QUILTLET BINDINGS, et al..

 

Here are the front (L) and

back (R) of two little new placemats I made

for us this week...

I have a whole jelly roll of those pretty blue/green

fabrics and this backing which is a "cheater cloth"

that I want to finish using...

I am enjoying making these "little"

items for a change of pace...

So today, was  a "binding" day for me...

I  made bindings and

sewed them on the first side of these:

Hugs & Kisses with the leftover 

hydrangea fabric for a binding...

and

August Zinnia with a leftover dotty binding...

I managed to machine sew up the 

two placemats' bindings on

both sides, 

B U T .......

I totally 

[and I mean totally!!]

ran Out of machine thread 

after making the placemats...

(Yikes how did that happen??) 

👿👺

I have ordered more Gutermann

thread from amazon---

this  is my favorite to use

with Helga...works a charm

for me...

*********************************

I also have been working on my second 

Meditation Scroll with Purple

Cotton Perle #8 thread...

and a Milliners needle as it is easy for

me to hold... and thread...

These scroll projects are a perfect 

"lap quilt" project...;)))

See that purple-y stripe fabric--I just love that with

all my hand dyed browns I've unearthed from

my older stash...

*******************************

I would like to start making some 

of these 

{Chart is from 

"Super Scrappy"

 RSC's blog}

I have always like little repeating 

patterns and these little spools

look like fun--

PLUS:

I am actually using empty "spools" 

in my scrolls projects...

Perfect!!

Maybe some would find their way onto

a scroll...????

:))))

***************************

It has been so hot and humid here that

we have foregone any deck sitting...

thank heavens for our AC....

I am hoping to see some rain this

evening as our lawns are

turning brown and yellow....

Hugs for staying cool everyone!!

🌞🌚🌂

Julierose, La Blageuse

(stitching-and-planning-euse)

I JUST WANT TO STITCH!

 

While cleaning out my batting box, I came across

this little "batting booklet" I made a long while

back.....

I know I was following a Youtube video sewalong,

but I'll be darned if I can recall whose YT it was...

(sorry, if you may recall, let me know?)

** It's "Sew For the Soul"

by Ann Brooke Textile Artist

I remembered!! YAY!!

I never got into working in this and instead had

moved onto making some fabric journals 

with fabric pages for a while...

So, this had gotten stored away 

with all my extra

batting cut-off pieces...

Lately.....

I have been watching a lot of "Susan Taylor Brown's" 

Youtube videos and her idea of just

stitching for fun really resonated with me

today...

So I began a little first page using

methods I learned on Jude Hill's online

classes I took a long while ago...

Using some of those little cut off 

strips that are not big 

enough to seam, but are still fun 

to use in the "raw edge" manner...

I wove this:

I am in the process of 

"invisible basting" 

it together.  

[A process I also learned from Jude Hill....]

I will be removing the pins as I stitch...

I want to "try out" different ideas on these pages...

I don't care if the batting shows; I don't care

if the colors are not "matchey-matchy"--I

am just using what I have on had in my

scrap baggies...

Just something to be able to 

pick up when the spirit moves me

and my hands allow, to slowly stitch...

😄

********************************

Here is the closure on my first little

Meditation Scroll..an old button

on a 

a strip of Sari silk to 

wind about it and hold it in place ,,,,;)))

One of you, I think it may have been Nancy?, said

she'd like to peek inside my little

Japanese Rice Bag.  

💕

And here is what you see....

👀💗👀

I have my completed scroll and a new one

that I just basted and is ready to 

be stitched 

next to it...

{see the little pin holding it in place?}

I will be Working on the new one

in my lap while watching tv....

*****************************

I am using this adorable little tin to hold

some little tiny pieces for my batting book ...

Some of those teeny, tiny 

strips...and bits....

*******************************

So far today, we have reached 81 degrees with 

a dew point of 70.3!! But.....

but, but but, here off the shore, we do 

get a nice breeze off the ocean which has

not warmed up too much as yet...

We do have our AC on though....

**********************

And so, I have set myself up for some

slow stitching projects for the

Summer while I finish off a lot

of my little "quiltlets": layering and

binding them on Helga...

Hugs, Julierose,

La blageuse

(stitching-for-fun-euse)

....

