Sue Spargo butterflly sampler

With my lovely new LED lamp I have been able to do some hand sewing in the evenings which has been wonderful. (My eyes aren't great and I really struggle if the light is poor).  I have been working on the Sue Spargo Craftsy class.  I've pieced together my background fabric and cut out some butterflies.  Seeing the fabric in a photograph makes me wish I had toned down the yellow and white fabric down the middle of the felt.  I had to improvise on the instructions because I don't have access to wool, so have used 100% wool felt instead.  Hence the strategically placed pieces of fabric to join the four rectangles of felt!

But I'm looking forward to getting onto the embroidery part and learning some new stitches!  Before that I have to embellish the butterflies with more fabric and felt!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

The Christmas dinner has been slaved over, and consumed in what seems like minutes (but it was delicious even if I say so myself).  DH is asleep on the sofa with dog slumped across him and number one son is model building (he always asked for a model to make at Christmas and hes now 28!).  and I can start to play with my lovely Christmas presents!  There were so many crafty things this year.....

This lovely blanket was crochet by my daughter.  I knew she had been learning but I'm so impressed with how well made it is, and its huge!

 I love receiving books and two of them are by my favourites, Mandy Shaw who does amazing redwork and a Tilda book.  DH also bought me a soldering iron (I won't have to borrow one at Textile class any more) and a book by Margaret Beale who does some beautiful work using a soldering iron!

Here are some other goodies.  A 3 in 1 lamp (hopefully DH will assemble it for me soon) a 365 day calendar - with a quilt block for every day (I'll never run out of things to do now), fabric, bird feeder and some great DVDs - how lucky am I?

Art Journal and other things!

 I made myself one of these lovely little Mandy Shaw Christmas hearts and thought they would make a nice present for my Sister in Law and a girlfriend from work, so here are all three before I wrapped the other two for gifts!

 Today I've been doing some finishes touches to my Art Journal pages.  Its a little hard to see but I have put a decorative hand stitch around two of the pages and the bottom left page has some french knots and large daisy stitches to represent one of the sun flowers.  I've also put some more stitches on the right hand page.  A very enjoyable day (but then I have got Faye home for a few days and she was wrapping presents while I stitched!) 

Thank you Kathy for the fabric!   My name was picked after I posted at Kathys blog.  Its a very happy piece of fabric and makes me feel quite spring like! You can see what other people are stitching today at Slow Sunday Stitching

Art Journal

I have now had two months working on my Art Journal, but don't really have a lot to show for it!!  I only have one completed page (the pocket with the photos of sunflowers) but the other five pages are almost there!  They all need some writing on them, but will do that at the end when I know which order the pages will go in.  At Mondays class we were working on making stencils and stamps.  Page 1 and 5 show the negative and positive stencils.  I'm rather pleased with the way they turned out.  I have also made a stamp from 'funky foam' but haven't tried it out yet.  Yesterday for slow Sunday stitching I was working on exploding the fabric printed sunflower (page 4 - bottom left) and doing some hand sewing, trying to reproduce the centre of the sunflower - not sure how successful it was but a really good exercise in observation. You can take a look at Kathys blog to see what others have been up to!

Christmas wreath and 100% wool felt!

What a glorious day it is today!  I'm writing this waiting for my son and his girlfriend to arrive for the day, and really looking forward to lunch with them and then a walk along the sea front (doesn't get much better)

While waiting I walked along the lane and gathered some holly and ivy to make the Christmas wreath for my front door.  I'm rather pleased with this years attempt, I rather like the red baubles!

It was black Friday last week and I purchased a class from Craftsy!  It's with Sue Spargo who does a lot of Folk Art quilts.  You can see her website HERE.  The class is to make a wall hanging of butterflies, using felt and lots of different embroidery stitches.  I of course had to buy myself some 100% wool felt to start my new project!  So really looking forward to starting!

Slow Sunday Stitching!!

Another miserable rainy day!  But today was the last race in this years Grand Prix, so would have been a stay at home day anyway!   I settled down to watch Louis Hamilton win the race and the World Championship - YAY!  And while I watched I put the finishing touches to this little picture, adding some buttons and a hanging sleeve ready to go up in December.  I'm linking up to Kathys blog so you can see what other people have been sewing today!

Hexies galore!

My goodness where does the week go?  It been a whole week since my last post, but I have been busy making hexies!  Today I thought I would lay them all out and see how many more green ones I need to make?  Answer.....A LOT!

And this is only a small portion of them!  I have 41 centres completed with the aqua surround (and a few more to add aqua too).  But during the week I was concentrating on doing the green leaves of the garden.  I'm not sure the green creates enough contrast so the ones I make from now on will have to be a stronger green.  I have no idea how to finish the edge off either.  Do I add a whole hexie at the edge and then cut it down to form a straight line? I'm sure I will work it out!  This has been a project on the go for some years but I think now I need to think about finishing it!

Yesterday Doughty's were doing one of there mobile fabric sales.  Now I do have lots of fabric and I'm very caught up in hand sewing at the moment but I can't resist adding to my stash (can anyone?) and because I don't have a project on the go I just bought a few that caught my eye.  Very random but oh so lovely!

Today we have our son coming to visit for the day - he's got a new car and wants to take it for a long spin I suspect.  So while we are chatting I should get a chance to do some more hexies.  Take a look at Kathy's blog to see what others are sewing today!

Slow Sunday Stitching!

