Card - Stitching on Alcohol Ink Bkgd

Another alcohol ink background made this summer with my sister.

I trimmed this alcohol ink background to 4 x 5.25 inches. That allowed me to cut off not so nice edges and make the blue more prominent.

I have a few plastic canvas shapes so I used the circle one with a border for the pierced circle then chose a square shape with in it to pierce holes.

I stitched these shapes with true blue embroidery floss (3 strands) with a blunt tapestry needle.

Mounted the art to a Pacific Point A2 card base.

White quarter sheet insert and white envelope.

Slow Stitching - July 2025 - Week 1

My theme for the slow stitching piece for July is Social Groups. It represents the groups to which I have belonged over the years that created community for me. I participated wholeheartedly, contributed to the vibe of the group, and enjoyed those folks who shared the journey with me. Following K3NCloth Tales.

I chose a piece of white on white printed fabric and dyed it with Rangers Distress stains in various colors. I let it dry then rinsed it out to leave the mottled pattern you see.

Being on the volleyball team in high school was a big deal for me. Going on the bus for away games, have my favorite snack (Coffee Crisp), and a uniform which meant I belonged.

I was also in the church choir and I remember practicing from September to be ready for the Christmas concert.

I belonged to calligraphy group for many years. Attending monthly meetings, sitting on committees, taking classes, giving classes, and having social events at Christmas and in the summer. 

Slow Stitching - June 2025 - Week 1

My Homes is the theme for my June slow stitching piece in the K3N Cloth Tales 2025 Comfort Coverlet project.

I have lived in a few homes in my life with a new on in the very near future.  Those have been in two provinces of Canada.

I drew the 2 provinces in outline on my 12x12 inch piece of cotton with a foundation layer of thin fabric. 

I invisible basted these layers together about 1 inch from the edge. This serves as a reminder to keep my art within that space.

I found a map online I could use for reference and drew the shapes by hand.

I chose two strands of a dark grey embroidery floss and the outline stitch. I went all the way around the provinces and added the islands on the west coast.

The big lakes are done in blue.

Looking forward to another month.

Slow Stitching - No. 048 - Cloth Gathering

Next piece of  K3N Cloth Tales Slow Stitching Challenge 2024.

Week 48 - Cloth Gathering.

I chose this soft yellow cotton fabric. I cut a piece 3 times the length of my anticipated final piece (5.5 x 3 =16.5 inches). 

I used pieces of embroidery floss longer than the cloth by a few inches.  I chose them from my ORTS tin. I think I did 9 rows of running stitch.  Make sure your knot is secure - a back stitch would be helpful.

I then pulled the threads to scrunch up the fabric. It feels really nice.

I really liked the stem stitch along the top edge which was just stitched to the top of each fold in green thread. I put crosses in blue on the left.  I did not find adding stitches to this piece easy except the stem stitch.

Slow Stitching - No. 032 - Inspired by Judy Martin

I am catching up on my slow stitching now that the floor has been installed and all the furniture is back in place.

This is week 32 of K3N Cloth Tale's Slow Stitching challenge.  Prompt - Inspired by Judy Martin. K saw Judy's show in Birmingham but was inspired by an older piece.

The piece took 3 years (over 1000 days) to complete and was over 200 feet long and titled "Not to know but to go on".  The idea to stitch every day and take things as it comes. 

I chose the items to couch from one of my scrap bags and just laid them down as they came along. Started with one color and just changed as that one ran out.  I couched yarn, ribbon, rickrack and cording.  I really loved how the tiny rick rack looked couched. All kinds of ways to stitch it as well. Of course, there is as many colors as the rainbow.  I then stitched in between the couched rows till I was happy with the whole piece from either side.

Not sure how this will make it into my squares as it is too long.  Can I fold it effectively, I am not sure.  

Cool Tool: Skate Lace Threader

Here's the cool tool! It's a floss threader but I used it to thread my red laces onto my skate. Here's how.
Pull your red thread through the loop so now it will act as a needle would.  Pull the thread through the bottom hole back to front first and pull thread to the half way point. now pull the lace through the holes from the back as you go up.  Release that thread and put the other into the threader. Now pull that thread through all the holes from the front which should create that little cross until you get to the top.  Tie a knot and trim the ends.
I included a threader in each of the kits.