CrazyKwilter

A Polymer Clay Christmas

2011-12-28T21:41:00.001-05:00

Polymer Clay, a set on Flickr.

Some of the polymer clay ornaments I made this Christmas. Mr. Crazy gave most of them to his people at work.

StitchMAP Color Theory Class

2011-05-04T10:29:00.000-04:00

I'm doing a color theory class on the StitchMAP yahoogroup. It's been a lot of fun.

I joined it a bit late, so I've been using colored pencils, instead of stitching out my projects. I think I'm about caught up now.

One project was to make a 12 step color wheel. Pick out your favorite color and its complement. I'm not sure how many are doing the class, but FIVE of us picked the yellow-green/red-violet combo. In my case, the yellow green is my favorite. (Big surprise there)

Another project was to make up a motif, using warm colors, cool colors and a mixture of both.

Showing off my kickass coloring skillz, yeah, I gotz 'em...

25 Motif Challenge Motif #5

2011-03-02T17:16:00.001-05:00

The center is “Alexandra” from Tatting Patterns by Lyn Morton, followed by two rounds of typical small rings and chains, ending with a round of trefoils. I used size 30 Cebelia.

I’m quite happy with it, though I really need to start blocking my motifs.

I’ve been dyeing some Cebelia, as I have plenty of colors in my size 78-80 tatting threads, not so much in size 30. I will take and post some pictures tomorrow after this last batch is finished.

Tatting Tuesday

2011-02-08T22:10:00.000-05:00

25 Motif Challenge - Motif #4

“Curved Edging” from Needle Tatting with Style Book 1 by Barbara Foster. I LOVE this edging!

From top:

vintage Star thread size 70,
Lizbeth size 20 color 122 (I’ve seen many motifs online done in this colorway)
white Cebelia size 30, white Cebelia size 30 which I dyed green
Cebelia white size 30, white Cebelia size 30 which I dyed pale aqua, only first half of edging done

I finally attempted split rings. I’m still a bit awkward, but I can do them. I even used them in a motif (which I still need to photograph).

Next up is split chains!

25 Motif Challenge Motif #3

2011-02-05T17:45:00.002-05:00

Here is another of my pieces where I’m practicing encapsulating the threads ends. I still haven’t been able to sew the ends in, though it would be nice if I could, since I have so many old pieces that need it!

The beginning round is Earring #2 by Kendra Goodnow from Needle Tatting With Style Book 1. The rest based on typical doily rounds, as I was too comfy in my tatting spot to look up different ideas.
Made with size 70 thread, I started with yellow and worked my way to orange, using more of my hand dyed colorwheel experiments. I circled them in the following picture, along with the thread used in Motif #2. I decided it was time to use them up (so I would have an excuse to dye more!)

Speaking of my comfy tatting spot, everyone who comes to the house knows that’s “my” spot.
except…

my daughter’s kitty, Casanova, who must not have gotten the memo! He spent much of the first six months, after they moved in, hiding under the bed. It makes me happy to see him finally feeling at home.
Even if it is in MY spot!

25 Motif Challenge–Motif #2

2011-02-04T11:33:00.001-05:00

In the past, I avoided making doilies because of having to deal with all the thread ends. I never had much luck sewing them in. So when I started tatting again this winter, I set a goal of working in the ends. This doily is one of my first attempts. I didn’t follow a pattern, as you can tell by the wonkiness of it!

It’s more of my hand dyed experiment thread. It’s not so spotty looking in real life.

25 Motif Challenge 2011 - Jessica's Snowflake

2011-01-27T15:26:00.004-05:00

This winter I have begun tatting again, with a vengeance. Motif #1 is this snowflake for my older daughter. The original pattern ("Ice Crystal Snowflake" from The Big Book of Tatting published by House of White Birches") was more rounded. I modified it to make it more pointed. Size 30 hand dyed thread.

I started the 25 Motif Challenge in 2009, but then got busy losing weight. I've lost 100 pounds! I have another 30 to go before I reach my goal, but I'm not quite so obsessed about in now.

