Good mail!

Just before I left for the Honeybee Retreat in Jacksonville, FL, last week, this colorful package arrived in the mail. Inside were the four bookmarks, shown above. They were made by participants in the swap conducted in the Stitch Alchemy book study group I belong to on Yahoo. Each was made using fabric paper, also called stitch paper. I learned to make and embellish the fabric paper along with the other members of the group. Author Kelli Nina Perkins hostessed the swap, and it's her artwork on the envelope and on the two enclosures shown here.

It was fun to see the variation in style and construction. What a great way to make use of all those yarns, threads, and trims! I'll enjoy using these bookmarks, and showing them off.

While taking classes at the retreat, I was joined by my friend Joanne from Pennsylvania. Happily, she got out of town just ahead of the winter storm there over the weekend. In addition to learning lots in the quilting classroom, I also brought some items needed to make stitch paper so Joanne could give it a try. Here are the results. She had to make do with limited materials, so she creatively incorporated bits of napkins and the paper label from a club soda bottle in her pieces.



The fabric paper isn't necessarily done in the state you see it in the photo. There are colors to add, stamping to be done, and surface stitching which is my favorite part. It's a chance to try out the many decorative stitches on the sewing machine. The piece in the photo below, right, has been stitched and is now ready to use in a project of some kind. Like the doll from my January 17 post.

When I returned home, my husband Jack had this card waiting for me. It was for our 45th anniversary. I love the sentiment, and hey, it kind of looks like fabric paper to me!