Our blog reader/friend Carrolyn from Washington State loves to do handwork and I knew you’d love to see her embroidered blocks.
site is www.foragebylisamattock.com.au. Based loosely on her quilt called ALBERT. style is called slo stitching…..totally by hand and raw edge Applique using rescued vintage …mostly stained ….dish towels, coasters, doilies, dresser scarves, pillow cases, tablecloths and small fabric scraps. I cut 6 by 9 inch muslin pieces that I just laid chosen pieces of background, laid out a raw edged bird on each and did kantha , running stitch and simple embroider if not enuf from linens. Then blocks were placed on a whole cloth background and am buttonholing down with pearl cottons……Quilting will be with pearl cottons and again running, kantha stitching in the fake sashing/borders
Reader Projects
And here’s my contribution – the tale of two shrubs! Connie – tell me the name of this plant – golden something?
Just think about the RAGBRAI riders today in 90+ temps!
P.S.
Just got a text message from Nancy – BOOKS ARE DONE!!!!
Absolutely beautiful.
It’s hot here too and my happy place is in the basement. Heat rises, cool falls.
The bike riders must love it to do 500 miles in that heat and humidity.
Carrolyn’s slo stitching pieces are lovely. I stumbled on slo stitching quite by accident. I have been watching you tubes to get more info on it. It just fascinates me. I probably will never do it as I have so many other things I like to do but I love to see what others are doing. It looks so relaxing. Thanks for sharing Carrolyn’s beautiful work.
Gorgeous!!
I used to do a lot of handwork—counted cross stitch, needlepoint, crewel, and hand quilting. I found it so therapeutic!! These days my eyes don’t cooperate as well. Lighting makes a huge difference, but the eyes tire more quickly than in days past. I will admire from afar!!!
Diane, I am contemplating either the eyelid reduction or cataract surgery being done. I could not even read the Atlas last night. My dr. Optometrist told me to be thinking about it. Do you think….
Linda, had cataract surgery on both eyes… don’t regret for 1 second. Eye lids still causing problems & when cardiologist clears me plan to have eyelid surgery.
Linda, I also had cataract surgery on both eyes at the same time and I don’t regret it. I couldn’t read the street signs until I was right on the sign. Now I only need reading glasses. My eyelids are fine but my sister-in-law had that surgery and she is very pleased.
I had both of those procedures done a few years ago. It was so worth it. It is amazing how much better I see.
Such detail in Carrolyn’s work! I am amazed by it. Going to be hot and humid here in SE Iowa today. I am getting my outdoor work done this morning, so I can sew this afternoon.
Carrolyn’s creations are so adorable! I spy a black cat 🐈⬛ in one 🥰. So cute. I hope everyone is careful in this heat! 🥵
Love love love her whimsy and artistry! Thanks for sharing the inspiration!
Not sure if I mentioned we were to take care of five riders this week on RAGBRAI. Lynn woke up Thursday night, and was really disturbed about the heat this week. He has not coped well this summer. So we cancelled our part. And our family did as well. The friends will ride thru Thursday, living with their belongings on the semi every morning and retrieving every afternoon. We feel awful about that. We decided to go up north. Minnesota is hotter than us quite always up, and then the smoke numbers are so high. Along Lake Superior, the camp grounds have converted largely to seasonal camping-people went to one space for the summer. On Wisconsins north shore, every campground is booked, temps are decent and smoke levels are decent this week so far. So, think of all the sewing I can get done. I thought I was safe in people not needing me this week, until I called to let Pastor know. He thought we had went to northern Minnesota or the North Shore. So be it, people still think we are away.
I love the slo embroidery. I have several pieces that are woolen, and in boxes someplace=I am really slow! The lady makes one think though of all those embroidered little doilies of Grandmas. Maybe a small table topper! Some of mine already have some pretty embroidery.
You all be good now!
Linda
Your family was wise to back out of RAGBRAI. Those very hot days are not good for the distances . We don’t ride any more than about 20 miles on the very hot days, if at all.
