Monday, April 30, 2012

My GDD's (granddaughter daughter)  BFF moved away this past weekend so the girls had a last sleepover Friday night which always leads to a Saturday sleep in.   Saturday my DH was off for the day in pursuit of the perfect train picture, so I was left to my own devices. After my am coffee at Starbucks and an estate sale on the way home I arrived back at 9:30am.   The sleep in put me out of my normal stitching area and I was relegated to my sewing room with nothing to do but quietly make flowers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. 
 So I prepared the fabric, let it dry, cut it into appropriate squares and heated the molds...... and for the rest of the day I molded, cut out and remolded flowers.   I probably made 40 large and 80 or so small.

Large flowers for the quilt border

Small flowers ... don't know what for yet!!!
 
More small flowers different shape

Stamping and cutting complete... believe there are lots more than this!!!


The completed flowers for the border...  The Lame flower with organza petals over it.  The center is a dome sequin with some glass glitter applied i.e. I glued it....
    

This is an experiment with the border design...
The actual design will be different.  It will be outlined with the green metallic and the leaves will be done separately in sequins and sewn on.    Maybe... Sometimes when I get there it doesn't look just right so it may change.
Thanks Arlene I love your molds!!!! 

Arlene does not have a web site or a blog... so sad....... but her e-mail address is ArleneBkr@aol.com or she can be called at (562) 928-3583.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

After my class its taking me a while to get back into the swing of things...  First I would like to show off one of my students work.

 Monarch butterfly on small black clutch she designed
Design on the top of a hat she made.

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Then of course I have been talking to Arlene Baker about her wonderful flower mold reproductions (See other post labeled Arlene Baker) She sent me a sample of what she thought I was looking for plus some some extras...
I chose # 8 and of course the first thing I did when I received it was not follow the instructions.   I very carefully made these flowers out of my synthetic Lame fabric... They and a variety of other colors with adorn the border of the quilt.
It was so much fun I ordered # 1 and #21. 

















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School Vacation and a trip to NYC, the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero with Sabrina, my GGD (granddaughter daughter) , her friend Christine and my husband. 

 new building at ground zero
 Christine and Sabrina on Liberty island
Me, Sabrina and Christine

and of course a trip to MOOD was squeezed in

Fabrics for a future project.  The fuchsia/cranberry cotton velvet is from Delectable Mountain Fabrics, the white with the grid is from my friend Gloria's stash, and the variety of silk organza's and coordinating tulle is from MOOD... and of course Opie the cat must sit on whatever I put down... except he will not sit on my lap...

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Now I am back to my Lame quilt project.  I have completed all the circles and 1/2 of the background.  I spent the last several days ironing on the 1 inch Lame squares onto the second half of the background fabric and I am about 1/4 of the way through embroidering the sequins and beads around the squares.  
Hopefully by the end of next week I will have the embroidery done and will start the borders.

Enjoying the spring weather!!


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

I have been very busy the last few weeks getting ready to teach an introductory class in Tambour Hook.  In the midst of it all I lost my camera so was unable to take any class pictures.  I had 6 students from NY, NJ and Mass.   The first day of the class was very  busy lots of "SHIRLEE" I am stuck...I can't start my thread... I can't end my thread... Look I put in 6 sequins... (2 minuter later) *!*@@ I just pulled out all 6!!!  I dropped my beads!!! I made a big hole and I can't get around it..and lots of @*! muttered under their breath....  Believe me I have heard it all before and done the exact same things when I was learning.  At the end of the first day I was fearful that one lady was not going to return  to finish the class.

But low and behold the evening passed  and the next morning all 6 return bright and early (8:30).  With a little more practice the night before even the most frustrated was having success with the chain stitch, attaching beads and sequins, and  the fill stitch.

Anyone that would like to take a class E-mail me .  With enough interest (6 minimum) I will schedule one

This is a picture of the class project... 
I spent most of today, clearing out and cleaning up our class space and putting everything away. 
As I was driving into the garage about a half hour ago I had a flash of lucidity and remembered had  stuck my camera on a shelf in the garage because I was in a hurry (nothing new) and didn't want to carry it with me wherever I was going that day.    Phew!!!!