Jacobin update

Here is some more work done on the bird belt

As I Left it, that feather was bothering me 

but I had to finish the rest of the feathers before I could fix it 

to make sure I had enough thread. 

I did! Yay! 

Muuuuuch better

The tail is done too with a cream satin stitch under layer overstitched 

with a chain stitched outside and a back and forth figure 8 woven stitch in pink silk twist through the chains

and quick buttonhole stitch between the lower feathers

Now to start on the last little bit,

The flowers

I started this one with a woven stitch in 2 colors of silk twist for the outside center first 

because if you try this stitch with the middle done first you will question your life choices

The middle comes next because that big maroon empty spot stares at me  and I don't like it.

the long side lobes came next and those are just satin stitched all the way around with daisy chain stems in the center

The upper lobes are a thick metallic ribbon that I couched down with the same sparkly fuscia Au Ver A Soie Metallic, because I have it but a Krenik size 12 thread works too

the top  center lobe is stem stitch most of the way with french knots down the center

the bottom leaves are chain stitched and then satin stitch over the top 1/2 in size 12 Edmar rayon twist.

On to the Pink Flower

This flower is relatively easy the green stem is another woven stitch called buttonhole detached which should be done first

 all the upper petals  are done in a close blanket stitch using Silk twist in blue and pink

And the lower pink teardrop shapes are in padded satin stitch using a dusky pink silk twist

The upper petals are formed with more blanket stitch in a fan shape using a cream silk twist

Here is the initial pass of filling in the petal shapes

And here it is finished with a line of detached buttonhole on top 

I wanted to show you both so you could see how 

This simple added finish gives you a much more polished look to the flower 

Especially if your stitches are still a bit wonky like mine are

I might also go fill in those gaps in the blue

Whew! now there are just the butterflies to do

After all that my "Corner office" needs a tidyoop!

BTW the swing arm lamp over my head is new and it has a 10X magnifying glass under a hood, I love this thing on so many levels!  I have two of their smaller ones witch have bendy arms, they give you both a clippy snappy end and a solid heavy base. 

They are great for portable projects

CQJP 2023 Block #1 Finished

The scallops on the bottom were picked out with a thicker thread like size 8 in split stitch Then Simple stuffed rice stitches in a 4mm peach silk ribbon, topped by size 8 red round glass beads and size 11 or 15 green seed beads,     this adds a nice layered effect to your simple seam, I could have added a sequin under that for an even fancier seam but it might take away from the bird which is my focus here.

I used fly stitch in a wave pattern with some red DMC floss, I had just enough leftover from an other project to do that seam and some pretty green oval beads I found in my random bead soup tin. 

Everyone should have a jar or something with random leftover beads and things you'd be amazed what you can do with them!

The flower is done in 7" pink silk and the stem carrying the bird is a split stitch in a size 8  brown cotton floss

For the leaf I under the bird used a 7mm dk green silk ribbon to fill in the shape

 and a figure 8 crewel weaving technique to fill in the middle

The top seam is picked out in a blue leftover dmc in cretin stitch and yellow wildflowers variegated floss in lazy daisies, 

It gets beads in the spaces by the end.

The seam to the side of it gets an easy treatment of  layered ribbon and glass beads to hold it down.

This butterfly lace motif was died pink and given a few size 6 green round beads for a body and head

Now for my bird

She is satin stitched with mostly floss 3 strands for the pink belly and brown body and head I stitched over my tissue pattern pulling it out where it started to shred and leaving other parts in place.

As this piece will never be washed there is no fear of it disintegrating over time and poking through the stitching, if you stitch on a garment, or something that will be used a lot like a purse or a blanket, I suggest using a wash away underlayment or making sure you remove all the paper you can because it will poke out eventually

The tail is formed by using  fishbone closely stitched in a variegated thread using 3 strands.

This provides a nice variation to the tail feathers keeping them from blending into each other

The legs and feet are bullion stitch, use a nice long needle for these it will make your life so much easier!

Bullion secrets nobody told me; as you are winding thread on the needle make it close but not tight on the needle, 

make sure the needle has a big enough eye to get through all the fabric layers and your coils easily whilst dragging 2 strands through the entire length of your coil, 

also hold on to your coil as you pass the needle and thread through it so it doesn't separate and tangle

Sometimes pinching it between your thumb and the fabric can help, so can a pair of needle nose pliers!

I know that's a lot bUt bullion's bring so much to your work. I use them everywhere from stems to stamens to little bitty birdy legs. Go practice them if they intimidate you, I guarantee after making a hundred of them, they will become second nature!

a field of sheep made from french knots bullion's, drizzle stitch and cast off stitch, looks really cool and is a great practice piece.

And here she is with her size 8 and 15 glass bead eye

The Purple feather stitch ladder got size 11 beads and more of the size 8 and 15 combo and the stitching is done.

What do you think?

Not bad for the first block, now all that is left to do is mount it on cardboard and cover the back so it can be sewn together! If you want me to show and tell that part let me know and I will post that part in a  later blog.

Watercolor swatch diary

After seeing a youtube where a watercolor painter got a paint diary as a gift for christmas 

I though to myself "Self, you should do that!"

yellow

And since I'm cheep and I have a lot of little booklets of random watercolor paper, 

from the box of art supplies a month in a box company "Sketchbox". 

Orange

I got my ruler out and outlined the pages of one myself.

Old color swatches

This is how I swatched my colors before

Its an acceptable way to do it but 

I have gotten more paints since then 

and ran out of room

Brown

This exercise not only gives me one place to see all my colors, 

Blue/green

It gives me an example of how those colors interact with water.

And that is important because with watercolors you are not only playing with pigment

Blue

you are playing with water and how it reacts with the pigments

Reds

Honestly it's the water part I work on controlling the most

Purples

Do they feather, do they fade or cauliflower, do they granulate, do they separate? 

