First a sorta quilt reveal. A sneaky peek of the Row project I'm working on for the local quilt shop, Calico Gals.
Row by Row Experience, the annual summer time shop-to-shop pattern collection contest begins June 21st! Shops across the country, in Canada, and in Europe are getting ready for your visit! This year the theme is Sew Musical. . .and the rows can be different shapes.
I'm writing the pattern for only one row this year (My FLOCK is calling me for attention!) And that pattern is for the Home of Row by Row Experience right here in Syracuse, New York. We know it's musical, but will it be the classic 9x36 row shape or one of the new shapes? The subject matter? I'll give you a little hint, it's inspired by a very special person well-known to this area. I'll leave the rest of the reveal to the gals at Calico Gals.
Moving on, over the long weekend, Dave and I jumped into the car headed for Rochester. We get the food for our birds at a shop in Webster (near Rochester), and while there, Dave and I both have some extra stops we like to make.
On one of the cruises earlier this year, my friend Lynn introduced me to some of her beaded creations. I was totally swept in, and had to learn more.
I'm not very good at this beading thing, because I'm really just starting with this fun craft. (I don't even know how to finish the bracelet pictured above.) Yes, I know I can look up some tutorials on YouTube, but after spending lots of time on the computer each day, I'd much rather seek out some face to face instruction.
While in Rochester, I visited my favorite bead store, Let's Bead, and added to my delicas bead selection. Do you see any resemblance to quilting? As in, color, more color, and even more color - gotta have me some beads!
And then I have this bright thread collection. Some of it perle cotton, some of it 6-strand embroidery floss in really wild neon colors. They deserve something fun. . .
. . A while back I found this book, Teach Yourself to Make Biscornu - I don't even remember where I found it - probably on one of my decorative box runs to Michaels. Biscornu are small, pin-cushon puffs with lots of corners. They are typically made with aida cloth or linen and thread - not necessarily counted cross stitch, but similar - the perfect small project for some bright and fun color combos.
In that same shopping area with the bead store in East Rochester, Golden Thread Needlearts offers lots of different linens for cross stitch. I treated myself to some fun colors.
I'm addicted to these biscornu puffs! I spent a good portion of my relax time on Sunday making the biscornu shown below, left. And I can't wait to get back to that one on the right with the neon orange thread. Wildly detailed little critters!
So, you see, I'm easily distracted but not all that unpredictably. Needle, thread, color, are all present in these "sorta sewing" projects that have distracted me from all quilting all the time.
And it's quite fun. Do you find yourself distracted by sorts sewing stuff, too? Oooh, do share!
Happy Stitching!
Joan
No comments:
Post a Comment