LARGE HEART WALL HANGING -- VALENTINE !!

This wall hanging measures about 18" high and 15" across.  It is pieced crazy quilt style of beautiful hankies and a silk print in the center, with lots of embellishment.  It is stretched on a piece of cardboard, lined, and then bound with burgundy ruffled ribbon overlayed with an imported diamond pointed lace.   I made this for my husband's mother when she was in the nursing home.  Since she has passed away, we now have it back and use it at Valentine's Holiday for wall decor.  

 

Carol

JEWELRY PILLOWS

I have 2 grown daughters whose birthdays both are in February.   I have always given them the same thing for their birthdays since they married.   This past year I made dupioni silk jewelry pillows for them.   They are about 6" X 9".  They are fringed with rich looking satin ball fringe of light and dark copper and gold silk which matches the dupioni they are made of.   I went through my jewelry box and gave each of them some very old antique pieces I have had for years.   They are pinned on the pillows.   They were estactic!   They both love the old jewelry to wear as well as to embellish their pillows.  

Carol

PILLOWS MADE FROM NECKTIES

At Christmas time last year, I made lots of pillows out of neckties.   All of the men in the family received one.  They were delighted!   It was definitely something for their "Man Cave" they all rave about now.  They are pieced from silk neckties.  For the fringe I used the small ends of the ties. I embellished the seams with all the same stitch, so it was a quick and fun project.  On my blog Carolsews@blogspot.com  I have included a tutorial on making them.    Enjoy! 

Carol

MY CRINOLINE TYPE LADY IN SILK RIBBON EMBROIDERY WALL HANGING

The background is white pure silk.  All the work on it is by hand - silk ribbon embroidery.  I had a very old vintage transfer pattern that I used.  It was all in cross stitch and I chose to make silk ribbon flowers instead.  I appliqued the burgundy silk skirt and bodice and her bonnet and used wide silk ribbon for the ruffles on them.  The wall hanging is 28" long and 25" wide plus white silk border.   I have hopes of finding an old oval picture frame with a curved glass to put it in someday.   But that large size is hard to find.  It took me about a year to make this, but of course it was just pick up work when I had time to work on it.  I really enjoyed making it.  

Carol

My LEARNING PILLOW

This pillow top was made soon after I began to learn about crazy quilt style of embellishing and stitching.  I pieced the top of light colored silky fabrics and began to stitch with several books at my side!  I guess I did a little encrusting of the seams even back then but I was only trying to make different stitches and keep them straight along each other!   I decided to put everything DIFFERENT on my 'learning pillow' that I had not used before.  Thus you will see many things.   There are motifs of crochet and tatting as well as ruched ribbons and silk ribbon embroidery flowers etc.  The pink crocheted basket is filled with flowers made of silk organdy ribbons.  When I thought I was finished I took it to my local needlework shop for her inspection.  She said, it looks nice SO FAR, but I don't see any beads!    I hadn't even thought of beads.  So back I went and got out all my beads.   I sewed them on to every motif and seam and literally filled in the background as much as I could.  I had a green satin pillow - plain on both sides.  So I just 'appliqued' this pillow top onto that existing pillow.  I stitched it in such a way that I turned under the edges and stitched by hand to hide my stitches right in the seam of the cording around the pillow.   When I took it back, several ladies thought I had made the pillow also with the cording around the edge.   My teacher looked and knew what I had done, and just smiled!!!!!  Bless her.  

Here are some Christmas things I have made in the past.

This is a wall hanging about 36" square.  It is made on a dupoini silk background with fans in each corner.   The fans are heavily embellished with stitching and charms as well as added lace and ribbons.  The center is a silk print.  It is a little girl dressed for winter, holding her muff.  Her muff, fur collar and hat are all embellished with white fuzzy thread for depth.  I'm sorry the picture is not clearer.   A matching silk ruffle edges the whole wall hanging.  This always comes out at Christmas time and is hung prominently on the living room wall.   

This long wall hanging matches the square one above.  It also is used at Christmas time as it is made with 3 large pockets which hold the Christmas cards received during the season from our friends.    Each of the 3 pockets is heavily embellished all over with extra fringe and beads across the top of each pocket.  Silk prints are spaced above each pocket and of course are embellished with outlining and more.   We enjoy this decoration near the tree and our fireplace in the living room. 

Hussif & Purse AND my Victorian Needlebook

I have included the slide bars on the right margin of these items. These projects were so much fun and the items are so useful too!   I will be glad to share measurements if anyone is interested in making either of them.
Enjoy! 

Carol

I HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY THIS BLOG!!

I intend to make this blog 'all about my sewing'.   I will be posting pictures of things I have made in the past as well as in the future.  

In the recent past I have made many clothing and accessory items for dolls.  We are in the process of retiring from selling on eBay.  Most of these things are what I have made for sale on eBay.  However some will be shown on dolls that I have dressed.  

Crazy quilt style is what I love best.   I have made several things for my home as well as holiday items in this style.   I am presently working on a wall hanging for my youngest great grandaughter, however shoulder surgery in October has interfered with my finishing it at this time.   I will post a picture when it is finished.  I am also working on a victorian style wall hanging for our home.   I am presently sewing beads on it, and that is something I can do right now.   I will also post a picture of the finished item, however it will be awhile.  It is made up of six 6" blocks that will be set together with sashing and then several rows of border around them.  So there is a bit of work to do on it yet.  

I have many plans for things I would like to make!  Time will tell.   But I do look forward to 'stitching' some time in each day.   I hope you will enjoy seeing the eye candy pictures. 

Carol