This aspect of WC painting is endlessly fascinating to me

Watching it mix or bloom into other colors or not

some colors don't bloom into colors they suck up colors

Pinks

All watercolor paints do at least one of these things, some do several of these things at once

You don't find this out just using the cheep cake paints, of our youth

you really do need at least 1/2 pans of something professional or at least student grade. 

I recommend  Daniel smith, Windsor Newton or Schmeink.          

They have very nice sets in travel boxes that aren't too expensive to just play with

Iridescent colors

I have wandered sidways into trying out some of the more expensive tubes of professional grade paints 

in Daniel smith which is my favorite less expensive Watercolor so far.

The L'Aquirelle and MiremirBlu are also very nice but they are $10-20 a 5oz or 15oz 

tube so be cautioned,

this hobby gets expensive fast!

Diamonds are forever tumbling

This is my block for the  partaking of Sharon Boggins, Crazy Quilting stitch along along, 

Her pintangle blog is wonderful and if you haven't been to it I suggest you go visit!

She has stitch tutorials and lots of eye-candy, and the templates she sells from her web site are fabulous!

I have a couple of sets and use them whenever I have a big project like this one.

go have a look

But not till you finish here.

I'm altruistic  but only to a point!

Anyhow, this is an opportunity to learn from an expert in the field

And its free, So you know I'm all over it!

now, go!

Shoo!

What are you still here for?                 Go look at Sharon's blog!

Goldwork heart pin

I got two kits of goldwork from MartinBordador on etsy.  It came from Santiago Chile, it took for freaking ever to get through customs, so factor that into your plans. The kit ingredients are on the cheep side but comes with everything you need to finish 3 velvet and goldwork heart pins.                    Also purchased with this was a kit for bee pins which came with enough to finish 4 of those.

 I'll do a whole blog on those if you all want a blow by blow let me know.

The instructions for the projects are on vimeo and they are step-by-step in spanish, I haven't found one in english yet but If you pause it between every step, like I did, and sew along it's easy to follow with the sound off.

All in all it's a great kit to dip your toe into the techniques you will need to do real goldwork, with the real (VERY expensive) stuff. I could go at it without the fear of fucking it up and ruining what amounts to real $$$ in gold, velvet and silk.

I would also argue if done well the cheep stuff doesn't look half bad!

All in all I would recommend this kit as a good primer It was $33.00 + shipping 

Beaded lovers eyes

In the 16th century there was a fad going around the ton in both France and England to send your lover a painted pin, or pendant, with just the eye painted on it.

The first time I saw these the Art Institute of Chicago had a special exhibition focused on them and the painted miniatures when I was 10 or so and they fascinated me! 

The Institute has a huge collection of both that I believe part of is on permanent display.

I have also always loved the rainbow portrait of Elizabeth the Ist in her yellow robe with all the eyes and ears on it.

My first attempts in beads are ok but this 3rd try is much, much better!

Third times the charm right?

 

Another Sane Quilt Finish!

I finally got this flimsy on the long arm, 

Here is the border I quilted it with swirls and different types of leaves in a random pattern

The border is done all in swirls

And the Suns are quilted in a straight border inside and outside the rays and a swirl in the enter of each

now all it needs is the purple binding And this New York Beauty is done!

It's Meeeeee!

It's meee!

This lovely little watercolor portrait was sent to me by Observer of Human Nature from over on instagram, go give her a lookie-loo, her water color paintings are amazing and detailed and I am so grateful!                                                                                                   This came before Christmas and at the time I was not able to give it the full attention it deserved,                                                                                                      so I put it aside                                                                                                                                               Aaand promptly forgot about it in the press of seasonal things and doings                                          (I feel so ashamed!)                                                                                                                                           But as soon as things calmed down a bit I found it in my sketchbook and OMG! It's a little masterwork!     

It's so pretty! And ORANGE!!!!! Squee!                 I added a peach and cream ribbon rose,                                                                                                      I may add more!                                                                                           

A covered Tape measure

Or how to make a cheep plastic tape measure look awesome!

 I started with a robins egg blue Shirred silk

and embroidered about 2 dozen french knotted circles 

Whew!

 It was part of my travelling project, whilst my DDH drove us all around the Midwest and Canada this summer,

 I needed something to keep my hands busy till It was my turn to drive.

WHAT? You only see 7 here!

Yep, those are the best looking ones  

the rest will show up on something else at some point

I cut a circle +2" all the way around and tacked them down to a piece of muslin for a little more stability and strength in the latter stages

When I was done I sewed around the outside edge with a very loose straight stitch and pulled the ends, smoothing it out, until I got two circles about the right size and Iron it around the edges.

I used a piece of ribbon about the right width tho go around the whole thing and sewed that to both sides, don't forget to turn your Edges and leave openings for the tape and the chain (unless your's doesn't have one) I finished it off by covering the tacky plastic pull for the tape

And Bob's your Uncle!

Crazy Quilting Journal Project 2023 Block #1

So here we are on another CQJP adventure!  Yay!

This part is going to start with the 5 panels for a 1920's style Lapmpsahde box.

And, hopefully, finish with a few blocks for a tumbling blocks quilt 

Sharon Boggins has started her own challenge to follow along with and shes making patterns available each month. so there may be some of that too.

Here is my block so far in the planning stage.

The bird motif in the middle is one of my own, I think,

 It's in one of my sketchbooks

I try to draw out an idea first but sometimes the idea comes after I sew a block and have a better idea of where the seams will go 

That is subject to change at anytime as well

 

as what i draw doesn't always fit on what I have sewn, c'est la vie.

I have learned it's best to be flexible

The bird so far

and one seam mostly done

The block so far