A Crewel Addiction ~

Lately I have been perusing my collection of books 

...by internationally known Japanese designer/author

Yoko Saito

I have been in love with her work for many years, 

...and try to buy her books when I see them on Amazon.com or in quilt shops ~

her unique design-sense and color ways, 

plus her use of neutral fabrics & textures is what I love most.

yeah, I'm obsessed with her :)

a healthy addiction

the other 'thing' that has gotten in my brain lately is

CREWELwork Embroidery.

yes,

yet another form of needlework that I can't seem to stay away from.

If you follow my Pinterest boards, 

you'll see that I've been scouring the web for images of wool-work, stump work,

3-D embroidery and all kinds of different & new {to me} stitches…

here are a few books in my collection on that subject ~

nothing like a needle & thread in hand ~

My plans for the new year 

...are to incorporate more embroidery into my work & designs.

I am in the initial stages of designing a few patterns for YOU to work on along with me,

like the beloved old tapestries and lady's pockets we can't stop looking at ;)

I want to design a line of pockets for you to embroider ~

and I'm thinking I will also offer limited edition kits for them using wonderful Waverly wool yarns.

{progress is coming along on a prototype, will share snaps soon}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

and what self-professed Needlewoman would be complete 

without a sewing basket/box? {or 3, or 4….}

well, yes, I have many.

But

none of them seem to be big enough to hold my 'essentials' ~

**my essentials include but are not limited to:

scissors {usually 2 pair, sometimes more}

plastic boxes with compartments to hold my floss {usually 2, sometimes more}

assorted linen fabrics in many different colors/counts

assorted 'other' fabrics {in case inspiration hits on the road}

glue sticks, fray check, sewing thread, lip-balm, hand cream, assorted pens, pencils & highlighters ~

USB flash-sticks, seam ripper, ruler,

 pinch-type clothespins {to 'hold' my linen for me when I stitch 'in hand'}

small notepad, tissues, tiny clip-on Ottlite* , thread winders, floss holders, 

wooden sewing hoops {usually 2, sometimes more ~ see a pattern here?}

assorted ribbons & trims, rusty pins, old buttons ~ 

and of course I need:

Old photographs {really?}, magnetic needle-minders, magnifying glass, mad-money {shhhh}

retractable tape measure, small tomato pincushion, 

black-headed pins, white-headed pins {again, really?} beeswax, iPhone charger {just in case}

and last but certainly not least ~

needles…

not just any needles, but:

DMC brand, round end, size #28 teeny tiny tapestry needles {my #1 fav}

and

John James 'petite' #28 tapestry needles {my 2nd fav}

but that list hasn't included the actual work-in-progress or the chart/graph in-progress.

{i think that's all….}

OH C'mon…

you KNOW you carry all of that around with you too…'fess up!

*sigh*

So what's a girl to do?

~ that's right dearie.

BUY A BIGGER SEWING BASKET.

{using a gift card to Joann's that was given to me by my enabler um…beloved}

and here it is in all of it's massive glory:

what a big girl!

nice & sturdy

well-proportioned

and roomy!

lots of little compartments to fill up, 

...er…hold my 'essentials'.

yay!

there is just one. little. problem.

>>>the fabric<<<

yeah, not so much…

SO

being the ever-adaptable person that I am,

I will muster up every ounce of creativity I have 

and re-do {redux?} the way-too-cutesy-for-me fabric.

{how will she do that?}

not sure.

but

I am sure it will not look like it does now when I get through with it….

stay tuned!

hhmmmmm……putting on my thinking cap for this one ;)

If you have hung in there and have read the ramblings on this post to here,

I want you to know that I'm wishing you all a very happy, safe, heathy New Year!!

and to say Thank You for putting up with me thus far ;)

* Blessed be * 

Lori