Another New Class! The Magpie's Nest

 I have so many things started, including journal courses, and I haven't finished my paper clay class yet either, but I couldn't resist adding another to my list, The Magpie's Nest with Aimee Bishop. jeanneoliver.com has been running a 40% off her courses for a few days (sale ends Oct 16, and I had been seeing such wonderful journals from the people already taking this mixed media course, that I took the plunge as a birthday gift to myself. 

I've watched, and downloaded, all of the videos, which are wonderful, plus I've been on a field trip and gathered up nature "treasures" to add to my stash! I don't know when I'll actually start work on it, because I'd like to at least finish painting the clay characters I have almost done first, but I'll be gathering together what I need to jump in. So excited!

Stitched Journal Face Experiment

My creative urge came back for a visit over the weekend! This time with a needle instead of a pencil! It's all good! Just as long as I'm making something! 😊

On Jeanne Oliver's Facebook group page A Creative Community, she has started a series of videos (so far, there are two up) on stitching faces, using her face stencils, but many of the members are doing their own sketches and stitching them. I haven't watched the videos yet, but I got all inspired by some of the posts and thought I'd give it a try on a face in one of my cloth journal works in progress. The face is one of my original sketches of a girl with a dog, which I printed off small onto white cotton fabric, cut out, and stitched onto the journal page. The ink had kind of blurred on the cloth photo, but I thought it gave it a mysterious quirkiness.

In the video, I think Jeanne teaches basic embroidery stitches and transfer techniques, but I already know those, and I didn't want to take time to do a larger line drawing of a face on another piece of fabric, so I got the bright idea to stitch the face that was already stitched down to a page, using black perle cotton thread. I'm sure it would have been much easier had the photo not been stitched down, but I got it done!

Not real happy with it, and her eyes are not black holes, but I'm going to leave it. I have a different printed facial photo on each page of the journal, but not sure I'll stitch anymore of them. This one also counts as a stitch meditation, which I needed and enjoyed very much.

I am going to try another one using a larger loose piece of fabric and an original line face sketch. It'll be much easier to handle! But first, I'm going to watch Jeanne's videos...😏

Update: I watched both of Jeanne's videos, then added a bit more stitching on this face.

Not sure I helped it any though, or that I won't be doing something else to it, and I'm not recommending stitching on a face that's already stitched to a page, but I learned on this one, so it's all good! I will be doing another face on a better base with a better sketch though! 

With every practice piece, I learn something new!

Additions to Paisley Fabric Book 2 Covers

 I've made a few more additions to the covers of my paisley fabric journal, also a few weeks ago. I added a handmade fabric rose to each of the pages (also inside pages), a crocheted cross found among my mama's things, and a frilly fabric strip to the spine.

The wheels in my head are constantly turning with ideas as to where to go next. Anxious to get started on it again!

Stitch Meditation 37 and Covering Edges

 This piece may seem somewhat discombobulated. That's because I stitched on it in different sessions over several days, while several things were going on in our lives, including the death of our brother-in-law. So much information is being thrown at all of us from so many directions about all of the things going on in the world that I think it's affecting all of us in one way or another. Some days it's very hard to be positive, but I worked on this piece in spurts, trying to meditate white stitching, until it said, "enough!"

It is about 5" x 5" square, and is made of scraps from new and vintage fabrics, perle cotton and embroidery thread, and embellishments. I used a fabric stamp on a tea stained vintage scrap from and old bed skirt, lace from an old bra cup, buttons cut off some old clothing, and tiny beads. I also had a small scrap of silver wire, left over from a wire wrapping session, that just fit for a forehead dangling embellishment. He also has a little tassel tail. 

The piece may be discombobulated, but I like it. I look at it and see where I was mentally and emotionally while making the stitches.

 I also stitched some eyelet trim onto the ends of the pages in the fabric book (shown in a previous post) to cover the raw edges where I cut the placemat in two. I may add something else to the trim at some point, but, for now, it covers the bottoms of and also adds to the collaged pages. 

This will probably be the last post showing this book for a while, while I add more to the pages, as they tell me what they need. I will share again when it's finished.

Hope you are all staying safe and creative. It certainly is a challenge these days! Take care!

Fabric Book #4-Part 2-Eight Stitch Meditations = Pins Out!

