Scissor fob

I finished this fob yesterday. One side is "Flora Vine" by Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum and was on online freebie. The back has the letter "H" monogram from a book by Valerie Lejeune. The floral ribboning was a fun find in a small shop in Belgium.

A corner of my home

I thought I would share a corner of my home with you. I am originally from the US. My mother and step father visit regularly. During the last visit, I asked my step father if he could make a quilt ladder for me. I wanted to display more of my quilts in the living room but have only a limited space for extra quilts already having a wall I hang a quilt on and a drying rack I use for quilts in a corner. This is the result which he had whipped up in no time. It is standing against my bookshelves and is really striking when you walk into the room. Thanks George!

Current stitching WIP

To give you a glimpse of what I am working on stitching wise this week...
This will become a scissor fob. I am stuffing it now and will be adding some beautiful ribboning I found on a trip to Brugge, Belgium. Sorry this photo is a little blurred but I will reveal the finished fob tomorrow.

Early signs of fall

Here in Holland we are having very early signs of fall. June and July were very hot and August has been very wet. This has prompted those early signs of changes. One of those signs for me each year are seeing all the toadstools in the woods. While we were up north in our cottage this past weekend, I took a few photos of some of the toadstools right in the woods that borders our garden.

Needlework quote

"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary."

~~~ Mary Kurtz

Fun fall project ~ acorn pincushion

Sometimes you find a fun freebie online that really goes well with the season. I host a quilt group in my home and try to find fun and quick projects for us to work on. I used this acorn pincushion about two years ago. It is great fun to make and makes an adorable decoration for the autumn. They are a design by Marie Browning and can be found at http://www.getcreativeshow.com/seminars/acorn_pincushion.htm

Quote for a perfect day

I just finished reading a book called 'Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper' by Harriet Scott Chessman. It is a lovely read and ended with a quote that I find very appropriate for needleworkers.....

'I yearn to be simply present in this day, filled for the moment with color and shape, my own hand urging the needle through the silk.'

Painting: Mary Cassatt. Lydia at a Tapestry Loom. c. 1881. Oil on canvas. Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, Michigan, USA

Finished a scissor fob today

I finally overcame a fear of using overdyed or variegated thread today. I made a one day project which was a freebie on Caron-net.com. It is a scissor fob designed by Carol Tinson. I used Watercolors "burnt toast" to stitch the fob and added some beads I had on hand. I am pleased with how it turned out and will definately use these types of threads again in the future. Thanks Diane (in Michigan - FTLOS) for all the encouragement to give this a go!

Getting VERY close to nature

We spend our weekends up north at our little cottage in Friesland. This weekend we were talking about how being up there brings you closer to nature and the seasons changes. It is time for the heather to bloom. The purple fields are so beautiful! We decided to take a walk among the heather to take some photos and were surprised to find a group of Highland cows standing right at the entrance to the field. I was able to take some photos standing right next to them. Who was watching whom?

WIP finish

One of my Yahoo lists are having a WIP SAL challenge. We listed the WIPs we hope to finish before the end of this year. I finally can take one thing off the list and put it on my finished list. I made 3 monograms and 3 motifs to hang together. Here is a photo of the 3rd motif. I am now finished stitching and ready to frame the 3 motifs (the monograms are framed and ready to hang). Watch later for a photo of the framed set hanging on the wall together.....

In the mood for Autumn's start

With the start of cooler weather in the last couple of weeks, my mind has turned towards my favorite season ~ Autumn. I have a book called "Autumn Accents" by Lynette Jensen of Thimbleberries. In the section 'November Dusk', there is a beautifully decorated tree with fall flowers, berries and fruit. I have created my own version of this tree using a small Alpine Christmas tree. I am really pleased with how it turned out. I placed it in front of the quilt wall. Although you cannot see the tiny lights well on a photograph, it is very cheerful to see the lights through all the warm autumn colors.

A new beginning

I was sitting stitching tonight and thought I should grasp this moment to share my passion for my handwork with others. I have considered starting a blog for some time now. Being online and sharing with others is very motivating.

I spend a good number of hours each day with a needle in my hand and therefore the title NeedleNecessitites. Today, for example, I have been stitching a French motif which will be the last of a series of 3 monograms and 3 motifs I am making to frame and hang together. I also spent some time working on hand quilting my hearts rag quilt wallhanging.