Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2014

Fish!

Ooh how I love my fish!!

Now all the pieces are cut out they have to be glued (yes glued) to the background!

Next is to decide what background to put him on. Do I piece something? Or just go plain?  No I couldn't possible put him on a plain piece!!!!

More soon!

Fabric Fish

 I received some wonderful presents this year, including very snugly slippers, a camper hamper - full of goodies to eat and keep me warm in my camper van and a fantastic quilt book and fabric.

Free Style Quilts by Susan Carlson is a new approach to quilting for me and involves building your picture up using a collage approach and glue (totally alien!)

So yesterday Faye and I sat down together and picked a fish to make and went through my fabric stash looking for fish like fabric and bits that would work as fins and gills. Here are some of the fabrics I have chosen.  It is interesting to see how different Faye's fabric choices are.  I'm sure she will post on her blog here

My fish is coming along nicely.  As you can see though it is work in progress.  Hopefully I will get some more done over the next couple of days.  but I had such fun!

I just had to post this photo taken Boxing Day on our walk along the beach.  It was so beautiful that everyone was out in force (especially after the dreadful gales we have had over the last couple of days), but it was great to see the children playing on the beach and having fun.  Even the RNLI turned out with their life boat, complete with Santa!  If it wasn't for everyone in winter coats you would think it was the summer!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas
and a
Happy, Healthy, Fabric
filled NEW YEAR!

Christmas is coming!

Christmas is a busy time for everyone, but this year, since DH's heart attack we have been taking things easy!  But I have managed to do some hand sewing.  Lots of hexies and I finally added my name to my Christmas stocking ~ I did everyone elses name when I made them years ago but never quite got round to embroidering mine.  The stocking is one of Debbie Mumms fabrics (many years ago I loved her folk art fabric and even now it has its appeal, although if I were to make it now it would probably be bright colours!)

Thread catcher

This little tread catcher is such a cute little thing to make and would make a great present for quilting or sewing friends (I could easily start a production line). I made it out of two of my favourite fabrics of the moment and I love it!!  I picked up the pattern from blogland via a link to another link ~ well you know what I mean.  But the original pattern comes from a lady in Canada and the pattern is here

RSC 13 and Christmas bunting

December is catch up month!  I have missed out on both brown and black, so have done a couple of disappearing nine patch.  I really love the brown fabric.

The Christmas garland goes up every year, but this year we decided it needed something a bit extra!  So I rooted around in my Christmas fabric stash and made some bunting.  I'm really pleased with it!

Free style patchwork

Back in my work room today I decided to sew my blocks together and square them off........what possessed me to straighten the edges when its free style patchwork.  I can only put it down to my lack of concentration.  They would have looked far better wonky!!!!  To late now for that!  I'm going to add some boarders and see how it evolves.  Still enjoyed myself though.

Also my DH and I put up our Christmas garland across the fireplace (well I put it up he supervised!) and it is crying out for some bunting....watch this space.

Free style patchwork!

It's been three weeks since I've even looked at my blog or done any sewing and such a lot has happened!  Two weeks ago my DH had a heart attack (even now I find it hard to believe, he is so fit and healthy) and on Monday he was back in hospital having four more stents inserted in his coronary artery.  Thankfully he is on the mend, but obviously life has slowed down while he follows a rehabilitation regime.

Yesterday I went into my work room and did some sewing ~ I haven't wanted to do anything, not even hand sewing (my concentration has been zero).  But I guess its a reflection that I am settling down a bit, so while he had his afternoon nap I did some free style patchwork!

I've wanted to try this ever since reading a tutorial by Melody, whose blog Fibermania you can see here.  I didn't measure any fabric and I only used the ruler to straighten the edges to attach the boarders.  I love Melody's work, her use of colour is really exciting and inspiring.  I'm not sure what I will do with these little blocks but actually it doesn't matter the main thing is I enjoyed myself!

