Project Assortment - Donations

Oh my!!!  It is the end of August already.  Time to start thinking about my holiday projects, but not just yet.

Last week I received a call from a lady wanting to know if I could help with a donation of products for the adjoining county Camp Out for Cancer event being held on September 7th.  Well, I don't keep an inventory of finished items, so it was scramble time.  This is very worthy cause, so how could I refuse?  I hope they will be pleased with the selection.  Now to let her know that I have the items finished and ready for delivery. 

With this last minute dash, I had to set aside my crochet and hand embroidery.  That is OK.  I'm still working on the quality and trying to figure out just what it is I want to make. I suppose it will be later in the year that I will pick this up again.  I have two quilted blankets, still a work in progress, for donation in October that need to be finished, then a few more Thanksgiving and Christmas items to make for stock in the Gallery. 

Here is my donation package for the Camp Out for Cancer event.
 
I've noticed that more and more machine embroidery digitizers have available free standing lace designs for earrings and charms.  Several years ago, the free standing lace quality (in my opinion) was not very good.  From the designs I purchased, some would stay together and others would fall apart, especially the smaller designs.  It was just a waste of my time to continue stitching just to get a couple good pieces.  I am glad the digitizing techniques have improved.  I especially like the designs from Sonia Showalter Designs.  The angel, dragonfly, snowflake, and sea horse earrings are from Sonia's free standing lace jewelry collection.  The heart earrings are from Criswell Embroidery and Design.  I didn't think I would enjoy making jewelry, but these are simply gorgeous.  I'm thinking I should design some with added embellishments and also make sets by adding a necklace.  In one of my earlier blogs, I attached a heart pendant from Sonia Showalter Designs on a ribbon.  I still need to work on that one, as it looked a little bare.  There are a lot of eco-friendly (textile) jewelry creations on the market.  Some of the designs and textile elements are quite lovely when enhanced with beads and other embellishments.

Lace Earrings

Several years ago one of the major Machine Embroidery magazines (wish I could remember which one) included the Marie Osmond Angel design in an issue.  I managed to snag a copy of the magazine and requested the design.  I stitched this one out several times.  The only fault I can see is that the two little holes on the left wing tips are filled and the right ones are open.  I would have to fill in the holes, like darning, in order to attach a hot fix crystal.  Other than that imperfection, this is a beautiful design. 

Marie Osmond Angel Design.

Since this was a donation, I didn't want to purchase any new designs.  Goodness, I have more designs than I will ever use in my lifetime.  Collecting designs has become a habit.  Digitizing techniques are improving and designs are becoming more and more detailed, but I digress.   Rose Cottage Embroidery, designs available through Oregon Patchworks, are always excellent quality.  Don't you just love the different, vibrant colors in the roosters and hen?  Every cook needs a good mop towel for wiping up those spills or drying hands.  The BBQ designs are also from Rose Cottage Embroidery.

Rooster and Hen Mop Towels.  Designs from Rose Cottage Embroidery

BBQ Mop Towels.  Designs from Rose Cottage Embroidery

I am a big fan of the designs from Kreations by Kara.  Kara Sutton does the artwork for many of her design collections.  Absolutely gorgeous!!! Every small detail shows through in the embroidery.  I've posted other pictures of completed projects with her designs.  One of the quilted blankets I'm working on will also include some of her designs.  It is never too early to be thinking of the holidays, so I made some ornaments.  (Actually, I made these ornaments earlier this year, so I did have someing in stock.)  These ornaments are free standing lace and are embellished with Swarovsky crystals.  Since these ornaments are time intensive to stitch out and then attach the crystals, I will be donating three ornaments from the selection below.

Kreations by Kara Story Book Ornaments

Kreations by Kara Storybook Ornaments

Kreations by Kara Storybook Ornaments

Kreations by Kara Storybook Ornament collection.  A close-up to show the detail. 

I couldn't resist and had to include more angels from Sonia Showalter's Angel of Light series. As with Kreations by Kara, Sonia's designs are very detailed.  The final product is perfect.  Sonia takes beautiful pictures of her designs, so to enjoy the beauty, please go to her website and see for yourself.   The angels I chose for this event include the Awareness Angels, the Angel with Heart, and some Christmas Angels. These angels are also embellished with crystals.

Sonia Showalter Awareness Angels and Angel with Heart

Sonia Showalter Angel of the Magi, Angel of Bethlehem, and
Angel of the Shepherds.

Sonia Showalter Christmas Angel.

My donation would not be complete without some lavender sachet pillows.  These designs are from the Embroidery Delight Lavender Delight collection of designs available through the Oregon Patchworks Mall.  My sewing room smells so nice.  Have I mentioned that I like lavender?  I even found some flowers in my garden:  a pink rose, a couple dahlias, snapdragons and a few sprigs of lavender for the bouquet.

Embroidery Delight Lavender Delight design collection.

Well, this is just a sampling of my machine embroidered products.  I do hope they will be a delightful addition to this worthy fundraising event.  I am definitely donated out for this year.  Time to get some sales going.

Until next time....
Jan

Digitizer's Showcase - From the Needle of Anne

I finally made time to finish a few more sachets.  My sewing room smells so yummy......of lavender. 

