Not a "get-by" gal

I have a couple more small spider pins that will be on the bag some where...not sure where just yet.  These are about 1 1/4" ... small enough to tuck anywhere.
The one on the left is beautifully crafted piece of jewelry.  Not even sure where I got them as they have been in the jewelry chest forever.

The buckle is the star of the front of the bag but this magnificent large jeweled spider brooch is the star  of the back.
You might notice it is  missing one leg.  It was that way when I bought it from a street vendor in London.  I can artfully use a leaf or flower to hide that shortcoming.

You will also notice I had planned for three cats on the back... Well actually I had thought I could "get-by" with a plain velvet back but the more I thought about it the more I wanted a magnificent back....  But now that the time is approaching I began thinking maybe I could "get-by" with just one cat on the back.

But the more I thought about it and the fact that I had three
already transferred and ready to stitch, I finally decided that I am not a "get by" kinda gal and three cats it will be.

Today I had some friends for lunch and bridge and lots of laughs.  I served cream of carrot soup... actually lots of carrots plus sweet potato, squash and red peppers also with some allspice and cardamom as well.  It was served with an fennel and apple salad and  a sour dough roll from some of GD's Alaskan starter.  People often comment that it is so far to come out to the farm but if you feed them the farm is not so far after all... and I'm glad as the company does me a world of good.

End of this side in sight!!

 The end of this side  is in sight now.  All the blues and lavenders are on.  I am really happy with the final colors.  It never looks quite true on a monitor but they are muted as I wanted.  It is ready for the white accents and beads and buttons..

But before that can happen it will have a good long stretch and blocking on a cork board.  I urge stitchers not to skip this step.  It makes such a difference in the final piece.







We have had one of the most spectacular falls that I can ever remember.  The weather was warm right until just this week and the colors have been breathtaking.  We deserved it because we were robbed of the best part of the summer by wild fires smoke.  It was so bad that most outdoor activity

was cancelled.

Progress

 Here was the progress last week with just the first flowers going on.

Then the second round.  At this point I have a lot more flowers but the webs are still too obvious...  The flowers are supposed to be a stronger element than the webs... which are kind of like my little secret.

So I bring it up in my editing program on the computer  and start adding splashes of color to see what kind of balance pleases me.  I definitely want quite a few pansies and mums and the webs more enclosed..  Right now it is slow going as the silk ribbon does not pull easily through the velvet and backing.  I have to use forceps on every stitch to pull it through.. slow and hard on my arthritic hands.

My goal is to finish this side by the end of next week and start on the back....  The back is entirely different and more CQ.. same theme -cats and spiders - but a completely different approach.

A great button find......

The initial roses I did were too "pinky pink" so I redid them all in a more antique rose and added them.. 

It all looks rather disjointed now but the next step are lots of blues and purples which will bring it all together.  At the end will be some white sprays of flowers as accents.

The very last step is the spiders...




I started going through my old metal buttons looking for some that had floral images and found this one about the size of a quarter.  When I was polishing it I noticed an engraving on the back.... extra superfine Scovills.  So I looked on Google and found that if it says Scovills/ extra superfine it would date it around 1827-1840 and it was probably a ladies coat button.  It is a two part button with a heavy shank.. It will definitely find a place on the bag.

Vintage shoe buttons save the day...

 

When I do a large floral area such as this I attach the flowers one color at a time.  I start with the medium size flowers and then the larger one and finish filling in with the small one and accent stitching..

Here the yellow are the medium.  You might notice I added some colored lace besides the green leaves previously added. 







And if you hadn't been reading when I was working on this last spring.... after the flowers were made I misted them lightly  and put them in the book press for a couple days.  I was aiming to get the "smashed" look of vintage millinery flowers.  I'm not sure if I'm succeeding but still forging ahead.

