Fall Quilts, Wool, and Wool Dyeing In the Microwave

Transitions

Summer has unofficially become fall here, though the calendar says it's still over a week away. It's 54 F this morning, and I'll have a cool studio today. I confess that sweltering heat does not bring out my creativity, and also that I've taken a little hiatus while coming to terms with my art and craft. Both points have made it more difficult to return to the studio daily, though I'm in and out. It's not an excuse, and there's no reason for me to apologize. It just is. You know, I'm finding that makes more sense to me recently. 

Vintage Slow Stitching

The Luxury of a Slow Stitching Project

An upcoming long weekend away had me nervous for lack of a project to take along. I improvisationally pieced some simple log cabin blocks the night before. Though the project was started at the 11th hour, the idea had been brewing the whole week long. Something simple. Something graphic. Something old.

Round Robin Final Border and a Round Robin Link Up

Cindy's Block from Stitchin At Home

It's the final round for our Round Robin, and I think it's spectacular to see all 4 finishes. 

Cindy did the original center, and it arrived to Sandra at MMM! Quilts. Sandra added the surrounding border, and mailed it to Tish at Tish's Adentures in Wonderland. Tish mailed it to me, and I thought, "How in the world will I do this?" I wasn't alone. I think we all had a superb exercise in design!

#BraveQuilter for September Is OPEN!

Slow Stitch Project

This week has been a push every day. I've been sticking to a list of things that need to be done, and it's been working. Staying on track can be hard when there are so many distractions, especially when you're surrounded by tempting fabrics. But we have a weekend break coming, and I had nothing portable to take and stitch. I kept thinking of these beautiful blue cottons I'd recently dyed, and my growing stash of feed sacks. Throw in some vintage buttons, and it just seemed to feel good together.

What I Did Last Summer

Pinned and ready for many glorious 
evenings of hand quilting!

Summer's Accomplishments

I feel like I've spent my summer as a true holiday. Not R&R, but catching up. There are still many things on the long list, but we've powered through some Herculean tasks. Tree removal from the Emerald Ash Bore--6 mature trees, house and property restoration, and so on. Nothing that was neat and tidy, and it all spilled over onto the rest of lives. Piles of things in the house were designated by project, and that was disruptive in itself. I'm happy to report the chaos is about 80% contained now.

Deconstructed Screen Print on Fabric Finish

'Macrophytes'

14" x 16.5"

This piece was created using a deconstructed silk screen process with Procion MX dyes, and Kona cotton. It is color fast. It was stitched by hand with a variety of Prescencia cotton thread, which has a subtle sheen. The backing and binding are also made with hand dyed Kona cotton here in my studio. It is available for sale for $140. A hanging sleeve will be added at the purchaser's request, and in their preference of orientation.

Shipping in the Continental U.S. is included. Contact information is below.

Hunting Down and Caring for Vintage Textiles

"Button, button. Who's got the button?"

Did you play this game as a child? I did. I also passed many hours sifting through my mother's, grandmother's, and even great-grandmother's button tins. Mind you, most were not new. They had previously lives on garments worn years, and maybe the century before my hands touched them. Many were nicked and scarred, but still had usefulness left in them, so they were removed in the hope they could be reused. 

Pink Doxies Is Having Technical Issues

Computer Failure
My apologies for abandoning you this month. Just as I was ready to get back to work, my new computer died. I will return to blogging ASAP, but until then find me on Instagram as PINKDOXIES or Pink Doxies on Facebook. Wish me luck!

Felted Wool, Hand Stitching, & New Books

Felting Wool

This week started on the low side. Logic says one shouldn't get sick in the heat of summer, but I did, and then throw a nasty yellow jacket encounter on top of that. It's hard to determine what made me sicker, but I'm on the mend. Life happens. It meant quick trips over to my studio looking for little projects to keep me going while binge watching Downton Abbey, but mainly the Doxie girls and I snoozed through our week. (Yeah, they loved it.)

New Ideas to Finish Whole Cloth Prints

Whole Cloth Prints

The stack of prints I made from deconstructed silk screening was perfect for some experimental stitching, quilting, and beading. Most things I'd seen had little or no stitching, and so I had few examples to compare what might be ideal. Once again, I found myself exploring new territory. (I like that!) I made myself a rule:

When the print itself carries so much interest, the addition of any ornamentation needs to add to it without competing.