A LITTLE JAPANESE RICE BAG FOR MY MEDITATION SCROLL...

 

I've been wanting to make a little carrying bag

for my Meditation Scroll...

I decided on a 

Japanese Rice Bag..

they are so darling...

A N D....

I've just finished it...

💓

I used old silk sari ribbons

for the ties...

and it is

mostly hand stitched..

{the lining I sewed together on Helga;}

It is just big enough to hold my scroll

in progress and my little spool, thread,

needle, and small scissors...

A B O V E

Here you can see the lining fabric...

↑↑↑↑

Here is the rosy pink side...

I am really happy 

:)))))

with how it

turned out. 

 I am not really

a bag maker...so this was

quite the journey to understand

how it was put together..

I watched and studied 

  4  different Youtube videos 

in order to learn how to

make this ;)))

*******************************

Here I am outside 

on our deck

this morning working on

my scroll...

I am just doing a simple running

stitch in parallel lines with

deep red thread...

S  L  O  W  L  Y .....

Very S L O W....

slow stitching 

while sipping

my morning coffee 

and listening to

the birds.....

I like that this is a "lap project";

and now so easy to carry along

with me in my little

Japanese Rice Bag...:)))

😇😍😇

Hugs, Julierose,

La Blageuse

(loving-slow-stitching-euse)

PROJECTS and SUCH....(a long one!)

 

 Hand Quilting my little 

"Spring Hugs and X's" project...

{this represents the colors better}

Out on the deck in the early mornings...

Gazing at the clouds drifting by--just

drifting and stitching.....

;)))

Here is the back using the last bits of that

lovely Roses fabric across the center...

**************************

And now for a non-sewing bit:

I went out early to do my weekly food shop and then

 when I came home to put the stuff away I found----

A N T S!! 

👿👾👽👺👹

{Notice how I saved you from a picture of ants--

You're welcome ;))) }

Creeping along some of my shelves;

SOooooo

Tom sprayed behind our stove which

is set in the middle of our wall cabinets,

and I emptied, washed and 

sprayed the right hand section 

where those little buggers appeared...

THEN

I took the time to re-organize and

put my baking stuff

[choc chips, sugars etc]

in snap/lock storage containers.

P  H  E  W!!!

Here is the result of about 2 hours working......

Everything is either in a container or jar or bottle

AND

so far, no more of those tiny ants have re-appeared...

We shall see--I know the battle will continue...

this is just the first skirmish....

Tomorrow I shall do my spice shelves--but mostly they

are all in containers...so just cleaning shelves...

********************************

Back to sewing stuff...;)))

I have been working on a 

couple of little, tiny

projects just for fun...

the first is called a 

"Meditation Scroll"

which I have been seeing 

all over YouTube..

My strip is 1 and 1/4" wide and of indeterminant

length--we'll see how much will fit around my 

little, old wooden spool at the top left.

It is one of two that I have from my

Grand-mere's old thread stash....

I just love this idea--so portable and

fun....

The cloth area is all basted down and ready

for slow stitching.  

I plan just a simple

and relaxing running stitch --varying

the thread colors...for decoration--

nothing fancy or needing much thought....

Just breathe, relax, and stitch away...

These bits and bobs 

are just those tiny cut-offs that

I have been (hoarding?) saving

in a basket...

It you look closely you can see 

the very last two bits of 

my all-time favorite

cherries fabric ;))))

↡↡↡↡

What fun to re-visit some cherished fabrics 

while doing a relaxing slow stitch...

All the fabrics are torn edged ...

love that look...

{See the cherries there at the top?}

************************

And one more thing---

[congrats if you've read this far

 on this wordy post....]

;))))))))))))

           Melisa at

"Pinkernpunkinquilts"

has inspired me with her little basket quilt

and so, I made my own template 

(shamelessly copying hers!!)--

Love your stuff Melisa💗

And I have done mine in my

favorite method of pre-turned applique

(using spray starch over template 

and ironing method)

and then 

I straight stitched around instead

working of normal hidden applique...

This will be such fun to hand quilt...

I hope you are enjoying the day...

Hugs, Julierose,

La blageuse

(slow-stitching-away-euse)

KAWANDI FINISH....

