Orinda's Blog

Kitties are grown

2011-05-01T15:40:00.002-06:00

The Kitties are now two years old. We ended keeping two of the kitties and of course, Mama cat. They enrich our lives and make us laugh. I need to take some photos. Lots of photos actually.

The local gallery where I was selling the things I make has closed and I have quite a box of things that are in need of homes. They include some zen drawings and some needlework.

Since I haven't blogged for so long, I'll see how this goes.

Where did my Muse Go?

2009-08-25T15:06:00.005-06:00

Something has happened to my muse. I no longer stitch and make fancy things with thread and needle. As a matter of fact, thread and needle are put away. Since the kitties came into my life, nothing is the same. These kitties are like a large exclamation mark that happened one Monday morning and things changed and I love those little bodies dearly and most important they love me. It is a brand new life for me.

I am doodling and learning to draw. I should say that I am trying to learn to draw, but I don't want to say that. I have filled about two sketchbooks of doodles which can be seen on my other blog, "I'm All Tangled Up". I have drawn many more since I started that blog. I have even sold one of the ACEO cards that I drew.

At one time, I looked and sought new threads and fabrics. Now, I look for new pens and paints, mostly pens. My husband says I create with pens what I once created with a needle and thread, the problem is there is no real use for drawings except to look at. But I keep doodling and drawing. I draw many dots, lines and circles and still can't imagine leaving a vacant place on the piece, just like I did with my embroideries.

So, the question is what to do with this Crazyquilting blog. Maybe I should change it's name and keep on going with the cats.

I have another blog that is about doodling and I need to keep it going as well.
I have many photos of the Tiny 'Tudes that I made so long ago. Many, many photos of my stuff and I have thought of just taking the cats off this blog and making another for the kitties or not. Then, I would post a great many of the photos that I have of my fabric pieces and close off the Crazyquilting blog.

It is strange, I look at all the photos of the pieces I have made and think they are lovely. I still have many pieces in boxes which I will be selling at a local gallery. But I look and wonder, did I really make this lovely thing? It would be very nice to make such lovely things again, but needlework is not there for me anymore. Perhaps 60 years of embroidering is enough for this lady.

So there you have it. Stay tuned. Onward through the Fog.

The Kitties at 5 weeks

2009-06-21T20:58:00.005-06:00

The Kitties are growing. It seems that what takes two years for a human to do, kitties do it in about four or five weeks. Of course, they don't do quite as many things, but walk, meow, eat, and potty in the box takes about four or five weeks. Here they are a portrait. One of the few times they are actually still without playing. I put a video up on UTube if you want to see some kitties play and mama cat taking care of them.

As you can tell I am doing a lot of kittie watching. Brand new experience for me. They are barricaded from the rest of the house right now, but that little girl with the white and black nose can climb right over and walk around. What I am going to do when they all learn that I don't know. But I'll be finding out, that I know for sure.

Here is a little movie of waking up.

Not Exactly Needlework and Crazyquilting!

2009-05-24T17:17:00.005-06:00

It's a miracle.

Seems that we have newborn kittens in our house. They are fun to watch.

The mother showed up at our door "barefoot and pregnant", so instead of chasing her away we began to feed her. We had chased her away all fall and winter, but this time she just came up to us and started purring and would let us pick her up. She won our hearts. We didn't know whether she was a he or a she until she started bulging a lot.

Boots is not a very big cat, but was big enough to deliver 2 kittens at 6am and 2 more at 2pm. The first kitty out sort got dragged around a bit, but since the mama was doing this on our bed and had awakened me crying and screeching, I got a hold of the little one and got it into the box. Then, she went into the box cried out and had another. She just didn't know what was going on and nothing like that had ever happened to her before, apparently. It had certainly never happened to me before. Everything seemed pretty calm, but then she began walking around again and lay down screamed again and had 2 tinier ones. She was just done in and couldn't do anymore so I had to move the last kitty to where her mouth was so that she could take care of it without having to move. I felt like a midwife. That's really hard work in the corner of a box on a hot day and in a hot room and the mama was worn out and panting.

The good part is we have homes for the kitties.

Now, the mama gets out of her box whenever we are near, which today has been a lot because the nest is beside me at the computer. She wants to be petted and praised and she gets lots of that. The first two kitties are larger and they are scrappers, always flaying away at each other. The last two kitties, first thing from the womb, put their noses together and became friends. They are about half the size of the others, but still very active and compete for the food source.

It is strange to me how blind they are. Of course, their eyes are shut, but the mother purred her way through labor and she still purrs. I think they hear it and start rooting around, often in the wrong direction. Sooner or later they bounce and roll around enough to get headed the right direction and then they start climbing over all the others or up the mother's tummy, sometimes the climb almost over her back. Then, I think some milk leaks out and they know it is time to pay attention and begin to seek more and finally I can hear them sucking. That is my opinion, I've no idea how they find the right place to be. The mama just lies there, hour after hour. Must be really boring, because she is a very active cat outside of the house. Sometimes, she gets up and lies on the tile where it is cool. Or the kitchen wherever we are, but sooner or later she goes back, lays down and the kitties begin to root around again.

Michelle's Blouse -- Its a collage!

2009-05-14T16:04:00.004-06:00

Look at the wonderful blouse or some would say it is a top, that Michelle Obama is wearing. I think she looks so great in it and it was just right for a poetry/spoken word jam. The closeups show that there a sparkly things on some parts.

Obama could have been a little more photogenic in this shot.

Some Crazyquilted Coin/Card Cases

2009-04-20T12:52:00.002-06:00

The Vision Board, The Secret to an Extraordinary Life

2009-03-05T14:05:00.011-07:00

I'm very excited to be taking a class from Chaska Peacock. Please join us, I'm sure it will be worth your time and effort and it is a fun thing to do. Chaska will be teaching this wonderful class and you can sign up at her website. She takes Paypal. The Vision Board class runs from March 15 through April 13.

The class is based on the book The Vision Board, the Secret to an Extraordinay Life. by Joyce Schwarz. The cost of the class is $30.00 and is payable by paypal to Chaska.

Prosperity Doll

2009-02-28T15:55:00.017-07:00

This doll is a result from a class instructed by Chaska Peacock at mai-liispeacocknotes.blogspot.com/ . The class was a fun thing to do and I made many new and good friends.

It seems to be a good exercise to sit down and list the "things" in life that we want, not necessarily that we need. What is it that would make us truly happy? Sometimes it is a case of be careful what you wish fot, because you just might get it.

At any time though it is a good exercise and so I began to make my list. This doll carries that list in her hand. She also wears a watch face for a pin on her costume. I would like to have more time, not just in a day, but in life in general. She also has a house on her headdress, because we need and want a house of our own. The list has a few other things on it.

On Prosperity Doll's waist is a fancy cummerbund that was once a hair holder and I glued a golden cat to it, because I love cats and they enrich my my soul.

To make this doll have my desires and not someone else's, there is my face on that holographic buckle. Buckles make good headdresses after all and one thing I know is that that buckle needed a home as part of its destiny.

This photo will enlarge if you click on it.

I chose to make a list of the desirable things that we would like to have. Health, money, a house, and few other things that are meaningful only to us.

She has watch for a brooch, because I feel that I would like time and a watch face does symbolize that. Also, she has a house on her head dress, because we are expecting to buy this little house we live in. She has a cat on her cummerbund, because I need cats to nourish my soul.

As to the colors, I just like them. She has a hand painted chiffon shift over which she was a stoll of an intricate and colorful print and another of gold netting. She needed the ribbon around her neck just to keep her neck warm.

The only thing this lady really needs is a suitable name and I just haven't found out what it is yet. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Just email me at crazypieces@gmail.com. (I don't know how to make that a link yet.)

Easter is Coming and It's Time to Make Eggs

2009-02-25T13:03:00.007-07:00

Notecards are fun to make. To me, the best part is that they are finished fast. Sometimes, I work on projects and then it takes as long to make the item, whether it is pouch, purse, album or whatever as it does to do the crazy quilting itself. With these little note cards, you can do your needlework and then just get out your glue and stick it to a card. I enjoy that!

So, here is a sample of the fast work. Eggs and more eggs. We don't dye them at our house, I just make them in an evening. Some, I mounted on felt backgrounds for hanging and some went onto note cards. These are note cards. I'll get the felt backs out in a day or so.

The card that is below was printed from a card that was sent to my "Daddy" when he was young. His aunts lived in Guernsey, Channel Islands and they cards they sent him were very interesting. This one says "To Greet You". There are others that are for little boys, this one seemed to be a card that was sent to the entire Hamon family. The colors are lovely.

Comfort Dolls

2009-02-16T11:36:00.004-07:00

Since I had some crazy quilted pieces on my work table, I decided to make some dolls for the Comfort Doll Project that Pat Winter sponsors. It is such a worthy project and it is fun to make these little dolls. This one just evolved as most cloth dolls do. For some reason dolls don't necessarily follow along with what we had in mind. This little person needed some hair and a face. I sewed on a button face which I had and the hair line was still not existent. There was a cute little tassel so it went upside down on the top, I sewed a curtain ring on top so that she is a hanging doll or not.

The next little person just didn't have room for a face. Any anyway there is a little fairy face in the fabric somewhere near the stomach. She did however need some hair and so beads became the hair do of the day. She also is a hanging doll or not.0

And so off they go in the mail to Pat Winter.

Valentine's Day is a coming

2009-02-02T14:03:00.006-07:00

I love this little Valentine. I was just putting some Valentine's on my Etsy to sell and ran onto this photo. Alas, I don't own it anymore, but I still think it is cute as it can be. That little boy kissed her and she got so jarred that she dropped her daisies.

So Happy Valentine's Day to all who read here.

6 Picture Meme - I Was Tagged

2009-02-01T00:02:00.024-07:00

I've been tagged. I wonder what the word Meme means and I wonder who starts these things. I know one thing, it is easy to know what you are going to write on your blog next time around. Makes it easy in so many ways.

I have been tagged by my talented friend Shari who lives in Colorado, as do I. It seems that she has secretly been enjoying my button making. Well, I enjoy it too.

The rules of the tag are that I have to go to the 6th file in my computer photos and print the 6th picture in that file on my blog. Then, I must tell you about it.

That was not easy because my 6th file had 3 albums in it, and there was no sixth to be had. So, I counted the main directory entitled my pictures and counted down six albums and luckily ended up with "art by Orinda". I had named it Art by Orinda so that I wouldn't have to run to the bottom of the stack in the O's to find my stuff all the time. Then I counted over 6 albums, which turned out to be eyeglass cases. Counted over 6 pictures and this is what I got.
It is the back of an eyeglass case that I made a couple of years ago.

Here is a detail of the upper front.

Here is the entire front.
A detail of the embroidery on the lower front.

Now to go tag 6 more blogs.

Valentine's Day

2009-01-22T13:57:00.011-07:00

Once again, I'm making Valentines and here are some of them.
When I was ten, I had chicken pox which at that time was considered merely a childhood disease that everyone got sooner or later. It was two weeks home from school is what it was. And it was close to Valentine's Day so my mother brought in paper doilies and red construction paper. That is all I remember. I must have made some Valentines because I don't think I could have resisted. It would be fun to have one or two of those 10 year-old made Valentines. Here are some grown-up ones.

The lace on this heart was given to me by a friend. Actually, she gave me her vintage wedding dress to cut up. It was a gorgeous dress with a long train with pleating around the edge. It had about 100 tiny satin buttons and it was a job to cut up. At the same time very interesting to see the construction of such a lovely dress. Some of the lace pieces were glued to other lace pieces. It was not all taking out stitching but pulling and tugging to get the lace apart.

These are kind of simple ones, short and sweet as they say.

The next one is a print on silk of an old Valentine. The reds are kind of muted but it was fun to embellish.

Pillow Ticking purse

2009-01-05T10:55:00.012-07:00

Many years ago, Inspirations by Country Bumpkin in Australia, had an article on using pillow ticking as a base for embroidery. That sounded like a good idea to me because I had some of this fabric. I found that it needled very well and was a good pick-up and go project.

Isn't amazing how things finally "turn out"? I did this embroidery and made a glasses (spectacles) case. Well, it was a little too big for glasses even the large glasses that I was wearing back then before these narrow ones arrived on the shelves. So, I kept looking at the glasses case and decided that I would make the front of lovely and interesting purse and this is the product. This is the large view of the handbag. It is lined with some dupioni which I had just received in the mail. Funny how those things happen isn't. What we order for one thing we use on something else.

This is the full view of the handbag. I put a beaded handle on it, which was a vintage necklace that I got someplace. That necklace was too long so doubled it and then the bag was finished.

The bag measures: At the tallest point 8 inches and it is 6 inches along the bottom.

The flowers motif is made of wire-edged ribbon. I had to make them specially for the handbag because the glasses case was quite bare of anything but the line stitching.

The pillow ticking embroidery technique is very easy and I hope just as easily explained.

Simply embroider the lines of the pillow ticking with crazy quilt stitches, then embellish the stitches with other little accent stitches just as we do in crazy quilting.

Some of the lines of the pillow ticking can be covered with narrow braid, or silk ribbon stitches. Don't forget the beads. There is no limit as to what you can do to cover those pillow ticking lines. I used all kinds of stitches and embellishments, some of which were "invented" just for this piece.

This handbag is available for sale.

Photo Transfer sans Computer

2008-12-25T23:20:00.020-07:00

For some family gifts this year, I found these "vintage" photo transfers that I had copied many years ago. Since they were appropriate for our daughter and my sister-in-law, I embellished them, we found frames for them and they became Christmas gifts. Haven't heard how well they were received yet. Actually, I had to wait until after Christmas so that the we assured they would be a surprise.

These photo transfers were done by burnishing commercial photocopies onto 100% silk using gum turpentine as the solvent. I don't even know if we can still buy gum turpentine, but we could about 15 years ago. The solvent allows the copy ink to transfer off the photocopy and onto the silk. It is an old fashioned process and it looks well with these 1950 and 1960's photos.

Here are some details and closeups of the pieces.

And another detail.

Since these were special gifts, I allowed the use of really old buttons, silk threads some old keepsake lace that I had, and some cultured pearls.

Another Pink Card Case

2008-12-18T11:40:00.011-07:00

This Card Case measures 4.5 by 3 inches which is just right for credit cards and some money. This little case was an order from a client and is designed to be taken out in the evening without having to carry a large purse.

I pieced on a rather stiff interfacing so that the little card case doesn't flop around. It worked well and will certainly use that method again.

These photos are all of the finished piece.

The open card case

I cover large snaps with a matching or coordinating fabric before I sew them on. My goal is to make the snap look like a flower. Sometimes it works and sometimes it is not so successful, but the snap always looks better covered.

Instructions for covering the snap.

Cut a small round about 3/8 to 1/2 inch larger than the snap. Gather around the edge and slip the snap face down into the hollow. Pull up the gathering thread, cinch it off. You will probably need to trim the little wad of gathered fabric that is left on the back.
You'll then need to puncture a little hole so the snap can actually snap onto its mate.
Sew the side of the snap with the hole in it onto the base of your worked piece. In this case the dibble of the snap was on the flap and the side of the snap with the hole is on the card case itself.
Cover the other side of the snap in the same manner. And snap it into its mate so that you know where to sew them on.
Decorate the snaps as you desire with beads or embroidery. The two snaps do not have to be covered with the same color or decorated the same, just be sure that whatever you do, the snaps can get together and snap securely.

This is a detail of the back.

The little pink "round" is a Dorset button. I love making them and they always add a lot of texture and interest. Instructions can be found in the book, 50 Heirloom Buttons by Nancy Nehring. That book is out of print, but you can find it at some Internet booksellers. There are some good instructions here. Also, with some of that wonderful thread, I made some bullion knot roses and buds.

Full view of the back

Here is a full view of the back of the card case. I used silk ribbon flowers and some wonderful hand painted silk embroidery thread which I buy from Evening Star Designs.

The finished front. The edge is lined with alternating seed beads and 3 mm glass pearls.

Snowflakes to put on your cards

2008-12-17T15:29:00.003-07:00

Below is a link for viewing and printing snowflakes onto your Christmas cards or anywhere you would like them printed. There are choices of the format and there are thousands of snowflakes to choose from. It is kind of click on the snowflakes to see all the different designs, they are identified and dated as well.

2008-12-11T22:53:00.023-07:00

Simple Gifts

- A Shaker Hymn

Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

'Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,

'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,

And when we expect of others what we try to live each day,

Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,

(refrain)

'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,

'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",

And when we hear what others really think and really feel,

Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.

To hear the music sung and played on guitar click here

For more information about the Shakers click here

May you have a joyous holiday season in every way. -- Orinda and Liter

Photo taken, autumn near Rico, Colorado USA

Dolls and epb

2008-12-06T20:35:00.009-07:00

Tiny 'Tude dolls, my husband, Liter, (It's pronounced Lighter.) took this photo. I walked in and he was telling these little 8" dolls to keep their legs crossed and behave themselves.

To purchase a Tiny 'Tude pattern
Email Orinda

Today, Liter drove me about 75 miles to Farmington, New Mexico, just to go to Hobby Lobby. It seems that is the closest place of any consequence to buy anything other than what Wally World has. Well, we did need to buy a mat and frame for Christmas presents for daughter and his sister's gift, that I made for them. After Christmas I'll post photos. The Hobby Lobby visit got my juices and my memories going.

In another life I was an avid cloth dollmaker. In 1994, a friend and I drove about 150 miles to take a class from elinor peace bailey. Like so many women, our lives were changed forever by one of her classes. My friend, Sue, and I stayed another day for a class and we hadn't even taken our toothbrush with us on the trip. We loved sitting in the same room and making dolls with the women she had gathered together. Since then and for many years, I made many dolls, big ones, little ones, crazy ones and pretty ones. I quit only because we became full time RVrs and there just was no room to make dolls.

On the second day of that famous first class, there was a small piece of trim at my place when we got back from lunch. elinor had left it and it was for the Monique bed doll I was making. Then, of all things she told me to put silk ribbon embroidery on that doll. So, with silk ribbon flowers twining up that doll's very long legs and spiderweb roses on her cheeks, Monique was finished. I don't know if anyone had ever done silk ribbon embroidery on a doll before.

At some other time, I took more classes and developed the little doll "Tiny 'Tude". The 'Tude stands for attitude. The latest 'Tude that I have made is here. It's on Etsy. I have made about 60 of those little dolls to various specifications. Now, I want to skip the clothing and make beaded dolls. I still have a blue 'Tude just above me on the computer cabinet.

The trip today got me to thinking of elinor, who become my mentor. What a wonderful thing a mentor is. She stayed in our house when she taught in Helena, Montana, where we lived and then I saw her at various doll conferences. She produced the pattern for "Tiny 'Tude" and we both sell it after all these years. Mine is on Etsy. She also produced a pattern of Lorelei, which is a mermaid. She's on my Etsy page too. She is two-faced, with one side smiling and the not so much smiling.

I saw elinor in Denver a year or two back and helped her unpack her dolls. There in the midst of all those dolls in those great big suitcases was the 'Tude that I had made for her some ten years earlier. This is her.
This is kind of lengthy.

OrindaEmail Me

Pink Card Case

2008-11-30T17:35:00.026-07:00

A Funny Shaped Card Case

As usual things don't always turn out the way we think they are going to and instead we have something a little more whimsical and sometimes nicer. At some point in the past I was making a clutch handbag. Then, it got stalled, probably because is wasn't a very good one and I cut parts off the main piece of crazyquilting that I had done for the clutch. It became this strange shaped little card case.

The front of the card case is in the photo above.

The back of the card case is in the photo above. Admittedly it is kind of a "goofie" shape.
Below is a detail from the front.

Here is the card case open waiting to receive your credit cards, money and for me my Burt's and Bees lip gloss. I guess a short comb would fit in there.

Sunrise Seafloor

2008-11-21T22:10:00.019-07:00

Seascapes are interesting because everything gets to be turned upside down. The elements of the seafloor can take any shape and we do not do flowers and trees as on land. Suddenly, every and anything is a go.

On this one, I used some blue facets, some gold bullion threads, shell charms, shisha mirrors, antique metallic and thread Dorset buttons. Sometimes, wrinkling fabric and pressing firmly with an iron gives just the right places to embellish and make even more texture.

Needlecase Cover

2008-11-19T23:19:00.004-07:00

Needlecase Cover, originally uploaded by Kim in Fargo ND. Kim in Fargo, North Dakota created this lovely fish with spiral sequins and other beads. The design is so precise and lovely. It looks like a tropical fish bowl

The Hankie Pillow, of course it's white.

2008-11-18T14:38:00.002-07:00

This pillow began with a button that I had decorated with silk ribbon ruffles and some white glass pearls. I had no particular use for it, I just wanted to see what could be done with a button form and some silk ribbon. The button was just lying on my work table and then I started this "hankie pillow" that a very nice lady had asked me to make for her.

So, I began to cut up hankies feeling quilty the whole time for cutting up those beautiful old things. Not that all of each hankie is beautiful, sometimes they are stained and we can use that part and cover the stain.

With the piecing done, I started the fun job of stitching, beading and sewing on buttons. This was an order for all white. So, I tea dyed some silk ribbon and began to see how many shades of white there are, knowing of course that there really is only one shade of white.

As I added roses and ruffles, buttons and beads, things did take shape, but the main focus bouquet lacked a little something. AHA, there was the button I had made. That pretty button now had a use and it knew its purpose in life. And at last the pillow was finished.

Here is the button,

Here is a little color, color is a good thing.

How Many Colors of White Are There?

2008-11-01T14:53:00.001-06:00

Lately, I have been working on a small pillow. It is white on white. So, the question arises how many shades of white are there? Sometimes, my whites get a little ecru in them. It is very hard for me not to go pastel.

This pillow top is pieced mostly with hankies and very small napkins. There is a small circular doily which I used to cover some of the ugly corners. Seems like there are always ugly corners to cover. The corners where two or three or four pieces of fabric meet.

Preparation for Piecing:

Cut the foundation at least one inch larger than you would like the finished piece to be. I use muslin/calico.
Select hankies and napkins
Fold each one into quarters or halves
Cut a quarter or a half off. Whichever you decide
Use iron-on interfacing for the thin pieces. I like to use the woven interfacing.
Put the leftovers back in the box.
Usually, I have more pieces than I think I need and use them all.

Step by Step White on White:

Below is a hankie with Battenberg lace and some bobbin lace, I think it is bobbin lace. If someone knows for sure, please tell me. It is layered on top of a hankie with a crocheted edging.

So the piecing begins.
In the photo below, there is a hankie with triple “beading” lace. It was a very light weight fabric. That went down first, then a napkin with the open work squares with some bobbin lace underneath it. In the upper corner you can see the five inch crocheted doily. All pinned down and ready for the next bit.

Below, is another corner with the crocheted doily, which is sitting on a napkin with a crocheted edge. The discoloration of the napkin is apparent only in this photo.

Below is another corner with the openwork squares. I try to repeat shapes, because it holds the piece together visually. Thus, I used to different hankies that had openwork squares of some kind.

Finally, here is a whole “mess” of overlaps and corners, nothing making any sense. The mess is right where I have all those pins. There is a corner of a napkin that had some Battenburg lace on it, a linen hankie. I had begun to put lace edging where it was a little disorganized.

Silk Ribbon Embroidery for the Ages

2008-10-26T18:26:00.001-06:00

While cleaning out today, I was going through some old magazines, Piecework and Threads to be exact. There were some photos of some wondrous Silk Ribbon Embroidery. Here are some photos to share with you. These are from Piecework, Mar/Apr of 1995.
The photo with the "foot" was worn for presentation to the court of George V of France in June, 1928, by Mr George Henry O'Neill, and she gave it to the Metropolitan Museum in 1968. Here is the description: "White net embroidered in silver cord over pink chiffon trimmed with silk ribbon flowers, front hemline."
The pink dress.petticoat, circa 1760. The description: "Detail, petticoat, with ornament of ruched ribbons, fly fringe,and rosettes, Inset detail, right sleeve." It was donated in 1959 by Irene Lewissohn.
Both photos by Sheldan Collins.

It is interesting that these are magnificent works of art and we do not know the artist. We know who purchased them and donated them to the museum and we know the name of the photographer. But the little lady sat and embroidered for hours without proper lighting, with very little convenience and did this marvelous embroidery? Maybe it was a man, he probably had more convenience if that was true?

Fine vintage thread buttons

2008-10-18T16:54:00.001-06:00

Sometime in the past, I picked up some wonderful old thread made buttons. They are wonderfully precise and very tiny. Here are photos:

This is one of the larger ones. Just under an inch in size, it is black and it is worked over a disk shaped button form that has no shank.

These are about 3/8 inch. Imagine crocheting that small on such a little form. It is actually a medium brown in color and seems to be worked over a dome shaped form without a shank.

This one is 3/8 inch, teal colored blue.

Another brown one, 3/8 inch

Another tiny one in dark brown, it really is a different shade than the one above.

This wonderful seems to be a real part of history, quite worn out. The edges are frayed and showing the button form. It is a commercial button and has a metal shank. It appears also that the black "stones" might be some kind of plastic.

A beautiful button, I believe it is unused, no sign of stitching or wear. It is black, crocheted over a domed button form. Measures 1 inch.

Black wrapped with soutache with a rhinestone in the center, almost a sphere. It smacks of being recently made. The ends are glued on the back.

2008-10-13T17:21:00.000-06:00

A detail of the Totally White on White Clutch

Another White on White (Totally)

2008-10-13T17:14:00.001-06:00

This is the back, front and flap of a clutch that is waiting for a focal "thingie" that makes the whole thing look finished. I don't know what it is going to be yet. Perhaps, it will be silk ribbon bouquet of some kind.
I had decided to use no other colors except white, tan and more white and more tan on this piece so it look very bland to me. The total white on white was a good exercise for me, but I was bored with it. .

Another section detail of the white on white clutch

2008-10-13T17:05:00.000-06:00

Still more embroidery has been added with some silk ribbon used and some buttons. About this stage of the game, I get a bit impatient for the beads. But once the beads come out, the embroidery usually ends and that is what I enjoy the most

2008-10-13T17:02:00.000-06:00

White on White Clutch in the "pieced" stage. Still pinned together waiting for the applique stitching to secure all those pieces.

White on White Clutch embroidered

2008-10-13T16:57:00.001-06:00

The embroider is coming along on this block.
As yet there are no beads and very little silk ribbon.

White on White

2008-10-12T18:38:00.001-06:00

The Bride's Purse. I seem to be fascinated with white on white.
This is the inside of a finished product.

This is the same purse closed and showing the flag.