Slug bracelet

I finished my slug bracelet today.  I'm really pleased with the way it turned out!  As brown is featuring in the Rainbow scrap challenge I thought I would link up (OK its not fabric but it is definitely brown!)  See what others have been doing with their scraps here

Mottisfont

 Today was such a stunning day that we went for a walk around Mottisfont, a National Trust property near Romsey in Hampshire.  There was an exhibition in the main house of paintings from local artists (lots of lovely mixed media work) and outside this sculpture in a beautiful circle of Beech trees.  The four trees in the middle are all dead trees taken from the Mottisfont estate and gilded with motives inspired by the artwork in the house (there is one room that has been  painted by the artist Rex Whistler, you can see more here .  The gilding on the dead trees is real gold and the beech trees are painted with Dutch metal - apparently the lustre will fade naturally over time.  The sunlight reflecting through the trees onto the gold work was amazing, although looking at the photo one of the dead trees looks like a giraffe!

Slug bracelet

When I was on holiday in Florida I started to make a slug bracelet (We were on hols with a friend who owns a bead shop in Basingstoke so she taught me how to do it!) I am determined to finish some of my UFOs before the end of the year ~ so after spending a couple of hours in the garden I manage to add another inch to the slug!  Its quite a nice project to do because you randomly pick up five or six beads on the needle, attach them and onto the next five or six.  There is no pattern to it so it's quite liberating!

Chinese knots and Japanese Braids

These are the Chinese knots I made at Mondays Textile class.  I'm not entirely sure its something I will do again, although I think I will carry on with the red, cream and gold one.

The Japanese braid is something I've done before, using a Kumihimo braiding disc (that's the cardboard ring) and I could probably use the braid in a project.  So I will carry on with that and finish it.

Origami bags

I've wanted this book for some time, although I've never had a chance to look inside.  While in America we visited a book shop and I got my chance to browse.  The book was quite heavy so I decided to buy it when I got home (there is only so much you can cram into a suitcase).  And here it is and well worth the wait!

The book is divided up into levels of expertise.  The Origami bags are easy (what better place to start!) and come in six different sizes ~ I'm making the small version.  I want to make one each for my school friends using the fabric bought in the USA obviously.  So here are my fabric choices, including the fabric for the lining.

And this is as far as I got this afternoon.  I thought I would mass produce, so the zips are set, the lining is attached, now for the origami bit (that will have to wait for next weekend unfortunately!)  But I like them so far!

Lovely to be in my sewing room again and making something!

Fabric and Florida

We're home after three weeks in Florida! We traveled around a bit, visiting Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Florida Keys, Naples and then spent three days driving up to Atlanta for our flight home.  It was a great holiday despite my poor DH being unwell on and off the entire time! This meant we couldn't do everything we had intended but it didn't stop me going shopping!

This is the fabric I have bought to do a wall hanging from the Louisa L Smith book Strips 'n Curves!  Except the black fabric which is for Faye so she can make a skirt.

The aqua fabric is for my hexie quilt, the rayon thread is because I want to have a go at machine embroidery and the Westminster fabric is because I just loved it!  The green stripy fabric is actually to go with the strips 'n curves project.

And this fabric was a bit of stash building from JoAnn's.  (what a great shop!)  Also added some scrap booking bits and pieces for Faye.  

What fun I had!!!

Fabric shopping

I've been fabric shopping and it is just a completely different experience in America than it is in England. We walked into this huge shop that just went on and on. I've no idea how many bolts of fabric they stocked but I wanted most of them! I really wish I knew how to post a picture! I'm very happy!!

Black and ALQS round 8

The rainbow scrap challenge for October is black.  That should've ok I'm sure I have black fabric at home.  Still I am on holiday in Florida with one or two quilting shops around, so can always stash build some black!

Kate has also announced another little quilt swop round 8.  So that gives me four months to create a master piece!

Rainbow scrap challenge and Casalguidi

It's the last week for baby blue in the Rainbow scrap challenge and I've managed to get my dancing stars blocks done just in time.  You can see what everyone else has done this week over here

I had a textile class on Monday and we did some playing with free motion sewing on our sewing machines. When we got the tension and stitches right we made a note of the sewing machine tension.  Something I have never done before so a really useful exercise.  It was good fun although and a great chance for a good gossip! 

