Category Archives: Needleworks

Box of Colors Redwork Block

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IMG_6776My Redwork block for today is from my love of coloring and coloring pictures (which this picture was on my ex-website)

I’m thinking I might should go get the grandson’s colors and color up a Spring time scene and tape it to the window. I do believe that’s the only way Spring is going to arrive this year… yes, I know it’s January and full on winter time, but we’re experiencing rare cold and snowy weather for our region and it only makes Spring seem that much further away.  ~sad sigh~

I’m thankful that so far snows in our region have been light and fleeting. My warm thoughts go out to the regions where folks are getting snowed under or are having heavy snows. I feel so sad for you all. I hope you all can put on a pot of soup and stay indoors until the roads are cleared and safer to drive on.

Here’s wishing you all warm thoughts
and happy dreams of Spring.

🙂

spcr1

Needle Punch Embroidery

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IMG_7061Through happenstance or what a person might call surfing pinterest, I came upon a needle-craft called Needle Punch Embroidery. 0-IMG_6928You use a special-made punch needle that feeds the thread/yarn through the fabric and leaves a loop. When you’ve done several stitches, it resembles carpet. I don’t recall seeing or hearing of it before.  Needle Punch embroidery seemed like something that I might be able to learn in short span of time and would probably enjoy doing. Plus, I always like to learn a new craft.

I surfed for awhile in various online craft stores and after a day of thinking about it, I finally ordered a punch embroidery kit and a set of punch needles.
When my order come in, I was dismayed to discovered that I hadn’t ordered the right size punch needles to do the kit with. I went back online and ordered the right size puncher and it should be here in the next couple days.
*I know puncher isn’t what folks call the punch needle, but it’s easier than typing out ‘punch needle’ every time. 😉

Anyway…
I was not to be deterred from trying the punch embroidery.
I improvised. I got some white cotton fabric, put it in a hoop,
drew a heart in the middle
and began learning to use a puncher.IMG_6928I think my heart turned out fairly well.
I immediately put silicon on the back of the heart and
let it dry for a few hours so the yarn wouldn’t pull out.

I decided to go a bit further with my punch heart piece and do regular needle embroidery around it. After I finished the embroidery, I couldn’t just stop with mounting it on cardboard. It looked so plain. I made a crochet chain and glued it around the edge and then made some loom flowers and put on it. I hung my heart-work on the wall. It was okay, but still had the look of an unfinished thought.
I left it hanging and went about my day. Every now and then I look at it and think it needs something else.IMG_7054

IMG_7096Shelibean has been playing with the test cords I’ve been knitting on my beanpot loom. I watched him prancing around with a gold one wrapped around his belly and it occurred to me that perhaps, I could use a loomed cord to outline my heart-work. Sheli must’ve read my thoughts because he suddenly pounced on my feet with a green loom cord in his mouth.IMG_7091

I took the green cord and glued it around the heart-work and it looked good, but still the piece needed something… mmm.. of course, leaves for the flowers. I crocheted the leaves and glued them on and finally my piece of heart-work was finished.
I’m really pleased with the finished piece.It has so many textures. I enjoyed using alot of different techniques in creating it.
needle punch embroidery
regular embroidery
flower loom
crochet
knitting cord loom
And it only about 7 inches tall.

Unfortunately I’m not sure how these photos look. I’m running a msert file on our desktop and can’t use it to edit the photos. I used my laptop to edit them… so they might be a bit yucky. Later on when I can check my blog on our desktop, if these photos look too yucky, I’ll upload new ones.

Have you ever tired Needle Punch Embroidery?
Do you enjoy learning to do new crafts?

I wish you all a warm week of sunshine.
🙂

spcr1

Cat Redwork Block & Special Gifts

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1-23-2014rwHere’s my Redwork block made from a coloring picture that I made of a Siamese-mix cat my Bff had once upon a time. He was a beauty named Simon and had a sweet personality.
I’m posting this block to remind everyone to take extra precautions with the pets during these freezing cold temperatures. Try to give them a warm place to sleep and plenty of food to eat.

IMG_7549We got a light dusting of snow the other day. The temperatures are in the low teens again. It’s so cold the sun doesn’t even want to come for but a few scant moments at a time. I miss the sunshine and warm weather. Oh well, eventually, Spring will peek it’s green little self out from the ground and then we’ll have a ‘last frost’ and then it’ll be full blown gardening season again.

Last year we decided that we wasn’t going to have a garden this year except for a couple herbs and tomatoes plants in my porch garden. However, since my husband has healed so wonderfully from his heart surgery and is feeling ever so much better, we’re now talking about having a garden again this year. Not a huge one, but we are going to try to have a small one.
IMG_7554I was so happy about our planning for a garden that I told my Brother. He was happy to hear it because he’s been worried about my husband (and me too.) He ordered me a recipe book and a gardening book and some seeds to help get our garden planning off to a good start. It’s so sweet of him to give me such a special and a most appreciated gift.
There’s some really delicious recipes in the book that I’m looking forward to trying. And I’m anxious to try some of the advice in the other book to grow the tomato seeds my brother gave me.  I can hardly wait to kick off another gardening season.

I can’t seem to get myself organized this week. I’m going to try to get caught up with my blogging, visiting and commenting today. Try being the key word here. 😉

Wishing you all terrific Thursday.
Bundle up and keep warm!
t09017
spcr1

Star Redwork

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1-17-2014rwMy Star Redwork is dedicated to the many dreams and wishes I made on stars throughout my life.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ‘First Star at Night’ twinkling alone in the evening sky without immediately saying the wish-refrain and making a wish. The silliness and fun of it makes me happy… (plus you never know when your wish and life might line up to make a super cool synchronicity. 😉 )

“Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight,
Wish I may,
Wish I might,
Have this wish, I wish tonight.”

“I wish a bright and cheerful weekend
for all my Blogging Buddies and Readers.”
ecstar
spcr1

Shell Redwork Block

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1-14-2014rwThe first time someone showed me how to put a shell up to my ear and I could hear the ocean, was the first time I knew there’s truly magic in the world.
After that, I wanted to go to the ocean and listen to it in person. But the ocean was a world away and just a dream for a poor little country girl. The ocean was only for sailors, rich folks and movie stars.

As I grew up, I was overjoyed to learn that anyone could go to the ocean. All it takes is saving money and planning… and that’s just what we did… for many years we made the beach our home for vacation each summer.

It’s been many years since out last vacation there, but we plan to return someday to the tropical dreamland of palm trees, shells, sand, waves crashing, dolphins and enjoy the many enchantments of the salty shores.

Here’s wishing you all a magical joyful day.
🙂
isle
spcr1