I finished my zipper pouch a while back. I think I need remedial training on how to put that zipper in more invisibly. Trial and Error and there is always next time. I am using it for templates and such....
The close up pic is a detail from a stitch I saw in Annie's blog here on day 35.
http://www.loopylace.com/anniescrazyworld/
Some adverisements in the store...
Friday evening after Galbi, we went to the Baskin Robbins in Waegwan. They have such great ice cream- especially on a hot summer's day! Upon entering the store, I saw two monks- a man and a woman- eating ice cream with a child and her mother presumably. I assume they were family. They were eating from a bowl with balls of ice cream fondue style where you dip the fruit and ice cream in the melted chocolate in the center bowl. Looked good- and I thought how I would like to try that one day. After they left, I looked at the plate/bowl combo they had left on the table- and the unfinished 'dippers'- and I realized that there were tomatoes amidst the bananas! Tomatoes? Yes, tomatoes! Puts tomatoes in a whole new perspective. They, after all, are a fruit! =)
I decided to dust off my pedometer and join some of the other stitching ladies into counting steps for a week of progress.
I have always loved to walk. I really don't mind distance so joining in the challenge wasn't something I had to 'make' myself do. (I didn't have to look very far for finding my pedometer either!) They really are handy little gadgets. I prefer the ones with a timer on them and mine does not have that feature.
Monday found me replacing my pedometer battery allowing me to start counting with half the day gone. Three days out of five weekdays I was able to walk on the treadmill and play a game of raquetball with my husband. Also walking around errands around town. Even though we now have a car, I find myself preferring to walk if I am not in a time crunch. The weather has gotten hot and humid too. I also found that for a few mornings every week I had forgotten to put it on after I had been plodding through housework first thing in the morning. Jumping on the scale this week found me two and a half pounds less also including dieting. (Low Fat)
Ah, and good shoes are a neccesity.
I look forward to next weeks tally. Hopefully I can push farther.
Friday night we went to eat at the Galbi Mart. This little man was sitting at the table next to us absorbed in his bowl of bibimbap. (Rice with vegetables and seaweed) Occasionally his Mom would feed him some meat and he would happily go back to his own bowl. Picture taken with permission of course...
Many Koreans wear shirts with English words and American slogans on them that don't quite make any sense. They can REALLY tickle your funny bone. (Some are not even fit to post and I am not sure the wearers know what their shirts say!) Take the back of our server's tee shirt for example! =)
If you missed the post about Galbi (Kalbi) it is in the archives of June)
Baskin Robbins is on the agenda tomorrow...
Yesterday I went to Taegu to go shopping with some friends. We happened upon this flower store that was literally overflowing with fake flowers. I had passed this place many times, since it is right by the market, but never went in until yesterday. 
The aisles were so narrow so I really had to be careful not to knock everything over with my backpack. The last pic is what I purchased for my stash. (I am TRYING to be VERY good! ) The ribbon flowers were probably cheaper to buy assembled then it was to purchase the ribbon. They are about an inch across. I couldn't resist the swag lace that can be cut apart.
Another project using the same paisley funky fabric I was so smitten with a few years ago. I think it was inspired by one of JBM's books.
Have a great weekend all! I am off to do some shopping! Look out Taegu- HERE I COME!
Last Spring, I visited a Korean Drama Village in Andong. It is the scene for a Korean historical drama that aired on television and is a replica of a Korean village complete with walled city. I have heard that outside of every Korean city there are totem poles (I apologize since I don't know the correct name to call them) that are supposed to keep good fortune upon the town or village.
Here's another one of my silkies- a gift to Debbie. I think I need to get my silkies out and start playing with them again. I think I'm out of practice. =)
Debbie has sent me pics of a few things that I had made years ago before I ever thought of buying a digital camera. This was one of the first silkies I embellished and sent it to her as a gift. She took it, made a wonderful pillow out of it, and I am hoping she will share the completed work on her blog.
