Latest Project - Finally Done - Montana Owners Club

Parrothead · 12-14-2006, 05:33 AM

Here is my latest project which has taken far longer than I thought it would. It is a needlepoint tote bag (or purse) fully lined and the inside has pockets. The picture really doesn't do it justice.

CanDo · 12-14-2006, 05:57 AM

Sue, your project is absolutely beautiful! I used to needlepoint, cross stitch and embroider YEARS ago and am hoping to take it back up once we start fulltiming next June. Your projects just might become my inspiration! Happy Holidays!

Wifeofdano · 12-14-2006, 06:12 AM

Sue,
You are the WOMAN !!
Just beautiful work !
Would love to see it in person.
On Edit - Can you believe I haven't done my laundry basket liner yet?

Ozz · 12-14-2006, 06:37 AM

Beautiful, Sue!

jrgwdenner · 12-14-2006, 08:13 AM

Nicely done, Sue. Looks like quite a project. Just think about all the time you'll have once you're fulltiming!

Mrs. CountryGuy · 12-14-2006, 10:38 AM

EXCELLENT!!!

Great job Sue, very pretty.

Imp · 12-14-2006, 06:11 PM

Love it Sue.. it will be handy to have when travelling.

adelmoll · 12-15-2006, 02:06 AM

Sue that is awesome. You should be so proud. Use it well.

Helen

Driftwoodgal · 12-15-2006, 02:08 AM

Sue,

That is absolutely beautiful. To bad you live to far away for me to come borrow it.

How long did it take you to make it?

Colleen

LonnieB · 12-15-2006, 02:19 AM

Pretty snazzy Sue, great colors

.

Parrothead · 12-15-2006, 07:05 AM

Colleen,
Way too long! I've been working on it since some time in Sept. Of course, not 24 hours a day but a lot. I took two all day train trips during this time and worked on it almost all day those two days. I should have started my Christmas gifts long ago but wanted to get this done first. Now I'm making earrings for all the girls in my family.
Happy trails........................

bob n pam · 12-15-2006, 04:20 PM

Sue, that's beautiful. Did you make up the design yourself?

Parrothead · 12-16-2006, 06:21 AM

Bob and Pam,
No it is a pattern in a book I saw on Ebay and totally fell in love with all of the bags. I did change some things but I usually do. There are 8 bags in all and I have made two of them. After I finish the Christmas stuff and rejuvenating our antique quilts, I will make another. Thank You.
Happy trails...................

countrygirl · 12-19-2006, 09:45 AM

Sue , your tote bag is simply beautiful. I have never learned to do needlepoint very well. I would love to learn how to do beautiful work like this. I commend you for all the hard work that you have put into your tote bag. I love the Southwestern motif that you incorporated into the bag. You mentioned that you are going to restore some of your antique quilts....I would like to know how you go about that...since I do have some that need work on them. They are very fragile and are family heirlooms... Be sure and share your technique for that also.
Countrygirl or Shirley