Christmas Stocking

2009-12-04T12:33:00.002-05:00

My older daughter asked for a stocking for her boyfriend to coordinate with the one I made for her.
It's taken me awhile to get back into the groove,
since I haven't touched needle and thread in ages!
I had to go back to my handdyed project for seam treatment inspiration.

It feels good to be stitching again!

Taking Control of My Life, and Kicking Old Habits to the Curb

2009-08-15T14:59:00.003-04:00

I haven't pick up a needle and thread, or a tatting shuttle in ages. I had family and friends visit from mid-May through mid-July, so my "stuff" was put away. I haven't yet gotten it back out. Now we're coming into serious hurricane season, so things will probably stay packed up, ready to be thrown onto beds prior to evacuating. Just another day in Paradise!

I don't usually bring my personal life into this blog, but this is too important not to share. In late July, I joined an online challenge to lose 50 pounds from August 1st through New Year's Day 2010. Those of us who came in at the beginning actually started early. I started on 7/20, and as of this morning I have lost 12 pounds.

It's pretty extreme, I have to lose 2.25 pounds a week to make my goal, and I'm ahead of plan. It has taken creating exercise plans, and menus to get the most nutrition in my allotted calories, and a lot of hard work. I am lighter physically , but more importantly, I am lighter in SPIRIT. Deep in my heart, I felt I was doomed to be FAT forever. Now, I have proven to myself that I CAN and WILL lose this extra weight.

If you are interested in joining us or learning more, please email me using the link in my profile.
Even now, people are still joining in!

Here is one of my visual motivation tools

Each faux pearl is one pound lost, each green crystal is 5 pounds and each green chunky bead is 10 pounds lost. I will have a pretty necklace when I am done. I will swap out the faux pearls for real ones when I reach my goal and string this permanently. The blue bead is just a stopper and the clear beads by the chunk are spacers to keep the pearls from snuggling into the bigger beadhole.

Tatting Tuesday – 25 Motif Challenge

2009-05-05T01:24:00.001-04:00

#19 is the ‘Christmas Ball Cover” by Sandra Scales from Needle Tatting With Style Book 1

Tatting Tuesday – 25 Motif Challenge

2009-04-28T13:19:00.003-04:00

#16 is a variation of ”Curved Edging” by Sandra Scales in Needle Tatting With Style Book 1. If I had done one more repeat, I would have had a motif. I’m not sure why it curved so much.

#17 is “Edging #2” from Elegant Tatting by Janet Carroll

#18 is "Edging 3006" from Tatting Doilies and Edgings edited by Rita Weiss (who sure gets/got around LOL). It is also found in The Tatter’s Treasure Chest Edited by Mary Caroline Waldrep as “Empress”

All are done in my Hand Dyed Thread

Photographic Phriday

2009-04-17T15:01:00.003-04:00

Lordy, I just crack myself up

04/04/09 Kayaking Sunset

01/22/09 Sailboat Regatta

02/13/09 Foggy Morning

Valentine’s Day ‘09 Bahia Honda State Park

Changes are coming!

2009-03-26T13:45:00.005-04:00

I just wanted to give my followers advance notice that I have created another blog to aid in my de-stashing efforts. Some things will be for sale, some will be postage only offers, some will be giveaways. There will be craft books, fabrics, threads...whatever I have too much of or no longer want/need. Crafts include crazy quilting, tatting, sewing, jewelry making, quilting

Unfortunately, I created this after setting up a program to limit my time on the computer. I'm not sure how these two efforts will work together!

Please sign up as a follower on the destasher blog if you are interested. I won't be cross posting.

More to come, I'm still working out the details

Tatting 25 Motifs Challenge

2009-03-23T17:42:00.001-04:00

#14 is “Shamrock” from Tatting Patterns by Lyn Morton.

