A little sketching and a lot of stitching

It's part of my DNA; stitching.  And for a long time I denied it. "No, I do not like to stitch."  Yes, I can do it but I don't like too.  But I kept buying fabric and embroidery floss and yarn, and I didn't get rid of all of the leftover fabric, yarn and equipment from earlier days -- way earlier.  Comparing a package of my embroidery needles with some I looked at last week -- the package of Boye needles I have, still marked 15 cents and it's just one of many.  The package of the cheaper brand I looked at... $2.49.

So why am I writing about this you ask.  Because I've discovered that I truly do like to stitch, what I didn't like was having to do it perfectly.  Yes, there are some things that I'd like to do better and I'm willing to practice those things so I know I will get better -- again.  A blog I enjoy is Jude Hill's Spirit Cloth, she practices on small pieces and keeps them, sometimes using them later in larger works.  I like that idea.  I also like Jude's classes and started to watch videos of a heart class.  I thought I'd do the heart thing so started with this one...

But realized I seemed to be doing more circles. Hmmm, is that because I seem to run in circles at times or at least feel like I am. Perhaps.  Anyway circles became moons became faces.  Here are a few...

 This one is a piece of discharged denim, I added stitch to the center trying repeat sizes.

then another discharged piece that still needs something

 This one got a face

So did this one though not a happy one.

And this one

Then I decided to try printing a face on fabric and adding it to other fabric.  This is a Christy Girl from a very old book I have.  If the book where in good shape it would be something to sell but it isn't so I use the pages.

And then just faces that may end up as circles but at the moment, just features

 

And then I had to practice some stitches I like to do.  The woven picot forms the petals and french knots fill the center.

The woven spider web is another one I love to do.

And an open circle, something Jude posted that I had to try

Jude also does a lot of feathers so I had to try one of those too.

But still painting as well.  Here are a couple sketches done with my Tuesday Painters.

Beth's Bonsai

and Connie's Coffee Grinder that isn't functional.

Now I'm off to do more work on that first piece I posted today.  I need to finish the satin stitch and then put it away for awhile.