 

Blue Kawandi is finished...

I am glad I tried this in a small size.;))))

Pros to making one:

when you're done you're done--no

layering, or binding...

Cons (for me anyway):

Too hard on my hands stitching

through all those layers

and;

too many decisions 

for my olde brain.

👹

I will say that I have enormous respect for

the Siddi women and anyone who

 makes these in

big  sizes...just amazing!! 

It was a fun challenge 

for me...and I used up

a lot of blue scraps, too;))).

And....

It fits just so well on my

cocktail table in front

 of our fireplace...

Blue Kawandi is finished....

{and so am I;))) }

Hugs, 

Julierose,

La Blageuse

(back-to-regular-quilting-euse)

MAKING PROGRESS, et al

 

I have added a couple more rounds, stitching as I go...

the corners are the most puzzling for me...

All those raw edges to be covered....

But I am learning as I go...

and

I decided to add a few fabric repeats to

try to get a bit of coherence to this if

I indeed can...

I still have to decide if I want a 

"special" piece for the center????

******************************

Meanwhile...

I have finish making my 

Pink Ojos--for now...

since I am just using scraps only and

not delving into my stash, I am

running out of options 

for blocks...

I have these pinned only

up on my wall...

I will be sewing these together 

this week...

probably

rearranged.

***********************

And  while searching

for any errant "pinks"

in one of my scrapbags,

I came across these 

small, little dresden fan pieces...

probably from an old project that

I had abandoned...

So...

here they are sewn together

I am thinking of setting them in a corner

of some blocks...

I have yet to figure out 

what size square

for these...

And I also found some  smaller

circles I had made that could

work with them...for the

small end arcs...

And so, 

another little project 

has emerged...

*************************

Today dawned hot and pretty humid.

We took off early to take our walk/stroll

along the CT River boardwalk...

but...the "no-see-ums" were so

bad that we cut it short.

Even the fishermen out 

there said they had to

cover up as they

 were getting 

"eaten alive"!!

YUCK!!!

We have our AC on and it feels

really good to be in dryer air....

Hugs, Julierose

La Blageuse

(making-slow-progress-euse)

JUNE BEGINNINGS.....

 

I have been fascinated by the Kawandi pieces I've seen online and on YouTube

for a long while now and I have been watching all the videos I can find....

I finally found "Marion's World" 

on YouTube

where she gives her Tips and Techniques

for your first Kawandi...

(btw "Kawandi" is the word for quilt--

so if you say Kawandi quilt.

you are really saying

 "quilt quilt"😂) 

anywaaaaay....that being said...

I would love to make a lap sized Kawandi for myself, 

but first--(for a change) 

I decided to make a little

"test/trial" piece to see if I do like

the process before setting up a bigger piece.

[I know, this is new territory for me with

test pieces, huh?😏] 

so I took this lovely leftover piece 

from my stash---

and, because it is so soft, 

and therefor, easier to 

needle through,

I decided to use it for

the backing.

Here is my Kawandi project so far--

 after that first and

only semi-difficult round.....

so scrappy and fun...

;)))))

I wanted to use mostly blue fabrics and 

cut offs from

 my scrappy 

stash;

 and the lining (white in the center)

is an old, thin damask table napkin 

that my Mom had

--originally there were 12,

 but sadly--

 I have no idea what 

happened to the others...

It is so soft and also perfect for 

needling through.

As the original makers do, I added the

"Phuldas" = or flowers, 

to the four corners

on my first round.  

 Two views 

⇊

It is my understanding after watching all the videos 

that the Siddi consider the Kawandi 

tobe "naked" 

without the addition of the Phuldas...

I think they are so cute;)))

Please go and watch 

"Marion's World Kawandi"

video for her easy and well-taught

instructions to see her method

which I am using...

Another fun project 

on-the-go...

💙💚💛💜😄

*********************************

And her is a treat for you....

Look at my iris:

Aren't they just beautiful?

And...

they smell like grapes....

Aaaaaaah...

I hope you are enjoying your Saturday;

our weather couldn't be more perfect:

low humidity and in the 70's

perfect deck weather....

Hugs, Julierose

La Blageuse

(Kawandi-trial-euse-ing)