My secondary goal for this project is to use a goodly amount of my most precious buttons that I have collected.  That includes the black glass and vintage metal buttons leftover from the suffrage quilt.  I keep my these buttons in these vintage office flat files... unlike all the other buttons kept in large jars in the barn.  Just below is my entire supply of seed beads.

I also want to use the last of my buttons I bought in London several years ago.  Lower right in this picture is a card of shoe buttons I bought in a tiny (and I mean micro tiny) button shop on Portobello Road.  I was told they were dyed bone but when I was removing the pin shanks one looked like dyed MOP.

I've already used all the ones I bought at "The Button Queen" which was a very upscale shop that took me forever to find.



I loved the subtle color of the shoe buttons and they are perfect centers for the yellow flowers. If you look closely at the larger picture above you will see that each one is a different color.

Let the spider bag burst into bloom.

Let the spider bag burst into bloom.  These flowers are just scattered on here but it gives you an idea how fabulous it is going to look...  I want to make more flowers from ribbon and add beads and ribbon embroidery as well.  I added a slight padding to the cat before I appliqued it on the bag...

Last spring when I started this bag I check ebay to see what a limited edition Carl Tasha's spider buckle was listed for.....$150...  Now one   is listed at $175 and considered one of his more rare buckles.. and I got it for $10 all those years ago in Colorado...





I don't know if I have ever posted about this poor little "Wednesday" dish towel.  It is from a set I embroidered when I was just seven years old.  My very first piece of embroidery and it is a miracle that one of the set has survived all these years.  My mother and her sister had just divorced their husbands at the same time.  They bought a snazzy yellow convertible and took off to California to celebrate. My mother was only 25 years old and her sister 3 years younger. To keep me quiet and occupied she bought a kit of dishtowels with the design stamped on them.  I worked on them nonstop even in the car...   It is stained and tattered but it is one of the things I want buried with me....along with my favorite needle book.

Be careful what you wish for.

It had been my goal this winter is get myself to a stress-free point with my creative activities... meaning no deadlines... and to be able to wander from project to project as the spirit moved me.. or not.. I thought it would be my ideal and it turns out it's not.

  I've pretty much achieved that goal and now not so sure that a few limits and deadlines might not  be a good thing.

There is so little structure to what and when I do it that sometimes I just take a nap instead. And I definitely have added many other things unintentionally and having trouble keeping on track with anything.

Maybe it just needs getting used to and I should give it a few more weeks and maybe not.  I have this tremendous urge to create a project list and some sort of timeline if I'm ever going to finish anything.


When we went to the coast for Morris's vacation I forgot my favorite little camera and my phone wouldn't charge so I wasn't able to take pictures as I went along and it's too late for some shots.  It will have to wait until I get going again on the ribbon flowers.  Definitely have many ideas and techniqes to share.. sorry have to be later.  I will add it to my new list.

I did a lot of experimenting with different sizes and weights of ribbons and also with width and spacing of basting stiches.
These are all I got done when we were gone and it doesn't look like much in the bowl...

But when I dump them out on the bag you can see that it is actually a good deal and it won't take that many more.

I am loving the colors and it is the "smoky" gold that is the color that will tame all others.  Before I go any further I am taking some out to the barn today and put them in the big press and hoping they will be like I envision..

DH is out of town for a few days so that means I will be keeping odd hours,   eating frozen turkey dinners for most meals and foie gras  for breakfast on toast.  Morris is moping under my desk and misses DH terribly. 

This time of day they would ordinarily  be reading the paper together.

Prep for the trip!

Morris's  duffel bag was the first thing packed as well it should be.. All  his stuff plus extra towels as I'm sure they will be needed if he is running on the sandy beach.  His favorite bed is already in the car.









Next was the necessities for the spider bag. My favorite travel magnifying light by Brightech and an extension cord... I highly recommend this jewel of a lamp ...only $29.99 at Amazon and one of the best buys ever.  It rolls right up and fits in my sewing tote.   Then my chatelaine and needle book.