But what I did also do was some more of my casalguidi embroidery - nearly there!

Rainbow scrap challenge

Baby blue isn't a colour I have much of but I managed to put together a few blocks and some leader and ender bits also.  I must admit though I'm loving the little houses!  Jump over to here to see what other people are doing for the rainbow scrap challenge.

Casalguidi

And a bit more!

I've subscribed to receive coupons from JoAnn's (i shall be in the USA in 13 days time - yay and will undoubtedly get time to squeeze in a little fabric shopping) and apparently they say it is National Talk Like a Pirate Day tomorrow!  How funny is that (me hearties!)

Casalguidi

I've managed to get a little bit more done on my embroidery.  It's such fine work that I need a really good light to work in and although I bought myself a neck magnifying glass I still struggle to see the threads!  The bullion stitch in the middle of the flower was stitched and unpicked so many times, it nearly got abandoned but I'm glad I persevered! Just the stems and buds to do now.

Evolon

Last Monday I had did a workshop on Evolon.  This is a man made fabric constructed from spun polyester and nylon fibres.  Its a really soft fabric that resembles a fine suede or chamois leather.  Whats nice about it is it can be melted or distressed with a hot air gun, cut and etched with a soldering iron.  It takes expandable paints and embossing powders with out affecting the surface and can be stitched on really easily.  So it was playtime at the class!  And here are the results of my messing around!

This is after the Evolon has been spray painted.  I also did a couple of pieces of Lutrador

Then I had some fun with some stencils and some rubber stamps.  My favourite so  far is the peachy one on the bottom right of the picture with the large red lilies!  I printed a lily onto a piece of Lutrador and backed it with heat and bond and attached a couple of pieces for added interest.  You can't actually see it in the photo.

I have used the soldering iron and removed some of the oblongs and used some heat expandable paint at the top of the piece.  I have a piece of rainbow organza that looks quite good layered over the top, so might do that and try some machine sewing also.

I must admit I have no idea what I am going to do with them but it was fun to just play around and experiment!

Finish it up Friday

Today I am linking in with Amanda's Blog at crazy mom quilts.  Its a show and tell on a Friday of work finished.  And its not often I am in the position to post anything that I've completed.  But this week I am proud to say I have completed two things!  My Don't look now cushion for a friends 50th Birthday

and some detail of the sewing

I am really pleased with how it has turned out so I hope she likes it.

I have also this morning done my last jog (yes I did say jog) in the 'Couch to 5K in nine weeks' course.  It is a NHS initiative to get people fit and healthy by building them up to jogging 5K or 30 minutes.  When I started 9 weeks ago all I could jog in half an hour was 7 minutes (that's 7 one minute jogs) but this week I have completed three 30 min runs!  Yes I feel great and my stamina levels have gone up by a huge amount.  Not sure what to do now as I don't want to loose that fitness level but I'm also not a great lover of jogging.  So while I decide I will carry on jogging three times a week for the required half hour!!!!

Trio the dog

Our friends came for a BBQ today and they bought Trio the dog they are looking after for the weekend!  He is absolutely gorgeous but he couldn't resist our pond and spent most of his time either front paws in it or all of him in it!  Its so nice to have a dog around the place again so we forgave him (not sure the fish will or when they will surface again).

Rainbow Scrap Challenge

Not much to show for rainbow scrap challenge day ~ I did all my reds at the beginning of the month because I knew we would be away on holiday ~ but I have had a play with one of the houses that I see regularly on other peoples blogs!  

The pattern comes from Bonnie Hunter and she makes her houses wonky with a boarder so I thought I would do that.  Although really that should be done at the end when all the houses are assembled so you know which ones go uphill and which go down!!  I always was a bit impatient!

They are fun to do I will make a few more!
Take a look at what other quilters have been up to for the last week for red

Don't look now!

It's a colleagues 50th birthday soon and she has invited us to her party.  Unfortunately we can't go but I thought I would still make her a present (she has always admired and made the right noises when I show her anything I've made!)  This pattern came out of a magazine and I can't remember which one it was, but it comes from the 'Don't look now' series and I love her work.  So this is going to be a cushion.  Cutting out all the fiddle little bits of flowers took ages and sewing it will probably only take half as long!

