Tuesday, August 11, 2009

my new obsession

My most recently finished project:


There are something like 140 French knots in this thing--the coals, the flowers, all the upholstery details. I hate French knots, but I have a good technique going now. I just need to work on my camera settings for better shots of my projects...

This is from a crewel work kit dating to 1981. I bought off the used books/supplies table at the Waco Quilt Guild's quilt show. I believe I paid all of a dime. It was untouched and took me only a few weeks of work to stitch it up. I don't do a lot of embroidery of this type, but now am a total convert--big thread and big stitches means that the project goes quick, quick, quick!

I have been on a bit of a rampage buying vintage kits on ebay and etsy. I probably have enough now to last me til 2011. But I might still buy more.


Here's the next one that I'm tackling:


I started it just hours after finishing the old man and his cats. This one uses typical embroidery floss rather than wool yarn, but I think it will still be quick.
It's an older kit though, dating to the 1940s rather than the 70s or 80s. It's so old that even the photo of the finished project is in black and white. The final appearance of everything will be a surprise!



It came in its original box, with a frame complete with glass and matboard and all. It was missing one color of floss, but that's easily fixed. All that for $10 on ebay.
I don't know just what I'll do with all these when I get them finished.
And because I know you're wondering what that wacky bit of background you see in the above photos is...



My next sewing project! A crazy polka-dot shirt dress (knee length, short sleeves). The fabric is a rayon that I got from Fashion Fabric Club. It's not a nice smooth soft rayon, but it's still got a wonderful drape to it and should make for a fun dress. I've done this pattern once before and had the dress pretty much finished in a weekend, so it will be a quick project once I get around to cutting it out.



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