Archive for the 'Needlework' Category

School’s back in.

Published on September 5, 2010 in Classes, Digital Storytelling and Needlework. 0 Comments

The ds106 newbies are starting up their blogs, which makes me feel guilty that I have not updated!

I haven’t had much to post about, for I have not been working on anything. There wasn’t room in the car for my needlework supplies, and I just received them from home this weekend. Now that I have them, back to the blag!
Unfortunately, though I have the stuff now, I’ve also not worked on anything sufficiently since the last post. There is but one panel left to complete on the D20, I’ll be done with the embroidery by the end of tomorrow. I’ve got a new idea that I want to try, and I absolutely must finish this so that I can.

Classes this semester are German History, German Civilization (which is basically German History but counts as credit toward my major), Arabic 101 and Intro to World Religions. Looks to be nice and light. Nowhere near as fun as last semester, of course.

Sorry for the lame-bees post. Pictures of the (hopefully completed) d20 and details on my new ideas coming soon!

The county fair, and the yellow kitchen.

Published on August 15, 2010 in Iron Avatarist and Needlework. 2 Comments

Lots of pics. That’s nothing new, though.

So, every year at the county fair there is a needlework exhibit. I’ve never entered anything, because I am a fool. Also because if I add another project to my wall of projects it might collapse. But I’d like to discuss the pieces I saw. Unfortunately, there was a plastic sheet between my phone camera and the artwork, so the pictures have a touch of glare.

I think it’s ridiculous that someone can win a blue ribbon for using a needlework kit. A pattern I suppose I could handle, but a kit? That’s nonsensical. Following a pattern takes some skill, but filling in colored squares takes nothing but patience, and one doesn’t even touch this hobby if one doesn’t have patience. I’ve used kits, of course. That’s typically how one gets into an artistic hobby these days. But entering one into a competition? I can’t imagine that winning a ribbon. And yet.

A blue ribbon. Impressively detailed and everything, but still obviously a kit. I don’t mean to belittle the work they put into this, but I think that’s cheating.

These two were my favorites.

In other news, ACK. I am completely exhausted from helping my father paint the kitchen this week. It’s yellow now. Which is kind of weird. And we have a new microwave above the new stove, it’s all very exciting.

Finally, as I said in the last post, the Iron Avatarist competition this month is “Summertime”. I made an animation that sums up my thoughts.

I have more ideas for this piece. We’ll see if they reach fruition by the time the contest ends.

Continuation of last year’s projects

Published on May 7, 2010 in Dream log and Needlework. 0 Comments

Ever have a brilliant idea, but then you look at it and realize it will be work, so you just stop?
That never happens to me. Ever. o_e [/extreme sarcasm]
This has been my attitude lately when it comes to drawing and inkscaping. Which is alright. Much easier to concentrate on abandoned needlework projects when starting a new inkscape project seems so annoyingly hard. And there’s no Iron Avatarist this month.

So, I started this several months ago, as an attempt to make something that is not a pillow. If it succeeds, it will look like a 20-sided die, and it will be turned into a keychain.

Gold edges and numbers, purple filling. I downloaded one of those foldable templates and transferred it to cloth, which I will stiffen and fold once the embroidery is done. This has a very high chance of failing horribly. The first time I tried something similar, the cloth collapsed and the glue didn’t hold and it ended up a mess.

It looks a lot better in that picture than it is. *feels ashamed*

But the concept remained intact! I’m using a smaller stitch and a different template. I’d hoped that the satin stitch might help keep the panels straight, but it just wasn’t good material for folding. This time around I’m using even softer cloth, and a more flexible stitch, which seems absolutely counterproductive, but I’ve bought some iron-on backing that might do the job of keeping the fabric stiff. I hope it works out better. If it does those silly geeky folks I tend to hang out with might want one. And once they decry its uselessness, and I lament its cost to manufacture compared to the price they’d want to pay, I will go back to making pillows and framed samplers. If it doesn’t, well, lesson learned, never try anything new! =D

I had a dream last night about the border between life and death. It’s in Corolla, North Carolina. With dragons and pirate skeletons, it’s hard to go wrong.
Every dream I’ve had this week has featured one of my classes from last semester. Library Science is next. Clearly I miss school.