Then my ribbonwork book, the gorgeous ribbons Shirlee sent me and a bag of ribbons from my stash,  I have been waiting patiently to get to this stage of this project.  It's like the icing on the cake...  I was a very good girl and got all the greenery base done and now doing the flowers is my reward.  And doing them in a condo with an ocean view is even more special... If doing ribbonwork is too exhausting I can go to the hot tub in the club house while DH is walking Morris

My flowers are all going to be worked off the bag and attached in clusters... similar to these which are  used for millinery trade.

At this point my plan is to use some of my special buttons for the centers of some of the flowers.  I have some really cool buttons that I treasure... These are a good example.  They are very small (3/8") turn-of-the century shoe buttons and they are dyed bone...   I found them in a button shop in Portobello Market  when we went to London in 2015. After I hauled these buttons halfway around the world, it would be a sin not to use them on something special. I did use some on the suffrage crazy quilt.

Spider Bag and Morris's Vacation

Although I took the spider bag along, Mexico was not conducive to stitching.  If I had the time there was inadequate light.  But I did make some progress with ribbon leaves.  After all the leaves are finished I plan to go over them in spots with alcohol ink to add more definition.

Also after the greenery is all done I will go back in and enhance most of the webs.  (see pink lines).

When I was doing a lot of round robins I always made extra blocks so I would have one available if I decided to join at the last minute.  I found a black one that will be perfect for the pocket on the back of the spider bag.


For the last five years we have gone to Seaside Oregon in October with some friends and stayed right on the beach...no dogs allowed in our condo.... and every year we abandoned Morris with a sitter.  We would watch all the dogs cavorting on the beach and many times each day we would say "Oh Morris would just love this."

So next week Morris gets his own vacation on the beach with our full undivided attention.. Lots of walks, belly rubs, cuddling, meals on time and treats galore. 

We are going to Westport, WA for 5 days while the cheap winter rates are still on.  I plan on doing no cooking, lots of stitching on the bag and watch the waves roll in and out from dawn to dusk.

I'm also leaving the laptop at home so don't expect any posts for awhile.

Foliage and Yoga Dog

I'm telling Morris..."inhale - exhale- relax" and he does!









Earlier I gathered up any bits in my laces that were leaf-like and dyed them.. I will use them as part of the base for the ribbon flowers. 

I used Kreinik very fine  gold thread for the webs.  It is a little heavy, but since this is a bag that will be used I went for a heavier thread.

Having  all the vines will make it easier to get a nice flowing motion to the foliage.  There will be many kinds of foliage in lace, ribbon and threads.... plus a few more webs.

Projects everywhere

 

Projects everywhere... and making progress on all fronts.  I did finish the vine part of one side of the spider bag and it is getting a good stretch. I used a silk ribbon back stitch and wrapped it with more silk ribbons in different shades of green..

 Now ready for adding webs... fun part.




Making the jewelry is helping to fill the time I can't stitch and it feels good using all the stash I had accumulate over the years for "some day"  Well now is the "some day"  It starts with just adding bits and pieces to a pile on the table.  This time I especially wanted to use an old green brooch with sirens on it.  When the pile gets large enough I start fussing with it.  In this pile are 4 old necklaces, some filigree findings, a bracelet and assorted beads.

I have several of these forms that work great for draping bits and pieces to make final decisions.  I am close to actually starting to disassemble parts and reassemble them for a new life.

I had lost complete control of the Etsy button site and have finally tackled it.  What a mess of half-finished buttons, expired buttons, buttons to be carded and posted, etc. ..  It didn't help that Etsy made a lot of changes in the site.  Hope to finish that project next week and will feel redeemed as it has been nagging at me for literally months.

And somehow I have lost my phone... On a positive note I had some leftover duck in the freezer and am inspired to use it in some puff pastry that needs to be used.  Should go well with braised red cabbage and roasted beets...