As you say, it is a good time for sewing inside.
Linda – gosh, I hope Lynn is feeling better!
I just love the slow stitching pieces. I am looking forward to seeing your progress. I had a lot of vintage embroidery pieces that I bought at an auction several years ago. Unfortunately, I am needing to purge for the big move to Arizona, and thIey were one of the first things to go. They went to someone who will put them to good use and make something new of them, so I don’t feel too bad about it. There will always be more out there, I guess, should I want to take this up again. I did keep all the ones that were done by my grandmother and my mother. Stay cool today, Mary!
the slow piecing handwork is inspiring. i have never cared much for handwork but may have to change my thinking. health has changed how i do things now. my quilt above (patti in flirida – yeah caught the typo as i hit send) is laying on its backing and will go to my charity group along with the binding. someone else will get the joy of quilting and binding. i expect this to go to a seniors group when done. i call it pictorial and is based on a quilt by lynn dykstra who blogs at kleinmeisjequilts. i did make some modifications. i hope i’m not breaking any rules by stating pattern into. i have finally figured out how to email photos from my new phone. you’ll be seeing more, patti in florida
have to inject this hopefully as a joke. Twitter fan perhaps. ???? bet Elon musk would love to get his hands on this gorgeous (no word is adequate for it) wrk
I just love this style of sewing! I am coming back to look and review this again as I am way too fascinated by this approach stitching. How pretty and interesting to reuse linens. Love the pictures and projects you have all created to share.
Again I had to prove I am not a ROBOT,!!
Thanks for showing Lisa Mattock’s creative bird blocks today. Always nice to try something new with hand sewing!
The Hayden Forest Fire has grown to 7076 acres now. Pray the firemen remain safe!
Launa
Carolyn’s work is gorgeous.
We have heat in central Nebraska too. Some days a small breeze allows me to sit outside in the afternoon.
Wheat harvest is in full swing in the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately there have been a couple wheat fires so our area is pretty hazy with smoke. It’s currently windy and 84° so not too bad. The slo stitching is amazing. Makes me want to dig out the old doilies and linens I have and try my hand. The reader quilts are beautiful as usual. Love your blog “about nothing”.
I love, love, love Carolyn’s bird blocks. Such imagination! The little tomato rug is very special too. All of today’s quilts are great. Thanks for sharing, everyone. I love seeing everyone’s handy work. I am close to showing a couple. Sorry to be so slow.
Holy moly! I love that idea with the slo stitched blocks – thank you for sharing Carolyn’s blocks and instructions! And many thanks to Carolyn for sharing her technique! I really love the pincushion/spools punch needle and wish I knew how to do that! Just as pretty are the simple quilts – sometimes simple is best!
Hi Mary, I thought l found a new blog or some thing called threads! Just another Twitter or something! Love the slow stitching, very popular in Australia. Started to reorganize shelves and found more UFO,s, some have gone to the free fabric box at our quilt guild. A few more cold damp days in New Zealand, l don’t envy your heat or bush fires, take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
I have always wanted to see this. It started just two years after my husband and I graduated from college and moved from Iowa to Pennsylvania.
Gwen – follow along online! It’s fun and I don’t have to ride a bike in 100 degrees!
Your yellow bushes are called “sun king”. Love all the quilts and punchneedle. Stay cool if you can.
I agree that the bushes look like Sun King Aralia. Deer won’t eat them…hooray! Love the slo stitching!
Thanks for posting Carrolyn’s beautiful work; it is very intriguing.
In view of the high temps this week, I plan to spend my time in the sewing room.
Stay safe everyone.
The SLO stitching is so interesting. I looked and looked at the embroidery pieces. I have many of my Nana’s. One of my friends had an embroidered pillow case framed. The framer folded it so just the embroidery showed. Very pretty. I noticed that my Santa table runner looks like some of the red is larger than the other pieces so of course, I had to measure! They are all the same, but I turned it 180* so it looks off. 🙀. 88* today then the 90’s the rest of the week.—ugh.