TUSAL for March and a Craft Weekend

Whoops. I'm getting really bad at posting my TUSAL in a timely manner. My excuse this time is I was in Cincinnati over the weekend and went to bed early Monday trying to get over the triple whammy of time change for daylight saving time and Eastern time back to Central and not getting to bed before 4am all weekend. Yeah, lame, but that's what I've got to offer. The drab offerings in the TUSAL bottle are all dark brown and all from the "Get Over" piece I finished earlier this month. I need to do some more stitching to get some more goodies in my bottle. The TUSAL really is fun...and you can join in over at Yoyo's Dragon My Needle.

My trip to Cinci was to meet PP for the first time. We've been email buddies for over five years and we'd never spoken in all that time. On a whim, we decided to meet before the busy season for PP at work. We spent the weekend doing wonderful things like crafting, shopping for craft supplies and poking around in thrift stores. Weekends don't get much better than that!

PP is very good at paper crafts such as ATCs (Artist Trading Cards that are the size of baseball cards) and inchies (one inch squares.) She brought tons of paper crafting supplies to the weekend meet up and we had a blast using them.



Lucky for us, the tables in our hotel rooms were on casters. To make for a perfect crafting environment, some remodeling was called for. We rolled the table and chair from P's room down to mine and positioned them back to back. We then spread out and let the fun begin.

I hadn't done any modern paper crafting, ATCs and Inchies were new to me. P was very patient, showing me how to do things, how inks were used, and all the hows and whys of using the tools and supplies for paper crafting and stamping. This is my first ATC. The picture was one that I found at Foundmagazine.com (link to picture here) many moons ago. I love this picture and it was what first came to mind when thinking of making an ATC. I'm pleased with the outcome and may frame it. 8D

We also made some inchies. As the name indicates, they are one inch square little bits of art. As with ATCs, there are no rules - it's art and art should have no rules. In addition to all the goodies P brought for crafting, we had a bonanza of pictures and words from travel brochures we picked up in the hotel lobby and a few from a rest area I visited on the way to Cinci.

After a day of shopping and some lunch at a disappointing Chinese buffet, we went back to the hotel and I taught P how to do punchneedle embroidery. Most of the time P + sharp needles = blood and cussing (her words, not mine) but she and punchneedle got along well. I had kitted up a little punchneedle project for her with punchneedle tools, an embroidery hoop, fabrics, flosses and a Camel Snus tin. I free-handed a few mushrooms and used a transfer pencil to put them on weaver's cloth. After showing P the basics, she easily got the hang of punchneedle embroidery and created a sweet mushroom with a blue cap with green spots and brown gills. We finished the project Saturday evening Sunday morning and I gave her a quick little lesson in finishing it into a topper for the Camel Snus tin. P plans to add some cute little pom-pom trim and possibly some blue rickrack to her tin.












Here's my punchneedle project. It does need a bit of braid or cording around the edge, but it's still cute - even if I do say so myself.

After finishing the tin, we cleaned up and packed up all the supplies and rolled P's furniture back to her room. Housekeeping was none the wiser to our redecorating.

Oh, kudos to the Drury Inn where we stayed. Very nice hotel with a manager's reception and free mixed drinks (or wine or beer or soft drinks) and food (hot dogs, chili, chip & salsa, salad, baked potatoes and veggies) in the evening and free breakfast in the morning (not that we got up in time to eat breakfast.) All for a very reasonable price. Two thumbs up!

Awesome weekend with an awesome friend! Thanks, P!

Words to Live By

I'm so happy February is over. I grieved for the passing of Captain Phil Harris, watched my guy (Ryan Newman) get taken out toward the end of the Daytona 500 (on TV not IRL) and watched as much of the Olympics as I could, including the USA losing to Canada in the gold medal hockey game.

On to better things in March.

While watching the Olympics I started and finished a project that I designed a while back. Friend DP had given me some great overdyed fabric as a gift and I'd misplaced it for a, erm, let's just say a while. I really wanted to use it on this project. It had the look of old, damaged parachment. That, and dark brown overdyed floss (with the look of old ink,) seemed to be just the thing for my latest project.



These words I first heard from my late friend, ES. They seemed like good ones to hold on to and to permanently enshrine in stitching.

So, now I'll just get over February and look forward to the rest of March.

TUSAL for February

February is the armpit of the year. For some reason, February always ends up putting me in a foul mood. Can't really say why since this year because nothing really has gone wrong or happened that was bad. I'm just cranky.

But I have been stitching, mostly working on an original pattern. I'll post the finished piece when I'm done since I don't really like posting progress pictures. Though I did take one the other day because it was somewhat amusing. You'll see later. Appropriately, most of the stitching I've been doing is with a dark brown so that's what's new in the TUSAL jar.

