She is Done!!!

She is done!!! Just a bit more tweaking to the pattern directions and it is off to the printer. I am so glad! I have been working on this pattern since last year. So far, it is 22 pages (2 in color) with about 50 pics and 3 sheets 11x17 of pattern pieces.

All She needs is her crowning glory!

She is done except for her hair (which is drying), her base, and of course her frog! I can't wait to put her hair on. You probably won't guess what color it is!

Here is today's progress. She is all dressed and her shoes are finished. Kept dying lace but still didn't get the color I wanted for inside the sleeves. Just have to draw the face, give her ears and hair and attach her head and viola! done. She is definetly VERY bright! The face will have to wait until tomorrow--I need natural light. I can't really see colors in artificial light. I have Dazor and Verilux lamps which are supposed to immitate natural light, but I still have trouble getting my shade the way I like it.

Take a stitch Tuesday--Fly Stitch

I'm still working on those 4 fan blocks. These are stitches from another that used fly, herringbone and cretan for base stitches.

I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate my ArtBra friend Allie on winning this round of the $100,000 quilt challenge in the Crazy Quilt category. Way to go Allie. See pics of her GORGEOUS quilt on her blog http://allieinstitches.blogspot.com Allie is also a contributor to http://cqmagonline.com Two of last year's finalists in this category, Kimber Pekora and Pat Winter are also contributors. I am so unworthy!

Update on One Kiss

I have been working dilligently on her. Her body is almost done--just have to attach her arms and hands and give her a face. I have finished her bloomers but have not attached them to her yet. I still have to add trim to her shoes. I have also started her skirt. I didn't like the applique stars, so cut out parts of the bodice fabric and appliqued them on. I think I will use glitter glue to highlight the swirls and stars. Also need to dye some trim for the bottom of the skirt. Orange I think. I am planning on using a yellow metallic on the bodice and peplum. I think she is going to look like she is ready for a square dance!

Materials Gathered

Well, I've dyed the fabrics for the arms and legs (yellow-orange for arms and dark orange with stars for the legs), dyed the lace and bloomer fabric, gathered trims--didn't realize how many yellow trims I have--all glittery too. I am thinking of appliqueing purple and orange lame stars on the skirt which is the bright yellow. The skin fabric is at the top of the pic and though it may not look it, it really looks nice against the yellow. So the Star fabric is for her bodice and sleeves. Off to make the body. And of course all this is subject to change! She will tell me how to dress her as we go.

In the Beginning...

There was a piece of fabric. Now that the pattern for One Kiss is done, I like to do a final run-through. I have included two types of skirts and since the only example of the one type is my Hoffman challenge doll, I felt I needed to do another. This is a pic of the fabric I am taking my inspiration from. I love stars and just love the colors in this piece. The background is almost red-violet. The stars and swirls are shades from yellow to orange--complimentary and split complimentary on the color wheel. I just love this combo and have decided to use yellow/yellow orange as my main color and purple as the accent. I may through in a bit of Lime green or Blue-green. Still playing. Also can't decide what skin tone to give her but I think an ethnic tone. Off to dye fabric for the arms and legs, bloomers, and lace trim. (all yellow and shades of yellow)

Past Week's Happenings

First, big thanks to all who left such nice messages! You better cut it out or I'll get a swelled head! Wish I could say I have been busy stitching, but first I was getting ready for my EGA class which was canceled, then I was getting ready for Doll Club, the Garden State Doll Artisans. This month, Lorraine showed us how to put together a jointed composit and a porcelain doll with elastic. Then we made pin dolls from a free pattern diane found on the web here http://www.dollmakersjourney.com/vpindoll/index.html we stuffed them with "easter grass" in varous colors. For some reason I didn't get pics of all of them.

At show and tell, we had the dolls we started at the last meeting led by Diane. The pattern is called Love, Tube and Roll by Gwen Jackson. The dolls started out as a rectangle of cloth. Great fun! I was gifted with one by Gwen and her sister as a thank you.

Here are the pics of the originals and below the ones from our club members, Diane, Stephanie, Mary (who has a wonderful doll in a beautiful spread in the latest issue of Art Doll Quarterly,

Linda, Maria, and Diane again. I LOVE doll club! These ladies are all sooooo talented.

I also finished the Pattern for One Kiss. Just a little more proofing and off to the printer.

More TAST Tuesday-Feather Stitch base

Top with detached chain , middle detached chain and fly and bottom feather with added straight st


I think this is my favorite with detached chain and buttonhole st "flowers"

Here is a pic of the whole block in progress.

TAST Tuesday

I am late to join this and post examples, but I have just finished a fan block with 9 seams that I based on the feather stitch. All the stitching is done with metallic gold threads.

Feather with detached chain and fly stitch

With Detached chain

With fly stitch and pistol bottom is modified detached chain.

Thank you to Judith, Maryellen and Heera for your kind welcome! I have been doing some stitching on a CQ I have been working on for a few years--pieced a good part of it and decided to embellish with metallic threads. Got frustrated very quickly because they are so fragile. Last year I discovered "Creative Addiction" which sells threads mainly for machine use but using multiple strands for hand work is wonderful! I am also almost done with the pattern for "One Kiss is Not Enough". Just have the Frog to do. It is very detailed with about 40 pictures and 20+ pages of instructions. I also have to trace out the pattern sheets. Yikes! Maybe by Easter!!!

Scissors Fobs

For our EGA chapter, I made some scissors fobs to sell at the regional seminar. The directions for beaded fobs are available free at http://cqmagonline.com/vol03iss03/articles/313/index.shtml

These are fun and easy to do--and go quickly especially with the Silk ribbon! The picture shows front and back

Silk Ribbon Landscape Class

Next week I am teaching a SRE class to my EGA. Don't know how much we will get done, but I am hoping at least half! I love working on a colored background. I "created" this background in Printshop combining different sketches and color wash backgrounds. It took me forever to put the kits together--had to dye over 300 yds of ribbon then cut and package it all!

Variations on a Theme

I recently released a new pattern, Bee's Knees. My challenge was to make a doll using a large silk flower and 2 small flower pots. I had such fun with it, I decided to one to represent the four seasons. I actually completed Bee's Knees September 11 so she is a little pensive and definetly has an Autumn theme. I just finished "In a Flurry". These beautiful blue poinsettias and the little snowflake votive candle holders were on sale and I couldn't resist. I am ready to make a spring version. Hopefully it will chase away all this winter weather we are having here in the East. If you would like to see more pictures of her and Bee's Knees as well as my other dolls, visit my webshots album http://community.webshots.com/user/novasblossoms

I recently purchased Beryl Taylor's book and absolutely love her stuff. She is going to teach a workshop at our EGA in November based on the heart quilt in the book. I thought I would give it a try since we will have to do the heart part as homework. I decided to do only one heart and make the rest diamonds. I call this "I Love Diamond" inspired by my wonderful little friend. The quilt is 10" x 10", hand beaded and most of the fabrics are silk and hand dyed.

Besides being obsessed with making cloth and mixed media dolls, I also love to Crazy Quilt. I am involved with a group known as "the Artbra Ladies" and we are now creating a CQ to hang in a yet undeterminded location to show our support to those undergoing Breast Cancer treatment. These are the two blocks I made for this year's quilt. The main color had to be purple and the theme hearts. More blocks can be seen http://www.flickr.com/photos/artbraproject

Today I am starting a Blog. I am also going to introduce you to my latest family addition, Diamond. My DH and I rescued her through American Maltese Rescue. She was dropped off at a shelter and AMAR put her in a Foster home until she found a new home--ours.