Contrast

I've been thinking about my current needlework trends. Specifically, what I do with my personal stitching time. Yes, I design counted cross stitch for a living but I don't do cross stitching anymore.

It became so incredibly boring to me. I love designing it! But it became too repetative. Same 3 stitches over and over again. I often wonder how many cross stitchers have reached this point but maybe don't know how to do any other techniques.

I guess I was rather fortunate that my mom and grandmother taught me to stitch back when I was I don't know, somewhere between 8 and 10 years old. I learned the basic outline & stem stitches back then and lazy daisies and I can still see my grandmother trying to teach me how to do french knots. Eventually I moved onto needlepoint which I didn't like much because I didn't like to fill in the background. I still enjoy a small needlepoint project now and then but nothing big. I did some rug hooking, and eventually learned to cross stitch.

Shortly after I married my husband, my grandfather gave me my grandmother's sewing machine so I bought a few patterns marked "Easy" and I taught myself to sew with a bit of over the phone guidence from my mom. But I didn't care for making clothes.

Not long before we bought our house, I decided to make a quilt. It's a simple postage stamp patchwork quilt. I cut every 2 1/2 inch square with scissors rather than a rotary cutter. I don't think they were available back then. Anyway, I really enjoyed sewing the squares together but was totally bored with the handquilting. Back then I didn't know you could do it on the sewing machine. I only recently bought my walking foot!

But I continued on and made several more patchwork quilts. And I handquilted 2 1/2 of them. Yes, one is only 1/2 done. I do work on it over the Winter months but can't stand to have it in my lap in the Summer despite air conditioning. There are 4 more waiting to be quilted in my closet here!

Most of you know that I eventually went back to simple iron-on transfer embroidery and then discovered crazy quilting. Isn't it intersting, the contrast between the two? One is so incredibly simplistic, easy to do, easy to look at and yet so charming. And the other, so complex, so detailed and busy. Abstract but with bits of realism, well mine have some realistic touches usually. Crazy Quilts whether large or small, are truly objects of comtemplation.

The contrast between the simplistic and the complex is so extreme, I wonder if these two forms of needlework are in some way, a represention of my personality. Do our needlework likes and dislikes tell us anything about our deeper selves? Things that go beyond what we enjoy and don't enjoy? Food for thought huh?

A Productive Day On Sunday

Now that my All That Jazz block is under way, I spent yesterday morning doing the finishing on 5 projects on my sewing machine. Four of them were Christmas gifts and I feel good that I have those projects done now.

I've been wanting to do some simple embroidery so I pulled out my transfers, my lightbox and my stash of bleached muslin and I spent a few hours tracing some things to stitch.



This one is a Vogart from a set of towels and other small kitchen designs. I love these little animated things. I'll make it into a doorknocker for my kitchen.



Another from my collection of Vogart transfers. I didn't think to scan the envelopes when I had them out. Anyway, this one was for a towel too but will be another little doorknocker.



This is a Superior transfer from a set of 6 towel designs. Ok, another doorknocker.



This one is another Vogart pattern for pillowcases. I just love this little bird on the violin. I bought prefinished white pillowcases from Walmart.



You may remember that I stitched this one once already, earlier this Summer. I love this little design so much so I'm going to do it again. I don't know which pattern company did this design. This is a set of 7 towel designs but 1 is missing. They came in a batch of loose transers that I bought from Ebay. Yes, this will be another doorknocker. I really like making them. I have them hanging all over my house!

So later today, when I finish my work, I'll most likely do some more stitching on my All That Jazz block. I'm feeling much more clear on what I want to do with it so it should start to progress more quickly now.

All That Jazz Day 2

All That Jazz Day 2
Originally uploaded by Kitty And Me.

I have the butterfly filled in now. I used 3 strands of DMC cotton floss and 1 strand of Kreinik Blending Filament in the blue part. It's a perfect focal point.

I feel so much better about this now. I was having such a terrible creative block over this piece. The theme was just throwing me off.

Anyway, as I mentioned in yesterday's post, I'm going to be adding some forgetmenot flowers to represent those who lost their lives to the storm. I may also add a wavy music staff to help make my cute little buttons work.

I also need to Google Bouganvilla flowers. My mom said they're pink and this block could definately use some more hot pink. I have no idea what they look like because the don't grow up north where I live but they're quite popular in southern gardens so I thought they might make a nice addition.

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness
Originally uploaded by Kitty And Me.

Many of you know that I strongly support the Susan G. Komen Foundation and their work in helping to find a cure for Breast Cancer.

For my readers who are cross stitchers, I offer 2 Breast Cancer awareness designs.

The "Dove Of Hope" design is complimentary and is available as a PDF file downloadable from my Kitty & Me webpage.

The "Pink Ribbon" design is available with a small donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Details can be found on my Kitty & Me webpage. Click on "My Art" for more information.

All That Jazz Finally Started!

All That Jazz Day 1
Originally uploaded by Kitty And Me.

Well, after beating my head against the wall for days, I finally decided on what to do with this.

In the words of the old song, "I gotta be me!" meaning, I was trying too hard to do something that wasn't my taste.

I don't care for Jazz (give me Mozart and Vivaldi)and I'm not big on parties or get-togethers so the whole jazz/mardi gras thing just wasn't working for me.

I still love my block and I'm glad I used the fabrics and colors that I did. But I've changed the theme of my block. The south will rise again "On The Wings Of Hope" represented by the butterfly.

I'll be including some Forgetmenot flowers in rememberance of those who lost their lives due to the storm.

I still plan to use my cool little music buttons that mom found for me but I think it will have a more traditional Crazy Quilt look than what I had originally planned on.

I still have to fill in the butterfly. I'll be using DMC embroidery floss and some Kreinik Blending Filament. Once I get that done, then I'll start on the seam treatments.

Stay tuned!