Work in progress!

Lake District and Casalguidi

The Lake District in Cumbria is a really beautiful part of England.  And as you can see we had fabulous weather (most of the time!).  We stayed in a little village on the west coast called Ravenglass.  It wasn't so touristy as the central part of the Lake District so it was very nice.  Places like Windermere can be heaving at this time of year!  This is a photo of Wast Water, one of the lakes close to where we stayed.

I did manage to do a lot of reading while I was away and a little sewing!  This is a project I started at my last embroidery class.

 It is called Casalguidi embroidery (named after a town in Italy) and is a technique that uses four-sided counted stitch and texture (that bit comes later)

I have to complete another round before my next class in September!

Lake District

I'm in The Lake District in Cumbria.  Got here yesterday in lovely sunshine, but today it's wet, wet, wet (and very windy).  So a chance to do some hand sewing and knitting.  No photos though I haven't yet worked out how to transfer pictures on my Ipad!

Rainbow Scrap challenge - Red

Isn't red the most scrumptious colour around?  I've been busy this week and managed to get all my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks done (and a couple of lead and end bits - yay).  Which is just as well because tomorrow I'm off to a wedding and then it's Faye's birthday and on Monday I have a Textile and Embroidery class - busy, busy, busy!

You can check out what other quilters are doing here

Buckingham Palace

Yesterday my DH and I went to a work colleagues birthday party in London.  It's a bit of a hike now for us to get into London (2 hours on the train) so we decided to make a day of it and booked tickets to go around the State rooms at Buckingham Palace and see the Queens Coronation exhibition.  And what a delight it was!

The tour took us around many of the rooms that you see on television.  These are the rooms that were designed and built as the public rooms of the palace, in which the Queen receives, rewards and entertains her subjects and dignitaries!  The Queen also owns a huge collection of works of art, paintings, furniture, porcelain and sculptures, some of which you get to see.

The highlight of the tour for me was the exhibition featuring the Coronation clothes worn by the Queen, the Ladies in Waiting, Queen Mother, Princess Ann, Prince Charles and Prince Phillip among many.  The embroidery on the Coronation gown was beautiful and represented England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and the Commonwealth countries.  Apparently the designer Norman Hartnell embroidered a four leaf clover somewhere on the dress but we couldn't see it and the stewards didn't know where it was, or weren't telling!  You can see some of the highlights of the exhibition here!

Following the tour you exit at the back of the palace and get an opportunity to walk around some of the garden and have a cuppa on the terrace overlooking the lawns and lake.  You just have to do it (and we did), even if the tea and coffee was in a paper cup with Buckingham Palace written on the side!!

During August and September when the Palace is open to the public the Queen takes a well earned rest in Scotland.

Catch up - Rainbow Scrap Challenge

It has been catch up day - YAY!  I had got way behind with my blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, but today with the weather being a bit iffy I decided to spend the afternoon at my sewing machine which means I can go into August with a clean slate!

I couldn't resist taking this photo of next doors cat this morning.  For some unknown reason we thought his name was Malcolm when we moved into the house five years ago.  We later learnt that he is a she and called Precious......He'll always be know as Malcolm to us!

Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Kayaking

I don't really have a lot to show for this months Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  Summer has got in the way (I'm not complaining!)  We've had lots of people visiting us and today we have different friends coming down from London for a BBQ ~ unfortunately the weather is supposed to break today, so it might have to be grilled food rather than BBQ'd.  That said I have been working on my hexies!  I am sure however that other quilters taking part in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge will have been far more productive than me.  Jump over here and have a look!

Yesterday my DH and I had a go at kayaking on the river Beaulieu.  We went out with an instructor for a two hour lesson.  And I have to admit I am hooked.  It was tiring and I did get a bit sun burnt but it was a fantastic way of seeing the river and wild life and of course from a completely different perspective.  This is not a photo of us, I was much to scared to take my camera on the water (I didn't fall in though!).  Its a picture of another group.  We are off to the Lake District soon and what better place to kayak?  Can't wait!