I decided to work on this Little Wanderer project from Tiffany Goff Smith, another in the line-up from the Making Zen retreat. The idea was to start with a shirt cuff, add layers of fabric scraps and stitch those all together to make a little pouch. Mine are much simpler. The green cuff came from a favorite old velour shirt, already embroidered so I didn’t want to cover that up with more fabrics or stitching. I used a simple blanket stitch to close the sides and changed the button from white to red. Voila! Perfect for holding my lip balm when I am out and about.

The black and white check cuff came from another shirt and since it’s a gingham pattern, nothing for it but to make a few rows of cross stitch! A new button, blanket stitch on one long edge and a heart-shaped earring complete this cute bag. EnJoy!

Green Little Wanderer

Green Little Wanderer 2

Green Little Wanderer 3

Green Little Wanderer 4

BW Little Wanderer

I just finished my seventh project from the Making Zen retreat, this lovely little Stitcher’s Pocket Companion from Giovanna Zara. I started with a piece of denim from old jeans that I lined with lavender felt and stitched over. The pockets are made from the gorgeous fabric in the first image, so colorful!

I chose buttons and embroider floss to harmonize with the pocket colors, adding the blue button to the closure first so I could stitch around it. Next I added the green button and embroidered the front, and finally copied the pocket pattern onto the back with a woven Spiderweb in the center and rays made with French Knots. I got them larger by using 6 strands of floss instead of the customary three. The whole thing is finished off with a hot pink ribbon to close the pouch. EnJoy! 

Stitcher’s Companion Fabric

Stitcher’s Companion

Stitcher’s Companion 2

Stitcher’s Companion 3

Stitcher’s Companion 4

Stitcher’s Companion 5

Stitcher’s Companion 6

A few days ago I dyed some paper and a few envelopes with beet juice, along with the yarns I posted about previously. The dye did not work as well as the first time I used beets, and I tossed a couple of the envelopes. This one, however, came out all right, especially when enhanced with two magazine images, a butterfly, and some lace trims! I used the papers I dyed last year to make the little booklet to fit into the envelope. The color came out far better the first time! I’m chuffed with how this project turned out. EnJoy!

Beet Dyed Envelope

Beet Dyed Envelope 2

Beet Dyed Envelope 3

Beet Dyed Booklet

My aim with this first project was to create a collage on a scrap of brown paper bag that I embellished with bits and pieces of scrap found on my desk, plus some trims from my stash. It became a sweet little envelope that now closes with a magnet, and holds a plain,  cream-colored card. Amazing how one can turn trash into treasure!

Special Delivery Envelope

Special Delivery Envelope 2

Special Delivery Envelope 3

This second piece is a fun little item inspired by Natasa of Treasure Books. It’s simply a scrap of blue and white upholstery fabric that I rolled up on the long edge, stitched in place, then embellished with a lace trim and a strand of faux pearls. It could be used to enhance a pencil, as in the first image. However, I decided to turn it into a tassel by adding beads on very thin wire that I inserted into the tube, plus the white ribbon and lace to dangle. 

Blue and Lace Roll

Blue and Lace Roll 2

Blue and Lace Roll 3

Blue and Lace Tassel

Finally, I dyed some white eyelash yarn with beet juice left from cooking, along with a little plastic ring that I’d previously wound with white wool yarn. The colors are just gorgeous, even better in person than in the photo! EnJoy!

Beet Dyed Yarns

What is chicken scratch embroidery, you may ask? It’s embroidery done on gingham fabric, geneally with a cross-stitch, which is sometimes laced or woven together. This is my Chicken Scratch Pincushion from a tutorial by Blair Stocker, another class from my week-long retreat of Making Zen.

Searching through my fabric stash, the only piece I had with gingham checks is this one with hearts in the center of alternate white checks. However, it wasn’t until I began stitching that I realized the blue borders made the checks larger and too far apart for the pattern! SO, I compromised by making blue cross stitches in the plain white checks, then went back with the yellow floss to make cross stitches in the tiny blue squares at the intersection of each blue border. The tiny crosses are the ones that I wove together. It turned out better than I’d expected, with yellow squares around each heart and octagons surrounding each blue cross. Pretty!

