TAST week 7 ~ detached chain stitch

flora on rose petal

these are the tiny white flowers that came within  a bouquet of flowers resting on a single fallen rose petal from the same bouquet. the white flowers where not the usual baby's breath but i don't actually know what they were. if any reader knows please feel free to share this info with me within the comments.



this week (7) the detached chain stitch is the challenge on TAST.

it's a simple stitch that i've been aware of for a very long time but i still learned something in regards to it: i've always called this stitch a lazy daisy and that is not it's actual name.

i decided to do my sampler so that i showed the difference between a chain stitch and a detached chain stitch. the top example is done in a luscious red chenille which probably wouldn't hold up to pulling through the density of a regular fabric but did fine through the open weave of this linen.

the bottom example is done in a single strand light green thread of unknown content. two very different looks for these stitches simply by varying the thread. the stitch uses the same count/spaces in both examples and has been worked with a slightly elongated catch stitch portion.

the christmas stocking features the detached chain stitch done in a single strand of fine white thread  (unknown content). i stitched it in groupings of three (once again worked with an elongated catch portion of the stitch). this has been positioned onto the top of an already stitched portion that you may remember from an earlier post.

and this is one of my fabric covered buttons.
here are the details in the order that i worked them:

1. a buttonhole stitch in a single strand of green thread was worked directly on the seam seam line.
2. a detached chain stitch in two strands (one of orange and one of a variegated yellow to orange color) using regular cotton floss applied to the purple side of the buttonhole stitch at regular intervals determined by the buttonhole stitch's spacing.
3. wrapped the extended part of the buttonhole stitch (once) with the same two threads used to make the detached chain stitch.
4. fly stitch on the yellow side of the buttonhole stitch between every other space within the buttonhole stitch. i used a purple Gutermann quilting thread.
5. a colonial stitch was centered above the fly stitch in the same Gutermann quilting thread.
6. a single running stitch was added above the colonial knot, once again using the same Gutermann quilting thread.

if you think that you may be interested in learning embroidery or practicing the stitches you already know it's well worth a visit to Pin Tangle to join in with this project.

some of the examples this week that have caught my attention from other 'Pin Tangle Players' are  the use of it in combination with shisha work here and the lilac's done with this stitch here.

recent gifts include:

• a treasured long distance friendship renewed with a visit.
• food choices that rivaled gourmet cuisine
• thoughtfully exchanged gifts

15 minute challenge ~ feb. 14th

~!!~happy valentines day~!!~

cyclamen love . . . or maybe i should say passion~!
;- )

here is my valentines day report card:

• tuesday, feb. 7th: pineapple trial block
• wednesday, feb. 8th: practice with TAST (chevron stitch) ~ chevron stitch onto stocking
• thursday, feb. 9th: quilting on the pink lemonade doll quilt
• friday, feb. 10th: quilting on the pink lemonade doll quilt
• saturday, feb. 11th: quilting on the pink lemonade doll quilt
• sunday, feb. 12th: made 3 fabric covered buttons
• monday, feb. 13th: quilting on the pink lemonade doll quilt

if you would like to see what others are doing with their 15 minutes or you're interested in joining in, you should visit Kate at Life in Pieces. she is currently doing  some fun give-aways for those participating in the 15 minute challenge.
i have found it to be an excellent way to continue  making my own sewing/creative time a priority.

how about some button love~!?!~

since the beginning of the new year i've been in the process of figuring out what i should do next with my scrap basket and it's exuberant contents. the pineapple block has always been a favorite of mine so when i spotted a tutorial on one  of my favorite blogs for making this block pattern based on Gyleen Fitzgerald's book: "Trash to Treasure Pineapple Quilts" i was immediately intrigued with trying it out. the problem was i would need yet another special ruler and since i'm making an effort to simplify my life and another ruler just doesn't seem like a good idea i decided i should at least try to do it without  one. i'm not a math wizard and  it took some time and help from my daughter but i was finally able to convert one of my regular square rulers into a make-do pineapple ruler using some masking tape to mark where i should cut as i sew up the block. i also have a couple of pages of copious notes and strange diagrams which anyone else might think were just plain scary as well as completely confusing.

i did do a little bit of un-sewing, re-figuring and then some re-sewing and a few more (pages) scribbled notes but with a lot of luck and a pinch of pixie dust maybe i'll be able to duplicate this whole process to make more . . . it turns out there really is a good reason why these handy dandy rulers (and accompanying books) are so popular~!

