Sheep's Silk

Sheep's Silk . . .

                               

Our Sheep's Silk is pictured at one of the local quilt shops where it is displayed near the hand dyed wool for wool applique.  This very versatile thread is perfect for blanket stitch when layering wool for wool applique, needlepoint, and cross stitch on 18-ct fabric especially.  The soft hand and gorgeous  dyed colors are due to the 50% silk and 50% wool content.  If you've never used this thread you simply must try it.  Available in a palette of palest to vibrant hues.  See the colors on our website - www.threadgatherer.com


Sometime later this fall I will have wool dyed to match some of the Sheep's Silk colors and available on our etsy site - www.thethreadgatherer.etsy.com as fabric and thread as a combined set.

Still dyeing - threads that is.

Until Later,
Cece

A Hornbook in Beeswax

Beeswax Hornbook

What an incredible hornbook in beeswax this is!  Measuring approximately 6" x 6" and weighing almost 6 oz.  This original design was actually an antique springerle mold (cookie) from which I  had a professional silicone mold designed for beeswax.  Such incredible detail:

I dusted the beeswax with gold mica so that the detail would show up in the pictures.  I showed this at a needlework trade show, but didn't get any shops really interested due to the cost and shipping of this heavy an item.  I'm thrilled to offer this for sale now on our etsy site which is:  www.thethreadgatherer.etsy.com.  If you love hornbooks, this is certainly a must for your collection.  It would be functional to actually wax your threads, but we will be offering smaller beeswaxers for this purpose.  I think it is too beautiful to use!  When you consider this was all hand carved in wood (in reverse) it is quite amazing.

Still dyeing. . . .threads that is

Until Later,
Cecelia

Old. . . .And New

I love Everything that's Old:

Old Friends. . . .

Old Times. . . .

Old Manners. . ..

Old Books. . . 

Old Wines. . .

-Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774)

And I might add:

Old Recipes. . .

Old Colors. . .

Old Violins. . .

Old Letters. . .

Old Familiar Scents. . .

Like:

Pumpkin Lavender. . .

One of our new fall scents (old favorite from last year) is Pumpkin Lavender.  This year we also added a touch of vanilla to the mix and what a scrumptious, to dye for (forgive the pun) scent.  Available now in our etsy store for our side business, Mathair Earth (Mother in Gaelic).  Visit us at www.soaponawhim.etsy.com to see this selection and other enticing Autumn offerings.

Also, something new:

Our Etsy site for exclusive Hand dyed items is now open.  Visit us at www.thethreadgatherer.etsy.com

This is our Hand-dyed knitting yarn.  This is a 100% superwash Merino Wool fingering weight (sock) yarn.  This color we are calling Strawflower.  There are several skeins available.

Also available are our Odds and Ends Bags:

A great value at only $15 each plus shipping.

Lastly. . . .perhaps my favorite autumn color we dye in Silk 'n Colors, Ribbons and our Silken Pearl - Acorn Woods

Enjoy all the 'old' things in life you love today!

Until Later, 

Cecelia

The Last Rose of Summer

The Last Rose of Summer. . . . I think a fitting name for another new pattern for Nashville. The combination of several of our rose-pinks, greens and our ever popular Pond Scum color. It is kind of what I would call a 'modern' color combination for these motifs that came from a simply stunning old sampler that I own. Yes, the entire sampler will be available sometime in the future, but for now I will tempt you with my updated version of these motifs. Since I took the picture of the pin keep I actually ended up adding some pins to the ribboned edge. I love making my own pins for the edges of pin keeps, using silk pins and beads from the beading store.

I love needle cases, especially customizing them to make them my own. I blanket stitched two hand-dyed wool pieces together for the inside needle pages and attached them to one side. on the other I made a small pocket where a handmade ATC (artist trading card) I made with fabric and a spider web rose in our chenille. I had entitled the card "The Last rose of Summer" when I traded it with a friend. Now it has its own pocket for safe keeping. . . . .

Until later. . . . .as I do indeed dream of the Last Rose of Summer, or rather look forward to the first rose of summer during this time of winter.

Cecelia

La Fleur Memory Keeper, Button Box & Pin Keep

A preview of something new for Nashville. La Fleur Memory Keeper, Button Box and Pinkeep.

Gather old vintage buttons or purchase new ones to make these items personalized by your own buttons. Inside are several pockets to hold old letters, pictures or other memorabilia. You could finish the memory keeper into a lovely thread roll if desired also. Rolled up and tied with our hand-dyed 13mm ribbon the roll fits perfectly in the Paper Mache box which was painted and aged with Bri-Wax. The Memory Keeper is a separate pattern and the Button Box and Pin Keep a separate pattern. We will have a third pattern available in March/April that is a needle case, beeswax holder (yes we will have a special waxer also), and a button scissor fob.

Our hand-dyed 1/4" velvet ribbon finishes off the edges of the pin keep and the top of the button box. We made our own beaded pins using silk pins and beads. If you wanted to change the colors of the flowers and stitch on a neutral linen this would be lovely and we have many choices in velvet ribbon available to match our Silk 'n Colors.

Using Pumpkins & Black Cats!

I loved Halloween Jack Needle Roll by Stacy Nash Primitives. 

I had this stitched using our Silk 'n Colors Pumpkins & Black Cats

I love the soft variation of color you get when you stitch with 1 or 2 strands of floss, even in a color as dark as this one is in the full skein.

I hand dyed the wool to use in finishing.  I quilted around the tree (?).  I like the effect of the quilting and it helps with the slight puckering you get when a piece this large is rolled up in needle roll style.  Originally I'd planned to quilt around all of it, but my daughter suggested that would be 'too much'.  What do you think? 

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Check back soon for the 'versatile blogger award' I am giving within the next couple of days.

Until later,

Cecelia

Be Happy

When I found these type set blocks on etsy I had to purchase them because this is what my Mom said each day to us as we left for school.  As a grumpy teenager I hated this, but now I appreciate the wisdom in her saying this to us each day.  I believe the 'be' denotes an action on our part to find happiness in our circumstances.  Thanks Mom for your wisdom!