2012 also saw the completion of Redwork Class

My favorite group at StitchMap offered a Redwork Embroidery class.  I learn so much from this group! Before it was over, I considered it a colorwork class.  The class could also have been titled Beginning Surface Embroidery. I don't want to give away all the details, but I would like to show you a finished drawstring bag.

Colorwork Drawstring Bag

I love how it turned out.  The coordinating fabric really made the embroidery pop.


The bag was created to hold "pattern weights".  These are little pillow like pieces that we made by embroidery simple motifs with the embroidery stitches we were learning.  As soon as the class was finished, I put them to work.  I needed to cut out a pattern 12 times.  I don't know how to estimate how much time the weights saved me - but if I was doing it again, I would most certainly use them.

Another thing I really liked about the class was that it promoted a system for documenting fabric, threads and stitches.  A really useful record of the materials and tools that we as embroiderers use, is a modern equivalent of a traditional sampler.  I know it is a source that I go back to over and over.

The class was a big hit!

Crocheting for Charity

For just over a year, I have been the unofficial leader of a crochet group at my work. We do not have a lot of members but we have an open and welcoming policy. Right now we are not very structured, we don't even have a name, but we have plans to help the group grow.

Last year, I was approached by a Manager for ideas on how to  generate a spirit of volunteerism.  I am very involved in a Yahoo group, Stitchmap which is a mentor-apprentice group.  The group's website, Keeping Needlearts Alive by Sharing Stitches is named based on the philosophy of the group.  We think that needlearts are important and that we must make efforts to introduce the arts to new people.  By doing so, we invigorate the art and prevent the skills from dying out in our modern society.  Well you can see that the two ideas merged for me and I suggested that we have some craft opportunity for charity.

Last winter we had a huge success crocheting hats for both the homeless and for chemo patients at our local children's hospital.  You can read more about it in my post Hats! Hats! and more Hats!. 

For the first part of this year, we wanted to do something especially for women.  There are so many charities, but I am especially pleased that we agreed to do a project for the Women In Jeopardy program that is hosted by YWCA.  Simply put, this program reaches out to women and their children who are fleeing a violent enviroment.  Much of the time, they are fleeing with nothing more than the clothes they are wearing.  The program offers safety, shelter, and assistance with basic needs to these women.  There are a number of contributors who concentrate on the needs of the children but sometimes the women are overlooked.  It is the women that we focused on for the project.

Some baskets

The more experienced crocheters in our group put together 77 crocheted baskets.  Some of us used the Bavarian Crochet pattern.  There  is a U-tube video with instructions here. Others had a favorite pattern that they used.  It was a great way to use of the scrap yarn saved from various other projects.  We ended up with a very colorful selection.

Others crocheted washcloths.  We were able to put two washcloths in each basket.  It was very gratifying to see new crocheters complete their washcloths. They would then move to a new or different pattern and with each completed washcloth their skills and confidence increased.  There are more free washcloth patterns than I have time to count. Crochet Pattern Central has a directory of patterns here. All Crafts.net has a list of over 200 dishcloth patterns on their web site. A search of your favorite search engine like Google or Bing will locate many more.

Our crochet group contributed a lot of the items that filled the baskets.  We were also able to involve others as contributors.  The following list is what we were able to fill the baskets with:


The collection of baskets.



Shampoo

Conditioner

Body Soap

Deoderant

Lotion

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Floss
Hair brush and Comb
Inspirational Key Ring

The key rings were the idea of a 7-year old granddaughter of one of our members.  She asked her grandmother what abuse was.  Her grandmother simply explained that the women and children were leaving a place where they were hurt.  The granddaughter insisted on helping.  She told her grandmother that she didn't know how to crochet but she could make key rings.  She then enlisted her mother's help.  Her mother would lay out the alphabet beads into words of inspiration that her daughter had chose and the daughter then beaded and attached to a key ring.