Parrothead · 12-19-2006, 11:21 AM

Shirley,
All of ours are family heirlooms also. In fact as I look at them, I remember dresses I had as a child and also dresses my sister, Mother and Grandmother had. I have my Grandmother's sunbonnet she always wore when she fed the chickens, that material is in one of the quilts. Some are just patchwork crazy quilts and others are a beautiful pattern. I have not gone to the expense of purchasing vintage material, it is so expensive and my Grandmother would have a fit knowing I spent that much. All these quilts are from scraps of material left from making clothes. Some are feed and flour sack material. Both she and my Mother and then me, sewed and made most of our clothing even my Dad's and Grandpa's shirts. I take the quilt with me to the store and try to find material that is close in design and color. Joanns has lots of quilting material. Then I carefully remove the worn pieces and stitch in a new pieces and then hand quilt that piece. If the piece is part of a design, I replace all of that design. Some of the quilts have intricate quilting and that is the hard part to duplicate that. Sometimes the batting is gone also and I replace with cotton batting as the fiber is too puffy. These were all made in the 30's and 40's. My Mother had a whole big box of "quilt scraps". Material from making my Dad shirts that my daughters remember and scraps from dresses I made for them when they were little. So when my daughter's get their quilts back they will have some of the vintage materials, some of Grandpa's (whom they all adored)shirts and some of their own dresses. I have one beautiful purple quilt that I could not match the plain orchid so I bought a deeper purple and will replace all the outside pieces with it - kind of like a border. Sometimes when I have to replace pieces that are not worn just to keep a pattern going, I save them and can use them in another place. Quilts have a very special place in our family. They were always on our beds when I was growing up and my daughters and their kids use them as a healing thing when they are not feeling well. We have about 18 of them unless my nephews can find their Mother's (she passed on in 1978) then we have around 20 or 21.
Merry Christmas
Happy trails......................

countrygirl · 12-20-2006, 10:38 AM

Thanks Sue, for sharing these thoughts about your quilts and how they were made...I think that was a common practice long time ago...because I can remember way back that the materials that were left over were the ones used for piecing quilts. The quilt scrap box was really a valuable tool to have in making pretty quilts. Davids Grandmother lived to be 103 and pieced quilts up into her 90's...I have several of her quilts as well as quilts from my side of the family. I have two that a great Aunt pieced and quilted that are priceless. One is the lone Star pattern and the other is a huge wreath of flowers of all colors that are appliquied onto the off white background. The colors are still vivid and the material is still very good in both of those quilts. I do have some old quilts that the binding is worn out around the edges and I have replaced that on one of the quilts....but I have others that need fixing. I , like you love old quilts...and I don't like to see them abused ...so many people don't appreciate the work and love that went into making a quilt...but we can, because we remember how they were lovingly made by our Grandmothers and other family members.
Countrygirl or Shirley

campbud · 12-30-2006, 04:59 PM

Sue, very nice, I need to take lessons from you!
Kathy

onamission · 01-08-2007, 08:04 AM

I have been a member of this forum for two to three years, I always read the posts, but never reply nor write any of my own. After seeing your beautiful handiwork I had to write. You did an excellent job. I love handmade things and am always impressed with people who have the talent to do them! (I sew, smock, etc.. and love it.) [/font=Comic Sans MS]

slewis · 01-08-2007, 08:21 AM

Sue, I have continue to be amazed at the projects you submit on this forum. They are gorgeous-I especially loved the earrings that you made your granddaughters for Christmas gifts. I am in the process of knitting a felted purse. I want to put a lining in it but can't quite decide how to attach it to the outside of the purse. I'm thinking of buttons along the top binding. That way it could be removed for cleaning. How did you attach your lining to the tote? Do you knit, too? Could use some assistance in this area as I haven't knitted for eons.
Sandy

Parrothead · 01-08-2007, 11:30 AM

Sandy
I did knit a long time ago but found crocheting was faster for me. My Mother knitted and made beautiful things one being a Christmas stocking. Right before she passed on she completed what we think was the 80th. Every daughter, son-in-law, grandchildren and in- laws, neices, nephews (and in-laws), great grandchildren, great and great-great neices and nephews have one.
On the linings, I sew the lining to the project. The one I showed I made the lining out of a fake leather (vinyl) so I can just wipe it off. Velcroing the lining would also be an option.
I've been reading about the felted knitting and also felted crocheting. It sounds very interesting. Sue (as in Ozz) reminded me of a craft I learned when I was a little girl. Swedish Weave or Huck Embroidery. So that is what I am doing at the moment (a pillow first then a blanket) besides restoring the antique quilts.
I also just got the patterns for "Woven Stitch Crochet". Rugs with Native American designs, so that will be my next project.
Post a picture of your purse when you are finished. I would love to see it.
Happy trails..................

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