Also today finishing up a secret project for granddaughter  Madi's wedding reception... can't photo it yet.

Everything falling in place...

Everything is falling in place and now all I have to do is relax and stitch and stitch and stitch.  Look at the cool fabric that I found for the lining.  How appropriate is this for a spider bag..

I've started on the velvet with the vines and it shows up so well against the black.  I'm doing a back stitch with silk ribbon and then going back over wrapping it with more silk ribbon.  I want to get all the vine elements and webs done early on when it fits easily into a hoop. 

I used potassium permanganate last night to antique a few  ribbons and laces.  I never have good luck with that stuff even when I use it really diluted it is too dark.

I got it all dried and ironed and put away.  I want to jump ahead to the ribbon but know I need to do the groundwork first.

I cut these bamboo handles off a thrift store bag and they are perfect for this piece..









As with any interest I have I always buy too many books and end up only using very few...  whether it is cooking, gardening, needlework etc. and ribbon embroidery is no exception.  I have a lot of ribbon embroidery book and if I could only keep one it would be this one....Ribbon  Renaissance by Helen Eriksson  For me it is how she builds her bouquets and the smaller elements are the icing on the cake.

Every page is eye candy.  Just look at the detail in the smaller flowers... delicious.  This book is still readily available, new or used.  See how she ruched the edging on this pillow.  I used that technique on one of my cottage books and want to use it on the top edge of the spider bag.  It's elegant but doesn't snag or catch on anything.

Defeated but flexible!!

DH left for Israel early Thanksgiving morning and I headed out to spend the morning in the barn.  It was one of those rare winter days when the sun is shining and no wind.  The sun heats up this big room in a jiffy and I went through a lot of bins pulling fabric and trims for the spider bag.

He was hardly down the road and I set up two tables in the living room.  One with all the small projects I want to work on while he is gone and this includes Madi's guest book, the giant green capris, the eyeglass cases, and a green necklace. Another table has all the spider bag materials. No cooking.... just going from project to project as the spirit moves me and eating turkey and dressing for breakfast on a paper plate.
. 


Today I was going to actually start on the bag and I did.  I spent the ENTIRE morning cutting out all the pieces for the bag plus the lining, fleece lining, and the interfacings.  But try as I might I couldn't figure out a stress-free way to partially assemble it and embellish it.
Since this was to be a "no stress" winter project I finally gave up.  I put all the pieces in a bag and will finish it later for another project.  I don't even want to look at it now.....for months.

So defeated but flexible, I decided to just do a ordinary tote-like pattern for the spider bag  and luckily I had enough crushed velvet to do it.  I want to get all the vines on the bag before webs and flowers so step one was to sketch out the vine patterns on freezer paper.  This was all free hand and really loose.

Then I roughly repeated these vines to the back of the velvet (with fusible tricot).  If it were critical I could have transferred it with some transfer paper but since it was so rough and loose I just did it freehand.  Then I did a running stitch on the lines.





When I turned it over I had my vine pattern on the black velvet without any markings on the velvet.  Over the years I have worked many project designs from the back like this.  Especially if it is white, textured or dark material.  The spots you see are light reflections on the velvet.  It is going to be impossible to photograph.  I will work the vines in silk ribbon.  Then I will add the webs and   will add the flowers and leaves the last thing before I assemble the bag.


Again my friend Shirlee surprised me with a special package in the mail..  It was all this silk ribbon that she said she would never use...  What a treasure.  I have it all sorted by color and size and can hardly wait to use it.  This whole project is like a sweet treat and I will stretch it out and savor every step.

Another project that just slipped in my agenda unbidden yesterday  is this necklace.  I never wore it because I never had earrings and decided to make some and one thing led to another and it got a complete makeover.  I may still never wear it but if I do I now have earrings.

The winner of the bag pattern is Cyra in New Zealand... Send me you address Cyra to olderrose@yahoo.com and I will pop it in the mail...