The words were:

BRAVE, COURAGE, FAITH, HOPE, STRENGTH



Another look at the baskets

For all those who worked on or contributed to the project - Thank you!

Theresa E

Turtle the Pin Cushion

Those that follow me know that I belong to a group named Stitchmap. Our February challenge was to make a Turtle Pin Cushion.  The tutorial was provided by Kathy Shaw of Shawkl.com.  It was an adorable project and I had a lot of fun making it.

Turtle the Pin Cushion

I have been sewing quite a bit lately.  I did this Turtle, my Purple Travelling Bag with it's sewing accessories, some Ort Bags, Business Card Holders, pieced my 12 blocks for the CQJP2012 project. 

Somewhere in all of this, I have been making friends with my Sewing Machine. I have a simple Brother model.  I am not skilled enough to warrant any bells and whistles.

These days, I barely have to think to wind a bobbin or replace the bobbin.  I can change thread and rethread the needle easily.  I am getting the hang of curved seams. I can eyeball when it is the correct time to rotate the fabric for a direction change. I am confident when I change a straight stitch to a zig zag stitch and back again. 

The turtle presented a challenge in getting the seams correct on the small curving seams of the appendages.  Someone even told me that know one would know if I sewed those seams by hand.  I persevered but next time I might just give that a go.

The ort bags gave me a little trouble on the points of the triangle.  I needed to be able to push the fabric through the feeders at the place where there was not much fabric for the feeders to grab.  I know there is a tool for this.  I used my scissors because they were at hand.

There are two other issues.  First, I have not yet changed the needle.  I keep thinking that I should, but so far, there hasn't been any problems with the needle that is in it.  Second, I should have changed the presser foot for the top stitching on the ort bags but I wasn't sure which foot it was.  But the point is - I am using my machine and I am learning how to use it.

2011 is History

2011 is history.  It was a very busy year for me.  I told someone once that it seems like the older I get the faster time goes.  His response was memorable.  He said that it is not that time goes faster it is the older we get the more there is to do.  I have reflected on that quite often.  Especially in my crafting, there is so much that I want to do and that I want to do well. 

A fad that has been sweeping many of my online associates has to do with picking a word for 2012.  I gave it a lot of thought and followed others take on this idea closely.  I did find my word.  Participate.  I believe it boils down to the old adage, that you get what you put into it.  With this in mind, I anticipate that 2012 is full of possibilities and hope.

I think the idea may have started with my association with StitchMap. The group has encouraged me to become involved with the online community of crafters.  It has become a huge part of my life.  I follow many blogs for inspiration, participate in challenges and courses with others,and in turn mentor and aid others.  I am part of a wonderfully creative and giving group of people.  My days have been enhanced and I am so thankful.

Of course, consequently, I come accross many finds. I often use this blog to keep my finds accessible.  Peruse my pages and you will see reference articles, blogs, patterns and other inspirational finds.  Towards the end of the year, I also found Pinterest.  What a delightful tool for organizing and accessing images.

Christmas

Our charity event with others from my working community was very successful.  We made hats, scarfs and mittens.  We donated so many that every person who wanted a hat from the resources of the homeless shelter was able to obtain one.  I was able to connect with so many more people and saw firsthand many acts of generosity. 

I was even able to get some personal Christmas crafting done.  This year, I focussed on clothespin dolls.  They were dressed in crochet angels outfits.  Here is a picture:

Clothes Pin Angels 2011

The picture shows thirteen dolls but I actually got to 19.  My goal was 24 but I ran out of time.  Time permitting in another season, I will be able to complete the goal.

One day I was looking at my usual blogs and found a link to a blog about clothes pin dolls. Dolly Peg Doll is whimsical and I really enjoyed perusing the blog.  When I stumbled upon it, it seemed that there was meaning and purpose behind it.  It was a very mystical moment.  I realized that it was just another example of connecting to the larger group, the awe-inspiring online community of crafters.