A Stitched Project Finally Finished

I came across this stitch project in my sewing room as I was cleaning and sorting.

I must have started it about 3 years ago.

It was just the background which is my favorite part of the whole thing, but I felt like it needed to be finished, so here it is.

I suppose I was inspired by the Robin I saw last week and the promise of Spring.

My favorite way to create is to just do it without any real plan.

Just layering and adding things that I have on hand.

Finally finished.

Today I'll finish cleaning the kitchen and doing the laundry I think.

Not as fun as stitching, but still satisfying when it's done.

Karen

Old and Tattered

I'm not sure why, but I like the look of tattered old papers and textiles.

I use these for my journal pages.

Some of this stuff is in pretty bad condition, but that's partly what I like about them.

Books and woven fabric pieces all tied up with twine.

Greeting cards and letters from the early 1900's  in an old wire basket.

Feels good to have some things sorted and organized. Maybe tomorrow will be a day for creating.

We'll see.

Have a nice day!

Karen

Pods a Plenty

Old hippie pants never die.

These pants were just hideous, but they were comfy and soft and I love the colors and designs of the patches. I got tired of patching the patches though, so I bought a new pair and I'm turning these into something else.

They could be berries or buds.

Maybe I will glue them into a wooden frame to hang on the wall.

How about some type of textile jewelry?

I think there's enough fabric to do multiple projects, so for now I'll just keep making pods.

Thanks for having a look.

Karen

Textile Coins

I've had a love of textiles for as long as I can remember.  I started hand stitching when I was 6 years old, making primitive clothes for my dolls with left over scraps from my mother's sewing projects and before that playing with baskets full of rag balls that my grandmother used to weave her rugs. By the age of 12, I was making my own clothes, and still do from time to time. Currently my interest in textiles is for vintage and antique cloth. Old clothing that I dismantle for the fabric, vintage household linens and antique flour and grain sacks. Giving them a new purpose makes me happy.

Textile Coin Necklace

To make this necklace I traced a thread spool onto an antique grain sack and cut out circles.

I stitched the circles into lots of little yo-yos.

Each coin was made by placing two yo-yos together with the stitched sides facing, using a blanket stitch to assemble them.

The coins were then strung together onto some heavy cotton thread with a knot between each one.

Not very sparkly, but it's my kinda bling.

Karen

Wine Bottle Vase

Inspired by the ART of Manon Gignoux.

With a wine bottle, a few scraps of recycled textiles and some random hand stitching, I made a vase.

 

Live Well

Karen

Getting Around To It

Last summer I found this wonderful Dutch Wax Resist fabric at a flea market near Pittsburgh, PA.

Yesterday, I finally got around to using it.

I made these fabulous drapes for my dining room.

I finally got around to hanging my glass star as well.

And replaced the aqua pressed back chair with this bent wood one.

Here's hoping today is just as productive.

karen

Vintage Crewel Samples

I've never tried crewel myself, but like the pretty patterns in these vintage samples. I purchased a small bundle of them from a little fabric shop that had recently gone out of business. 

 They were extremely dusty and even had some water damage on some of the edges,

 but I see potential in these squares of stitching.

 I cut them into pieces and soaked and washed them in lots of warm soapy water.

 I have a project in mind for these, so they'll be showing up here again in a different form.
Reborn into something brand new and one of a kind.
Just a little "Random Salvage".

karen

BLUE

Blue is such a calming color.

I love this little trinket jar.

It was made by my stepdaughter Anita as a gift to my husband.

Great job Anita!

We love it!

I picked up this lovely blue woven textile piece at a thrift shop in Maine last year.

It's old, has great texture, and I love this shade of blue.

Blue denim will always be one of my favorite things.

I've started a crazy quilt made from some reclaimed jeans.

And practice samples for some textile jewelry.

How do you fight off the winter blues?

Keeping busy with creative projects works for me.

Thanks for stopping by!

karen

Beautiful Morning

Hi.

It seems like it's been forever since I've posted anything here.

This morning as I stepped outside, I noticed how lovely the sky was and I felt like I needed to dust off the camera and capture the moment.

I've done a little creating over the months that I've been gone, but nothing like I once did.

This year there won't be handmade gifts for Christmas as there usually are.

I've even hired someone to help clean once a week, which is something I swore I would never do.

A while back I tried working with some paper clay and made a few dolls.

this one is my favorite.

She lives in one of my favorite wall pockets.

I've also been playing with some textiles and textures.

Here I've layered recycled grain sacks, batik fabric and cheese cloth.

They are stitched together in a rather random way and would make a lovely background for a wall hanging or maybe a pocket on a handmade jacket.

I hope you've all been busy creating some interesting things and trying something different now and then.

You never know...maybe the thing you haven't tried yet is the thing that you can do best.

See you soon.

karen