#15 is “Tattered Heart” from Tatting Collage by Lindsay Rogers

Tatting 25 Motif Challenge

2009-03-21T06:32:00.001-04:00

#8 I was playing around with creating different rounds. #9 is the “eight inch doily” from Easy Tatting by Rozella Linden

#10 is a variation of the Lacy Square and #11 is the Lacy Square also from Easy Tatting

#12 is the Oval Doily from Tatting Collage by Lindsay Rogers

#13 Was supposed to be a circle but didn’t work out mathematically, so it became a fan

I have more to post but need to locate sources first. All colored threads are my hand-dyeds

Hand Dyed CQ Wallhanging Update

2009-03-20T22:43:00.003-04:00

I don’t believe there are any new stitches in this group. I am using repeating motifs to break away from the repetition of using cretan, herringbone, feather yada,yada,yada. I really like the repeating motifs on the last two blocks

What I saw today while kayaking

2009-03-17T21:09:00.003-04:00

A small nurse shark.

Muwhahaha – The mad scientist strikes again

2009-03-09T20:36:00.002-04:00

This time I was going to do it right. I planned ahead what proportions each dyebath was going to have. Everything was working perfectly. I was focusing on blue, taking it from purple to green. Until I checked on them a little later and decided to add in the leftover skeins. So now I have no idea in what order all the midtone colors belong.

I do the same thing when I cook. I’m following a recipe and then I think “this needs cilantro, or cinnamon, or hot pepper flakes” What gets served is good but doesn’t resemble the recipe!

This vintage Corticelli Mills Cotton was the base thread for these colors.

It was a small batch test. The thread passed. I failed. Again.

But I have some purty threads. The last picture is a quick scan of a motif in progress using one of the greens and the original color. It tats nicely and untats pretty well, too!

Wallhanging Mock-up

2009-03-07T10:40:00.002-05:00

This is a quick mock-up of how the wallhanging will look. I think I pieced enough blocks to make it 8 blocks square, but I may piece more to make it 10 blocks square. I have plenty of hand-dyed fabrics left over!

I had a number of reasons I wanted to do this project.

to use the fabrics I had dyed at least 8 years ago.
to try stitching with the thread I had originally dyed for tatting.
to start actually doing something instead of just planning
to become more comfortable with stitching and to stitch bigger
to come up with different stitch combinations
4” (3” finished) make the block less overwhelming.
just stitching for embellishment makes it simpler, I don’t have to think about motifs, buttons, beads, etc

This has been successful all around. I have accomplished the above goals.

Plant P0rn

2009-03-06T22:40:00.001-05:00

Can be found on my other blog

Flashback Friday

2009-03-06T13:14:00.001-05:00

These are from last year so it’s not THAT much of a flashback!

I saw a sweater made of crocheted motifs that I really liked. I had just started shuttle tatting so I thought it would be pretty cool to re-create the sweater using tatted motifs. I used some size 10 crochet cotton that I had dyed as an experiment. In hindsight, what I should have done was tat the motifs and then dye them, as I ran into trouble running out of thread just before completing some of the motifs. Or I had thread left over that was too short to use for something else. Oh well, we live and learn…

Some of the threads dyed unevenly. It was the thread’s fault. My choices locally are Southmaid and Aunt Lydia. Can’t stand Southmaid, it’s rough and didn’t dye well. Aunt Lydia on the other hand, while rather ‘hairy’, dyes well and tats well. It’s what I used for my HDT size 30.

I have since gotten away from 3 cord thread and am concentrating on 6 cord threads.

As for the sweater, it’s on hold. The 2 round motifs had too many threads ends to deal with. My attempts to tat over the ends have not worked well. I need to find a 4-6” motif what is worked in one round, or learn how to do split rings and split chains.

I also tried a few crocheted motifs

Update – Hand Dyed Wallhanging – Part 3

2009-03-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

New stitches include Stem Stitch, Chevron Stitch, Linked Feather Stitch, Chain Stitch and Linked Chain Stitch. I started to use motifs as base stitching to break away from the monotony of Cretan, Herringbone, etc..

I had a first in this batch., I ran out of thread in the last block. The thread was a small batch experiment, obviously just a bit too small! LOL

And I’ve Been Tatting ! aka 25 Motifs Challenge

2009-03-04T08:47:00.001-05:00

Here are a few of the pieces I have tatted this year. The pictures aren’t the best, but if I blocked and prepped them, I’d never get the photos done! Since these are destined to be used in CQ, I didn’t work the ends in. I can just pull them to the back of the block and tie them off. I ran out of thread doing #5, but I can work around that in Crazy Quilting! Number 6 and 7 were planned for the Red and Black Christmas Stocking. I didn’t have any black size 30, so I tatted them in white and attempted to dye them black. Even at double strength dye, they still came out navy. I broke down and bought some Cebelia size 30 black.

