Stitching Up a Storm in Alamo City

Still working on the cowgirl

Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not sure how much I've actually accomplished on the cowgirl since I told you about her last - but I know for sure I got the main part of one boot done, and maybe a little bit of background. 

All I need is a few afternoons of quiet to get her finished and off the stretcher bars, which is my second most favorite part of stitching.   My favorite thing about stitching is getting a new piece with all the beautiful accompanying threads!!!   I guess that would explain my stash that seems to be procreating when I'm not looking.   But I also love the thrill of taking a finished piece off the bars - almost more than getting it back from the finisher. 

Life is busy these days.  I'm co-chairing the annual docent party on Feb 8th for the museum - The McNay Art Museum. Mark and I went last night to the opening of a fabulous Andy Warhol exhibit - it's 150 works from the Warhol museum in Pittsburgh.   I'll have to admit I didn't know much about his work, except the Marilyn portraits and the Campbell's soup paintings.   Our exhibit is so fascinating, and Andy Warhol was brilliant.   Weird, but brilliant.   All that to say, the docent party will have a Warhol/Studio 54 theme - yesterday we came up with the idea to have a guy cross dress as Marilyn for the party.  We ended up getting a woman to do it.... not quite as pithy (for my docent buddies whose average age is about 70) but still fun.  Promise to post pictures.

Happy stitching.
Jane

 

Maddie and the color purple

Maddie B loves purple.  Now that you know, I'm sure you're quite surprised that I haven't changed my blog to be purple instead of PINK!! 

I'm remembering that I didn't go through my purple stage until I was in Junior High School.  They do grow up fast these days, don't they??

While she was here the other day, we figured out that there were ornamental cabbages in the pots outside that almost exactly matched her dress.  

Somehow, she got in her head that she should take all the cookbooks out of the shelves in the kitchen.  I convinced her to stop unloading when she'd created a stack that was taller than she is!!

Funny Girl.
Happy Stitching.
Mimi

More cowbell, I mean cowgirl

My friend and stitching buddy, Jackie and I got together for an inpromptu stitching weekend.  Mark was out of town - she and I had talked about it but thought we couldn't make it happen - and then it DID!!  So she came into town on Saturday afternoon and we had a stitching and TV watching marathon until Sunday night.  When we actually stitching, I worked on the cowgirl.

Her blouse is finished now, except I need to go back with some buttons and maybe outline stitch a little bit to delineate her sleeve and bodice.   But I like it.   I couldn't find the beads that Tony specified to put inside the strap stitch on the blouse, so I came up with some silver beads I had here at the house - had 75% of them in and then decided they were too big.  So I found these little clear beads and used the matching silk for the area to attach them.  So I think I'm happy with the blouse.

In addition to finishing the blouse, I outlined or stemmed the hat and the pants.

So now I'm starting to build anxiety over these dang gloves.   They're supposed to be appliqued ultrasuede, which will be beautiful, if done correctly.  Scary thought.

Happy stitching,
Jane

 

Cowgirl is front and center

I got an amazing amount of stitching done right before the holidays - I've got 75% of the "first layer" done on this piece. 

For some reason, the middle sunflower on the right only had a center, so I had to kind of fake the petals.   I'm not sure if that was a mistake or if I just didn't "read" the canvas correctly.

Sorry, Tony, but I switched the thread for her pants.   Instead of using black black - a Splendor - I used an overdye - Weeks Dye Works Ebony, which I like.   The jeans have some couched details over the top, which I'll do when I start the 2nd layer of stitching. 

So here's a question:   Do you stitch all the layers of an area before you move on, or do you stitch the entire canvas, one layer at a time?   Or do you dream about doing a piece in basketweave only?  

Some days I dream of basketweave!!

Happy New Year and Happy Stitching.
Jane

Crazy cooking right before Christmas

Jordan got home on Monday - we decided to do some ridiculous cooking before the rest of the family arrives in town this weekend.

So we pulled out the Momofuku cookbook and got busy.  My favorite grocery store in town, Central Market, was a little scant in the Asian aisle, so we went to a Korean market on the East side of town and found the rest of everything we needed.   (The people in the store were lovely. The other customers were especially helpful.)

We made Asian fried chicken, noodles with scallions and asparagus with a poached egg - for the first time with all the recipes, I think it turned out very well.   Quite tasty.  And you know me, I think a poached egg on top of just about ANYTHING is the best meal one could have!!  Love those things!!

As crazy as it sounds, I have been stitching more than usual.   I'm still working on the Linda Carter Holman piece - I'll show it to you in a day or two.

Happy stitching and/or cooking.
Jane