Don't let the difficulties of the present moments overshadow the reality of God's promises. God's promises still stand. And God's promises are stronger than our failures.

Friday, February 14, 2014

A Few Small Things

For those of you who saw one of my recent wool pieces and my question about quilting it....I decided since it's a primitive piece I would go with a big stitch done in diagonal lines. I'm pretty pleased with it. A friend brought me a beautiful sashiko pattern but I decided to save it for a different project.







And of course I'm back with another piece to ask what you might do with this one...I've just finished the stitching and it's not even pressed yet.





The appliqué is wool and even though it doesn't show in this picture the head, body and tail of the sheep are different fabrics. There's not much definition there at all. This was a kit so I used what they sent me. I'm thinking about taking the head off and redoing it in something from my scraps. But if I do what color would show up and still fit with these colors/style?

And for those who asked me about the cross stitch you glimpsed in the background of another picture...





After my last child was born in 1976, my third child, there was little time for anything remotely related to crafts or stitching. At the time I was really loving counted cross stitch and used stolen moments to do a few stitches. I had a dear, dear friend who lived one block down. Like me she worked full time and raised children. In our desperation for both me time and friend time we would put on our pajamas and robes and about 10:00 one of us would go to the others home and we would stitch til midnight in the quiet of a sleeping household.


This piece, completed in 1979, was one I did during that time and gave to my mother. When she joined our "Little Pappaw" four months after he died I brought this home with me. The fabric has yellowed but it is precious to me. It's in a very cheap, dollar store frame...all that I could afford at the time. I will keep it that way as a reminder that any gift given in love is priceless.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

18 comments:

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Love your first piece - the new sheep needs a littl bit of homespun. And you cross stitch has a lovely story and should be held close and dear.

Amy said...

I love your Proverbs piece. Everything about it is just adorable.

Gail said...

You are so talented. Beautiful pieces.

45th Parallel Quilter said...

Beautiful piece with beautiful memories .....

Denise :) said...

What beautiful stitching work you do, Marlene! I think the cross hatches were perfect for the Proverbs piece!

Julie Fukuda said...

Maybe a stitched outline on the head would be enough to make it stand out a bit more. II love the finish on the first one.

Lindah said...

Love your little sheepies and your cross stitch memories. Picking up on a comment re: adding homespun to the little black lamb.... maybe you could look around for a small plaid or checked wool for the head. Or a different texture. Maybe do 2 layers of wool for the head to make it stand out a bit. Just a little something to add definition. Amazing the depth that your background quilting added to the Prov piece. You are a Proverbs 31 woman, working while you recuperate. Busy, busy and beautifully so. (or beautifully 'sew'.)

Lesley said...

Love the sheep with the quilting lines...a perfect way to finish it! Your next project is gorgeous too!

Little Penpen said...

Love the story of your cross stitch piece. How precious. I have the kit for the first piece you show and I Love how you finished it with the big stitch quilting. Now if I can ever get around to 'starting' my piece!!!

Sharon Dawn said...

The way you quilted your piece looks perfect and I love your sweet stitchery! What a story it tells. What are you using for your backgrounds?

Thearica said...

I agree about adding the homespun... and the story of you getting together with your friend brought back memories for me. My bestie and I use to cross stitch together as well... but not until midnight. Our children were the same age and when we put them on the school bus, we would get our housework finished, put on supper and steal away to each others house to stitch together. We always had a quilt hanging from the ceiling or a cross stitch project laying on the table. Fun times!

Pat - Arkansas said...

The quilting set it off the sheep perfectly. I love your dollar store framed piece and its story; what lovely memories.

Mara said...

That is a beautiful piece that you made for your mom and really is priceless. I also loved your story about your son coming home, too funny and so true about men not being able to sleep in the same bed, lol.

Tracy P. said...

Oh my, that cross stitch is such a treasure! Made me a little misty. That message will never age. I love to see what you do. The sheep--since the message is kind of about our uniqueness--what if the head and tail stayed black, but the body was a fun print?

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

Great post my friend. Love your stories and the pieces. Such treasures.

Karen said...

Wonderbar!!!!

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

Those are all beautiful pieces. I love the story with that last one and am so glad you shared.

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Love the proverbs piece but then the cross stitch piece you made your mamma is lovely too. How wonderful that you received it back when she passed.