my scrap basket is now a tall laundry basket that's about three quarters full. at one time it was the same laundry basket (but totally overflowing) plus a very large, very deep drawer stuffed full so i do know that i am making progress towards my ultimate goal of keeping my scraps in a much smaller basket sometime before i pass on to the great quilt teacher in the sky. btw: this great teacher's first note of instruction is going to be to use the right ruler for the project . . .

recent gifts include:

• the feeling of being loved
• the feeling of loving someone else
• romantic dinners for two

TAST week 6 ~ the chevron stitch

a little more romance . . .

and week 6 of Sharon B's TAST ~ chevron stitch

the first row on the sampler above has the chevron stitch worked in a purple single strand cotton thread. simple. no frills.
i liked the idea of the chevron stitch providing a sort of 'platform' on the top for secondary stitches, beads, charms, etc. as well as a place from which to possibly dangle the same from the bottom of the stitch so i played around with that a little bit. first i worked the chevron stitch (quite a bit smaller than the first example) in two strands of a medium green cotton floss. i then used a single strand of heavier cotton  red thread to place a single lazy daisy detached chain stitch with every other one having a slightly longer catch stitch. under each of these i simply centered a small running stitch.
i then went on to play a bit with the top of this same bit of chevron by adding a colonial knot in a single gold colored medium weight thread on that top 'platform' bit. then i used a very tiny single strand orange thread to stitch a fly stitch 'under/around' that colonial knot.
i barely scratched the surface of what could be done with this stitch. i wish i had more time to explore all of the possibilities that it presents.

however, while looking around at what other stitchers were doing i found this beautiful idea and these incredible interpretations.

i have decided to bring all three stockings into the action rather than just working on one at a time. this will allow me many more choices of where i can put whatever happens to be the current TAST challenge stitch. previously i've only worked on wonderful daughter's stocking but the chevron stitch has me pulling out wonderful husband's and using the same single strand purple cotton thread that  i used in the very first sampler row above. however this time i added a silver filament to it. i also decided to use the upper and lower bar part of the chevron as a spot to add some detached buttonhole stitches, same thread sans filament.

recent gifts include:

• the thoughtfulness of friends/neighbors who will willingly/happily do mechanical work for you simply because they can hear that there is a problem and they know how to fix it.
• a daughter who graciously helped me figure out the geometry of a quilting issue.
• the ability to accept help (with a smile and a thank you) when it is offered.

report card tuesday ~ feb. 7th

it's february~!

how's this for a little romance~!? one of my begonias has these clumps of tiny little flowers (about the size of a pencil eraser) on looong stems at this time every year. which leaves me with actual floral valentine confetti for the whole month of february. how cool is that~!

it is time to show what i worked on for at least 15 minutes every day last week.

• tuesday, jan. 31st: finished a quilt binding ~ one fabric button
• wednesday, feb. 1st: quilting on pink lemonade quilt ~ hexie brainstorming
• thursday, feb. 2nd: quilting on pink lemonade quilt ~ practiced the herringbone stitch ~ herringbone stitched onto christmas stocking
• friday, feb. 3rd: practiced/experimented with herringbone stitch on fabric covered button
• saturday, feb. 4th: NADA
• sunday, feb. 5th: quilting on pink lemonade quilt
• monday, feb. 6th: quilting on pink lemonade quilt

if you would like to see what others are doing with their 15 minute challenge or you're interested in joining in you should visit Kate at Life in Pieces.

all of that quilting on my pink lemonade quilt-a-long quilt and i'm still not even finished with the straight line quilting that is going over the pieced blocks. i also will quilt something special into the (yellow) alternate blocks but i'm still figuring that out.
btw: i know that the double pink used in my pieced blocks is looking a bit purple/lavendar . . . i'm not exactly sure why i have (so far) been unsuccesful photographing it but i'll keep trying.

this is the fabric that i chose for the backing of the pink lemonade quilt. i adore this fabric and so wish that i had bought more of it~!! what's not to love. big fat bumblebees, sweet soft looking bunnies, lace, postal bits, hand written letter bits, alphabets, and more. i should have bought a whole bolt~!~instead i bought one yard. what was i thinking~!

i'm quilting the pink lemonade with a size 12 perle cotton and an embroidery needle. i'm also using a slightly larger stitch . . . making it not too fussy but still looking good.

and here are a few more of those fabric covered buttons that i just cannot seem to stop making.


recent gifts include:

• having several of my houseplants flowering which makes it slightly easier to wait for spring to get here
• having just enough time in my life to get a few more photos taken
• the availability of clean drinking water. right out of the tap. whenever i feel thirsty.