Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Weekly Update - Bright Feathers, Coasters, & Monk's Cloth

I finished basting the monk's cloth over the holiday weekend.



I did the scraps too.


Now I have to wash it. I'll put it in the machine in a mesh bag with cold water on delicate cycle. After that, I can finally measure it and determine how much yarn I'll need. Before I can start stitching, however, I'll have to remove the basting along the long edges and press and hem them permanently.

I'm never buying monk's cloth again.  There's entirely too much preparation, and the stuff doesn't look very durable. My next big Swedish weaving project will be done on an afghan-sized piece of aida.

I did a bit on Bright Feathers.


I finished the George and Ringo coasters.


I got the top and bottom binding strips done on Paul.


And I basted John together and started the quilting.




Also, thanks to an article in the Jan./Feb. 2012 issue of Just CrossStitch about Lynda Keske of Keslyn's I now have a name for the type of needlework in my Web design. It seems that I've reinvented symmography, a.k.a string art, except that I'm stitching it on evenweave rather than wrapping thread around nails. Lynda Keske stitches her designs on fabric too, and she calls her technique sym-stitching. I think I'll just call mine symmography so as not to co-opt her term.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Weekly Update - Bright Feathers & Coasters

I made some progress on Bright Feathers.


There were some days when I didn't feel like getting the iron out, so I worked on the coasters a bit out of order.

Ringo's almost done. I just need to finish that last binding strip.


I got the last 2 binding strips for George cut out and pressed, but I still need to attach them.


I basted Paul together and started the quilting.

 

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Weekly Update - Cell Phone Cozy, Bright Feathers, & Coasters

I got a cell phone this past week, so naturally I had to crochet a cozy for it. It took me about an hour.




I made a little progress on Bright Feathers.


I finished the Glove coaster.



I got the quilting done on the Ringo coaster.


And I basted the George coaster together.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

New Design - Web


Web - computer simulation

I'm not sure what type of embroidery to call this. I've looked everywhere and can't find anything that looks like it. It's counted, so it's not crewelwork. It's too complex to be blackwork. It's too open to be needlepoint, plus I plan to stitch it on evenweave fabric, not canvas. If anyone's seen anything that resembles this, please let me know.

All the stitches are straight stitches. Any curves you think you may see are an optical illusion. It looks like it will be interesting to stitch.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Weekly Update, Finished Stitching - Tech Support, & New Project - Coasters

I'm really behind this week. I finished one project on Thursday and started another on Friday, but then came down with a nasty cold and didn't feel like doing much of anything. I got absolutely nothing done on Bright Feathers.

So, here's what I did get done.

On Thursday, 12-1-11, I finished stitching Tech Support, a design by Linda Connors of Calico Crossroads®, adapted from the artwork of Kathleen Kelly of Kats by Kelly™.


Then on Friday, 12-2-11, I started making some quilted coasters from this really cool fabric based on the Beatles' Yellow Submarine movie.

Here's what I had finished on Friday:

This first coaster features the Glove. I got the quilting done.

 


I also cut out and pressed strips for the top & bottom binding.


Today I had finished the top & bottom binding and started to attach one of the side binding strips.


I also cut out the tops, backing, and batting for the remaining coasters: one for each of the Fab Four.

 
I'm using the same backing and binding for all of the coasters.