Va Va Voom Valdani

I have been gathering and using the Valdani line of thread for some of my latest projects. The hand dyed and colourfast colours are so luscious. As desirable as an ice cream on a hot summer day, or a fire inside on a cold winter's night....comforting....lovely to use....and so convenient in those cute little balls. 

My very first experience of using the 3 strand cotton floss has been while I have also been doing my very first punch needle project. That project is Manor at Strawberry Hill designed by Brenda Gervais

As is normal for me, I did not choose the simplest of designs for learning a new skill. I can't do basic, I have to go with what I love and I loved this design. But as it turns out it really doesn't matter, punch needle is easy and surprisingly satisfying....punching that needle and creating those tightly packed loops is cool! I wanna do more! It is a project that moves fairly quickly, again not something normal in my world but it makes for a nice change in pace. 

Punching right off of that ball of 3 strand is so gosh darn convenient. There are other flosses is this kit that are 6 strand lengths. After each length you have to thread that  ole punch needle again but not with the Valdani, you can just carrying on punching until you reach the end of that sweet little ball of yumminess or until you wanna change colours of course. Fabulous and thank you Valdani for making such convenient joy possible. 

Aren't those varigated colour shades just so delicious! Of course these primitive designs were just made to soak up all this Valdani goodness!

Now, I wanna mention that I am a member of the Primitive Stitcher's Society on facebook. This is a fabulous group and a wonderful source of inspiration with so many awesome prim designers and folks sharing their primitive cross stitch/punch needle accomplishments. It is a real inspiration, thank you Dixie Samplar for starting up this amazing group.

Valdani also have a facebook page and I am chuffed that snippets of my little ole blog have been shared, not once, but twice on their page. Who would have thought in this big wide world that my extoling the virtues of Valdani would get noticed. Cool!

I also made an exciting purchase at my LGS (Local Giftware Shop) in the weekend. A chance find, this primo jar with a chalkboard sticker. Now what could I use that for, I asked myself....

.... I know....this is what my mind saw when my eyes saw that jar....My Valdani Stash....of pearl cotton #8 would look grand stored in there while I get my Sue Spargo projects ready for embellishment....and there's even room for more!!!!

Now that I have some Valdani experience under my belt I would love for them to start making the 3 strand in the tweed line....wouldn't a whimsical primitive punch needle look real neat in that flecky thread....I wanna give that a go.....PLEASE Valdani....make my wish come true....

Raewyn Anne

A Little Bit Of This And A Bit Of That....And A Milestone!

I've had a splendid time this weekend just passed. I have made it into the 50+ club!!! I am here, healthy and happy doing all the things that I love. What's not to like about turning 50. I am over that hump that comes with the turning 45 and thinking OMG I am nearly 50...it is behind me!!! 

My special big number birthday pressie to myself is making me even happier, despite the age it takes to relocate all your files from the old to the new and learn how to use the new! Thank goodness for google chrome/drive for making it so much easier than it used to be. I love, love, love the crisp clear graphics...I can see my digital magazines & my needlework related items without squinting over a laptop screen...woo hoo.

Happy Birthday to Me

And so on to a little bit of this and that....

....this #1 is Mountmellick, part 4 is complete and I am just so happy with this quilt. It just keeps getting better and better. I even managed to achive my goal of completing this part before the next part is issued. I wonder what the final two parts of this mystery will bring!

Spring is in it's way down here in New Zealand....

....this #2 is my very own attempt at Hazel Blomkamp's dancing threads. I did a bit more work on this up to the point where I need to do the next set of needle lace petals and then must fess that I did put it aside to pick up another project, but it will be back soon.

The photo's don't do justice to the 3D and beaded blinginess of the piece. It is also more creamy in reality. There are a lot of layers of work in a small space with this style of crewel work but the result is real cool.

.... this #3 was my new project, one I traced up last week and another technique I have not tried before. Punch needle is a lot of fun. It is so simple and works up pretty quick. I like the loopy result and I will be doing more when I want something less intense. Of course the primitive look is something I love and Brenda Gervais has so many to choose from that are just so sweet. I took this photo only a couple of days ago and am way further along already. 

....and that #1, my supplies arrived so I can make a start on my Sue Spargo African Tulip Tote. This pattern was published in the latest Quiltmania magazine and I just love all the funky colours.

I have been gathering the gorgeous hand dyed painters threads that are produced by Tentakulum and cannot wait to give them a go on this project.

 ....this gorgeous candy jar of Valdani thread awaits my embellishing with a needle....

 ....Sue's imaginative books  to fill my head with ideas....Sue Spargo just announced her first Craftsy Class this week. How could I resist....aren't those butterflies just stunning!

.... and this latest Valdani Tweed has me sooning, can't you just see that beautiful thread texturizing a project....

But before I get onto that project I need to tend to ....that #2.... it's September already and my classes with Yoko Saito are not far away. I have some stems/bows & leaves to applique and all I have managed so far is the tracing. Better get off this new toy and pull finger....

Hope ya'all have a grand week!

Raewyn Anne

Equilibrium

I am feeling this week like my optimal balance is out of whack. The weight of life and family commitments is drawing on my resources. You know, all that stuff you don't really want to do but have to do! Despite having a fairly sizeable and weighty stash on one side of my balancing act the other side keeps weighing me down to that hum drum side. I keep adding stash to try and compensate so I can make it to the woo hoo side ....but it's not working!!!!!!!!!!

All those Mum's out there will know just what I mean when I say that there's four of us in this family, so that's three people wanting my attention all to themselves, those three people see only one person....as for me.... it's all three at once and no fourth....you'all know who that fourth is right?

Consequently the vast majority of what I have achieved this week seems to be prep with a little peek of a newbie I have been working on for a couple of weeks. 

First up, the ongoing saga of Mountmellick. Whilst seeming fairly easy peasy and stress free this part 4 border involves a reasonable bit of time just cutting, pinning, stitching and pressing. I have never done hour glasses before and thought the cutting was quite clever. Four squares of fabric, a light and a dark each with right sides together and on top of each other. Cut corner to corner diagonally and voila four triangle groups with each colour to make four hour glass squares. Nifty.

The four hexie flowers for the four corner border squares. Aren't they sweet!

And here they are placed on the fabric ready to be stitched and cut into squares. This is the only hand stitching for this border.

Two piles of hour glasses....two to go....

Here's the next lot awaiting stitching...they've been waiting there a few days now!

I am so hoping to finish this up in the next week, the rest of this week is not looking flash for time spent in my studio though.....darn it!

Now I also did a teeny tiny but of prep for a future project. The tracing is done. Guess what I am going to try my hand at....never done this before! Loving those cute as little balls of Valdani 3ply! This is Manor at Strawberry Hill by the amazingly talented Brenda Gervais.

The other project that has been going a couple of weeks is also something never before attempted by me in either traditional of modern style. It isn't going too badly and I am loving the result. 

I am adoring the french vanilla look of this design. The threads and beads are cool to work with. Dancing Threads is a great name for this project.

Can you tell I am winging it....I have learnt the basics of needle weaving and can see now that I need many more warp threads but I am still loving the outcome.

Winging it with a little bit of help....ok...a lot of help....

.... from Hazel's new book! Hazel, your designs rock and crewel is cool.

Off to do some more balancing....have  a great week 

Rae