Update Hand Dyed Wallhanging – Part 2

2009-03-04T07:40:00.001-05:00

In this batch, the only new stitch is Maidenhair Fern, oops, forgot the small Fly Stitch embellisher

Update – Hand Dyed Wallhanging Part 1

2009-03-03T18:06:00.001-05:00

I decided to post individual photos of the blocks, instead of the previous group photos. These are in no particular order, just how I picked them up to photograph. My favorite base stitch is the Cretan Stitch, followed by the Herringbone Stitch. In this group, other base stitches are Up and Down Blanket Stitch, Zigzag Stitch, Blanket Stitch, Feather Stitch, Straight Sided Feather Stitch, Fern.

My goal on each 3” block is to use different combinations of stitches, which can be rather difficult. It’s the embellishers that add the pizzazz. I seem to always want to add fans, either straight stitch or lazy daisy. I’m concentrating on seam embellishment instead of motifs, though that fan snuck in somehow! Other embellishers are French Knots, Colonial Knots, Cross Stitch, Stem Stitch Rosettes,

It has been a great learning experience!

My Library

2009-02-21T19:49:00.003-05:00

Embroidered Garden Flowers by Diana Lampe

This book is similar in style to Embroidered Initials and these two books work well together. Both books are part of the Milner Craft Series.

Diagrams show how to recreate a Cottage Garden, a Spring Garden and a Spring Garland. There are 30 flowers featured including foxglove, lily-of-the-valley, violets, wisteria and roses. There are also directions for a cat, a butterfly, a snail, spider and web, even flagstones and a pergola. Unlike Embroidered Initials, this book does provide a small stitch glossary. There is also a chart providing DMC colors used in the stitch diagrams.

I LOVE Half Price Books!

Hand Dyed Threads

2009-02-20T17:11:00.001-05:00

I thought it was fitting that eyecandy be served in a candy dish! These are some of my past experiments with overdyeing threads

Sigh...I am SO predictable

2009-02-17T19:16:00.002-05:00

Good grief! I just posted about duplicating the thread colors on the yellow and orange blocks, so what did I do??? I started stitching on another brown block, using a too similar thread color. Sigh...it was going so well.
At least this time I caught it early!

Hand Dyed CQ Progress

2009-02-17T16:51:00.005-05:00

I had posted previously about how I was taking a break from this project.
That post has disappeared.
I'm still working on the project because it is so handy to work on in the evenings.

Despite my efforts, I see I have two yellows with what appears to be the same thread, though there is actually a slight difference. And two oranges are in the same boat. I may have to piece a couple more blocks to change them out.

Valentine's Day Roadtrip

2009-02-14T22:44:00.006-05:00

This Valentine's Day is the 29th anniversary of our engagement.
We spent the day in a short road trip, driving through parts of the Lower Keys. We saw this Key Deer on No Name Road on No Name Key. He's actually pretty big for a Key Deer. DH looked in the rear view mirror and saw him just ambling down the road.

We spent most of the day at Bahia Honda State Park. It was so beautiful, the pictures don't do it justice. And it was HOT! We stopped there on the spur of the moment, so we didn't have our swimsuits or snorkel gear with us. There was lots of seaweed on the shore. I don't know if that is how it always is.

My Library - Ribbonwork Books

2009-02-04T20:19:00.006-05:00

Here are three books chockful of eyecandy. I really need to get my ribbon out and try a few projects. Do I need all three books??? You bet I do!

Library - Embroidered Initials

2009-01-21T19:42:00.013-05:00

A beauty of a book!
26 exquisite letters packed with embroidered flowers.
Not for beginners as there are no specific stitch instructions, just hand drawn patterns of various flowers formed by lazy daisy, bullion stitch, french knots,straight stitches,buttonhole stitch (actually blanket stitch, there is a difference)
Even if you don't follow the pattern exactly this book still provides plenty of inspiration.

