step by step...

I'm often asked how these pieces of mine come about.  So, here we go, this is the beginning of a new sock....my sock!  Pictured here are the beginnings, a line drawing on a painted surface of green.

A bit hard to see here but all will become clear and much more colorful in future blogs.  Below is a portion of my new best friends sock....it's a little of this...a little of that...if you'd like to learn more??  There are plans being made for moi to teach this sock to you in September at The Needle Works here in Austin.  Of course, yours can have your best friends name or your own.  There is a lot of room for personalization in this design.  

freedom....

I decided to go 'off road' last week...and I had a blast.  But..of course, my off road compared to someone else's is a little different.  I stitched...off canvas!  I found this little book of 100 embroidery stitches in my stash.  I remember buying it at the five & dime in maybe middle school.  It was a big deal to embroidery ones jeans back then.  

There are a lot of young women popping into the shop to buy crewel wool to embroidery of late.  Each visit brings back a flood of sweet memories.  So...I pulled out some of my line drawings and found a sweet one that would work on an old cotton cardigan of mine.  And like magic, I have a whole new sweater and have opened Pandora's box of threads, embroidery hoops [I had to go buy one!] and a million ideas.  

Thankfully, these excursions are quickly executed as I have several projects in the works that require deadlines!  More on those to come in future blogs.  So....stay tuned!

Monday.....

Monday.....which is what I titled this piece originally.  On a recent road trip I needed a 'car piece', I love basket weave...so I took inspiration from my own work and Voila!  Some how though...I managed to flip the design, still makes me happy and the colors are really fun.  The finished piece fits perfectly into my Lee weekender bag. 

Step one....

pick up that happy combination of threads and DO something with it Kimberly!  The shop where I work received 'new' colors from Wiltex Threads, Inc in the Vineyard Classic and Merino lines.  They spoke loudly enough that I fell victim to taking them home to play with.  Below is what happened over the next two evenings.  I call it Texture & Shine....a tale of two threads.  Soon to be taught as a Thursday night class at The Needle Works in Austin.  The color is called Calypso Orange, the classic is 100% silk with a beautiful sheen, the Merino....all wool...not so shiney but lovely to work with!  The play of light on the thread is perfect!