Muslin gives a nice heirloom quality to these designs, but I am ready for a little more color.  Maybe I will add a nice lace ruffle on the some of the stitch outs that are remaining and try some other designs on a different fabric from my stash. 

These designs are in the Butterfly Floral collection from The Needle of Anne. 

Projects, Projects, and More Projects.....

Where has the time gone?  My last post was at the end of July and here it is, the middle of August already.  Since I finished the four blankets for my grandchildren earlier this year and made a few more items to stock in the Gallery at the end of June, I've been working on my Heaven and Earth and Mystic Stitch cross stitch designs, started a few hand embroidery projects, (still want to learn Brazilian Embroidery technique) ordered a few more embroidery books for my library, played around with some crochet for infants and toddlers, and added two models for my photo lab.  Oh yes.....we are still in the construction phase of our house addition (pictures in a previous blog entry) and now that the temperature has gone down a notch, I have been working a little bit in my garden. In July I also took a week off and we did a family hiking trip in Lassen National Volcanic Park (write-up in another blog entry).  My sister and brother-in-law from Wisconsin stopped by for a short visit this week after spending time with their children in the San Francisco Bay Area.  We had a nice visit and they were introduced to our little piece of California heaven in the foothills.  Now they are finishing their vacation with a road trip up the California, Oregon, and Washington Pacific coast line before heading East back to Wisconsin.

As much as I enjoy machine embroidery for the speed in sewing out nice designs and being able to complete beautiful projects in a hurry, there is still a high degree of satisfaction in being able to produce lovely items by hand with needle, thread, ribbons, flosses, beads and other little embellishments.  Many years ago I picked up a silk ribbon embroidery project that turned out very nice.  With my renewed interest in hand embroidery, I added to my collection a little book, Elegant Stitches published in 1995 by Judith Baker Montano.

This handy book presents 144 basic stitches and includes sections on silk ribbon embroidery, crazy-quilt combination stitches, composite stitches, and more.

I also add Embroidered & Embellished by Christen Brown.  This book has several little projects that look relatively easy to complete and good practice items to start.   

 And then another of my finds is The Art of Dimensional Embroidery by Maria A. Freitas.



Going on from hand embroidery, I have several little crochet and knit baby blankets that look a little plain all by themselves.  So, I thought I would package them as a set with a few more items.  Prowled the Craftsy and  Crochet Pattern Central websites (among others) for infant's crochet items.  These two sites have many free patterns.  Made good use of some of my scrap yarn to practice on a few booties, caps, bibs, and headbands.  Here is the result......  I am thinking that in addition to crochet flowers, I can also incorporate some dimensional embroidery.  I don't particularly care for worsted yarn for some of the apparel items, nice for blankets, but decided to use cotton yarn.  I've read good reviews on Patons "Grace" mercerized cotton yarn, so will give that a try.  The yarn is a little more expensive, but I like the look and feel of this cotton yarn.  Will have to purchase when it goes on sale.

 I also added to my collection two little models.  Please meet Colleen and Collin.  Collin could not wait to model the little cap and one bootie.  The bootie was a free pattern from Whistle and Ivy blog.  I like the design, but not the construction method, so am making alterations.  I did purchase a leaflet with different styles of booties...there are so many talented designers and crafters.  Now to find just the right items to coordinate and pair with the blankets.
 

Colleen and Collin

Whistle and Ivy

Not wanting to ever be bored, I volunteered to accept the position of Vice President of our local Friends of the Library.  I think I donate and give away more of what I make than I do selling the items.  But then, it feels good to know that whatever proceeds are received will go to worthy causes in this area.  My recent donation to the Friends of the Library will be an Autumn themes quilted blanket.  I plan to incorporate some machine embroidered leaves.  Yesterday I completed a few of the blocks and when I am finished with this blog update will be at the sewing machine again.  Here is the start of this project.

Falling Leaves Among the Stars

After this one, I will have one more blanket to make for a donation.  Then, I am all donated out for this year.

It is also time to start thinking of Christmas.  Thought you might enjoy seeing a couple little wall hangings I completed several years ago.

The machine embroidery designs in this wall hanging are free designs from Missi Phillips of Skeldale House.  She is a wonderful digitizer.  I have a few of her design sets and use some of her quilting designs in finishing my quilts. I am getting better at using the embroidery machine to do the quilting rather than all quilting "in the ditch".  This wall hanging is also embellished with beading.

The designs in this wall hanging were free designs from Heather's Home Designs.  She used to sell through Oregon Patchworks, but must have gone out of business.  I am unable to find a link to her designs.

Counted Cross Stitch....how can I leave without putting something else is here?  I have many little pieces with the cross stitch design finished, but have not made anything with them.  I did most of these when I was working.  It is a mindless activity that got my mind off work in the evening.  So, I decided to practice embellishing. 

I am going to finish these as little scented pillows and will post a picture when they are completed. 

A little bookmark I thought was cute.  Did a crochet edging and finished the back by fusing a piece of material over the stitching.  A give-away item for sure.

Oh, goodness......I almost forgot.  I've been adding to my Pinterest site lots and lots of pictures and links of wonderful project ideas.  Check some of my boards out if you are so inclined.

That's all for now.