Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Gallery Page Update

I find it so hard to keep up with social media. I adore my blog and am so happy when I can find time to add to it. Its my chance to get some feedback from my readers and I love, love, love to hear from you. I often click on your pictures and visit your little on-line worlds. Its like taking a trip around the world. I have hundreds of visitors from every where on the planet. Its so great to know that we all have something beautiful in common.
Well, I noticed, while I checked my stats that I have many visitors to my Gallery page. I was horrified to see that I had not updated that page since I opened my Fiberluscious blog years ago. Oh my! Thats terrible.

Well, if you want to take a trip through many of my works, you can see my Gallery page here. I am not quite finished, but am quitting for tonight. I hope you enjoy seeing my many different fiber works. It always surprises me to revisit all that I have done. Where did I ever find all of this time!?

Here is an oldie by a goodie. Check the gallery to see many more!


Now if I could just get you a new tutorial!
It never ends....

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Batiks on the Brain!

I love batik fabrics! They are just so bright and fun. I love how they can be very organic and abstract. They can also add a simple, subtle element to any project. I recently added some pretty colors and patterns to my Fabric Choices page. Take a look and see them here. Actually, I have a few more to add to that bunch. I'll list what is left over from an order I'm working on right now. There is a local quilt shop called Royce Quilting and they have nearly one hundred colors and patterns to choose from! If you are even in West Bend Wisconsin, you just have to stop in and see there amazing quilt fabrics.

Well, here are some of the new pincushions I created with my batiks. I added some pretty abstract and patterned fabrics as well. I'd love to know what you think!
Oh..you may notice that all of these have a heart motif! I am helping my sister out with a gift for a quilter she knows. I can't wait to see which one she picks out! P.S. The remaining designs will be available in my Etsy shop soon.

Pink Heart and Pretty Paisley

Pink Hearts on Green with and without beading, front and back. (I love them both!)


I created the same design using a fun paisley blue fabric. I just have to get some more of that blue!



Here is the first pincushion I made for this series. I showered this heart with embroidered flowers and a mattering of sparkling beads. The recipient is in her 70s. I've been told that she is a quilter with a beautiful, bright energy about her. I wasn't sure if this one was a bit too much....I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

I created this last pincushion on a whim. I purchased a number of pretty cotton duck fabrics in lots of colors and prints.
Using a printed pattern to create an embroidered design is a fun exercise I recommend to any new or even experienced stitchers. Just follow the pattern.

I used a simple backstitch to outline the flower shape. I added french knots to all the dots along the outside edge. I added an ombre effect in shades of orange and gold to accent the petal shapes. A few more french knots in the middle and its finished! Oh.. I almost forget those sweet, glittering beads added here and there. I used clear thread when I do my beading. It keeps the colors of the beads true and you can't see the thread as it goes in and out of the bead hole.

Here is a picture of the bottom of this pincushion. Aren't those little wool feet fun? Often, when I stuff my round pincushions, they seem to be a bit on the rolly polly side. Although, that may not affect the usefullness of the pincushion, it kind of bothers me. So I took felt balls and cut them in half with a scissors. I then stitched them onto the bottom of the cushion and it is rolly polly no more!

Here is an older pincushion made with cotton duck. I cut a large chevron pattern into wedges and created a smaller version. I then added some machine, free-motion stitching to create a cute banner design. Bits of cotton fabric are stitched down with more machine stitching. I just have to try to make this one again. They all are so much fun to make! There just isn't enough time.

Thats it for now. I hope to write a new post soon. I had a lovely surprise last week. A fellow fabric lover send me a box of wool scraps just because. it was the most wonderful surprise and I can't wait to share that box of goodies with you and perhaps combine a few of them with some pretty wool roving in a giveaway for wool lovers! Watch for that later this week.
Have a happy last week of July! (Where does the time go?)

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Art Gifts have love stitched into them...

One of my favorite works of art are often custom ordered gifts from one sewer to another.
Pat ordered this beautiful water themed pincushion for Tina. Having worked with them both, I really enjoyed creating something extra special!

Tina loves anything ocean, water or with a nautical theme. In fact, she ordered a little strawberry for her self for her upcoming birthday. It was so hard not to tell her what Pat had ordered for her! I love surprises, but hate keep secrets, especially happy secrets!

She also ordered a little matching silk strawberry, which I just shipped to her. I forgot to take a photo. Oh dang. I sure hope she likes it!

I get a lot of ordered for gifts. Because I love giving presents so much, I really enjoy creating them for others to give. I try to put a little bit of "love" into them. I just get this lovely warm feeling while I am working, which makes the job a joy.
Here are a few gifts I've created this year...
Marianna ordered a linen pincushion for her daughter. She requested a different flower in each section of my lavender linen pincushion. I was thrilled as I had just imagined that design but hadn't the time to play with my ideas. Here is what Marianna and I came up with.

Now, I was thrilled to ship the "Glamorama" to Richelle's grandma. It was her 80th birthday!

This crown was given to Kristen's mother in Law for her 80th birthday! Oh how I would have loved to see her face when she donned this fanciful crown. I think everyone should feel like a queen.
I used to make a lot of crowns and tiaras. Alas, I just can't seem to find the time these days to explore that line of fiber goodness. I really enjoyed creating something wonderful for someone else.

This wooly sunflower pincushion was for Eileen's mom. Hope she loved it.




Here is the pincushion most likely to become a gift and that makes me happy because it is so much fun to create. I never tired of its soft feel and bright colors. I have a few versions of it in spring, summer and fall colors. Here is the spring and the original version.









Well, I hope to create many more gifts. I love giving them and making them!
Christmas comes early around here. My holiday rush begins in October. So, I decided to take a few weeks off in August to play with new ideas. Its so hard to create when you have things to do. I am looking forward to letting my imagination wander through all the pretty goodies, fabrics, trims and charms I've picked up this year. I also have all of that silk dye to play with! Oh my. I can't wait!

Here is one new items I managed to squeeze in this last week. I received an order for a batik needle book similar to this 1930's version I created last year.
While I was cutting, I decided to try a variety of half square and flying geese block configurations. It was so much fun! I even managed to piece a new pincushion which you can purchase here.
Well- here are the original and the batik versions.....















Take a look at my fabric choices page, (upper left hand corner of this blog) to see some of the new batiks and flower print fabrics I've picked up. So much fabric... so little time!
Thanks for stopping by!