Fiftieth post

Just returned from a needlework class/retreat in St. Augustine, Florida. Have I mentioned that's one of the places I want to live when I win the lottery? The class was a lot of fun and we worked on some fun projects. The camera didn't make the trip with me, so no photos. Too bad. The surf, rolling in from the Atlantic, was rather awesome. Pookie went with me. He spent most of the time palling around with B & T and had a great time while I was in class.

On Saturday afternoon a handful of us when to the Lightner Museum, close to the Bride of Lions in St. Augustine. Otto Lightner was a tycoon from Chicago that made money during the Depression. He published a magazine titled Hobbies and it seems one of his was collecting. For his health, his doctor thought getting out of Chicato would be a good thing. While in St. Augustine, he noticed that there was a larger, empty hotel across from the hotel where he was staying. He thought it would be a perfect place to store/hold/show his many and varied collections. So, he bought it around 1948. Unfortunately, he died in 1950, but he left his collections and the building to the city of St. Augustine. What we went specifically to see were some beautiful antique needlework pieces, a fabulous button collection, and lovely antique laces. There was also a wealth of antique furniture and stunning glass and mineral displays. There was a LOT of stuff we didn't get around to seeing. I tried to talk Pookie into going back to day to do more looking, but he was having none of that.

Hmmm. Just notice this is the 50th post of the blog. Ay, ay, ay. They grow up so fast. That's at least 40 posts more than I ever thought would be in here. Big hug to Yoyo and all the TUSAL folks for getting me back to blogging.

Enjoy your week and keep warm and dry.

January TUSAL

I blew it. The first TUSAL for the new year and I missed the date. Phbbbbt. Well, better late than never. I could cop out to excuses of being busy at work and writing a tutorial (I'll post here soon) but, gee whiz, I just plain forgot. Most of the orts were generated by the Pat Rogers sampler. There are also some finishing snips from creating the covered binder.

Like the new quart size jar? Since last year's bottle was so full after just seven months, I figured the bigger size would be a good change when shooting for a full year of clippings.

Idea Binder

I have a binder that started its life ten years ago holding seminar materials for a software development conference. Not a very pretty thing to hold ideas and charts for future (and past) needlework ideas, but it was still in good working order. Besides, it couldn't help it if it had non-inspiring printing on it. So, I decided to doll it up a bit.

Presenting the new and improved Idea Binder!



I spent the weekend working on this idea and bringing it to life. Do you know how scary it is to take a nice sampler and start pinning, sewing and cutting on it? I learned that it is better to tape down the vinyl and needlework and then sew the opening than it is to trying pinning it all down. Trust me on this one. The tape worked so much better!

All the work was documented in pictures, I may do a tutorial on it in the future, but now, I just want to enjoy it and reload all the ideas.

First finish for 2010

Here 'tis: my first finish for 2010. This is Pat Rogers' Counted Collection A Lady's Alphabet, mentioned a couple of posts ago. This sampler gave my TUSAL bottle a nice start for the new year.

The designer's notes on the pattern mentioned that the omission of the letter V was intentional. Samplers were used as teaching vehicles in earlier times and since fabric and thread were precious, one would try to conserve and not duplicate lessons. Since the V is incorporated in the W, the V was some times omitted. Ms. Rogers did provide a chart that included the letter V, but I chose to go with the original design.

I've got an interesting finishing idea for this piece and I'll post it when it is completed.

Insomnia post

I almost always have trouble going to sleep at a decent hour, but diphenhydramine an hour before bedtime helps. Only problem is I have to remember to take it. On those occassions when I forget, I'm up until an hour after I do remember. Meh. Thank you, A&E, for Criminal Minds reruns.

The last of the handcrafted Christmas gifts has been delivered. It was a Lori Birmingham design for a scissor case and fob. The actual needlework had been finished for a while and dear friend PP even gave me some fabric perfect for the lining. What was missing was the actual finishing work and I admit I was scared of it. On second thought, scared for it would better describe my feelings. It was such a pretty thing, I was sure that badness would occur and it would be ruined while I was finishing it.

As it was, my fears were unfounded and it turned out pretty well. Oddly, the lining fabric - which is actually a lavendar color - looks way too blue in the pictures. All the rest of the colors appear true, so I'm not sure what's up with the color difference on just the lining.



I love to learn new stitches and techniques when working on projects and this project did not let me down. Interlocked slanted queen stiches were used to make a lovely lacey pattern on the scissor case. Click on the pictures to get a better look. I also loved the double running stitch laced with gold blending filament. Those can be found beneath the point on the front and in a square around the heart motif on the back.

