If at first, you don't succeed....

It's not over until it's over, right!  In 'speaking' with my instructor (ha) and comments on my last blog post, I thought I'd give some insight and answer some questions on the hex stained glass piece.  

Susan and I both made one observation...my black sateen was fraying like crazy.  Susan suggested I use a batik.  Who knew!  Well, I should have known because both my finished stained glass pieces (Tiffany & Georgia see pics)  I used batik black fabric!  

A comment by Kathy wondered if the piece could be saved by replacing with a batik.  Nope, the black sateen is now covering the entire piece. 

I'm actually having quite a bit of fraying issue with my hex stained glass pieces too!  DUH    I used batik's for my Georgia piece for the stained glass fabrics!  And I used Patricia Campbell's Fossil Fern fabric in the Peacock piece.  Could be because my hex pieces have been handled so much??  Or?? I didn't cut them out correctly or  I didn't mark them correctly in my pattern or mark the 'leading' line correctly.  Note to self to watch this step more carefully. 

Patty A. actually suggested what Susan suggested....use this as a practice piece!  

So, that's what I'm going to do but for now it's hanging in my sewing room so I see it every day!  HA

I called our local quilt shop to see if they had any black batik but they only have some with gray/white throughout.  I just ordered some from Hancock's.  I haven't ordered from them in ages...but thank goodness they have in stock and on sale.  

So until I get another pattern/pieces made/cut out (back to hex making!), I'll keep working on my beaded piece.  Idle hands...you know!

A Little B & B!

First off....I'm working on the background for my "B"eaded leaf!  Needed to rest my wrist for a day or two from actual beading or making hex's!  It's a little awkward free motion quilting with my splint on but it workable!  I found this picture of my leaf when I first started to bead it!  This is all due to my bud, Susan, in Florida.  She found this huge leaf on the golf course, gave it (the actual leaf) to me, I copied it and the rest of the story is beading!  HA  Thanks Susan!  What's my next project??

I think this background will work well with the leaf.  Actually, the green is brighter and the brown is a darker brown with gold flecks. It was a piece that was sun printed a few years ago.

 I started off free motion quilting some leaves then started to echo around the leaves. It's been awhile since I've done free motion but it did feel good to be at the machine again.

I want to have this quilting finished by the 2nd Monday in September so I can take it with me to our fiber meeting.  I want to get the opinion of my friends on placement for the leaf.  The quilted background will be wrapped around canvas then I'll stitch the leaf onto both.
This piece is about 30" x 18"



So the second "B" is for BOOKS!  I do  listen to books on my IPod the majority of time but I also read at night in bed while Bob watches the news, car or war shows.  Works for me!  A few books that I've really enjoyed lately are:

The Blue Tattoo: The Life of Olive Oatman - Olive was a teenager when captured by the Indians while her family was traveling west.  She was eventually traded to the Mohave tribe where they raised her as their own.  What a fascinating read!  If any of you have watched Hell on Wheels, you will recognize Olive as having that same tattoo on her face as the Eva character in the series.

The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter - Historical novel about Ida Lewis who saved over a dozen lives while being keeper of the light on an island in Newport Harbour.  Really an interesting read as she was one tough lady!

Bring Her Home - This is by David Bell, one of my favorite mystery authors.  I've read all his books and this is his current one.  Really good...so good  that I'm going to go and read some of it as soon as I publish this post!