Pillow talk (revised with added images)

~ Liz A ~ 32 Comments

The pillows on the couch have seen better days. Which is great, because now I can put my own covers on them.

I’m calling the first pillow Analogous Red. Here’s side one, which is a combination of an old cloth weaving that I recently over-dyed in some pecan brew, surrounded by rows of paperless pieced patches that have been waiting patiently to be used …

Now I’m working on side two …

which is based on Kawandi-style quilts, except I stitched together rows of cloth bits rather than attaching one patch at a time …

and I’m using a combination back and running stitch rather than plain running stitch … with no batting because, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not very good at following recipes/directions …

Anyway, I’m having a lot of fun and anticipating two more pillows to come. Working titles are Analogous Blue and Analogous Yellow.

And that’s the perfect segue into a look at the Easter eggs I dyed with Griffin yesterday.

We gathered leaves, flowers and berries from the garden and the fridge, wrapped them around the eggs, secured them with paper towels and string, and simmered them for 15 minutes …

Our favorites were the yellow onion skin, blueberry and red onion skin eggs, seen here left front …

Wishing you and yours peace.

Hell yeah

~ Liz A ~ 35 Comments

I finished the stitching chair cushion repair!

The view …
take two …
and from where I sit …

After experimenting on the “other side” in this post, I realized it wasn’t “me.” So I started to go with a more open approach using seams from deconstructed thrift store finds …

couched with variegated Valdani #12 perle cotton and backed with a piece of cotton sateen that just happened to be the right size …

Next up? Figuring out a way to reinforce the armrest, currently patched with the corner of a bandanna that Don gifted to me …

On mending and meditating

~ Liz A ~ 35 Comments

A recent post about making prayer flags was inspired by a friend’s trip to Nepal. She in turn asked if there was any way she could get two of the prayer flags.

Easily done, was my response, all one needs do is ask …

But I didn’t stop at two, as I decided to replicate the Buddhist prayer flags from Kendall’s travel photos, using these images to guide me (click to see entire images)…

And as is my wont, I repeated the words while I stitched … a meditative practice well-suited to the slow rhythms of hand stitching. I also left the edges raw and the thread ends unknotted, the better to release their messages to the wind.

They’re now ready to move on to their new home.

I’ve also been doing some much-needed repair on my stitching chair, which made previous mending appearances here and here. At twenty years old, with many of those years spent in front of sunny Texas windows, the upholstery definitely needs reinforcement …

So I’ve taken the seat cushion off and am couching strips of cloth over the worn spots using two strands of perle cotton. My method was inspired by Judy Martin’s masterwork Not to know but to go on, the making of which she detailed in this post.

I’m currently practicing on the down-side of the cushion, but very much looking forward to the up-side, where I plan to use some choice bits salvaged from deconstructed thrift store clothing.

Watch this space …