Ok, I've got to ask: do you strip the white part away from the blending filament before you use it? I do and dont' seem to have much problem getting the filament to behave. I've had folks tell me I'm doing it wrong but, hey, if it works don't fix it! That being said, I'd still love to hear other opinions about working with blending filament and what works for you.

I really like the way the closure was worked: satin stitches were used to outline two adjacent rectangles. The interior was cut away and ribbon threaded through. A heart-shaped Swarovski AB crystal was hung from the point of the cover flap and the ribbons are tied over it. Very pretty and clever.


The fob was a bit of a challenge. I'm used to finishing fobs using the same evenweave material front and back. That makes them easier to join together. This time, though, I used the lining fabric as the backing for the fob and had to break out the sewing machine. That almost felt like cheating, but it was the only way I could see to join the two different fabrics neatly together.

Ok, the diphenhydramine has kicked in; bedtime has arrived!

Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe it's 2010. Isn't that the title of a science fiction novel? Let's hope it doesn't turn into a horror show.

I spent a quiet evening at home stitching on a new project: "A Lady's Alphabet" by Pat Rogers. Several years ago I bought the pattern - already kitted up with fabric and floss - at the estate sale of a lady from Knoxville. The design is copyright 1992, not current but not old enough to be called retro or vintage, either. It was just something in my stash and I needed a new project.

Many years ago, I made a resolution to not make resolutions and it's the only one I ever kept. So, no resolutions to not buy stash or only to stitch from my stash - that's unrealistic for me - but I will make an effort to cut down on purchasing new projects and work the ones I already have.

So, enjoy a nap, a football game or stitching time. Happy new year to all!

Gifts for stitchy people and a tutorial

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas - or at least a good day.

This year I made Christmas gifts for my stitching buddies: fabric covered tape measures with matching bottle cap pincushions (thank you to VeryBigJen for her Flickr tutorial on bottle cap pincushions) and personalized magnetic needle books for most everyone. (One gal mostly knits, the other already received a different personalized needle book on an earlier occasion.)

It was a lot of fun to select fabrics, color combinations and buttons that I thought the recipient would find pleasing. It was also fun engineering the magnetic needle books. There were a few false starts on those but I finally worked it out. Would you like to see the process? Here's a tutorial on making the needle books:

Fidget's Magnetic Needlebook

What you'll need:
fabric for exterior
fabric for interior
iron-on interfacing
flat flexible magnets
sharp scissors
tweezers
iron
a sewing machine or hand needle and thread
Aleene's Jewel-It glue or a multi-purpose glue that works with fabric


Getting ready:

Cut two pieces of fabric 2 5/8" by 3 1/2". One piece is for the exterior where the stitching will be done - if you want stitching. The second piece is the interior and will be mostly covered by the magnets. Use the same material for both or don't. Do what makes you happy!

Cut four pieces of iron-on interfacing about 1" by 1 1/4". This is roughly the size of each face of the needlebook less the top-stitched edge. Adjust the size so that there is about a 1/4" open border around the edges of the material and about a 1/4" in the middle for folding.


Cut two magnetic strips 1" wide by 1 3/4" long. I bought a roll of magnetic tape that was 1" wide, so that part was easy. Unless you're making many needlebooks or have a use for the excess magnetic tape, buying a roll may not make sense. You could use the flat magnets that you find with advertising and/or calendars on them but because these are thinner you'll need to either adjust the size of the magnet (make it a bit wider) or the size of the needle book faces (make them narrower.)

If you want to add stitching to your needlebook, now's the time to do it. I centered the stitching on the bottom half of the exterior fabric so that it would be on the front cover once assembled.

Putting it all together:

Flip the interior and exterior pieces over and position the interfacing in the four quadrants of the fabric. Be sure the interfacing is bumpy side down so that it fuses with the fabric, not your iron. Iron the interfacing according to the manufacturer's instructions.


Match the interior and exterior fabrics right sides together and pin in place. Sew completely around all four edges.


Trim the seams and angle the corners. Flip the piece over so you're looking at the interior side. Take your sharp scissors and cut a slit in the center of the interfacing on one side. Make the slit large enough to turn the piece but don't go all the way to the edges. Don't worry, we'll cover the hole later.


Use your tweezers to reach into the slit and grab a corner. Gently pull the fabric and turn it right side out. Use the tweezers to poke the corners out, but be careful not to poke through the seam.


Press the piece flat.


