Category: Needlework

Let It Snow

This will be the first Christmas since my brother died.

It was difficult for my family to gather together for the holidays. I lived in New Jersey, Washington, and California. My brother lived in Michigan, Utah, Texas, and Nevada. My sister lived in Maryland and South Carolina. Making our way home to Ohio at the same time was challenging.

The last time we were all together, my brother was constantly singing the song, Let It Snow always emphasizing the word, frightful. Since all of my family is now lost, I decided to make a little card for myself as a memento of that last Christmas.

Let It Snow

The stitched lines are code for, let it snow.

I had considered printing out the sheet music, but my brother never sang the whole song. This seemed fitting.

Let It Snow

Rick 35 Years

After the sudden death of my brother in July, I was having a difficult time dealing with the loss. My brother had a strong faith and believed that after death he would be reunited with his son.

I used the notion of reunited to make the wallpiece. The piece has the first names, dates of birth, and dates of death in code.

Gary and Rick Wallpiece
Gary and Rick Wallpiece

Tomorrow is the anniversary of my nephew’s death. He died 35 years ago at the age of 17. I had the idea of making a vessel, but how? Serendipitous that someone I follow on YouTube recently posted a fun video on making pots out of embroidery.

The channel is Sarah Homfray Embroidery. I like that she is creative, lovely, and delightful.

I used the same rusty fabric that I used in the wallpiece. The blue thread is Rick’s name. The brown thread are dates for birth and death. The tan thread is for 2025, and to stitch the piece together.

Rick vessel 35 years

Rick vessel 35 years

Rick vessel 35 years

Rick vessel 35 years

Rick vessel 35 years

I used Fabric-Tac to adhere the folded fabric of the vessel, to make it sturdier, and to make it easier to stitch. After making the vessel, I wrapped a glass in plastic and slid the vessel onto the glass. Applied matte medium to the exterior of the vessel to basically hold everything in place–the stitched code and the frayed edges of the rusty fabric.

The finished piece is 5″ in height and 3″ in diameter.

Our Stories

The quote used is by Niall Williams.

Our Stories

Cover Code is Modified Morse–Our Stories

Our Stories

Pages 1-3
Our Stories

Pages 4-6
Our Stories

Work in Progress
The code was stitched in wire; then oxidized.
Our Stories

Back Side Of Page 1
Our Stories

Page 1 Wire Removed
Our Stories

Completed Page 1 Attached with Safety Pins
Our Stories

The Code Layout
Pages 1 and 2
Our Stories

Pages 3 and 4
Our Stories

Pages 5 and 6
Our Stories

Notes During Process–

I have used the same oxidizing solution for years. Something interesting and unexpected happened when I was working on the pages for this piece. Rather than the typical rust color, this happened–

Our Stories

Never had a purple result. Curious why. I suspect it was because there was a chemical reaction between the salt (iodized) and the peroxide. I did some quick tests–salt and water on watercolor paper, salt and isopropyl alcohol on watercolor paper, and salt with peroxide on watercolor paper. Purple occurred with the salt and peroxide. Was the purple color not because of salt and peroxide but perhaps the watercolor paper binder? I tested the same three combinations on printer paper and drawing paper. Purple color occurred on all of the tests with peroxide and salt (iodized).

Even more curious; after the pages were dried in the sun, the purple color vanished. Brought to mind, the purple school glue that dries clear.

Still did not have the result I wanted, so I mixed up the oxidizing solution with sea salt. The result is the pages in the book.

Materials–Oxidized Canvas and watercolor paper, safety pins, fiber, paint, metal bead, wire for oxidation, oxidizing solution.

