Trumpet Block Embroidered

The embroidery on the smocked pleats is done, and silk ribbon has been added to the mouthpiece receiver.  It's hard to see in the photos, but I used a chain stitch, chevron stitch, wave stitch, and flowerettes in the smocking.  I used Letraset ProMarkers to dye the ribbon.

Ornament Block Embellishment Done

The ribbon embroidery and beading is done for the ornament block for the Christmas tree skirt:

Smocked Trumpet Block

Another block partially done for the Christmas tree skirt; I still need to do the embroidery on the pleats.  This is gold lamé.

Paper-pieced Ornament

Second block for the Christmas tree skirt.  It's made of red satin, gold lamé, red/black brocade, and gold brocade.  I still need to put ribbon and beading on it.

Smocked Christmas Tree Block, Embellished

The first block for the Christmas tree skirt is done.  Tell me, why did I choose taffeta, and metallic thread, for my very first smocking project?!

Click to enlarge.

Bead covered with silk ribbon.

Bead covered with silk ribbon.

Chiffon bows dyed with ProMarkers.

Smocked Christmas Tree Block

I decided to upload a photo of the Christmas tree block I'm working on, just to prove I am working on it.  It will be part of a Christmas tree skirt, with the remainder still to be determined.

Having gotten out the camera, other photographic possibilities presented themselves:

Yesterday was our first snow of the season, so I took some photos of it, sparkling and white in the early morning sunlight.  Then I noticed that the Phalaenopsis orchid Loren gave me had a couple more blooms... and the house finches were on the feeder...

Front yard

Phalaenopsis orchid

Back deck

Back deck

House finch

I heard geese, looked up -- and far, far up in the sky spotted several long V's, a bit misshapen at the moment, because they were changing leaders.

A closer look reveals them to be Canada geese.

House finch

Suddenly, all the little birds flew away.  I peeked around the side of the window and found ---

--- Teensy on the deck railing.

"Who, me?"

He followed me down to my sewing room and found a comfy chair.

It's obviously a chair for cats.  Isn't it?

And finally, I got to the smocked Christmas tree photo:

I'm ready to start the ribbon embroidery and bead application.  The green fabric is metallic taffeta; the off-white is satin.  The gold thread is metallic, too.

Looks messy.  If I just keep covering up the things that aren't quite right, eventually you won't be able to see it, right?  Or at least you won't know what to look at first.  Right??

Customer's Brown and Green Quilt

I just finished quilting the last of my customer's quilts.  I used a pantograph called Chantilly Lace.

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Customer's Blue and Yellow Quilt

I finished quilting the second of my customer's three quilts tonight.  I used a pantograph called 'Meandering Dove', with 40 wt. King Tut variegated thread in the color 'Sheaves' on top, 60 wt. cream-colored Bottom Line thread in the bobbin.

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