Crazy Rags - The Book That Started My CQ Phase

2009-01-21T10:35:00.011-05:00

I got interested in crazy quilting 1997, got obsessed, and then through circumstances, set it aside.
I've gotten into, and out of, other handcrafts along the way and find myself having come full circle. Many of the people I knew on the CQ group at Quiltropolis have moved on to other things permanently. At that time, most of us started out at Dawn Smith's Crazy Quilt Central. Soho Lofts??? Who else remembers when geocities was set up, well...,like a city? CQC started in 1997 and hasn't been updated since 1999, but is still a great resource. Just don't expect all the off-site links to work!

Even Deborah Brunner, the author of this book has moved on. But I'm back and recharged!

This is the book that started my crazy quilt phase. I was looking for wearable art inspiration and picked this up. It's definitely a different approach to crazy quilt, or more accurately, crazy patch.
It features 9 art to wear projects, including 6 garments; a tuxedo vest, mandarin coat,safari vest, kimono jacket, scrappy vest and a Himalayan jacket. Instead of printed patterns, there are detailed cutting instruction. While I never made any of these garments, they all still appeal to me. The Himalayan Jacket is featured on the cover. Other projects include a cache (a large drawstring bag), a beret and small drawstring bag.

The book takes you from the very beginning, from selecting fabrics and threads, through piecing and embellishing, to finishing garment construction. There is also a photo gallery of other projects and a stitch library.

One thing that sets these projects apart from most other CQ books is her use of silk ribbon in the majority of her seam treatments. I personally haven't worked much with silk ribbon recently.

I still treasure this book. I love the designs and the eyecandy. I may just make something from it, one of these days.

Flashback Friday - Sewing - Part 1

2009-01-16T15:00:00.018-05:00

These few pictures were available on my computer. As most of my busy sewing years predate my digital camera(s), I have many pictures that need to be scanned.

Jessica, circa 1997, in a bustier and skirt, pale pink Casa Collection satin, with darker pink tulle shrug. The small picture is an ivory crepe back satin dress (not visible) with a chiffon overdress with bell sleeves.

Rachel, circa 1999, in a Baroque satin princess gown made for a school play. Worn on many occasions, even to a Renaissance Faire. Next, she wears a red eyelash column dress for a school dance in 2001. That fabric shed like crazy! The dress had a fishtail hem which everyone stepped on. Worst of all, everyone wanted to 'pet' her dress and that's torture to someone who values her personal space!

Rachel in her senior prom dress in 2004. She wasn't going to go, but at almost the last minute her friends talked her into going. We hit every JoAnns in Jacksonville, FL looking for this color in the Casa Collection satin. My first use of a Vogue pattern.

Making Progress Monday

2009-01-12T14:37:00.002-05:00

How am I doing on my project list?
Since I have not started the highest priority item; I have to say, "not very well"

in other news...
This is the stocking I did not finish. I basted it together so it could be used for Christmas. It was hard to get a good photo of it. Her BF was teasing her about it being in Texas Tech colors but her room was red with black BEFORE she went to TTU!

Progress has been made on the Hand Dyed Wallhanging. It's easy to work on Progress has been made on the Hand Dyed Wallhanging. It's easy to work on while sitting with DH in the evenings.while sitting with DH in the evenings.

Project Updates WISP Sewing Machine Cover

2009-01-09T14:36:00.016-05:00

I'm using this as a practice piece to hone my stitching and to come up with stitch combinations. Some of the seam treatments have been shown before, but more have been added. Most of the new stitching was done with 2 strands of floss. All other threads had been set aside for Christmas.

The butterfly and peacock were done with an embroidery machine

I have been sketching out the stitches into a book. I love graph paper!
Each major stitch group: herringbone, cretan, feather, chevron and blanket stitch, have their own pages. Here's how the book is shaping up.

I'm a bad, bad girl

2009-01-02T11:43:00.011-05:00

I cut up my soft cover books.

This was another evacuation project.

I carefully cut off the spine and then used a 3-hole punch to load the pages into a binder. I also used a binder where the rings are on the back cover instead of on the spine. The pages turn better with this style of binder and the pages lay flatter. And I can take the pages out to study them closely.