Scale–Closed: 5.5″ x 4.75″ x 1.25″ Open: 5.5″ x 26″ x .25″

Truth is not Negotiable Book

Cover Affixed to Book and Drying.
Truth Not Negotiable

Truth Not Negotiable

Modified Tap Code–Truth
Truth Not Negotiable

Metal and Loom Knit Closure
Truth Not Negotiable

Back of Book
Truth Not Negotiable

Lined with Mulberry Paper
Truth Not Negotiable

Modified Morse Code Used, Layered Vertically and Horizontally
Truth Not Negotiable

Each Block is a Letter, Stitched onto Cardstock Lined with Rice Paper.
Truth Not Negotiable

Page One–Truth
Truth Not Negotiable

Blocks were Stitched onto the Book Pages. The Thread Was Run Horizontally Through the Corrugated Cardboard and Then Through the Page and Knotted.
Truth Not Negotiable

Page Two and Three–Is Not
Truth Not Negotiable

Truth Not Negotiable

Page Four and Five-Negotiable
Truth Not Negotiable

Letterlocked Notes on Work
Truth Not Negotiable

Truth Not Negotiable

Memorial

In 2018 on May 15th, my mother died. Every year I make a piece to remember my mother and her life.

2025 Memorial Mom

The beads are from one of my mother’s necklaces.

2025 Memorial Mom

Code for the word–Loss

2025 Memorial Mom

Inside of the piece.

2025 Memorial Mom

It can be free standing.

2025 Memorial Mom

Code for my mother’s date of birth 02151930 and the date of her death 05152018.

2025 Memorial Mom

The code for this page is 2025 and Unshed Tears for My Mother.

2025 Memorial Mom

I knotted the green thread around the raw white linen. Each five knots is used to represent a dash. There are two dashes (M), space, three dashes (O), space, and two dashes (M).

2025 Memorial Mom

Materials–
The green paper is painters’ paper. I had some paint left over from a piece. Rather than letting it go to waste, I printed it on a roll of paper. I used a parcel for the corrugated cardboard. The remaining materials are–watercolor paper, a few metal bits for the closure, beads from one of my mother’s necklace, and adhesive.

Scale–5.75″ x 4.75″ x .5″

Letterlocking and Notes on Work

Currently working on this piece–Regret

Regret 4

Because I use a variety of codes and ciphers, I include notes with each piece. Notes are affixed to the back of the Wallpieces and a separate page included in each book.

I recently noticed that a couple of wallpieces were no longer flat on the wall. The note envelopes were coming a bit open. I could have used a tie closure, but it added a bit of bulk.

Memories 1

Memories 2

Orwell 1

Orwell 2

Orwell 3

Recently found some letterlocking examples and tutorials on YouTube. I have dinked around a bit with them, but some are too bulky.

This is a simple Regency example–

Letterlocking 1

Letterlocking 2

Letterlocking 3

I was curious if seen, would folks know how to easily open and refold. I did a little test. I wrote up my progress notes for my last visit to my rheumatologist. He opened it right off. Asked if it was origami. I like the the folded letter is small and can fit in a pocket.

This is how I am planning to affixed notes to one of my current project.
I will be applying a rust promoter to the washers. Will wait and see if I can write directly on the letter or will need to write notes on a piece of paper and tuck inside the letter.

Regret 1

Regret 2

Regret 3

Regency Era Letter Folding Tutorial – Jane Austen Style
Note & Wish

Looking forward to attempting some of the letterlocking examples on this YouTube channel.
Letterlocking videos

Book–Virginia Woolf Quote

Virginia Woolf Quote–Lock up your libraries, if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that can set upon the freedom of my mind.

Lock Libraries
Freedom of Thought
Lock Libraries

Lock Libraries

Pit-fired Beads and Knotted Fiber Closure
Lock Libraries

Paste Paper
Lock Libraries

Lock Up Your
Lock Libraries

Libraries If You Like;
Lock Libraries

But There Is No Gate,
Lock Libraries

No Lock, No Bolt
Lock Libraries

That You Can Set Upon The
Lock Libraries

Freedom Of My Mind.
Lock Libraries

Note Envelope
Lock Libraries

Notes
Lock Libraries
Notes
Lock Libraries

Back Cover
Lock Libraries

Binding
Lock Libraries

20250116