Carry Along Projects 09-06-14

Most of my life I have been one of those women who carry along handwork to do while waiting; at the doctor's office, in an airport, on the plane, in a meeting, just about anywhere.  I've had many interesting conversations with people who want to know what I am doing, or tell me about their quilting/embroidering/knitting/etc. experiences.  And, eventually, I usually finish the project and look for a replacement.  When my husband was ill, 25 years ago, I started a couple projects that wouldn't have an ultimate end, but just go on and on until I was sick of whichever it was and switch to the other unending one.  This one is 3-1/2" Snail's Trail blocks (it has a number of names, among them Monkey Wrench, and Whirlwind).  The purpose of the blocks is to make small bags for jewelry or other things that need to be enclosed. 

I glued scraps of flannel to squares of cardboard so I could lay out the fabrics in the correct order (not possible to haul bags of triangles around) on the flannel and laid the muslin on top.  With a stack of these "design boards" I could hand sew for hours.   In the bottom right corner of the image below is a stack of completed blocks.

The muslin for these blocks is stamped with permanent ink.  The stamp belonged to my friend Betty Lou Lucas who moved to Grant's Pass and took her stamp with her!   When I was visiting her one time I was stamping more muslin and she said I should take it with me and mail it back when I had enough stamped.  Unfortunately, she died before I mailed it back.  So, now I stamp in her memory.  I did send her one of the little bags, so she was able to see what the "product" was.  You may notice the curved red lines on the muslin - when I was tired I would sew the values going the wrong way, so I marked the muslin with a red permanent marker to remind myself that the twist is clockwise.   

Although all the blocks are scrappy, some have a color scheme.  Here is a jewelry bag made in 1996 with red/white/blue blocks.   It has a double loop grosgrain ribbon tie that gathers and closes the top.

The scraps needed for each block are very small, so it is possible to have an enormous variety of combinations.  This bag requires six pieced blocks and two equal strips of fabric, plus a lining and the grosgrain ribbon for the tie.

One of these days I will dig out the basket blocks and post about them.  The arthritis in my hands somewhat impairs my hand sewing ability, but I can still do it most of the time. 

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Another handmade sewing treasure 10-30-12

This little needle folder is 3" wide by 6" long when open.  Folded it is 3" x 2.5".  It was a special gift on my 59 birthday and was handmade by Nancy Ota.  She does such marvelous handwork - tiny stitches when they can even be seen. 

 

 
There are four "pages" to hold needles and pins.

 
And she hand printed a dedication on the last page. 

This is a treasured part of my sewing life and it lives in my sewing box with the other treasures I have shown.

More Needlework Treasures 10-25-12

After I posted about handmade gifts I took pictures of a number of others that I treasure.  I'll post them over the next month.  Warning:  This post contains nudity!!

Here are two gifts I received about twenty-five years apart. 

On the left is a scissors bob made with alphabet beads by Mabel Huseby from Washington Sate who I met at Empty Spools   She made me several of these that adorn a hemostat and.  various scissors, including my favorite Gingher Craft Scissors.

  

In the middle is a scissors doll made in 1986 by my late friend Margie Vandenberg as part of a Christmas gift project that was once done by Orange County Quilters Guild.  Even with over 400 members we handmade a gifts for each and every one.  This lasted several years until, I suppose the members that always volunteer got tired of volunteering.  Margie, who made the majority of these little dolls with their eleven black French knot eyes and hair, was a pro at making multiples of anything.  She was a volunteer at a local hospital and over the decades that she served she sewed tens of thousands of handkerchiefs with lace edging that were given to each newborn in the form of a little bonnet with a poem and instructions to clip certain stitches to make it back into a hanky for the baby's wedding day (girl or boy).  It was a lovely tradition that apparently ended with her death.  Many people, including me, have loving and thankful memories of Margie.    

 
I know this one was made by Margie because she gave it to me herself before the meeting.  You see the date 1986 and OCQG.  Above the date is "Xmas", but I didn't want to get the poor girl completely naked.

Another treasure from a quilting friend 10-08-12

I'm still thinking of the treasures friends have given me.  Over the years there have been several sewing accessories that became integral parts of my lifetime sewing addiction.

This is an "ort catcher" - an "ort" being a scrap or tidbit and is usually used in connection with food scraps.  But embroiderers co opted the word to mean the thread ends and tiny bits of  fabric leftover when sewing.
 
 
This little basket block ort catcher was made about 25 years ago by my dear friend Betty Lou Lucas who died ten years ago this month.   She was an accomplished needlewoman and we belonged to several of the same groups, including a long lasting friendship group. 

 

This piece has been well used and I still use it when I am able to do handwork - it brings my friend into my mind with joy.  

A wonderful gift from Nancy Ota 02-05-12

Nancy Ota and I have known each other for many years (maybe even 30) - she is a treasured friend.  She and her husband Mike came to the opening at VAM on Friday night and in the Japanese tradition she brought a gift.

What better gift than something handmade and made with the exactitude and style that Nancy puts into everything she makes.  This little indigo quilt is 10"W X 5"L.  Machine piecing, hand applique, hand embroidery, hand sashiko, straight pins made with silver thread and tiny seed beads.

 

 The pin cushion is silk and slightly stuffed. 

 

On the back is this lovely dedication which Nancy did with free motion on her machine.  And she added Fast Finish Corners to make it easier to hang. 

With friends like Nancy and Bonnie and Verna and Carol and Maggie and Diane and Mabel and Ruth and Rayna and Terry and ....... so many, many quilters around the world, I am blessed.  Thank you, Nancy.  And Thank You to all who left me loving comments on my Saturday post. 

I do enjoy hearing from you - anytime.  

Update - Hearts for Anna 08-24-09

The online Artful Home fundraiser to benefit fabric artist Anna Millea raised more than $14,000 to help defray the cost Anna's medical expenses. Update is available at:

http://subversivestitch.blogspot.com/2009/08/update-from-hearts-for-anna.html

Because of my interest in this fundraiser I have spent some time looking at the wonderful artwork for sale at https://www.artfulhome.com/ I could spend a fortune on gifts for almost everyone I know. Do check it out - buy one-of-a-kind handmade art for your friends!