So, I shared this fabric book, made from a placemat, in a previous post, with all the pieces pinned to the pages. Last week I used one color of perle cotton thread, kind of a blue-gray, to stitched all the pieces into place. Each of the eight pages became a meditation while stitching, as I just used a simple running stitch and didn't worry if they were wonky, or not. The faces are some of my practice sketches that I printed off on fabric to add to the book.

 Now, I'm looking forward to adding more stitching, scraps, and embellishments to each page! Stay tuned! :)

I am so grateful to Jeanne Oliver, Liz Kettle, and Connie Hosvicka Solera, and many others, all awesome teachers, who taught me to create fearlessly and that it's ok if it's wonky! Some of us like imperfect and wonky! :D

Just try creating without worrying about making it perfect and being afraid of making a mess. What does it matter if it doesn't turn out the way you intended? There's still a beauty in it, and it taught you something important. It's a whole new kind of freedom in doing what you love! Go for it! :)

Threads, Faces, and Fabric Book

I've been looking at, and wanting to try, perle cotton thread on my stitching projects for a while now. I finally broke down and ordered a set of #8 sized neutral colors from Amazon. Apparently the name brand changed from Valdani to Eleganza while the order was in process. Kind of expensive, and I was expecting larger balls of thread, but it's enough for a trial run. I'm pretty sure that if/when I order more colors, I'll order a cheaper brand, since I don't sell what I make. It's strictly for my own pleasure and stress relief. I did try a bit of it on a stitch meditation piece and LOVE it though!
-petite portraits printed off on beige candlewicking cotton fabric fused to freezer paper. Printed off good on inkjet, but sprayed fixative on b4 ink good and dry, causing melting effect, spectral--for use in  latest fabric book start (prev post)

I printed off some of my face sketches from petite portrait (see previous post) onto beige candlewicking cotton fabric inherited from my mom, after ironing the blank fabric to the shiny side of freezer paper for stability going through the printer, with inkjet ink. They printed off very well, but I didn't wait for the ink to dry good before spraying them with a fixative, which caused the ink to bleed, badly on a couple of them. I kind of like them though. It gave them a spectral/mysterious  quality. So it's all good! They're still usable, and I have pinned them to the cover and pages of the fabric book I just started (see previous post) to be stitched and embellished. I like them hiding among the fabric scraps!

Since pinning these sketches to the pages, I have re-printed the originals onto fabric, and am letting them get good and dry before spraying them this time, just in case I want to use a clearer image on some of them, or for use on a different project!

While I was at it, I also printed off onto white cotton fabric some black and white family photos for use in the white fabric album I started first a couple of years ago. Who knows, I might get the urge to finish it anytime now!

Anyway, all these projects keep my mind and hands busy and off of all the negative stuff going on in the world. It's a good thing.

Placemat Fabric Book #2

Reversible place mat fabric book beginnings, pinned and ready to start hand stitching, that I sewed together on the machine a while back. These placemats were gifted to me, and I loved them, but we don't use placemats, so I've opted to make books out of two of them. This is the second one, and the pinned fabric pieces, which I pinned on a couple of days ago, may, or may not, stay as they are once I start stitching. There will be more layers of fabric, maybe some beading and old jewelry, etc, and maybe some lace, buttons, and ribbons. Plus, I'm thinking I might print some of my sketches or photos off on fabric to add to each page. Kind of a way to combine my art and stitches. We'll see!

Front Cover

Double Pages 1

Double Pages 2

Double Pages 3

Back Cover

Cover opened up

The bottom will be closed up too, in some way. These fabric pieces are scraps from fat quarter bundles, except for the piece with text on it, which I bought a large piece of. The next layers will be from vintage fabric scraps. I'm going to have to go scrap diving in my big box again! No telling what will wind up on these covers and pages, but I like how they've started out!

I've never tried Perle cotton thread before, and although I have lots of DMC embroidery floss, crochet cottons and yarn, different sizes of weaving threads, sewing threads, and felting wools, I ordered a sampler box of twelve neutral colors to start this book with. I'm sure I will use a variety of threads before it's done, but I'm anxious to see how the perle cotton feels. If it feels right, I might just order some of the brighter colors!

Just waiting on the thread...

