Daffodil and Crocus Machine Quilting Doodles

While it's fresh in my mind I thought I'd share a few pictures from tonight's machine quilting Fiber Cast.  I realize it didn't show up too well on video camera.  White on white is tricky.

My mystery quilt is purple and yellow, and because it's Spring I'm calling it my Crocus and Daffodil Quilt.

First I doodled some quilt pattern ideas.

Then I went to town with my Superior King Tut #40 "alabaster" thread.  Can you see the daffodil?

How about the crocus?

Subtle for sure!

Have a good weekend everyone.  Happy Spring!  (Or Happy Fall depending on where in the world you live!)

Lynn

P.S.

See you on
www.google.com/+simplycolorful
or
www.facebook.com/simplycolorful
or
www.youtube.com/Simplycolorful1
or
www.twitter.com/SimplyColorful

P.S.S. Raggedy dolls are officially done!

Spring, Scraps, and Raggedy

Hello from the Simply Colorful Fiber Art Studio!

It felt like Spring today, sunny, though not much over 60 degrees.  I went outside and soaked in as much Vitamin D as I could

Warmer weather and flower blooms are coming to New England, I can just feel it. 

But when?

Will these babies ever bloom?

And will this snow ever disappear?

How 'bout my Clematis?  

Will a purple flush of color replace these beige puffballs?  And most importantly, is it CLEMatis or ClemAAAtis? That is the question.

While we ponder these and other Spring delights, let's talk scraps.

I had lots.

I've spent time here and there all week pressing and cutting and sorting.

Now I have them organized!

I still have more to go, and there's a whole other container of strings not in this picture, but it's a start.

  

From now on whenever I have scraps left over from a project I vow to cut them into usable pieces right then and there!  Stockpiling random scraps stops today.  (insert skeptical happy face here)

P.S. See the brown box in the picture?  That is a special family heirloom from Vermont.  I'm saving it for a special occasion to show.  (Yes, that's what we call a "tease.")

Meanwhile, it's finally time to make a new Raggedy Ann doll.
(I first blogged about Raggedy a few weeks ago here.)

Her body will be cut out by tomorrow.  Here's the pattern.   

I'm sticking with the smallest, 15" tall doll.  The Raggedy Ann in this picture is the one my mother made for me when I was a girl.  She'll be my model.

Here are the fabrics I'm planning to use.   

I'm thinking she'll be a "modern day" Raggedy with narrow red-on-white striped legs ... maybe... if I can convince myself to break from tradition. 

You'll just have to tune into tomorrow night's FiberCast to watch the progress and see whether we go thin or thick red striped legs.  

Oh, can you stand the suspense?

Grab a project and I'll see you tomorrow night,

Lynn

At 8PM EST, Friday April 4th, 2014, click this URL to watch live: 

https://plus.google.com/b/117305597376045829646/events/ckg2tu2hefs4hmkqo20at0dpif0  

 (You'll need a Google+ account which is free.)

Or visit the Simply Colorful YouTube Channel to watch the archive and past episodes.

Feast Your Eyes on Raggedy Ann!

I went to a Textile Tarts meeting yesterday (with my good friend Sarah of www.weekendkits.com fame.)

Birthday girl Pat gave us a wonderful talk on the history of Raggedy Ann.  (Andy and "Camel with Wrinkly Knees" too.)

Did you know Raggedy Ann was patented by John Gruelle in 1915?  Andy arrived in 1917. They changed appearances over the years.  Here are just a few pictures from yesterday.

Here's Pat's reproduction "large thumbed" Raggedy Ann on the left, along with the two oldest dolls in her collection.  Both are Volands.

Most every Textile Tart member brought in their own Raggedy Ann doll! Some were large, like this one at 3+ feet tall.

These two were well loved by Pat's children.  To repair the nose on Andy or not? That is the question.  I like the authenticity of leaving it as is.  He was well loved.

Here are another pair of very early Raggedies.  If I caught the story correctly, they were found by Pat's parents-in-law in a NY City antiques shop, and gifted as an anniversary present to Pat and her husband many years ago.

These next two examples are just 3" tall, expertly made by Bobbi from a "now discontinued" Gail Wilson Designs pattern.

Here's an early 2000's Camel reproduction. Never played with.  Fun to see the packaging.

And check out all the patterns.  The earliest we saw was published in 1941 and cost 35 cents.  It contained face transfer patterns for both awake and asleep states.  You'd put one face on the front and one on the back and frindge some hair around each face at the side and top.  (no "back of the head" hair)

Which Raggedy Ann did you grow up with?

Don't you just want to make your own?  I do!

Sew on,
Lynn