Finally, some needlework

I finally received an e-mail about the EGA Challenge with a Twist and learned I had never received the initial letters about it that should have come upon registration. I have them all now and have begun seriously working on my project.

I decided that I wanted to experiment with sheers so I bought a selection of 1/8 yards at Jo-Ann's, along with some 1/4 yards of solid-color cottons in sky, water, sand, and grass shades. 

I dug out of the boxes downstairs a berry basket full of silk threads (with very 1970s cloth lining with lace and a velvet bow). This came to me from the estate of a friend, Rita Kortenhoeven. An amazing embroiderer, and before her time in many ways, Rita used these silks to make lovely pendants with delicate silk embroidered flower sprays.  She made them into oval shapes and did all the finishing herself. When she could find them to purchase, she'd finish the pendants with a dangle made with Swarovski crystals, long before the crystals were commonly used by embroiderers. I was given her silks and also her book of patterns and design ideas. A treasure!

And a bit daunting. I've always wanted to use the silks, and have on rare occasion, but felt like I wanted Rita to be proud of their use. But I also didn't necessarily want to follow in her footsteps and make pendants (which I suspect she would really have liked me to do).  This project feels right.

I began a notebook. I still haven't settled on a preferred design so I'm still working with all three. I kind of find them feeding off each other.  The cover is the EGA announcement with works by Judith Baker Montano.

I put my printed images in the book, some using PhotoShop filters to enhance certain aspects (the outlines, the shapes, the areas of color) along with a design sketch (that I'll use to transfer the design to fabrics) and also detailed notes about fabrics, stitches, etc.  

I plan to used pieced fabrics with sheers and embroidery for the pieces.  I began putting together some samples--sky, water, near bushes and grasses and far trees and grasses.  The sheers are not a lot of fun to work with but I think it will give me the effects I want.

In going through mom's boxes recently, we found an item I'd forgotten.  Our wedding announcement. I still really like it.  I purchased it through the Abbey Press, which is still in business.  Mom had several copies (I hadn't kept any), along with the list of people she sent them to. She also had my sister and brother's more formal wedding invitations and programs. We all had great wedding celebrations that are fun to remember.