New Hand Work patterns



So the hard part about being a designer is not being able to share immediately!!  There can be months between creating and editing and publishing.  Those are months I keep things in the vault so that when you see them, it is a WOW moment vs. "oh yeah, she showed that 4 months ago and 2 months ago, etc.".

 

The patterns below are perfect examples.  I worked on these feverishly during Jan and Feb for a March show.  Then Market preps started and I didn't get around to sharing with you.

You can find these on the What's New page of my website and don't forget my new shipping policy for your guild.



CELTIC MUSIC # 511

I have a newly found appreciation and love for doing hand embroidery.  There are so many lovely threads out there and I don't limit myself to what is right or wrong.  If the color is right, I use it.  Many times I have been asked if something was done on the machine due to its delicate look....NOPE, I just used machine quilting thread 40 weight because the variegated color was too luscious to pass up! 
For so long I have wanted to do a Harp piece and Celtic Music is just that with a vine of shamrocks added for whimsy.  It was stitched with YLI machine quilting thread.

HARLEQUIN HEARTS #510

Harlequin Hearts is a reboot of my Hearts in Bloom design with a new layout.  That is the absolute fun of applique.  If you like the design, buy it because you can applique, hand embroidery, or do wool work with the templates.

SWEET SWIRLS #509

Sweet Swirls is a revamp of my Benign Fusion.  Again I am donating 10% of MY sales of this pattern to Colon Cancer education just like with Benign Fusion.

The Swimming Sea: SEAHORSE #429

The Seahorse was so so so fun to make and I already have an octopus and some fish designs waiting for me to find time to play.
This is the first in the series so check back occasionally to see how far I have gotten:)

Next week I will be posting the run down of the Market booth designs....Stay tuned!

UWIB Goes Green:)

Welcome to the UWIB Blog Hop...we hope you enjoy seeing all we have to offer and find something wonderful for yourself or a friend.

"CLADDAGH"

Wall Hang finishes to 22" Square

What says green more than the Emerald Isle itself, Ireland. I am Irish on my mother's side and on a visit back in 2002 she and I started designing this piece together.

It is based on a 500 year old romantic Irish lore from the ancient fishing village of Claddagh just outside the walls of the City of Galway on the west coast of Ireland.

A fishing boat from the village of Claddagh was captured by Algerian pirates and the crew was sold into slavery. One of the crew was a young man by the name of Richard Joyce who was to be married the same week he was captured. Instead, Richard found himself far away from his love and his homeland.
He was sold to a wealthy Moorish goldsmith who taught him the trade and, eventually, he became skilled enough to design a ring of special significance: the hands were for friendship, the crown was for loyalty, and the heart was for love.
Years went by, but Richard never forgot his sweetheart. When he was finally released, his master asked him to stay and offered him riches and the hand of his only daughter in marriage. But Richard Joyce declined, eager to return to his Irish love. With much trepidation he returned to Galway to find that the girl he had been due to marry so many years before had herself never married. They were wed immediately and their wedding band was the Claddagh ring he had designed and made for her.
By tradition the ring is taken to signify the wish that love and friendship should reign supreme. The hands signify friendship, the crown loyalty, and the heart love. Often representing the sole major investment of a fishing family, they have been traditionally handed down from mother to daughter. Today, the ring is worn extensively across Ireland, either on the right hand with the heart turned outwards showing that the wearer is "fancy free" or with the heart turned inwards to denote that he or she is "spoken for." The pride of place is on the left hand, with the heart turned in, indicating that the wearer is happily married and the love and friendship will last forever, the two never separated.
But one word of caution: it is said to be very bad luck for a person to purchase a Claddagh ring for themselves. It must be given or received as a gift.

I was once told that it was tradition to receive the ring from your grandmother and I proudly wear my grandmother's claddagh today.

My quilt pattern can be found in my etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/listing/68715701/claddagh-quilt-pattern

This is another color way and you can read more about how I have played with this design in an older post: http://nestlingsbyrobin.blogspot.com/2010/03/new-takes-on-old-favorites.html

If you are a quilter or know one, you can find more of my patterns on my website: http://www.nestlingsbyrobin.com/

If you are not a quilter but would love to own one of these designs, please contact me at robin@nestlingsbyrobin.com and I will send you my contract for commissioned work.

Please be sure to visit all our Participating Members:

Karen Terry-McDuffie http://www.jmjcreat%20ions.blogspot.com/
Linda ciaobelajewelry1@gmail.com
Birgitte Hendricks http://sewdanish.blogspot.com/
Judy Woodley http://www.wellspri%20ngcreations.blogspot.com/
Rita Wetzel http://ritascreativenest.com/
Audrey F http://audreygardenlady.blogspot.com/
Robin Maria Pedrero http://www.pocketfullofcolors.blogspot.com/
Ann Rinkenberger http://harvestmoonbyhand.blogspot.com/
Trudy Miller http://www.mommagoddesstreasures.blogspot.com/
Cory Trusty http://aquarianbath.blogspot.com/
Cory Trusty http://delicateadornments.blogspot.com/
Nancy Pace http://nancyswildwirejewelry.blogspot.com/
Wendy Kelly http://blog.vintageday.com/