Along the way, I also discovered that I have some true gingham in yellow, so perhaps I’ll make this again some time. The pincushion is meant to be inserted into the top of a small teacup or other vessel; I did not have such so opted to use a small tin can, which I covered with the same fabric. Of course I had to finish it off with a touch of lace, too. EnJoy!

Chicken Scratch Embroidery

Chicken Scratch Pincushion

Here is a beautiful little fabric box, the fourth projected I completed from the Making Zen retreat. This tutorial was by Ellie Beck. I used several layers of fabric scraps to give it body and sturdiness, then did some embroidery to hold the layers together. The embroidered flowers are actually from a scrap of silk embroidery I had in my stash, possibly from an old obi, though I forget what the donor told me about it. It was an enjoyable project, even though parts of it were quite tedious. It was especially difficult to pull my needle through some of the layers while stitching them in place. However, I am thrilled with the end result! EnJoy!

Outside

Inside

Fabric Box 1

Fabric Box 2

Fabric Box 3

Fabric Box 4

Fabric Box 5

I finally finished my fabric collage, inspired by Debasree Dey‘s tutorial, “Layers of Light,” from my week of Making Zen.

I started with a fairly large piece of old linen and a fabric sample that I got from FabMo years ago (that is a place that collects and recycles designer samples here in CA). Other under-layers include an old piece of silk I found in my stash in the garage, possibly from a kimono or obi, and a linen napkin that has a pretty design in the corner.

I added half of a doily, part of an antimacassar, and a beautiful scrap of embroidered fine net in a very soft pink. The velvet swirl shape was also from a sample from FabMo; I cut away the mesh backing to let the velvet really stand out. In certain light it looks almost golden!

Added embellishments include a nest made from the threads that frayed off the edges of the silk when I washed it, bits of pale pink and cream lace trims, pearl beads, pink flat-back pearls (the only element I glued down), fringe that I harvested from an old pillow edging, a recycled plastic ring from a bottle that’s woven with eyelash yarn, and a money plant pod that I couched down. Last, I added a pearl button and maple tree wings to the right side, so pretty!

Due to the large size, I decide this would be a wall hanging rather than a book cover. I machine stitched the edges of the finished project to a piece cut from a worn out mattress pad, then laced that fabric onto a piece of chipboard. Now how to mount it? I didn’t leave any margin for a picture mat or frame. Hmmm. Thinking about gluing the chipboard to a canvas, if I can find one the right size. Problem is the wrapped fabric creates bulk in the back (see last image), so the chipboard would not meet the canvas unless I add yet another layer of card to the back! I don’t think the back is sturdy enough as-is to attach any kind of hanger, either. Sigh.

This was a fun project and I love the finished piece! EnJoy!

Fabric Collage

Half Doily

Embroidered Netting

Velvet Swirl, Woven Ring

Antimacassar

Left Side with Fringe

Right Side with Fringe

Money Plant Pod

Mother of Pearl Button

Maple Wings

Back

I’m happy to share my second completed project from the Making Zen retreat!

This is a Wishing House, designed by Claire Voelkel-Sedlmeir. It’s a little pocket to hold wishes or treasures, a sweet gift for someone special. As you can see, the lace “shingles” are upside down when the “roof” is open; next time I’ll hire a better roofer! Hee hee!  The colors in the photos are not quite true to the real thing, but close. The closed pocket is about 3-3/4″ wide by 2-5/8″ tall. EnJoy!

Wishing House

Wishing House 2

Wishing House 3

I’ve been immersed in an online creative retreat this week, Zen Stitching, and have several projects going in various stages!

Meet Piggoty, who is a guardian angel of sewing needles. I used a scrap of felted cashmere sweater for her front and felt for the back. Her wings are made from wired fabric flower petals; I inserted the wire stems into the felt.  She is a very fancy fairy and loves her elegant apron and floral necklace! 

Piggoty is the first project I have completed so far. I will share more posts as I finish each subsequent project. EnJoy!

Piggoty

Piggoty 2

Piggoty 3