Category Archives: Needle Work

Besides Quilts

On my continued search through old photos I found several photos of projects that are quilt and fabric related. Again, I apologize for the photos, some of these are projects from twenty or more years ago… or long before the Internet as we now know it!

I didn’t worry about the projects being original back then, many were made before I had a fiber art business (or computer) and were only gifted to family. So I did use other designs and/or traditional patterns. If any of you have been crafting for ages, like me, you may remember making items like these. I know hot pads are an item being made by many traditional and beginner quilters these days still.

The photo albums below were made over forty years ago. I’d forgotten I once knew how to crochet!

Machine satin stitched, appliqued sweatshirts – before I knew what applique was.

Little quilt name tags (These were for sale).

I made this to go on a gift tote bag. There may be a pattern but at the time I just made it up.

This was an original design quilt in a hoop (a gift for a principal).

While my kids were in elementary school the joke was that I should have my own parking space because I was there so much, as a volunteer. Every year I made some type of “thank you,” end of year quilt for both of my kid’s teachers. At that time being there offered me the opportunity to place items for sale in the faculty workroom. I made a lot of tiny quilt pins, many from fussy-cut commercial fabrics but the ones I share here were all hand painted originals on fabric. I really loved making these little pins (I may have shown some on my blog in the past).

The angel was made for a special friend.

As I went through the photos I started to remember many more projects I made but never took a photos of. I’m so glad photographing projects is easier now.

I hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane with me, and if it has given you any crafty ideas, all the better!

Beaded Leaves

I hope everyone is healthy and safe.

I have painted the fabric and taught the class and I still love making my painted fabric leaves. I have stitched and beaded several and I’m offering a few for sale. I will be posting them to my Instagram page but decide to post them here first.

Each leaf has the painted fabric top that is raw edge, a Timtex center layer (which may be showing through the beads), and a felt back.

Unfortunately, I still don’t have the store open on my website but if you’re interested in purchasing here are the details…

Please leave a comment with the leaf/leaves # you would like to purchase and I will contact you via email to let you know if it is still available. After payment is received I’ll ask if you would like a pin or magnet on the back. Price $18 each, free shipping, payment accepted via PayPal only, and no international sales.

Coordinating felt back waiting for pin or magnet.

I’ve been going through cupboards and drawers finding all kinds of treasures (one person’s treasure…) and have come to the reality that I don’t need to keep a lot of what I have rediscovered. So I plan to have some giveaways in the future.

Thanks for stopping by and warm wishes to you where ever you are!

Made it to November

This is a full post, feel free to share it with anyone you think would enjoy the project videos and artwork.

October was crazy around here. My husband went in for his second procedure only to find out all was corrected during the first, so happy about that…cycling can commence!

Our daughter is finally back from Russia and we made it through quarantine.

Our old cat was diagnosed with kidney disease so I have learned how to give injections. I could stick a needle in things all day long but could never watch needles going into skin. It still makes me queasy but we do what we have to do, right?

And still we are more fortunate that so many.

During the past two months I have made a few videos and have been thankful to be able to work on more projects for Visions Art Museum member challenges. There is another new project coming later this month. I’m posting the video projects below.

And now I have started a November challenge – #Needlevember, everyday this month I’ll be posting a stitched piece (think Inktober-ish). Here are the first five days; I’ll be adding day 6 to my Instagram page later today. Would love for others to take part in this November challenge just use #Needlevember and post on Instagram and Facebook.

As always I appreciate you stopping by.

A Challenge with Hand Embroidery

I remember about ten or fifteen years ago getting rid of my hand embroidery materials/tools. When I was young I hand embroidered everything! But then I became a quilter and wouldn’t be creating hand embroidered piece anymore. Fast forward to 2017 and I was buying back all the tools I use back then. I think now that I primarily machine quilt I’m enjoying the comfort of the slow rhythm of hand embroidery once again.

After embroidering on a quilt (I’ll share in a future post) for the San Diego Quilt Show quilt challenge ; the theme being “Wild, Wild, West” I kept going and made this hat for the block challenge.I first draw the hat on paper, then scanned it into Adobe Illustrator, made it a vector and resized it. I applied white fabric to an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of freezer paper, pressed very well and sent it through my laser printer. I heat set it and hooped it up.

When the embroidery was finished I hand appliqued the underside and the entire hat this a pretty mottled “batik.” And to my surprise I won a Viewer’s Choice second place ribbon!
I’m going to ask our historian for a photo of the exhibit; I believe there were fifteen hat block entries… I did a quick walk-by but was pretty busy and didn’t see most of the show and so didn’t take photos outside my booth.

Do you hand embroider? What floss do you used and do you wrap your hoop?

I remember…

I remember when I got rid of all of my embroidery paraphernalia; when I became a quilter! Before then, for years, I embroidered everything. Then a few years ago I discovered mark making with thread, more specifically, floss. So, off I went to buy all of those embroidery tools and materials, again. But now I approach embroidery differently, not so much flowery, cutesy stuff but more as another layer and bit of interest to add to mixed media works of art. Having said that, this is what I did this week while resting with the flu. It is on a piece of my hand painted pole wrapped cotton (faux Shibori).

Even if the subject is no longer my cup of tea, it was fun to draw and stitching it was really good for my motor skills which have been feeling clumsy lately.

Fiber Designs by Ann

Fiber art Design, Instruction, Sales