Embelishing & More Stitching

Video: Embelishing.....alternative video link here.

Video:  More Stitching...alternative video link here.

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What is This

1. A Studio Ironing Board

2. Inktense Color Library

3. Inktense Play

4. Inktense Faces

5. Selecting and Altering Collage Fabric Bits

6. Apron Pattern
7. Tree Template Pattern
8. Castle Journaling
9. Tree Castle Building

The Finish

Dear Timothy,

Your cloth is finished!

I was trying my best to finish by the end of August. So I guess going over two days is good enough. I did my best. 

Your cloth turned out quiet large. As a matter of fact I had a hard time getting photos of the whole cloth. Turns out the only place that worked was in the Garden Palace on the parlor floor around noon.

Green Moons Forest

Around the big green moon

Dragoneosorus

dra-gone-o-so-rus

On the Back

Corners

Timothy, as with many of my big projects, at the very end and when all is finished and done, I am left without words for a few days. However, I will share here one revelation that merely came to me while trying to get final photos. 

It is about the dueling dragons. It is simple and only you and I will understand. I now recognize their symbolic presence on the backside. They came quietly from the dye pot and when they did, we both knew what they were. But who were they? They are us. You and me. Timothy and Nana. The dueling dragons. 

A Garden Path

Dear Timothy,

I left a narrow section between the log cabin and the fence border with several thoughts in mind about a connection. When the time came, well I'll just say that sometimes what is in my mind and what shows up in real life makes no connection. 

So I was back to square one, so to speak. Until out of the clear blue I remembered a left over piece of fabric that just might be so perfect.  And it was. 

I added a garden path around the log cabin. A garden path with leaves and flowers falling over it. I added a little bit of me and my love of flowers on the backside. And instead of a straight stitch quilting I am enhancing the leaf and floral design with simple embroidery stitching. 

Here it is. Five years ago I made myself and a dear friend an art apron with this gifted fabric. The textile design is very unique and I loved it so much that I really didn't think I could ever think of anything special enough to use the left over piece. It thrills me to add this garden path to the backside of your cloth. It feels just right and the perfect connection.  

Crazy Blue Circle Bird

Dear Timothy,

December a year ago when I stitched that crazy blue circle on this component, I never  thought it was a bird. 

Then, recently while stitching the circle that is not a moon it occurred to me that this section of your cloth is "The Jungle". Now, I don't really know what the difference in a forest and a jungle is but in my mind, I think the jungle is so full of growth that birds and beasts are not as visible and maybe even more abstract. Anyway, that is how they will be in your jungle.

Timothy, what I want you to remember is, things today may be something totally different a year and a half down the road.  

Mythological Flying Bird

Autum Moon

Dear Timothy,

This is the lost moon. But this is not the lost cloud.  When I went looking for a different cloud, do you believe I found this perfectly mythological flying bird?  I found his head first. It was just as plain as day. Then I found the body. Then the glorious tail. I really don't think the person who designed this bit of fabric knew there was such wonderful beast and birds on it.  I guess the thing I want to tell you is, keep your eyes and heart open. And give your imagination a place to go. 

As you can see, I had to remove one of the trees. And then I sat and stitched. And stitched. I was so excited to see him.

And one more thing.  Do you remember that I told you nothing every happens before it is time?  Well, this lost moon is surely evidence of that. Otherwise, I would have never found this bird.  

Green Moons

Summer Moon

Dear Timothy,

You've heard about The Man in the Moon, an imaginary human face that some can see in the moon.  Well, the Summer moon in the Green Moons Forest is most certainly not a man.  I think this two headed beast will need a name.  And I'm giving that some thought.

Spring Moon

I finished stitching on the Spring Moon and clouds.  Oh, and guess what Timothy?  I found the missing moon.  I guess at the moment that I hid it from myself, it was a good place to put it. But I did accidentally find it the other day when starting a new project.  The lost moon will become the Autumn Moon and the cloud was still attached to it.  But guess what Tim, the cloud looks a whole lot like the beast breath in the Summer Moon. I'm puzzled about that.   

Two Headed Dragoneosorus

Dragoneosorus Breath

Two headed Dragoneosorus on the moon.

Floating Green Moons

Dear Timothy, 
I lost a green moon.  It had a cloud pinned to it and I have been searching for days.  It is one of those things that happens. I kept seeing the green moon floating around in my world, as moons do, and then suddenly one day I thought,  "I need to put that moon in a safe place so I will have it when I'm ready for it."  Yes yes, I'm sure it is safely waiting and I'm sure I will eventually find it.... when I really need it. 

In the meantime, I have cut another green moon and I did find more clouds. Now, I'm wondering if I had the wrong clouds.  These are different from the lost ones.  Of course the moon will go behind the tree and I'm thinking I will be stitching that today. 

Mr Dragoneosorus

Dear Timothy,
Not until I picked out that silly little black beast that was taunting me on center stage, did I see the cute little creature heads hiding in the red moon tree that I added last week to the summer side of the moon.  Yes, I knew they were there. I saw their eyes and gave them pupils.  But I did not know what they were nor did it ever occur to me that one lived on the big moon.  I know. It should have. And now I'm certain the trees in the forest are indeed a reflection of the trees that stand on the edge of the moon.

It all makes perfect sense to me now.  Nothing ever happens before it is time. Believe that.

Turns out, that silly little black beast was just a "place holder".  You know, reserving the spot for me.  Making me wait until it was time.  When the time was right and I knew that little creature had to go, I had no problem at all removing him and the whole while I was doing it, I wondered why I had left him on there so long. 

Then I turned the cloth in my lap.  My eye caught sight of a little red head hiding in the red moon tree.  The eyes that I added made sense to me now or I should say, "they spoke to me". 

Meet Mr Dragoneosorus (Dra-gone-o-so-rus).  Timothy, the story is unfolding.  It is about a bird, a beast, and a dragoneosorus who can be seen on the big green moon.

But don't forget Timothy and believe that nothing ever happens before it is time. 
xo
Nana

Ring Around The Moon

Ring Around The Moon

The day before my friend's visit, I was frantically pinning and stitching because I just had to do this.

That was last Saturday after I took the photo with all of the center components conjoined.

I had no idea that it would go this direction until then. 

One Feather

I stitched Sunday the 7th.

In the chair zone all day.

A tree was added to this forest after the connection was made.

And then, just a lot of straight stitching...

and one feather.

About the beast, they don't really feel like "me".

This one had a face change and is more to my liking.

I'm still undecided about all the beast.  I have to keep in mind that the reason I was adding them is because this is Tim's cloth and he would like them; however, at the same time, it has to feel like me.  I can't remove these central beast but should I add more, they will feel like me.....

My First Beast

My first beast.  And my first effort at needle turned applique.  I hope for improvement on both creating beast and needle turned applique. 

I worked on this guy yesterday here at the desk-in-town.  He's not finished. 

The Mystery Of It

Connect, merge, integrate, fuse, unite, blend, complete.  I really like the mystery of it all after it happens. Like, wondering which came first and last and in between.  I'm showing so I can remember.