Here a stitch....there a stitch....

Next up...Hearts & Swirls Biscornu!  Playing with memory wire tonight and randomness.  Which tends to freak out most stitchers.  Sorry...but it can be very freeing.  

Being your own inspiration...I painted this wooden tassel several years ago.

I've been busy...

Biscornu Three ... Knot Garden ...


simply bursting with knots! 

Adding the last few beads...around 1a.m.
Just couldn't stop until it was finished!

The center is left 'un-stitched' as that's where the center button
is attached during the finishing.

Fini !

The Mardi Gras Biscornu all dressed up and ready to go!  In my last update I'd mentioned ordering the fabric...I was concerned as to how the colors would print.  Seems I had nothing to worry over as it is pretty perfect.

I'm busily working on the next addition to this series, the 'Knot Garden'.  I'll post some snaps of it soon.

Swans...

Actually, just one & he's either taking off or landing, reminds me of myself!

I'm thinking this one will have to become a painted canvas soon.  This was a card commission for a

stitching friend who belongs to an infamous group of women who gather once a week to stitch.

They call themselves the 'Swans' which I now know stands for 'Society of Women addicted to

Needlepoint!  Thank you to Stephanie for leaving a comment, so I could re-post this correctly.

Independence!

Happy Fourth of July!

Friend, Barbara Garrana is presently making a computer bag for me with my Peace Sign featured on the front of it.  Can't wait to see it all finished.  

Barb...if you're reading this...NO pressure!

Exploring...

I had a great time out in the Texas heat yesterday morning shopping local fabric stores.  I was on the hunt for lining fabric for my new purse!  I finished the stitching a few weeks ago but haven't had the time to shop.

So when I found myself with some extra time yesterday a.m. I took off!  First I went to The Common Thread and found a peaceful oasis of color .  I left with a yard of beautiful rayon with a tone on tone design that matches the jade green in my purse exactly.  And of course, a Dragonfly button I couldn't continue the day without.

Second I zipped down and around the corner to The Stitch Lab Here I found a riot of color squeezed into the cutest bungalow.  They teach many classes but one in particular draws many of their young stitchers to The Needle Works for fine wool to do crewel embroidery.  

Of course, I left here with a wild print that upon checking out I found to be a Kaffe Fasset print, the man does everything!  I first met him at a lecture in Rochester, NY....too many years ago...neither of us were sporting silver hair back then.  I was a knitter back then...and did not want to knit with that many colors but knew immediately that I would definitely stitch with that many.  His excitement about color was indeed contagious to this mind.  

Now to make a decision....I want to use both!

These little yellow flowers also had to come home
with me from the  Stitch Lab.

My Desert Flower is full of blooms!
Beautiful way to start the day!

a full weekend...

My weekends start after work on Saturdays...this weekend by the time Sunday evening rolled around I'd accomplished so much I thought it was over!  Only for an instant mind you!  Realizing how full the day had been and that I still had all of Monday was very nice.  So naturally, I stitched and worked on the fabric design for the newly finished Mardi Gras Biscornu.

This is how I work at home...stitch and graph.

Johnny Bravo checking it all out from a distance...

The fabric for backing has been designed & ordered
Crossing my fingers that the color and size all work.
The Butterfly Biscornu took three tries.

Just a glimpse of the Knot Garden....love those corners & borders.

Borders & Corners....

I love stitching borders and corners....it's like magic!

Biscornu Two...

Mardi Gras....definitely not boring!  Just a glimpse of what I'm coming up with in the way of stitches.  

Ta Da!!

April 16th I posted a teaser...."wait until you see what I turn this into".  So, here you have it, a Biscornu...a tuffit...an ornament or what you will.  The name is derived from a French adjective, meaning skewed, quirky or irregular.  Right up my alley!  I've always wanted to design and make a Biscornu.  And Voila! I have, actually, I've designed seven as an exclusive for The Needle Works in Austin.  They'll be run as a club starting in January 2013!  Each hand painted design will come with a complete stitch guide by moi as well as thread kit & fabric for finishing.  Fabric also designed by me to match the stitched design.  Watch for future updates as I stitch my way through each design.

Contact The Needle Works at THENEEDLEWORKS.com for more information about signing up for this exclusive club.

Todays lesson....

Kumihimo
braided cord

When I'm not 'working' I relax with a piece of stitching that is entirely Basketweave.  I love it, no thinking, just stitching.  The above piece is a Kelly Clark design I picked up recently...changing the colors up to suit my personality.  I'm anxious to have it finished into a purse and realized I would need a proper strap. 
So today my wonderful friend Corliss sat me down on her beautiful porch and taught me this technique.  Which I proceeded to screw up several times.  This is something you can't talk and do when first learning.  The above being my first try, it may be too thin ... so I may have to make two and twist them. 

Wait until you see....

...what I turn this into!

Can't let you see all of it yet!


 

Adventures in Travel...

This past weekend I went to visit my daughter and son-in-law in Colorado.  It was an amazing trip.  I hit the ground running!  We went right from the airport to the Denver Museum of Art...and if I could upload the shots from my phone....well...I can't...yet.  Take my word for it, very cool.  The following day an amazing tea room, and the next day Pearl Street in Boulder where I explored several galleries.  Oh, and a tour of Celestial Seasonings Tea factory....so I like tea.  You can see some shots on my daughters wonderful blog... A Broad Abroad , great sense of humor she has.    

Upon arrival back in Austin, I came home to a pup plagued with oak pollen allergies.  So this a.m. we were at the vets.  Poor guy but look how good he is sitting there waiting for the doc.  

Updates next week on my latest adventure in embroidery...it's almost finished!  

still enamored ...

with this free form, out of the box embroidery....this weeks progress