I made the photos of the inner pages small so I wouldn't violate copyright

Christmas Aftermath

2008-12-29T13:43:00.016-05:00

Christmas was wonderful. The best part was having everyone together, if only for a week. We crammed a lot of living into that one week! DD1 has taken her new CQ stocking and returned to north Florida. DD2 has a couple more days before she flies back to Texas.

Thanks for all the kind comments on the stocking. She LOVES it. I am really pleased with how it turned out.

We bought LED lights for the house and tree this year. We kept tripping the breaker last year and/or blowing fuses in the light strands. As you (hopefully) can see, we love icicles! and lights... We were in the habit of winding the strands in and out of the branches. When I say "we" I mean DH, since that is his specialty. I just hold the light strands as we go round. and round, and round the tree.
I think the lights overwhelmed the tree, so we may have to adapt our routine. We bought a 7 foot tree this year and that was downsizing for us. It was a perfect fit, since we couldn't find the topper!

Don't these cookies look great! The girls did the baking this year. My kitchen cannot hold three cooks at one time! On Christmas Day, we passed out plates to the guards who were manning the gates at the 4 NASKW bases. Just one small way we try to say "Thank You"

Here are aprons I made for gifts. Both girls declined to model, so the couch gets the honor. The pattern has a vintage flirty feel to it and both DDs loved them.

The pattern says "it's easy". I've sewn for decades so it was easy, but the side band where the ties attach was a bit of a pain. Nothing I couldn't work around, but it could be frustrating
for someone new to sewing.

We picked up some kites and had a blast flying them. The shark is going to Texas. Can you imagine looking up and seeing a shark overhead? It cracks me up.
The butterfly is almost too pretty to use.

Crazy Quilt Stocking for DD1

2008-12-22T20:37:00.010-05:00

I actually started this stocking for my older daughter last year but never really got going on it. I was determined to finish it this year. It's pink, with black, cream and pink embellishments. I
added black satin piping around the edge to help keep the embellished front from pulling the plain back to the front... and because I like piping!

(You can also see part of my shell collection at the bottom of this photo)

I really liked my fan, but lost some of it by putting it too close to the seam allowance. I tatted the edging.

Crazy quilting and tatting

2008-12-05T12:47:00.020-05:00

I have house guests coming this weekend. The day after they leave, DD2 comes home from college for Christmas. We are all looking forward to her arrival, it has been a rough semester.

My sewing room was fairly organized until hurricane season blew in full force. (We evacuated twice) Most of my stash(es) ended up in tubs on the bed in the guest bedroom. Now I am struggling to fit all my stuff back into my sewing room. And just WHERE did all those new books come from???
Curse you, Amazon dot com!!! and your little dog too

So, faced with all that remains to be done, I'm sitting here and blogging...

Here are some pictures of the other sewing machine cover I am working on. (I have 4 sewing machines) These fraternal twin are WISPs.

I could not get a good picture of the tatting in the upper left corner, the camera said it was in focus, but it never was.

I really like this edging, it's worked vertically as you go

Chain stitch rosettes

I really like the combination of herringbone stitch and french knots.

Trying to be random...

Charted seam treatment a la Pam Kellogg. My waste canvas wasn't as precise as I wanted so I'm trying strips of Aida cloth instead

I must go face the remaining orphans. Perhaps I will throw them into the closet and deal with them later. After all, tomorrow is another day...
and 2009 is another year

Crazy quilting

2008-11-22T23:53:00.013-05:00

I'm working on a sewing machine cover that I started quite some time ago and then lost my momentum. It's purple, black and green with whatever embellishment that comes to mind.

It's a great canvas for trying out stitch combinations and just improving my stitching

Most of the stitching is done with the hand dyed crochet and tatting threads I've been posting about.

Hmmm, looking at the pictures, I seem to be in a herringbone phase. I'm not pleased with the lazy daisy stitches but I'm just moving on.

I've even done some bullion stitches on it!

3 Giveaways!

2008-11-17T16:52:00.016-05:00

I am going through a de-stashing phase, and I have some Christmas spirit for a change, so I am having three giveaways this month.