Hee hee- Long ago I made some tissue case covers that fit in your purse as gifts for many friends. The pattern came from Suzanne in Michigan, listmom for the CQ Embellishers.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CQembellishers/?yguid=251264892
Here is the link to the tissue holder at Suzanne's blog.
http://suzannemi.blogspot.com/
Seeing it, I had a mixed reaction. =) I still loved it, but couldn't believe my stitching is so big and clunky!
At that time, I was very smitten by the paisley fabric that had orange, tans, purple, fuschia, and went perfect with some batik fabrics.
I made this about 6 months ago and keep all of my stitching tools in it for easy use. So if you are wondering why it isn't pristine- it is because it gets used OFTEN! =)
I purchased a placemat in the United States and also some large freezer bags. I hand stitched the doiley's and the buttons in the center for decoration, although some of the placemats would be nice with no decoration. I staggered the freezer bags on both sides of the center of the placemat and sewed right down the middle through all layers of plastic. Depending on how many layers you have, you might want to put two pins to hold everything in place. I hand tacked a ribbon to keep my scissor available for easy use and voilla- easy and fast. You can add handles if you like-it would be easy to carry and look like a purse.
I have seen others make these for traveling bags to put shampoo and personal hygiene in them. You can also make them with small pot holders and small ziploc baggies for sewing kits. Makes a neat little gift for students or those away from home.
I daubed the motif with a teeny bit of water on a Q tip cotton swab to remove the blue water soluble pen marks. In the end, the stitches do even themselves out even if they werent perfectly spaced in the beginning. I am not sure if I want to add a button or not. I can't seem to make up my mind. VBG!
Wow! What a difference! Debbie sent an e mail telling me how to change the settings on my camera for close ups and what a difference! Thanks so much Debbie! Literally, a day late, but I am learning in the process! =)
I first saw these feather stitch circles on one of Betty Pillsbury blocks in Carole Samples 'Treasury of Crazy Quilt Stitches'.
Barbara was asking if I could give some tips on the feather stitch circle so I took some pics while I did one this morning. These are really quick to make- and easy too. I usually choose a fabric that can tolerate a teeny bit of water since I use a water soluble marker to make a circle with. I would be careful on silk fabric since it might leave a watermark. In this example I traced around a spool of thread.
In pic one, I started the circle with the outside arm of the feather stitch on the line.
In pic two, The center of the feather stitch is on the line and it is straddling the line...
Keep stitching around in this manner until you come full circle. If your stitching isn't perfect it will be 'rounded off' by the lazy daisies and colonial knots added later. It might look crooked, but in the end it will be okay. Also, when you come to joining the circle, you might have to take out a few stitches to get the correct length for joining. (You might have to make a few of the stitches a little bit longer or shorter as needed) You want to have an innie arm connected to an outie arm. If you don't. it will have an extra outie arm in there and it won't be as symmetrical. BUT- I have left them like this and they still worked out. Never got a dirty look from someone when they saw it had an extra arm! =)
Clear as mud??? I will embellish it more tomorrow. =)
And, BTW, I sure wish I could get better close ups on my camera! Argh!
I know! I know! Not another project!!! I still haven't finished my gypsy purse yet! But I thought I would make these into a zippered pouch to carry things in. I think it will be embroidery only, with nothing that can get snagged while in usage.
This is Debbie's block from the Treasury Round Robin. I have kept it far too long and will be mailing it soon. The difficulty for me is that the ladies before me (I am the last working on it) 'set the pace' and have made it a mostly stitching block and it is mostly a geometric block. Talk about a challenge- at least to me!
I added the feather stitch seam. I might add some flower beads... not sure
I am pleased with the feather stitch circle around the button but think it is too close to the other seam stitchery. If I stitched closer to the edge of the block it probably would get cut off in the seam allowance. =( As much as I tried, I coudn't get a good close up of this motif.
