The Sewing Fairy Tiptoed In

The sewing fairy tiptoed into my studio last night.
She sewed and sewed until the clock stuck twelve.

Peek at my Embroideries

Indian girl doorstop I embroidered and sewed onto a brick. I made my own pattern to cover the brick and made several of these. I can dig out the pattern sometime if you would like a simple tutorial.

Next project - embroidered days of the week kitchen towels

Annie embroidery on a child's apron to sell at the market

Embroidery Problem Solved

My new mountain of embroidery cotton, so pretty before it gets tangled up! There is simply nowhere near my home anymore for me to buy DMC and the only supplier is discontinuing the business. I bit the bullet and bought 2 or 3 of every color that was left. It is beautiful to look at and I have never before had such a choice of colors. Oh dear, decisions, decisions, decisions.

H A P P Y E M B R O I D E R I NG

The Yellow Apron

Not finished yet but you get to see it first. Lined with gingham, gingham embroidered pocket, 100% cotton, woman's size medium. I have so much fun making little aprons, I believe I am getting addicted to it!

Embroidery Projects

I have been working today on these embroideries that are for a nearby inn. They will be boudoir sachet pillows filled with lavender. I have some lavender grown by my friends Vickie and Susan in their gardens.
The theme is, as you can see, rabbits! They will be in the gift shop here.

I lost track of time and the sun was setting in the mountains when I remembered to take pictures of my day's embroidery. Will post some finished pics tomorrow. Oh yes, and the madras bunny I made this week.

Quilts and quilties

Blue baby quilt with embroidered motifs.

My first sale! Pink, hand stitched and quilted, with an embroidered border with green vine and rose flowers. I'm a little sad to see it go to a new home but I am so pleased it's new owner adored it. Love at first sight, I may say. And, I have moved on to many, many more, completed and in the works. The wee yellow quilt is now awaiting a new home.

This teensie pink and green quiltie comes from the old vintage days, like me! The colors are so soft and faded from many washings. Given to me by a friend, it hangs in the studio for my viewing pleasure.

Piecin' A Quilt's Like Livin' A Life

by Eliza Calvert Hall, Kentucky, Nineteenth Century

Did you ever think, child, . . . how much piecin' a quilt's like livin' a life? And as for sermons, why they ain't no better sermon to me than a patchwork quilt, and the doctrines is right there a heap plainer'n they are in the catechism. Many a time I've set and listened to Parson Page preachin' about predestination and free will, and I've said to myself, "Well, I ain't never been through Centre College up at Danville, but if I could jest get up in the pulpit with one of my quilts, I could make it a heap plainer to folks than Parson's making it with all his big words.' You see, you start out with jest so much caliker; you don't go to the store and pick it out and buy it, but the neighbors will give you a piece here and a piece there, and you'll have a piece left every time you cut out a dress, and you take jest what happens to come. And that's like predestination, But when it comes to the cuttin' out, why, you're free to choose your own pattern. You can give the same kind o' pieces to two persons, and one'll make a 'nine-patch,' and one'll make a 'wild-goose-chase,' and there'll be two quilts made out o' the same kind o' pieces, and jest as different as they can be. And that is jest the way with livin'. The Lord sends us the pieces, but we can cut 'em out and put 'em together pretty much to suit ourselves, and there's a heap more in the cuttin' out and the sewin' than there is in the caliker.

So my prayer for you is that you go out into the world today

and love the people you meet. Let your presence light

new light in the hearts of people.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 1910-1997