BailiwickStudio

White Valentines

Old faded linens make me happy. For years I've collected them - lacy table runners, embroidered handkerchiefs, dresser scarves, french tickings and the like. I'd bring them home and they'd sit around my studio looking pretty, piled in baskets or on shelves. My intentions were to make new things from them but I always found it impossible to actually cut into them. So there they sat, in ever-growing piles, until one day I picked up my scissors and quartered an old hankie, then layered the corners over linen to create some sachets.

Now I can't stop digging through all my laces and fabrics for possibilities! It's still a wee bit hard to actually cut into these lovely old linens of yesteryear (I have to take a deep breath first), but when I can repurpose them into pretty things for today I feel better about it. Vintage linens + lavender equals the perfect pairing of two of my favorite things. Add bits of lace and vintage buttons or small keys or flowers, and the sachets make charming valentines, too - especially the hearts.

But now, since I've gone scissor-happy, it's nearly time to restock my supply. The piles are dwindling. I'm hardly complaining, though - there's nothing I love better these days than wandering the aisles of a flea market!

Some of these things you can find here.

I'm joining Faded Charm today for White Wednesday and A Beach Cottage for Good Life Wednesdays.

On My Worktable

I just made a pennant banner for my younger grandson. He now has his own bedroom in Guam, and the red, blue and yellow pennants I made for the boy's room here went into Ryan's new room. I thought Nico needed one too, so I shopped my studio (see next paragraph) and came up with these striped, dotted, and plaid fabrics. Now it's on its way to him - I know he'll love having his own.

Once upon a time I was a fabric-aholic. I was always buying fabric, whether I had a project in mind or not, and it didn't help that I worked in a fabric store for nearly four years! About a year ago I made an effort to change my hoarding ways, and I stopped buying (except for serious fabric emergencies, of course). So now I try to use what I have, and since I practically have a small shop's worth, it's not too hard!

Check out a lot of other projects at kootoyoo's Creative Space Thursdays!

All Finished! Maybe.

I've finished my sampler, but I don't really want to be finished! I'm thinking about adding one more row along the top - I think there's just enough room on the fabric without getting too close to the edge, and I'd still be able to staple it to a frame to keep it taut and square. Then I'll put it in a shadow box.

It's just that I have still more garden ideas that I want to incorporate - I meant to stitch a straw hat (but forgot), and there should be mushrooms, and lilac, and herbs, and a picket fence, perhaps even a small key to unlock the garden door... I think I could easily fill in 8 more squares!

Everyone is finishing up now, and you can see the newest photos here. Thanks Amy! This project was so much fun!

Almost Finished!

My sampler is just a few squares from being finished. I've loved this project so much I might have to do another one! There have been issues - such as when I need a new length of floss it takes several minutes to find the end of the thread in my tangled piles (and since I really dislike cutting a new end I just keep looking for one - there's got to be two ends in there somewhere, right?), and the other day I dipped the whole thing in water to remove the remnants of the water-soluble ink I was using to draw with and a while later I noticed that the little piece of twill tape on which I had stamped the word "fleurs" was erased too. Sheesh.

 

There will be a little bird on the bough, and the rope hanging off it is for a swing that still needs a seat. Then there will be six more squares to fill. I have plans for a rabbit and a straw hat, and maybe a bunch of carrots, or a garden gate, but then I'm out. Does anyone have suggestions for the last three or four squares? Something to do with gardens, of course, that will work with the colors I'm using. I'm plumb out of ideas. oooh, maybe a pair of plums on a branch? (sorry, that just popped into my brain as I was writing).

Everyone participating has been showing their progress here. Maybe that's where I should go for ideas!

Edited to add: I was tickled to find out that after I added the photo of the unfinished sampler to our flickr group, it found itself on the front page of Explore! How cool is that?

Two More Squares

  

I was way ahead on my sampler until the weather turned too beautiful to stay indoors. I've been out pulling weeds and shoveling dirt and all that kind of fun stuff, so now I'll be falling behind if I don't get busy with some stitchery! This is the top right corner.

I'd like to thank my blogging friend Betty Jo at DigiScribbles for featuring me on her blog today. She wrote such a nice post! She herself is a very gifted photographer. Her photographs are so ethereal and romantic, so be sure to visit her blog!

Squares 10 11 & 12

 
Here are three more squares of my sampler - it has become decidedly garden themed. I added another color to the pallette - it's a sort of goldish-tan which adds a note of brightness. I am so loving this project!

More Stitchery

I've been working on my sampler whenever I have a chance - oftentimes when I should be doing something else! It's just so much fun. I think I'm ahead of the game by a few squares, which is good because I need to put it down and get to that list I made for myself of things that need doing around here.

To see the progress of other samplers, check here.

Squares 4 & 5

I've been doing a bit of catch-up with the sampler. I only have five squares finished, and today's March 6. I need to get two more finished by tomorrow. I don't think I'm liking the heart square, I might change it...

The boys have gone home. Their daddy flew in Wednesday night, Thursday was a busy day of packing and last minute visits to family, and Thursday evening they flew off to New York. We arrived at the airport with a car FULL - one stroller, one daddy, two small boys, two carseats, two waist-high sea bags, one suitcase, one folded-up playpen, one diaper bag, one backpack, and two cats in their carriers. Only the bags and playpen were checked - everything else was going on the plane. When they arrived at JFK, Zach had to take a taxi to his car in the parking lot! But they arrived safely, and I know I'll start missing them by the time Monday rolls around. Right now I'm tired, and I'm sort of enjoying just sitting with my embroidery and a few magazines (I finally picked up Flea Market Style and it's wonderful!) while listening only to music and not little voices asking for this or that. Their parents are hearing that now, which is exactly the kind of music they've been longing for I'm sure!

39 Squares :: 2 & 3

Here are my second and third squares. I'll show more progress on Saturday - for the next couple of days I'll be giving lots of hugs and kisses to my grandbabies before they go (see post below).

Edited to add... As some of you know, my daughter is in the Coast Guard. She's been stationed on Long Island for the past four years, and has been waiting to see where she'll be transferred this summer. She just called to tell me. It's Guam. GUAM???? That's over 3,000 miles further away from me than NY is!

Now I feel even more thankful that we had 7 months with the boys.

Hearts :: 6

I've shown this little applique quilt here before, last year around this time I think. It was the first small art quilt I made, and it was so much fun to do. Sewing this kind of quilt is different than sewing a regular quilt - it's more like putting together a collage. Definitely a nice combination of a few of my favorite things - fabric, art, and quilting.