#1 a set of 4 Vintage size 80 Christmas colored tatting threads.
(ignore the lint on the scanner bed, it's mine and you can't have it)

#2 is this set of 2 needletatting books, plus a set of 3 needletatting needles (not shown)

#3 is this set of red, white and green CQ fabrics. There are 11 pieces of varying sizes shown here. I'll add another to make it 12, because 11 is just plain odd

To enter, please leave a comment here telling me which one(s) you want. You can enter for all three but you can only win one. Drawing will be held 12/01, you need not be present to win. Obviously...

edited to add the winners:

Crazy quilt fabrics - Gina
Needletatting booklets and needles - Thelma
Vintage Christmas threads - sc tatter

New Crazy Quilt project

2008-11-14T12:22:00.009-05:00

Thanks to Jo in NZ (check out her giveaway, but come back!!!) I have started a new project.

I am greatly inspired by her postcard series and have used that for a starting point. As a bonus, I am using up some of my hand dyed fabric stash that I have been blathering on about. Here are a few of the blocks I've pieced. I'm not sure why the pics are so...well, crappy...I need to check
the camera settings. But IMHO, crappy pics are better than no pics. LOL

I am also using some of the threads I dyed to do my stitching

Unfortunately, this will have to go on the back burner, as I need to concentrate on Christmas and getting ready for company. If it wasn't for company, my house would never get a deep cleaning...

Housework, I'm just not that into you.

New HDT photos

2008-10-31T16:02:00.029-04:00

Here are some updated photos of my ever-growing HDT collection. I remembered after last night's post that I had split up the threads into 2 organizers. This one is for the overdyed variegated tatting thread (except the upper left compartment...HOW did they get there?))
I especially like the ones in the third compartment down on the right.

The ones in the long bottom compartment all started as the same color,put into different dyebaths. Aren't they YUMMY???And this one is for the size 30 crochet cotton. Most of these are Aunt Lydia's Fine crochet cotton, since it is the best of what's available to me. (The only store that sells thread is a small Ben Franklins)

It's a little fuzzy, but it tats well and takes dye well. I DETEST Southmaid, it's very rough and the tatting doesn't slide well when closing rings. And it doesn't dye well.

I did a little more dyeing, experimenting with thickeners. I forgot to photograph the process, I will next time. Here are some over-dyed variegated tatting threads.

More HDT and tatting

2008-10-30T22:47:00.015-04:00

I have a couple more (older) photos of tatting and hand dyed threads (HDT). I thought I had posted then earlier.

This is my box o'tatting.

Here is an organizer filled with threads I dyed

This is a color wheel I made

Give-away wrap up!

2008-09-05T08:10:00.004-04:00

I'm ending the give-away sooner than I had planned. We may have to hit the road ahead of Hurricane Ike and I want to get them mailed ASAP.

I chose everyone who mentioned a color in their comment, so the winners are:

Eileene for being first.
Marty who likes blue
Ratmomma ( I'm sure there's a story there!) Carolyn who likes green

As soon as I get addresses I will mail them out!

Give-away

2008-09-02T14:43:00.006-04:00

I will give a sample of hand dyed thread to the first person to comment. I will also give to another commenter chosen at random. Please let me know in your comment what color you would like. I have dibs on the dark oranges!

It's amazing to see what you can do with 3 1/2 colors!

2008-09-02T14:37:00.021-04:00

All these colors were created from 3 1/2 basic colors.
The 1/2 comes from a small amount of Blue that I added to some of the Turquoise.

I thought I knew what colors I used, but now I'm not sure. I do know I used a red, a yellow and 2 blues. LOL
How's that for great record keeping?!

I wrap the damp threads around small rolls made from paper towels because I am so eager to see how they turned out, plus it helps them dry.

Overdyed variegated

2008-09-02T14:37:00.020-04:00

These are variegated threads that I overdyed. The three peachy multicolored started as a pastel multicolored. The rest were all a variegated orangey-yellow. I wrapped them around rolled up paper towels to get them to dry faster. Unfortunately, they look like t*ampons!
I would have saved time though, if they were!

I may overdye some of the greens, since they are so close in color.