23rd Stitch Meditation-Another Ellie!

This is another little ellie that I used a wooden fabric stamp on cotton a few months ago for practice. I used a couple of the prints in previous pieces, and I decided to use this one on the last page of the book, and it's already tacked to the page here, with french knots. 

I used variegated cotton thread that I got for Christmas, which was actually intended to make friendship bracelets, to stitch the elle print onto a rust dyed scrap and a scrap from one of my old  linen jackets. I like it! 😊

Fabric Book Cover Altered-Crocheted Lady

So something kept bugging me about the cover of the fabric book holding my stitch meditations, and I finally figured out what it was. The little crocheted lady's arms were lost in all those little pink and gold curlique french knots around them, so I clipped and pulled most of them out, leaving only a few for interest. I like it much better!

Before

After

See the previous post for the individual stitch meditation for more info about it. 

Fabric Book of 2019 Stitch Meditations-Part 3 and Done!

Ok, so I'm calling this book done, at least for now! This is the 3rd, and last, post about this book or this set of stitch meditations. See the other two previous posts for the beginnings.

All of the sewing is done by hand with no perfect expectations, hoops, or rulers, which accounts for the wonkiness and sheer pleasure! The book is about 71/2" x 8", has 23 meditations total, uses recycled fabrics, has 14 double pages, including both covers, and the stitching is intuitive. I just followed the needle around the scraps!

The left page margins have been marked and three slits cut for binding, and several torn fabric strips, lace, ribbons, etc., gathered for ties.

I bound it first with a few strips of laces, etc., attaching them to a safety pin and pulling them through the cut slits and tying them in double knots. Wasn't happy with it, as it seemed to overpower the book, but let it sit for a while.

I tried in vain to print my information on a piece of linen torn from an old blouse. My printer wasn't having it and made a mess, so I wrote the info on another piece of linen and temporarily attached it to the inside front cover. 

I'm not going to show all the pages, because I've already shared the meditations several times in previous posts, but here are a couple of shots of the book open to pages.

I took another piece of linen with failed print on it and attached it to the inside back cover, making a pocket and adding a little interest.

The back of the book with the first binding, which I still didn't like.

I tried adding a brighter colored ribbon, but it still didn't sit well with me.

So I pulled the strips out and rebound it with torn fabric strips tied in bows. Now it fits! I like it much better, and this is how it will stay, simply shabby.

The back cover is still really plain, and I may change that sometime down the road, but, for now, it is what it is. Sometimes less is more.

I have pushed on trying to finish this book this week to the point that it was getting tedious and on my nerves, which takes the fun out of it, so I'm stopping where I'm happy with it and moving on. I have a book full of my meditations to reflect back on when I choose and that's enough. I'm proud of myself for not letting myself get distracted onto something else until it was finished and proud of what I've accomplished, but my paint brushes and stitching are calling to me. Color me happy! 😊

Fabric Book of 2019 Stitch Meditations-Part 2

So, I've stitched the last eleven meditations to the pages with french knots in the corners and handstitched the pages, plus two cover pages, together, for a total of thirteen double pages! This is where the book is now!

Stacked and held together with clips while I decide how I want to bind it and what I want to put on the cover.

Who knew that the needlebook I made from a potholder would be so  handy. It also made the whole month long road trip with me in September! The craft tray I got for Christmas is also quickly becoming indispensable!

The front cover inside and the first page. The pages are not all the exact same size, but I'm loving the wonkiness, visible knots, raw edges, and frazzles!

Some inside pages! These are stitched meditations from 2019, and each one has it's own post in the older posts. Just click on stitch meditations on the sidebar, and you should get the posts telling what I used (recycled) to make each piece, size, etc.

Today, I'm working on the front cover, and I'm liking what I've done, so far! It's slowly coming to an end. I will post pix of the finished book as soon as I think it might be done!

I'm really enjoying this process of the book, but I'm prone to getting sidetracked off onto other projects (I always have numerous projects going on simultaneously), and I'm trying really hard to stay with this one to completion! NOT an easy task for me!😀

First Stitching of 2020! Fabric Book of 2019 Stitch Meditations-Part 1

No creative projects at all in a few days, until late yesterday evening. I have been fighting a cold since before Christmas, we've had company, and life in general happened, plus I've had the "don't want to" concerning everything.

