He lights up my life

Last weekend, Mr. Gadget used his vast array of woodworking gadgets to build me a light box. I should mention it was a collaborative effort. An old wooden box with a slide-on top was in the treehouse holding a collection of crafty odds and ends. I was pretty sure Mr. G had some clear plexiglass scraps and indeed he did, so he cut one to replace the wooden top. Some scavenging in the back closet yielded an old lamp with a socket that fit into the box nicely after the drill press was called into service.

Mr. G suggested a fluorescent bulb for its low heat-emitting characteristic. Now the only thing left to do is paint the inside of the box white, which should make it brighter still. You can see I've taped an angel ornament design on to the glass.

Here I've taped the stitching fabric over the design. Once the light is turned on, the sketch is nicely illuminated. Then all I have to do is trace it. This process can also be accomplished by taping a design to a sunny window....which is how I've done it for eons. But the light box is so much more convenient. Not to mention, it'll be available 24/7 for any potential wee-hour crafting frenzies.

Sometimes I trace with pencil and other times I use a ballpoint pen. When I stitch, I always cover all the lines with thread so they won't show. And it's a good idea to press the fabric before tracing. Sometimes I don't follow my own good advice....

Here's the ornament with stitching underway. This is just a prototype...you know, the one I'll hang on our tree. It's always fun to open the box of Christmas ornaments each year and get reacquainted with all of my interesting experiments.

While I'm stitching, my mind goes off on all kinds of tangents. A small charm could be sewn in the center of the heart. It could be something with special meaning, like a piece of my mother's jewelry or BCG's Brownie pin. There are endless possibilities.

So in a few minutes I will be delivering a holiday gift I've been working on for a while. It's another one of my embroidery experiments. Stay tuned. Tomorrow it will be highlighted right here on the blog.....