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Monday 20 January 2014

She Sews, She Scores!

Over past several days I have been working on two commissions.  One is for B. in the USA.  She asked for a threadpainting of Blackstrap Lake from the photo I took last fall.  It's coming along really great.  I admit I had to stare and stare at it for the longest time to figure out where to start.  After I agreed, I took a good look at the photo and was overwhelmed with how much landscape is in this piece.  Now I have the 'underpainting' pretty much complete and can now move forward with adding all the trees.


Incidentally, I often work sideways or upside down.  Turning a piece allows me to see things I may not have noticed before.  It's helpful!

For the next phase of this piece, I have all my colors pretty much pick out.  Each tree has a lot of highlights and deep shades.  I have no end of autumn colors in my stash.  Literally - boxes of threads.

beginning my selection

The second commission I have started is from Y. in Australia.  It's G O R G E O U S  - a photo her husband took.  I started selecting me threads...


I have made a good start stitching out this one, however I feel I don't have just the right purples.  So - a shopping I did go.

Sad news - Creative House Sewing & Education Centre will be closing.  The owners are retiring and their building along with both businesses are for sale (the second being Broadway Embroidery).  They sent an email out at the beginning of the month that they are having a sale on everything (20 - 50 percent off).  I will really miss them.  And that space - it is so sunny and beautiful.  pout pout.

So to support my friends in their retirement, I bought my purple thread from them.


And pink thread, and orange thread, and variegated thread, and cotton 12 weights, and rayons, and metallics, and prewound 100 wt bobbins, and hand embroidery needles, and packs of machine needles, and wooden crochet hooks, and loads more hoops for teaching, and fabric...

AND

...two sewing machines.  Yup.  I picked up the last of their Janome classroom sewing machines for my own teaching.  SCORE!  ps - if you are in Saskatoon, they are on Ave I between 20th and 22nd st W. and open Monday to Thursdays only for the rest of the month.  They have TONS of Wonderfil threads, Bohin notions, and beautiful fabrics too.

Okeedokee - off to work on the threadpaintings!  : )

Talk soon,
Linking to TN&TN for WIP Wednesday

9 comments:

Nicki said...

Monika, both of the commissions look like great challenges and fun projects. I'm really looking forward to seeing how you tackle the purple trees. Mmmmmm.

I noticed that there is a quilt shop opening on Eastlake and 3rd Street (or was it 2nd Street?) I think the sign said February.

Flo @ Butterfly Quilting said...

I agree, Monika, both of these are looking great!
I was sorry to see that Creative House was closing too. Looks like you scored some great deals!!

josette.272@gmail.com said...

merci comme toujours fabuleux biz

marsha said...

can't wait to see your progress on the wisteria(?)
love how the Blackstrap Lake piece is looking

TheYvetteRene said...

Love watching the progress, Monika. How wonderful that I can see how things are coming along. Yippee!

P.S. They are jacaranda trees. :)

Anonymous said...

The DETAILS always make a difference.
Working up-side-down or backwards puts a different perspective on EVERYTHING.
For example, when writing down a line of numbers (e.g. serial #), I ALWAYS double-check it by reading the digits BACKWARDS.
Also, when I drop a needle on the carpet, I often have to change vantage points & check it from different angles in order to get it into the right light to make it visible. (This process also works to find something outside that has dropped into the grass, etc.)
And LIFE itself looks different when viewed from different perspectives.
Keep on stitchin' and blogging!

Lin said...

That is what I call a good shop!
Love the way your commissions are along. xx

elle said...

Looking at things differently would definitely be beneficial. Lovely work and yummy colours!

Regina said...

Seitwärts arbeiten ist eine gute Idee, wunderbar daß Du Nähmaschinen zum Lehren ergattert hast.

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