what if i experiment with hand stitch?

What if I'm just cruising along on a friend's blog and find a new book to purchase from Amazon? What if it's called Stitch and Structure, Design and Technique in two-and three-dimensional textiles, by Jean Draper? What if I actually skim the book cover-to-cover and stop on a section that talks about using hand stitch on water-soluble stabilizer (WS)? What if I had never thought of this? What if I find it very exciting? What if I made two small experimental pieces, over two days, and then decided that I needed to stop for a while, because my hand was hurting. What if I'll get back to it later?

What if I sandwiched thread waste and used teabags between the WS and then stitched with a running stitch? What if I knotted the thread intersections? What if I sandwiched strips of felted, thrift store wool between WS and then stitched with running and cretan stitches? What if I say there's an awful lot more to explore in this book? What if I say that I've actually finished my February bead journal, but am having trouble photographing it? What if I say that I'll return in the next couple of days>

what if? - abandoned projects

What if I like in-between projects? What if I have the bodies of many of those projects, tucked in various drawers and boxes? What if I join Arlee's hand embroidery Facebook Group (already happened)? What if I dig out one of these projects and start working on it again (again, already happened)? What if I show you some progress photos? What if I say that I originally abandoned this piece because I didn't like the fact that the braids were going 'wonky'? What if I say that I preferred them straight?

What if I was persuaded to embrace the 'wonkiness'? What if they were right? What if I included a "wonky" section, then some embroidery, then 'straight', then more embroidery, then more "wonkiness"? What if I added some beaded backstitch?

What if I say that I'm enjoying the process? What if I say that I'm using my own, machine wrapped braid? What if I say that it doesn't really matter, because the handwork is the entire point of the piece? What if I say that the piece is 5 1/2" wide X 70" long? What if I say that I'm just past the halfway mark? What if I say that I may need to repeat some fabrics? What if I say that I don't think anyone would notice? What if I say that I've already raided a friend's stash? What if I say thank you? What if I say that I'm happy with my overall progress? What if I say that I'm totally in love with the process? What if I say that I won't give up all of my other techniques? What if I say that this one is particularly restful and relaxing? What if I say that I love blues and greens?

What if I say that I'll have a lot of TV to watch, before finishing this piece? What if I say, what do you think?

what if? - paper circles

What if I buy more glue sticks, instead of constantly searching for the two UHU ones that I already own? What if I use pages from the old 'Dominion Educator' I purchased in Aberfoyle at the end of the summer (or was it fall)? What if I buy a 3/4" circle, paper punch (already happened, but I really wanted a 1" one)? What if I totally wreck my hands by punching out tons of little tiny circles in a very short period of time(again, already done)? What if there's an easier way? What if I actually use some of those circles? What if I don't follow Kaite's idea for making a slinky, though beautiful and probably terribly impractical, necklace out of them (like she spotted on a friend)? What if I pile them up,and UHU some of them together? What if I then punch a hole in them? What if I have no idea how I want to coat or protect them? What if I just make a bunch and then figure out what I'm going to do later? What if I add them to a stitched piece, bead journal or make a completely different type of necklace/bracelet/earrings out of them? What if I tell you that I have some ideas, but don't want to share until I experiment (selfish, I know)? What if I figure out what to do with the leftover bits from punching out the circles? What if I actually have more circles, but that they're in neat stacks, just waiting for a good TV show and UHU? What if I confess that I now own a 1" and 1 1/2" circle punch? What if the circle has no end?

What if I take a nap?

what if?

I started a new series in 2014? What if I focused on recycled materials? What if it's all about making do? What if I used some of the swapped paper and old calendars that I've been hoarding? What if I used fabric, thread, yarn and lace? What if I used beads and embellishments? What if I include natural elements? What about paint? What if I didn't impose any limits? What if it's all about trying different techniques? What if it's all about the photos? What if it's about making components? What if I'm just scratching the surface? What if I have no idea how often I'll post? What if I dreamed this up when I woke up this morning? What if it's just plain fun?

What if it's woven calendar pages from a prior year(thanks to an annual calendar exchange with Kaite in Australia). What if I have no idea what to do with these pages? What I frame them, stitch them, paint them, cut them up for backgrounds, line a tray, or make cards or coasters out of them? What if I put them in the component box? What if I make a what if box? What if I encourage all of you to play along with me? What if you link back to me so that I can see what you're up to? What if I'm finished with my what if's for today?