Top stitch about 1/8" from the edge of the needlebook on all four sides. I found it easiest to set the needle position to the left and stitch counter-clockwise (or to the right and stitch clockwise) instead of at center. This allows both feeddogs to move the fabric instead of just one if you tried to stitch that close to the edge from the center needle position. Trim any loose threads.


Put the magnet faces together. If you're using a tape or flat magnet that has sticky sides, put the sticky sides to the outside - but don't peel off the backing yet. If you're using an advertisement or calender magnet, put the printed side out. Test fit the magnets to the inside of the needlebook and make any necessary adjustments to the size of the magnets. Remember to try closing the needlebook. Once you're happy with how they will sit, peel off the backing on one of the magnets and put a drop of glue on the sticky side...


and use your finger to spread it around to all the edges.


Turn the magnet sandwich over and position the gluey side inside the needlebook. I usually do the side with the slit first.


Peel off the second backing paper and apply the glue in a similar manner.


Press closed and wait for it to dry.


Taa-daa! You're done!


Add needles and repeat as necessary.

Kitty Pillow

(Click the pictures to see larger versions.)

Stitching buddy BS had a birthday on Monday. In addition to loving to stitch, B loves cats. This pillow made her happy. It's the first crewel I've done in years, no, probably decades - yup, just like riding a bicycle - and it was a nice change of pace from flossy embroidery. The orginal backing material was a lime linen, but I like the floral canvas from Jo Ann's better. Happy birthday, B!

Final TUSAL for 2009

Oh, no! Just realized that yesterday was the New Moon, and that means it's time for the Totally Useless Stitch-a-long hosted by the lovely Yoyo at Dragon My Needle. And it wasn't just any old new moon: it was the final one for 2009 - time to start a new ort bottle. And just in time as the one I'd selected for this year is about full. I'm planning on going to the hardware store and buying a cork for it. It will look great sitting on a shelf in my craftroom. Along with TUSAL bottle is the wee little Waste-Knot-Whatnot. There are a lot of black knots from AC's 15-sided biscornu and plenty of white ones from as yet disclosed gifts.

Yoyo has graciously agreed to host the 2010 TUSAL - thank you! To join in the fun, you have to go HERE to sign up. C'mon! Join the fun!

All she wanted for Christmas was a new right hip

Today, Mama got what she's needed for a long time: a new right hip. The doctor said the surgery went well and all the new parts were a good fit. She's in good spirits and feeling pretty good, considering. Here's to Mama and her new hip and pain-free days ahead in 2010!

Baby's Better and Birthday Crafting

The baby netbook is all better now - and it didn't cost a fortune. Luckily, there wasn't anything on the netbook that wasn't on another computer or storage device somewhere else, so it didn't matter if I had to start from zero. My netbook had a recovery disk that allowed me to reset the netbook back to factory specs, as if it had just came out of the box. So that's what I did. And you can bet your boots that the first thing loaded onto the virginal netbook was anti-virus software!

Some of the December birthdays have happened so I can show off what I made for AC and DP, who happen to share a birthday. These were the items I was wanting to crow about in the November 30 post.

. . . . . . . .
AC is a lover of bright green and tchotchkes and I wanted to try my hand at blackwork and making a 15-sided biscornu. Anita, at Stitch Creations, had created beautiful patterns for blackwork squares and instructions for making a 15-sided biscornu. The pictures for assembling the biscornu were so perfect that it didn't matter I don't speak or read a word of Dutch - stitching is a universal language! So, I started the blackwork on the trip to Alaska and finished it last month. Thanks, Anita! AC loved it and I loved making it for her.












DP is fond of frogs and I'm fond of making quirky things out of the mundane. This cute little frog caught my eye last spring and I knew I had to make something out of it for DP. It was hollow and had a hole in the base so it just about screamed Orts! to me. I took a paper mache box, stained it with a food coloring wash, rubbed it with gold paint to pick up the texture on the box, varnished it, applied some rub-on transfers and lined it with cloth. A hole was carved into the lid and Mr. Froggie glued onto it. The lid lining was extended up into the cavity so it all flowed together. It looked good on paper, looked good put together, but I haven't heard from DP yet if it actually works as designed. Sure hope so but if not, it's still cute.

Grumble, grumble

I'm running behind on postings because my new baby netbook caught a virus - all because I was stupid and didn't load anti-virus software on it. Grrrrrr Totally my bad. I hope to get something posted from my laptop soon.

Finishing Up

All of my stitching/crafting efforts of late have been directed to finishing gifts (birthday and Christmas) for friends and relatives. The final touches were added to the _____ for ______ and the ______ for _______. Sorry, can't blow the surprise. I'm happy I remembered to take pictures of the finishes so I can post them (later) here on the blog. For right now, all you get is this: