Heirloom Purse Collection: Susan Clarke, designer

Project: Heirloom Purse Collection

(Kit #RP-29)

Designer: Susan Clarke

Type of needlework: Beading and silk ribbon

Photos: 2

Susan Clarke website: http://www.susanclarkeoriginals.com/

Photos of other Heirloom purses here.

Comments: This was a kit that I purchased years ago as I liked the look of those little purses in which you could for example put a key inside and/or a few dollar bills in case of need. It is too small to put anything the size of a credit card though.

I have a dress which is just perfect for this little heirloom purse which you put around your neck. It is almost as if they were made for each others, so I often use it. when I don't, I just hang it on one of my wall in my stitching room.

Flower Diamonds: Terry Dryden, designer

Project: Flower Diamonds
(Pilot class)

Designer: Terry Dryden

Type of needlework: Needlepoint with Silk ribbon embroidery

Photos: 11

Terry Dryden's website: http://www.terrydryden.com/

Terry Dryden Flower Diamonds class: http://www.terrydryden.com/flower-diamonds-two-day-wkshp/

Comments: This was my very first pilot class project, which I did as a "ghost stitcher", actually it is my one and only pilot class (smiling). Terry had an actual pilot class for this project as well as a few ghost stitchers and our role was to try to find any possible mistakes in order to make things smoother for her 2009 ANG Seminar that was to be held in Milwaukee on August 31st and September 1st as a 2-day class.

I received over 30 different threads and 6 different assorted beads that I could choose from to stitch that project. I must say that many of those threads I had never used before so that was quite exciting. One of Terry's goal was to entice us in making changes, which I did to some extent.

On the very first photo above I am showing you a couple of those threads, but Jan from Thread Medley who also was a ghost stitcher has put a photo on her blog showing everything that she received in our kit, so you may want to pay her a little visit.

Terry Dryden had Flower Diamonds finished by Marlene Custom Pillows. You can see Terry Dryden's lovely neckroll pillow on her website here.

The design size of Flower Diamonds is 6 inches by 15 inches and the stretcher bars used were 12 inches by 20 inches and it took me approximately 3 weeks of stitching to complete this project. Since I had a deadline on this, I stitched exclusively on that project. Flower Diamonds has 3 panels which are yellow, lavender and orchid. Most of the design is the same in each panel except for colors and the central flowers.

My experience as a ghost stitcher with this project has been a fun one and I would not mind at all doing it again if the occasion ever presents itself in the future.

(Photo showing the Yellow panel)

(Photo showing the Orchid panel)

(Photo showing the Lavender panel)

(Lavender panel)

(Orchid panel)

(Yellow panel)

(Orchid panel)

(Lavender panel)

(Yellow panel)

Now, all that remains to do is to order all that I will need to finish Flower Diamonds as a neckroll pillow. I already have found some patterns that I really like, found some fabric that would look good with these colors, so I really need to take the necessary time to do the finishing on this one.

Here's My Heart Scissors Sheath: Janet R. Stauffacher, designer

Project: Here's My Heart Scissors Sheath

Designer: Janet R. Stauffacher

Type of needlework: Silk ribbon embroidery and beading

Photos: 2

Janet's website: http://www.vintagevogue.com/

Comments: I have purchased that kit a while back from Vintage Vogue and some time ago I decided it was time for me to tackle this project.

I must say that the instruction pages that came with that kit were extremely well done with plenty of photos. I was really impressed. Janet Stauffacher really makes it easy for us to make this project and I enjoyed myself.

The kit came with a little pair of French scissors which will be great to have around. You can never have too many pairs of scissors.

I have included a photo (above) that shows the little scissors attached to its sheath through a beaded loop and here below when the scissors are tucked in the sheath.

The three-bead edge that goes around the sheath can also be seen here though Janet explains it very nicely in her instructions.

SPECIAL NOTE: Some of you already know this, but most of you do not since I do not normally talk much about myself since I want my blog to be about stitching only.

I live in the state of Tennessee and it feels like almost the whole state has been flooded and most of us have been affected by this catastrophy one way or another. My house has not been flooded, but we had other problems like almost everyone else in this state. It has been and still is pretty awful and it will take a long time for the state to be back to what it used to be before this happened and I don't even want to contemplate how much it will cost.

Where I live, we had approximately 14 to 15 inches of rain in a 36 hour period, which is an awful lot of rain. For a few days we did not see our regular mailman and when we saw him again he told us that he had to take 2 days off because his basement had been flooded. Nashville and so many other places in Tennessee have been heavily hit, some places worst than others. We have to use water only for personal hygiene and cooking as so many water treatment facilities have been under water and needs to be repaired and I have no idea how long this will take. Nashville has one operating water treatment out of two and we almost lost it. That would have been very very bad if we had lost that second one. Similar scenarios for other towns. Many people have died and authorities are still looking for others who have not been seen since the rain started on May 1st.

I could fill pages and pages of all the bad things that have happened in Tennessee, but you can read more about it and also see photos in our local newspaper which is called The Tennessean.

Letter "M"

Project: Letter "M"

Designer: Iron-On transfer taken from an "American School of Needlework" book

Type of needlework: Silk ribbon embroidery

Photo: 1

Comments: This is my very first silk ribbon embroidery project. As some of you may know, this letter is not part of my main initials as they are "P" and "P". How boring is that?

Anyway, I was told that there was more learning potential with an initial like "M", so I went with what seems at the time like a very logical recommendation and stitched an "M" for my first silk ribbon embroidery project. Now, when anyone asks me what the "M" represents, I just say that it stands for "Mine" and leave it at that (grinning).

In the Garden, Anne Stradal, designer

Project: In the garden

Designer: Anne Stradal

Type of needlework: Needlepoint and Silk Ribbon embroidery

(Painted canvas)

Photos: 2

Anne's website: http://www.absdesignsonline.com/

Anne's Website Guest Gallery: http://www.absdesignsonline.com/guest_gallery.htm

Anne's blog: http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/

Comments: I have actually stitched this project for an Easter egg exchange a few years back. I just love the colors chosen. To me they make me think of Spring. I have changed a few things in Anne's design. If you go to Anne's website and look at her eggs, you will see that hers is different than mine. I have changed the way I did the grass and also the flowers and have removed the little rabbit and added a bird instead.

I have done the cording using the two main colors, blue and green and it was then ready to go to its new home. That is one stitched project that I was really sorry to see it go. Oh well, I can always look at the photographs.

A little horse called Suzie: Needle case

Project: A little horse called Suzie

Designer: A stitched drawing with the addition of silk ribbon flowers in the corners

(This was done for a needle case exchange)

Type of needlework: Embroidery and Silk Ribbon

Drawing taken from this book on page 86: Motifs for Crazy Quilting by J. Marsha Michler

Photos: 2

Comments: When I was part of Crazy Quilting International, we often made exchanges and these items did not have to be crazy quilting for such exchanges as long as it was something that we embroidered ourselves.

The woman who had been selected to receive my needle case had a love for horses and she had had many during her lifetime but there was one special horse that she had especially loved riding and her name was "Suzie". I thought that she might enjoy receiving a needle case with a horse on its cover and I made this one for her. I added some silk ribbon flowers at two corners and a little bit of cording.

From what she told me when she opened it, she was real happy about receiving something like this.

Lots of interesting photos for embroidery in this book which makes it an interesting book to have for crazy quilters but also for someone who is only searching for a drawing to embroider.

Lady with a bouquet of flowers: Needle case

Project: Lady with a bouquet of flowers

(Needle case)

Designer: This is a silk print appliqué on fabric,

then embroidered and I have added silk ribbon flowers on both her hat and bouquet

and finally finished as a needle case

Type of needlework: Embroidery, appliqué and silk ribbon

Photo: 1

Comments: This project was created for a friend of mine in a period when I was into silk print and silk ribbon. I wanted to do something practical for her so turned it into a needlecase. I know that I can always use one more needlecase, same thing with pincushions too. I can never have too many of them.

Fabric vase with silk ribbon flowers

Project: Fabric vase with silk ribbon flowers

Designer: Vase shape was from a group project - the flower arrangement is my own

and is completely different from the original project

Type of needlework: Appliqué and Silk ribbon embroidery

Photos: 2

Comments: This project was done when I was co-owner of Crazy Quilt International, a yahoo group, at the request of a very good friend of mine, as I had never done any in my life. Had some idea as to what it was, but  no more.

This project has nothing to do with crazy quilting, but was just something that some of us decided to do together. Someone came up with a few shapes for the vase and I selected the one above and then she added a few flowers inside the vase. I thought that it needed more flowers than that and I kept adding and adding to end up with the above very full vase.

 It was a bit like eating chocolate, hard to stop once we get going. This has been finished as a pillow. I need to do more silk ribbon embroidery as this is great fun and I know of some very well designed projects that I can purchase and do. Need to put that on my list of things to do.

My best friend finished this as a pillow for me.

Update: March 9, 2010: Just found a photograph showing the finishing.