August 24, 2010

We've been out at the flea markets over the weekend. I managed to find some useful items. I have accumulated a nice pile of silk 100/3 threads, and they were extremely cheap, like a few dollars for all I have so far.

I definitely plan on finding a project to use them with.

I also added to my button collection. I found some buttons that weren't plastic, so those came home with me.

The buttons are easy to find, but it takes some looking to find the glass and ceramic buttons. I also bought some fake flowers and disassembled them.

Why did I do this? Because I am planning on making some of the Sally Mavor dolls soon. I just need to buy some wool for the hair, then I will make at least a couple of them. Anyways, I call all of these "my little treasures". They are so fun to find and bring home.

This week I have begun a new embroidery project for. I got a little start so far. This will be the "United Flowers of America design".

I'm doing the flowers in a rainbow progression of colors. I'll get an update soon.

Yay, finally finished something! I am thinking of making it into something else besides a biscornu though. Maybe a flat ornament. I have not actually done one of those. That way I can hang it somewhere.

A couple pictures to enjoy and be inspired by:

Although not quickly enough. I didn't think I made quite enough progress to justify a new pictures, but soon. In the meantime, I took some pictures of a small but growing wooden spool collection. I buy these at flea markets cheap. I think they are fun.

These sure make great subjects for photos! Often they come packaged with plastic thread rolls too, so I have to buy them too to get the wooden spools. We put all the plastic ones together in a bag.

Needless to say, I won't need to buy any sewing thread for a long time to come!

New progress picture! I have finished all the stem stitching at least and started on the next parts. This project I bought has a color code and is called Blekinge stitching after the area in SE Sweden. The satin stitching used in this type of stitching is really one sided satin stitching, so most of the thread lies on top of the fabric to conserve thread. I'm going to write more about this when I finally get around to getting some new articles written - which should hopefully be soon. Anyways, as I said, there is a color code with this project. I've already wandered off it despite my best efforts. Actually the written instructions missed noting that the little curls at the end should be pink too, and I had already stitched them, so blue they will be. This is going to be a slow project. There is no huge hurry and there is lots of other projects begging for attention too.

We visisted these sheep grazing recently. They were funny to watch. Sometimes they would get curious and come up to us, but as soon as you reach your hand out they would quickly back away.

These sheep are lucky enough to live at a place that looks like this...