What We're Making

[splitwdw]

Start with a printed panel like in the photo below. Fussy cut some flowers and leaves, use Heat &a Bond to attach to a new background.

All stitching is done by free-motion on a machine. Basically work from back to front, starting with quilting then layering on stitches to secure the edges, add details, texture, and outline. We used ten different colors of threads, to add depth and bring the printed colors to life. View attachment 25232

Very cool, thanks for the explanation.

 

[Bestwifeever]

dixonge, nice hat! I'm getting ready to go through some radiation/chemo along with some surgery soon so will need some of those!

Yes, nice hat! I can knit pretty well but give me a crochet hook and I can turn a ball of yarn into a big tangled knot in no time.

davemartin88, that's no fun, but hope and pray all goes well

 

[Philliefan33]

Today I whipped up half a dozen dog coats for the county animal shelter. The photo is one of the dogs modeling a coat I delivered last week. When the director saw what I had done he offered some of the donated fleece blankets and asked if I could make more. It was a fun, quick project where I didn't have to be meticulous-- the dogs aren't critical of wonky corners.

 

[street]

That is a very kind thing to do. Do you volunteer your time?

 

[street]

 

[Philliefan33]

That is a very kind thing to do. Do you volunteer your time?

I'm planning to be a dog walker. I walked a couple of dogs while I was there last week and will offer again when I drop off the latest batch of coats. There's no set schedule at the shelter -- sounds like my retirement!

 

[Philliefan33]

street-- did you use a chainsaw to do that?

 

[street]

No I just use hand tools knives, chisels, gouges and a few home made tools. No electric tools and no chain saw. It is one chip at a time I just start the carving and have no pictures or anything like that. I guess the carving just takes me to the finish.

 

[MRG]

No I just use hand tools knives, chisels, gouges and a few home made tools. No electric tools and no chain saw. It is one chip at a time I just start the carving and have no pictures or anything like that. I guess the carving just takes me to the finish.

Thank you! Awesome art.

 

[splitwdw]

Philliefan, That is so darn nice.


street, Do you burn the wood to darken the feathers or is that stain/paint

 

[street]

Here is another and I have done a lot of them. as for the touch of color I bark and soak it in water and rub it on the feathers or hats etc. If I use black I use coal and there are some with an orange color I use some wild berries for some of those colors. I try to use natural coloring. Coffee grounds gives a very nice color for braids, hats etc. It is cottonwood and 26" high and about 10" diameter piece of wood. I do give some away for charity groups but have sold many also.

 

[Ronstar]

Nice work, street! True talent. How long does it take to complete one start to finish?

Nice work and great gesture with the dog coats, Philliefan33!

 

[Amethyst]

Just saw these. How gorgeous! How often did you have to listen to "These are too pretty to eat"?

Hope all had great holidays
more cookies to show - those were given as gifts to friends and family

 

[Amethyst]

I love it. Such personality!

 

[street]

Thank you for the kind words

I spend about 35 hours working on one of these carvings. I do about 4 a year and I need to be inspired to start one so to speak. I then might work 12 hours straight doing one for a few days till it is done. Lol

 

[splitwdw]

Thank you for the kind words

I spend about 35 hours working on one of these carvings. I do about 4 a year and I need to be inspired to start one so to speak. I then might work 12 hours straight doing one for a few days till it is done. Lol

Street, How do you stop the checking? It doesn't look like the ends are painted/oiled.

 

[Exit 2024]

street, your work is amazing !!!!!

 

[Exit 2024]

Amerhyst, we hear that all the time, LOL
but in our house they all get eaten with speed of light
Any Jeepers here?
Today on the menu

 

[athena53]

Not as elegant as most of these projects, but I'm crocheting mats for the homeless from strands of plastic cut from grocery bags. They use this mat on the ground to provide insulation against cold and dampness.

It takes me about 2 months and 200 bags to make one- the final size will be 2 feet by 6 feet. The reason for the irregular sides is that the darn thing keeps shrinking as I crochet and I have to keep extending the sides again to get it back to 2 feet long. I've happily cleared out the stashes of plastic bags in the kitchen cabinets of several relatives! The bad news: I can't justify a tax deduction anywhere near what my time is worth- material costs are zero and even market value would be negligible since a manufactured equivalent would probably be made in a country with cheap labor costs.

 

[Exit 2024]

athena53, that is incredible thing that you do
not only recycling plastic bags, but doing something for benefit of ones on the streets

 

[Exit 2024]

Philliefan33, I also have a soft spot for animals and animal shelters, those are the charities that we are helping regularly, thanks for making those coats, it warmed my heart

 

[splitwdw]

athena53, that is incredible thing that you do
not only recycling plastic bags, but doing something for benefit of ones on the streets

+10 Plus did you notice she's crocheting with her feet!


Athena, That is really a nice thing you are doing.

 

[Hermit]

Amerhyst, we hear that all the time, LOL
but in our house they all get eaten with speed of light
Any Jeepers here?
Today on the menu

Most Definitely!

And my birthday is in two weeks!

(Maybe you could fax me some just like those??)

 

[athena53]

+10 Plus did you notice she's crocheting with her feet!


Athena, That is really a nice thing you are doing.

Yeah, I realized after I posted it that you got a glimpse of my big, hairy toes. I was too lazy to crop the picture, upload a new one to Photobucket and change the link.

I LOVE taking those piles of bags and making them into something useful- I just have to watch myself because now I'm less likely to carry cloth bags or ask the clerk not to bag small items. More stuff for my project, right? I need to rely on others to accumulate my raw material.

 

[splitwdw]

Athena, There's also a way to braid those bags into rugs. I wonder if that could be adapted for the mats. Don't know how heavy they would be. I know an older woman that use to make them but she died, probably too much plastic in her diet... Maybe the instructions are online. What am I saying, the instruction have got to be online!