Santa Gift Bags

Santa Gift Bags
The hottest item for Christmas gift giving this year!

These little bags are perfect for gifting
money, jewelry, I-Pods, watches, and
all sorts and sundries of small items.

Or give the bag as the gift himself!
He is just too cute to pass up!

Specify eyes open or winking.

This item is created in my studio on my own
embroidery machine.

Tudor Rose Shawl

It's finished!
It's been a whole summer's worth of work,
but every stitch was worthwhle.

This fabulous Tudor Rose shawl or
table cover is now available in my
Etsy shop.

http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Ahab, the Magnificent

My dear friend,
Jo Ellen Huskey,
made this purse for me as a bespoke piece.
The work that she did is incredible!

The are beads, bells, and tassels everywhere!
There is an African design on the inside
along with my name.
The designs were designed, digitized,
and embroidered by Jo Ellen.
She also constructed the purse.

I own several of her purses
and never leave home without
one of them.

Her work is magnificent!

Jo Ellen and her designs
can be found at
http://www.huskeyembroiderydesign.com/

If you own one of her designs,
you are very lucky, indeed!

An October Day - a little late!

This is the most beautiful tree in our yard.
It is an Autumn Flame Maple.
The leaves start turning their beautiful red around the first
of the year.
The fell off almost all at once
and were gone the day before Hallowe'en.
We planted 5 of these magnificent trees.
2 died the first year.
2 look so pitiful that we're planning to cut them down.
This one stands in all its glory.
What a beauty!

The last rose of summer!

Hydrangeas ready to be picked for fall arrangements.
Perhaps some to be sprayed gold to add to the
Christmas tree.

Have a great day!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com
http://www.beadkits.etsy.com
http://www.raggbaggs.blopspot.com

A Simple Woman

A Simple Woman

Simplicity at it's finest!

My doesn't that sound lovely!

Note that this simple woman is wearing a beautiful day gown,
penning a letter,
and that her hair is perfectly coiffed.

That's my idea of simplicity!

Around her, no doubt, her the servants are cooking, cleaning, and polishing.
Gardeners are working in the yard.
Workers are tending the gardens and fields.

Ah, yes, simplicity!
My idea of living!

Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Double Pointed Needles - Yet Again

No need for yet another picture of the
troublesome socks.

I have frogged them beck to the beginning twice
since the last time I spoke with ya'll.

This may be, forever, a one sock set!


Have a great day!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com
http://www.beadkits.etsy.com
http://www.raggbaggs.blopspot.com

Daddy's Quilt

This crazy quilt was made by my dearest daddy and is dated
February 12, 1925.
He would have been about 18 years old.
It was apparently never used as it is in
perfect condition save a bit of wear on the binding.
Since Mama died a little over 2 years ago,
we have found a good bit of treasure
in her house.
How I wish she has told me about this!
How wonderful it would have been if she
had given it to me as a wedding gift
32 years ago.

I still adore Daddy, even though he died
42 years ago.
It's so great to have a piece of his handiwork!

Ruth Ann
http://www.raggbaggs.blogspot.com
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Double Pointed Needles

Remember those socks I posted about on Monday?
I only lacked casting off and they would have been done.
On Monday evening, one stitch fell off of a needle.
By the time I caught it, the one stitch
had traveled more than half way down the sock
and was impossible to retrieve properly.
So...............
the above picture shows where sock number two
is this morning.
I reiterate -
I hate double pointed needles!

May your day be bright -
but without hand knit socks!

Ruth Ann
http://www.raggbaggs.blogspot.com
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Time for Socks!

'Tis the time of year when
a young woman's heart turns to
knitting!

My first experience with knitting socks with double pointed needles
was when I was about 5 years old.
This was also my last experience.

A few years ago, I discovered that one can knit large
Christmas Stockings
on short circular needles.
I made enough for the whole family,
including our fur babies.
Sometime during the summer,
I lost the pattern.
It had fantastically easy heels and toes.

Last week, I discovered
self-patterning yarn.
Wow!
What neat stuff!!!!!!
(Yes, I know it's been around for years,
but I'm still avoiding the double pointed needles.)

I had to have a couple of skeins,
but then there were those double pointed needles.
Now I remember why I hated them so badly!

As you can see by the photo,
I almost finished my sockies last night.
I have maybe 30 minutes left to do.

Then another color of the same
self-patterning yarn
followed me home.

I still hate double pointed needles,
but I'm loving that yarn!

Have a great day!
Ruth Ann

http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com