with the aid of a light box I was both intrigued and a little  intimidated, I had never used a light box before and I was worried my stitching would be a mess after all I hadn't done any hand embroidery in about 25 years.  I had nothing too worry about, using the light box was easy and after a few practice stitches it all pretty much came back to me, however I did learn I need to upgrade my basic sewing and quilting skills.  I have zero skills using the rotary cutter and all those helpful rulers.  I still use a template and scissors to cut my fabric, so some where down the road I see a beginner quilt or sewing class in my future so I can bring my sewing/quilting skills into the 21st century.
Here are my finished projects, I am happy with my stitches except for the dreaded french knots which at times resembled mini cauliflower heads.  But after several times ripping out the stitches I decided to keep it and proceed to construct the projects giving me pieces to gauge my future work on and see where I improved.  Here are the needle book and pincushions I made.

my needle book 

my pincushion

Here are photos of the inside parts of the needle book

inside pocket

opened 

back

I enjoyed the class so much that I registered for the crayon tint embroidery class which will be on Tuesday, October 21st and here is a look at the pincushion from the top.

The instructor DeeAnn was very knowledgeable and talented too, and quite patient to say the least as I am not always the sharpest needle in the pack. This was the first time the class was offered and I was sadly the only student but it did not take away from the class, in fact the one on one teaching was just what I needed and I am so glad the class wasn't cancelled for lack of students.

Time marches on and the Wheel turns once more

The Wheel of the Year turns once again

Whether you celebrate Lughnasadh or Lammas have a blessed and wonderful day.

Have a fun day

Embracing my Crone

The Passing of a Morning Glory

In Memory of Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart (1948-2014).

Morning Glory, 

The Goddess anew, 

A flowering vine, 

In radiant blue. 

I speak my truth, I live my dreams, 

I am vibrant, alive, and fully seen.

Today in memory I planted Morning Glory seeds in the Memorial area in my garden and MoonFlower seeds in the Moon Garden.