 I still haven't done a new stitch meditation, but I had cut white fabric squares to tack my 2019 meditation pieces to, for a book, several months ago. Hubby had something on TV that I wasn't interested in yesterday evening, so I pressed the squares, eleven of them, and,

 using french knots, I tacked ten of the twenty-one pieces I have made, one to each white square.

 The squares were then pinned in pairs, back to back, and I stitched one pair together, using off white crochet cotton thread and a running stitch.

This morning, I had just had time to make coffee, sit down with a cup, and check my messages, when our electricity went off for over two hours, so I picked up the book pages and stitched more of them together, in the semi-darkness. until it came back on.

I only had half enough white squares to complete the book, so I also tore enough more from the bed ruffle, that I bought at Goodwill, to complete the book while the electricity was off.

I also tried out the craft tray that our niece gave me for Christmas, and I'm loving it!

I finished sewing what pages I had ready together, despite having company this evening. The pages are not exactly the same size, or even square, because of the way they were torn. I stitched the double pages on all four sides, leaving the raw edges, knots, and loose threads visible, for a raw look. I like it!

Half of the fabric book is ready to be bound, unless I decide to do something else to the pages. Here I have the pages held together with bulldog clips and opened to the book's inside pages.

The book is wonky looking, but I'm loving it, so far!

I pressed the rest of the torn squares this evening, so they are ready for me to tack the rest of my meditation pieces on, sew the pages together, and bind the whole book together. Hopefully, I won't get sidetracked onto something else before I get it completed! I will share the final book when it's finished!

Looking forward to the final book, displaying last year's work, and starting new stitch meditations for 2020, as well as other creative endeavors!

May all of our creativity be abundant and joyful this year!

Quilted Potholder Needlebook w Felt Pages

Remember this Christmasy potholder from a previous post https://themoxierabbit.blogspot.com/2019/07/potholder-needlebook-trial-wip.html that I had roughly put together for a needle book? I found it among my mom's things. It was brand new and stiff, so I washed it to make it look older and softer.

I don't think I made a pic of the inside, but it is covered in little poinsettias in the same colors, which is mostly covered by the felt pages.

I liked the colors, but not the big poinsettia on the cover, so I hand stitched a piece of an old discarded lace tablecloth over the whole cover and sewed on a different button to hold it closed. I may add something else to the front later on, or maybe not!

The felt pages are made from felt I had left over years ago when I bought it to make doll shoes. I have a doll collection, and some of them needed shoes!

 I hand stitched the first and last felt pages to the inside cover to make the pockets sturdier, and made the thimble pocket a little bigger. There is a pink felt flap at the top that covers the scissors, thimble, and ripper, that isn't showing. Right now it has a safety pin in it. The pink page has some embroidery stitches showing from a sewn on bit of ribbon on the other side.

A bit of ribbon stitched on to perk up these two pages. The bit on the white page is also hiding some not too attractive stitches from the bit of felt stitched onto the other side.

The middle pages, also showing the hand stitches attaching the pages to the cover. The bits of green felt were stitched on for a bit of interest, but they also hold pins quite nicely.

Another bit of ribbon for interest, but also hiding some wonky stitches from the other side of the white page. The left over bits of thread that are not long enough to do much with, but might be useful if I just need a few stitches, stick on the felt for now in a little multicolored nest. The white page refused to lay down flat for the picture

The stitches on the pink page are from the ribbon stitched on the other side, but they can also hold large needles and other small things in place. The back pocket doesn't have a flap and makes a good place for needle packages or other stuff.

Again, not going for pretty or perfect! Because of the potholder being quilted, the book is a little larger and bulkier than I like, but I learned a lot on it, and, at some point, plan on making another one, but for now, this one serves my purposes by keeping what I need handy to do my stitch meditations!

PS-It's all hand stitched, because I couldn't get to my sewing machine, due to the chaos still going on with my cleaning and de-cluttering. It's a long and slooooooooow process!

Anyway, it's not too bad for a "quickie" place to keep up with my needles and stuff! Plus, it was fun to make!

Now, I need to finish my current stitch meditation and work some more on my white fabric memory book! So many projects to finish, and so many new ones to start!