I've been busy...

Sorry for the lapse in posts. I've been blissfully busy creating. It seems that the ideas are coming faster than the time I have to sew. I've had a lovely time creating with new fabrics from 2 Marcus Fabric lines.
I am lucky to have a local quilting shop and a big craft store nearby. The quilt shop has nothing but amazing sewing machines and quilting fabrics in every style and color along with amazing batiks, flannels and some wools. They teach classes. They always welcome you when you come in. They are small but they their walls are covered with lovely quilts, quilted projects, the newest quilt techniques and lots of other fabric enticements.
My favorite new fabric line is the bright and cheerful 1930's inspired Grandmother's Garden prints. Here are some pincushions from that line-

When I was young, I would walk down to the corner where my grandma lived. She seemed to always have time for my thoughts or requests for an afternoon snack or even some time with her at her Singer sewing machine. You know, the black one with the cool wheel which sat nestled in its own little table.

My dear grandma wore sweet apron/house dresses. Button tabs connected at her shoulders. The fabrics were worn soft with bright cottons in sweet floral patterns. Often, they were spotted with her latest kitchen concoction of cooked pudding or chicken gravy from scratch. The best thing about her apron is that her lap often beckoned me to sit for a while. I loved the feel of my grandmother's lap and her gentle hands and soft voice as she talked to me about my day. These fabrics remind me of her and those magic aprons around the corner from my home filled with too many siblings.
I found this picture of a similar apron on a site at www.beverleys.net. She has a lovely apron poem on this page which was precious.

Back to the quilt shop and my new fabrics....
I received a request for a pincushion in civil war inspired fabric prints. At first I wondered if I could ever be inspired by something inspired by a period of war. One trip to the shop and I realized I already had been drawn to those lovely patterns and muted colors. So I added a few more colors and patterns to my stash and off to the machine I went.

I love this simple pincushion pattern. Its made from simple wedges sewn from tip to tip. I like to create a round little pillow which I stuff with emery. I add that pillow to the sweet spot of each of these pincushions. When used, the needles and pins travel thru the fiberfill and into the emery. The emery is a natural cleaner and sharpener.

Well back to work... Check out my Etsy Shop. I have more fiber brooches listed. I've also added some new art yarn assortments. I created a new apple and pear, but Robin bought them so quickly that I didn't have them in my shop more than a day. Here they are...

I wish I had the time and newer fingers. I'd make a lot more of these. These apples allow me to create something unique to me and my embroidery style. They are so lovely, but hard on my fingers. Fifty year old fingers really don't enjoy all that poking and pulling. You would think that embroidering on cotton would be a cinch. Wool and the way the needle slides through its open weave, is my new favorite medium for stitching. Wish I could combine this pattern with that material. I'll have to work on that idea.

Well, thank you so much for stopping. I am well overdue for a tutorial and I promise to get on that soon. Happy stitching!