Get Hammered & Gain a Source

It has been a couple of very warm days at the Hughes --
New AC unit has been being installed (who would expect it to take soooo long).

To escape the heat yesterday I headed off to run some chores, and to hang out in places that were air-conditioned. One of these was Lowes -- and since wandering thru the hardware section is always fun, I spent about an hour walking up and down....

there were giant screws
chains of all shapes & sizes
hammers, nails, screwdrivers,
there was also some fun-
shiny new skeleton keys that caught my eye

All these shiny - textured - fun items were also the inspiration for today's posting.

Next time you're heading to the hardware store -- give yourself some extra time...
wander the aisles....

and, GET HAMMERED!

Sources: Venturing - Look Down

Sometimes we just need a bit of a nudge in a different direction to begin seeing new sources - new possibilities - ME included! So, that is a bit about what this week is all about.

Whether you venture near or far there is always something new for the finding.
To get us going, I chose any easy one.
LOOK DOWN

What may you find? Well, just on my walk I found feathers ( tons & tons) and even a poor abandoned goose egg...  just remember to LOOK DOWN!

interesting cracks? staircases?
or how many different colors of toe nail polish may you find today?

I'm off to wander!
~ Rose

Observation -- My favs from #QUILTMARKET

The talk has been about Quilt Market, and I've promised some pictures. So today I am sharing some of my product finds -- though tomorrow I'll be sharing some other faves!

Market can definitely be overwhelming - all the new FABRIC....
and loads of amazing quilts along with their patterns. Sometimes its hard to see the other stuff.

I love, love, love stitching threads, and new products that make my life easier and fun --
hope you enjoy my finds--

the to over-dyed wonders of Weeks

the amazing new magazine Generation Q

products to help us make or instruct us on making these fun take aways

Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts new book- always well written and illustrated!

this is Coats & Clark's double sided bonding sheets for fabric
and that funky thing is a bracelet I made with the product -- fun, fun, fun!

this game from Stitchin Tree Quilts was easy and so much fun
you just followed the sound of laughter to find their booth!

and then my friends at Bo Nash - it was an iron challenged show for them
but the products never missed a beat - love the PEN!

Did these get you thinkin?

Which one you going to try and find first!?

Another look (but different) at market tomorrow.

'til then...

Stitch On!

~Rose
 

Toolin' Tuesday - Gotta Find You Some!

The quilt above - Raven Creates -
was made from fabrics - cotton, velveteen and silk that were played into textured being.

It's all about play today!
Creating texture is fun -
layering them up can create grand, wonderful things.
But, all come about from your willingness to get your hands dirty,
letting  your mind wander and JUST PLAY!

The tools I am sharing with you are those that I have found or made.
Each has its own charm
Can be used with paints or inks
For creating TEXTURE on paper or fabric

There are loads of of different ways you can use these,
and I will definitely share some of these later on this month, so for now
start finding some play tools!!

found objects from the creative reuse and recycle center

purchased rubbing boards work well

but these found gridded and textured objects offer lot of play opps

I'm off now, but I'll be looking for some new play-tools...
How 'bout you?

I'd love to hear what you find!

Hunting On

~Rose

No Foolin' Toolin' Tuesday

When I was running around Quilt Market last October I ran into that wonderful man from Kai Scissors. I had first met him in Long Beach where he happily accepted my challenge 'to prove' that his 5-1/2" curved scissors really would make the trimming of my Fast-Piece Applique pieces breezier than my beloved duck-bill scissors.

Try it -- he said...
and he needed to say nothing more, for after trying these little beauties I was hooked-- and bought them to share with my classes and add soon to my on-line store.

When showing my students the FPA method yesterday I included a "try it" you may just 'like it' suggestion, and then sold out of scissors. Today for Tool'in Tuesday the class was going to hold them up for a photo op, BUT we all got so consumed with the quilts that we forgot.

Still wanting to share these with you I went for send best...
photos of just the scissors themselves.


Like everything in life and quilting - having the right tool for the job, makes the doing a breeze. The right tool for one may not be the right tool for another, and the right tool may sometimes be 'really' be improved upon. We always need to be on the lookout for these jewels -- and, always give new tools a whirl.

Having a grand time at Quilt Camp-- promise fun pictures on my return.
Tomorrow I begin teaching a 2-day machine embellishment class, so I'll be

Stitichin' On
~Rose

Location:wonderful warm Quilt Camp

The Stitched Line

Yesterday I posted a bunch of LINE examples...
that I hope mine inspired you a bit,
or inspired you to go search out a few of your own.
There was one that I also posted on my Facebook page and asked the question,
"How would you stitch this?"

Loved all the answers... and, of course there is no right answer....that's the fun of it!

The stitched line on it's own is a simple, but it easily can produce an immeasurable WOW factor.

Later on this week I'll be sharing a simple stitched line project, so today I thought I would share my own hand-stitching tool kit, and a favorite book that shares its own WOW.

I never travel far without my own small box of stitching tools.
Last year my daughter-in-law, Dawn, calling it my 'survival kit' recreated it as a product that I now sell.
The Stitching Happy-Survival Kit includes all my favorite handstitching tools:

There are 11 Sharp needles for beading, 12 Crewels for embroidery,
Clover's double needle threader, Chacoliner & cutter,
and of course a 'real' needle-sharpening strawberry.

Add in some thread, and anything is possible.

Don't believe me?This book is a favorite in my library, and quite the page turner.

In it, you are taken into collections of French textile companies, and into hand embroidery workshops in Paris as they take a real scene and re-create them with fabric & stitches.

Have an grand day...
and as you are out and about find a bit of LINE in the
architecture, nature or supermarket
to inspire the day!

STITCHING ON!
~Rose