I also added the tatting on the top patch on the geometric fabric.
Have a great day everyone!
At the yahoo hand embroidery group (http://groups.yahoo.com/hand-embroidery/) we are talking about Valuable Lessons Learned in Embroidery. It is very interesting what everyone has to say about what they have learned/are learning about embroidery. I have compiled comments and tried to use names- please forgive me if I have erred-
Ripping- if the stitching is satisfactory, leave it in. (They will be overlooked in the whole composition of a crazy quilt) Don't take it out unless you really HATE it!
We are our worst critic! Elizabet shared how she was 'down' on her stitching and yet, her work was accepted by cqmagonline. Isn't it true? We are our worst critic!
Planning- Should I or shouldn't I? that is the big dilemna in Crazy Quilting.
Don't use iron on transfers on dark fabric or it will dull the fabric. (Linda)
Don't compare your work with others! Stitch because you love to stitch and it is something you must do out of creativity and neccesity. I don't think a stitcher can be truly happy with their work if they are comparing to others all of the time. I was in a lurch for a long time because I wasn't satisfied with my work. I think when I put those thoughts away and stitch to my hearts content, that I am a much happier stitcher! I enjoy it.
Use other pics for inspiration but do not be dissapointed with your work when it isn't exactly like it. You have your own expression and style.
If the stitching is the best you can do- leave it! (dd)
Comparing saps the joy- the reason for stitching- out of the whole creative process!
I think it's really important for you to be yourself and stitch what you enjoy, not just what everyone else it doing.
Stitch what inspires you- and not what inspires someone else
(From Barbara who is actually talking about Tole Painting- but it does apply) When I taught tole painting thestudent would often say "it doesn't look like yours" and I wouldalways reply, "that's because I didn't paint it", to me nothing isworse than walking into a shop and seeing a painting that looksexactly like the person whose method it is. I believe that my talentcomes from "interpreting" that pattern, method, stitch, whatever. Itreflects me, still using the basic premiss of method but "doing it myway" so to speak. At our ages, we don't want to dress exactly likeeveryone else, so why would we want our projects to be exactly likeothers. Make it yours and you might just be surprised at what happens.
I have a friend who teaches children. When they do a craft, she NEVER does a 'sample' or 'model' for the kids to copy. If she does, they want to copy it exactly as she made it. But if she said 'Today we aremaking.....' then their imagination has free reign and they are not bound by what their mind has limited them to see...
I welcome any thoughts you have on what you have learned also!
Taking a well needed break. I think I am getting old!
We went to the ice rink to watch the ice skaters and to cool off since it was hot outside. There were two classes being given at the time, figure skating for girls and speed skating for boys. I asked if I could take one of their pictures, and he got all of his class buddies into the act. Now, I ask, you, how cute is that??? =)
Another 'aerial' view from the top of the roller coaster.
On the fourth of July weekend we went to Woo Bang Tower Land. It is an amusement park, skating rink, and aquarium. You can also go up in the tower to the viewing deck. It is similar to the Space Needle in Seattle with a rotating restaurant. Since coming to Korea, I always wanted to get a birds eye view of Taegu from here, and now I can say I have-
More pics tomorrow!
What a view that last pic is, upside down and all, eh? =)
A few months back I took an online class with Sharon B. What an experience that was and I look forward to doing it again when she offers stumpwork and seam embroidery! With Sharon's background in art and theory she gave us guidelines on how to put a block together, motif placement, making the eye wander around the block, and it was a great experience. If you want to look at Sharon's work I am including links-
http://inaminuteago.com/crazyquilting/cq-samplerquilt/quiltindex.html
http://inaminuteago.com/crazyquilting/buttonquilt/buttonboxgallery.html
I want to share my class block today. The focus fabric was the orangey fabric in the center. It has metallic running through it and little flowers of pink and lavender. What a combination! Who wouldda thunk?=)
I haven't completely finished it yet, but someday will... =)
