Emerald Mermaid
Mirabilia c. 2004
On Sugar Maple Fabrics Murkey [sic] Depths
I also promised you a snap of the New Year's start yesterday. By the time I rolled out of bed, exercised, took down the tree, did some laundry, I looked outside and it was too dark to get a good photo. Here's a shot in the Monday morning light.
Spots II
Lilybet Designs
Called for fabric and NPI silks.
On to stitching adventures...
As many of you know, the dude and I have dinner with my cousin's family and my sister every Sunday. Many Sundays, when I take out my stitching during the pre-dinner rituals, my younger niece--the one who is developmentally delayed--runs to get some off her mother's yarn and "knits." You might also say she ties together all of the chairs in the kitchen or family room. It's a bit of a mess. She's not really capable of many crafts because of her ADHD and underdeveloped hands. I figured, what the hell, let's see what she can do with some Tula, perle cotton and a plastic needle. So I grabbed some things from my stash, and picked up some plastic needles on the way over. While at the craft store, I also grabbed some needlepoint yarn for my elder niece who has a longstanding plastic canvas piece (I think her mom bought it for her when we were living there 3 years ago). Unsurprisingly she's lost the needle and the yarn, so I replaced that. Boy were they excited. Yayo (younger) sat right down and made all kinds of crazy sitches. (I tied the floss onto the needle and decided that knots were appropriate for the back of her project.) I worked with Lala on the kit, but she has the same trouble with needlepoint that I had at her age, I couldn't figure out which spot I was covering with my stitches. After we played Clue, Lala sat down with Yayo's supplies and stitched a little square onto the fabric. She asked if I could bring a piece of fabric for her next time. Of course I'll comply, but I'm also thinking that crewel might work for her--that's what I did when I was her age. But I couldn't find an appropriate kit at the big box craft store.
Back in 19-dickety-two, or maybe 1974, I had a small crewel kit that had "my room" written in bubble letters on a piece of open weave fabric with suggested stitches for each letter. Do you remember the kind of thing I'm talking about? That's what I'd like to find for her. I think she'd get into that.
14 comments:
I've learned never to underestimate the "little" ones. Several years ago I was helping my cousin's daughter sew some sequins onto a denim bag I had bought for her. Her younger cousin, who was only about four, wanted to play. I told her she was too young and tried to give her something else to do. Boy, did she prove me wrong? She handled the needle and thread like a pro. Maybe Yayo will find some sort of craft that just clicks with her and she will be great at it.
Last year when I saw the younger one, she showed me how to knit with my fingers. Have you ever seen this? It looks like knitting but all you can make is a long rope, but it was pretty neat.
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My sister is wanting to get back into stitching (with 3 under 7, this should be entertaining). So for christmas I bought her older daughter some beginning cross stitch kits, the ones that come with everything and can be finished using the hoop it comes with. Figured it may help get her nose out of books for a bit and something for us to work on together. :o)
Both pieces look great Nikki! What color thread are you doing the spots in? Whatever you neices do- the time spent with them is what they will remember most. Sounds like they had fun.
In the olden days of education, when "fun" was allowed, I used to teach my students to cross stitch. During the week before Christmas break, we spent each afternoon stitching and visiting, and the kids were even lovlier human beings than I was used to.
When my own kids were in child care at their school, the woman in charge (Sudie, I love you still) taught almost all the kiddos to embroider using the outline stitch on simple designs ironed onto muslin. Even kindergarteners did well, and we have quite a collection to prove it.
I think your efforts are wonderful, and you never know whether they'll take to it right now or come back to it later when they're ready. You're a great cousin/aunt!
Really awesome that you're teaching them about stitching. Love the Lilybet Spots
I am unaware of any crewel kits aimed at a younger audience. I would suggest looking for a used copy of Erica Wilson's Crewel Embroidery book (that way she'd have good stitch diagrams)and drawing a simple picture together that she likes. Think of your scrapbooking supplies and something might come to mind along the lines of paper piecing.
I'll think about this some more...
No clue about the crewel kit, but I just wanted to say, "Way to go!" :D
I love the Lilybet Spots series. I have the first one and one of these days I'll actually stitch it. Your's is looking great.
Congrats on being featured on Stitching Bloggers! Your WIPs look good. I wish I could help with the kit you're looking for but I don't have a clue. LOL
Woohoo! Two mermaids making progress!! The spots look good too. I love the thread color. Good luck with the crewel. You might look at Herschner's or something for a kit for the little ones?
Your mermaids are looking great but what I am most impressed with, I have to admit, is your teaching your nieces needlecraft. That is just so cool. Happy New Year. Patti xxx
You might try some iron on patterns. They have all kinds of designs. They are embroidery patterns and that is how I got my start, doing towels and pillow cases. My mom, who had a stroke and is very limited in what she can do with one hand, does them very well.
Congrats on the blog award!
My neice and nephew used to love tying my Mum's place up with wool - great fun :)
Sorry, don't know of any crewel kits. Hope you have fun when you find one.
Nice newyear's start :) Hey, thanks much for the Christmas card!!
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