Small Slow Stitching Projects - MAP

 My Monthly Art Projects (MAP) are hand stitched efforts with a focus on using items I've collected over the years that can be sewn onto a base. 

Up until February I'd been working on a scroll of fabric over scrap batting. It measures about 3.5" high and 40-42" long. In February however, none of my items felt like they wanted to go on the scroll. At some point I'd stitched a 3.5" square just to have some hand work to do. It was a whole cloth piece, a printed quilting cotton. I stitched over the lines of the pattern in the fabric. But then it sat. I didn't know what to do with it once I'd done all the stitching. 

When I opened my box of embellishments early in February the lime green button grabbed my attention. For reference, it's 1.375" in diameter. (Just under an inch and a half.) I laid it on the stitched square and suddenly I was off to the races!

I found a vintage button in my stash and layered it on top of the contemporary button. I also got out my beads for the first time in several years.

I don't remember how I came by the star charm.

I picked apart a bit of wool yarn to decorate the top. I'm quite pleased with the end result. 😊

I've made several other small hand stitched pieces too. Not all during February, but I don't think I've shown them previously so here goes...

This one is about 3.5" high and 5.5" wide.

The flower pots are buttons, as are the flower centers. I used a bit of rick rack for the stem of the tree (or whatever it is!) on the right and sequins for the blossoms. The bird is also a sequin.

The bird was cut from another quilting cotton. The doily is vintage. This piece is 3" high and 4" wide.

This is another one that's 3.5" high by 5.5" wide. You can probably see that I beaded the heart and used another bird sequin. The butterfly is a button. There are tiny beads on the strip of pink, in the centers of the flowers printed thereon. The black background is actually several scraps of various black prints.

The background of this 3.5" x 5.5" piece is made up of three strips of cotton scraps. I had fun playing with the gears to create a steampunk look for this one. I used more wool yarn, feather stitching over it to keep it in place.

And on this one (3" x 4") I used a couple more of the embellishments from my box. (Does that mean I've already done one for March?) The postage stamp is an actual stamp.

All of these small pieces will be going to the Disabled Artists Foundation Inc. (dAFi) for their April fund rasising auction*. The theme for that auction is ephemera and embellishments that can be used in art/junk journals.  I see them as pocket fronts or tuck spots that can be added to pages. They will add a little bulk but, from what I've seen, a lot of journal makers like their books to be bulky. 😁

*The auctions are live on YouTube on the second Saturday each month. If you want to bid you'll need to fill out a bid form (only once). They begin at noon Eastern time. Previews are aired the Thursday prior to auction day.

MAP for January

 When I set up my Monthly Art Project (MAP) I expected to make individual small projects, one a month. So far I've just kept adding to the scroll I began at the end of last year. I laid a strip of Tim Holtz's Eclectic Elements fabric over batting and have been hand stitching to secure and embellish the two layers. The red spiral was January's MAP element. I thought I would be adding the parrot stamp button from my box of elements in February.

Instead, I found myself stitching on the skeleton chart. And a very special piece of old lace.

I wish it were easier to photograph this long piece. You can see how it began in this post. I've done more stitching on the first section.

Now it's time to be thinking about what I might do in February. Add something more from the box of goodies or make an independent piece? Time will tell. 😉

Folowing a MAP to My Happy Place

Mid-November I mentioned that I was setting up a new stitchery project for 2023. I'm calling it my Monthly Art Project: MAP. I know that hand stitching calms me, soothes my soul, but I don't do enough of it in the normal course of events. I surprised myself by doing the first installment during December. I chose the red spiral out of my collection of focal elements, thinking the color was appropriate for the season.

 I thought it would be the focal point of a stand-alone piece. Things don't always go as planned! The foundation I created for it turned out to be too busy. Around that time I also ripped a 3.5" strip (width of fabric) off of a yard of a Tim Holtz print with the intention of starting a new scroll. The red spiral found a home at the beginning of that scroll.

I did simple running stitches and back stitches to secure the fabric to a strip of scrap batting. I do like the feel of the cloth and batting in my hands. Generally the batting is pretty easy to stitch through as well. Not as nice as wool perhaps, but nice enough. 

The little text print square is a pocket, and so is the green patch.

I carried on stitching and embellishing well into December. Of course, the holidays eventually got in the way. And to keep the foundation print from repeating too frequently I ripped an additional strip the width of the fabric, cut off the end of the first strip, and then added the second.

Sorry, what a terrible picture!

The scroll is now longer than I will probably want it to be in the end. I'm leaving that decision for later in any case. It's time now to choose the focal element for January. I'm thinking I will choose something else that will be appropriate to add to this scroll. I had a lot of fun working on it before the holidays set in, and I could really use something to rejuvenate my creative flame right now. 

Hmm, what will I choose?

 

Plotting and Planning

 I have a couple of quilt tops in progress here in The Magpie's Nest, and others ready for the actual quilting. But lately I've been missing activity in another sector of my creative endeavors. There hasn't been any needlework for quite a while (partly due to the pain I was having in my wrist and hand). I don't seem to have any desire to pick up the needlepoint projects I started at various points in the past. I want an excuse to use the pretty threads I've been collecting. It's hard for me to make something that doesn't have an end use or purpose, to just pick up needle and thread and put stitches in fabric. Believe me, I've tried. I doubt that I'm the only one with this particular issue but I do feel a bit of an oddball. 

I've been watching Susan Taylor Brown* on YouTube and occasionally drop in on her Facebook group. She advocates making things "Just Because" it makes you happy to do so. Easier said than done in my case, even though I know it's good for my soul. I think I've shared one or two things I started under the influence of her encouragement. After the most recent live stream on YouTube (16 November) I had some new thoughts to ponder. 

I've also been aware of creative challenges offered to various types of artists via YouTube videos. While they rarely feel like a good fit for me there are aspects that have appeal. To that end I had a go at creating my own personal challenge. I've decided to call it my Monthly Art Project - my "MAP" to a place of happiness. I've tossed out parameters like a standard format. I'm going to try to do a small hand sewn project every month but I will allow myself the leniency of two months given potential days of poor health. The key to this challenge for me is going to be my "toy box." 

Over the years I have collected things that can be sewn down onto fabric that will make great focal points. And hopefully, great inspiration triggers. 😊 I have pulled some of those items from the stash and put them in an appropriate box:

Each month I will choose one item from the box, then close it up and put is aside until the next month. 

I will let the chosen item dictate color scheme, the size and shape of the project, and just let the spirit lead me down the garden path (which is my favorite way to work). I'd like to dedicate only a couple of days a month to each project but we'll see how that goes. I reserve the right to tweak these plans at any time. 😁 What I need now is accountability. I'm hoping others in Susan's Creative Circle will play along. And if there's anyone out there with a blog who cares to join in you are more than welcome!

*No relation that I'm aware of.