There is something really nice about being cosy, doing some sewing while it is pouring with rain outside!  Kathy mentions in her post today that it is good to clear your mind and do something for yourself, with no interruptions (ie from the phone, ipad, TV or thoughts of cooking dinner!)  Well I've had a lovely afternoon working on my red work embroidery (almost there), listening to the radio and I've not looked at my ipad once, but I have thought about dinner and sent DH into the kitchen to start cooking!!!  Ah bliss!  Jump over to Kathy's blog to see what other people have been sewing today.

Art Journal

We are spending the next three Textile classes on an art journal.  My chosen subject is the Sunflower (I have lots of photos of sunflowers - I just love them). We are using our tea bag dyed fabric from last month as the basis for each page

Our first task was to try to match the colours from our photos (some people had the real thing - dried roses, poppies and all manner of flowers) using crayons and pencils and then match as best we could threads in the proportion of colour we could see.  I have also looked at the underside of the sunflower and the leaf colours (and yes there is some blue, purple and a tiny spot of pink/red).  I now have my sunflower colour pallet.  This was a really good exercise and one I will use again I think?

I toned down the tea bag dyed fabric with some green and then did a line drawing of a sunflower head and leaf in my sketch book.  I knew I would never be able to reproduce it onto the calico so traced my drawing onto painted white tissue paper and then bondawebbed it to the page!

Our homework is to break down the drawing and pick out bits to draw and sew.  This is going to be difficult.  When I looked closely at the photo's I realised how complex a sunflower is.  So not sure where I'm going to go with this yet, but I have until the beginning of December to decide!!

Red work embroidery and Tea bag dying

Can you believe the amazing warm weather we have had this week?  Yesterday (Halloween) was 24 degrees - that is bonkers! We went for a fabulous walk along the beach and did lots of gardening and had lunch in the garden!

I have also been working on my red work embroidery.  I linked up with Kathy's blog last week for slow Sunday stitching and Karen left a comment about a red work quilt top that was bordered by patchwork stars.  Now that got me thinking, I could do something around this?  Although it might be too small for stars I could try some pin wheels?  Anyway watch this space!

Oh yes and pop over the Kathy's blog tomorrow to see some beautiful hand work that others are doing.

I also did some tea bag dying for my next textile class on Monday.  I wasn't able to go to Octobers class so to catch up I quickly brewed some tea and popped my calico in!  They are all now nicely pressed and layered in shade (I know a bit OCD but so nice) ready to be turned into an art book over the next couple of months.  Hopefully I will have something to show on Monday!

P.S. Excuse DHs trousers hanging in the background.....just be thankful it's not his boxers!

Red work embroidery - Finish!!

I've been working on my little red work embroidery heart this week and also managed to make it up and stuff it!  I really enjoyed doing it and despite saying I wouldn't start anything new I have down loaded another Christmas picture, traced it and will start on it tomorrow.  Which is why I am linking up with Kathy's blog over HERE for some Slow Sunday Stitching where you can see what others are hand sewing!

Puppy classes

Here is lovely Lola next to her certificate and puppy class gifts.  What you can't see is her rosette, which she promptly ran away with and started to chew, it was just too much temptation to have it on the chair next to her!

But she did very well on her 6 week course and can now sit, stand, down, and heel.......if you have a treat in your hand and she happens to want to do it of course!!!

Its hard to believe but she is five months old today, she doesn't seem to be growing into her ears or legs yet but there is still plenty of time for that.  She constantly steals tissues and eats them given the opportunity.  She still loves to chew up socks, but on the whole she hasn't destroyed anything of great value....YET.  But I admit what ever she gets up to she has totally stolen our hearts and we are completely besotted!

Redwork

Some good progress made on my Christmas heart despite having quite a busy weekend with friends over for lunch yesterday (they came to meet Lola really) and then we meet more friends for a pub lunch today!

Nice few days off but back to work tomorrow......boo hoo!

Redwork Christmas Hanging Heart

 I saw Mandy Shaw demonstrating on the Create and Craft TV channel last week and thought I would have a go at one of her red work embroidery designs.  I didn't want to buy a set of four in case I didn't enjoy doing it so went on Mandy's website and bought this little Christmas hanging.

And yes I love it!  Its very easy to do - just simple back stitch and consequently really fast.  This is my progress in a couple of days!  I've since sent the pattern to Faye because she has half term next week and I think she might enjoy doing a bit of hand stitching and you can get about six patterns from the transfer.

Caro Emerald in concert

The month is galloping by and before you know it Christmas will be here!!  I normally work on Thursday but not this week - and it feels sooooo good!  Yesterday I went to Bournemouth with DH and a girl friend to see Caro Emerald in concert, and she was fantastic!

The place was absolutely packed with people aged 40 and upwards (Caro Emerald is only 33 so I wasn't really sure who would be going to her concert).  She was born in Amsterdam and her music falls into the pop/jazz category. She was supported by an amazing eight piece band who played a huge variety of instruments.

It was a great evening and I recommend you check out her music!

I've just come in from walking Lola (she met her new playmates in the park and had a good run so she will need to sleep off the excitement for several hours!) and after lunch I am meeting another girlfriend for coffee for a good gossip and a walk around the garden centre.

I've started a new project (I know I wasn't supposed to, but I couldn't resist).  I will post some photos of progress tomorrow.

Have a good day!!

Germany

I've just spent a rather lovely weekend in Germany with Faye and Matt.  I flew into Cologne, a beautiful city not too far from where they now live.  I spent the day enjoying the fabulous weather and watching the world go by on foot, bicycle, segway and plenty of boats going up and down the Rhine!  Faye joined me after work on Thursday (it feels like forever since I last saw her but it was actually only August) and we spent the night in this hotel (the blue and grey one below).  This was the view from our window!!

 On Friday which was a bank holiday in Germany to celebrate the pulling down of the Berlin wall, we went sight seeing around the magnificent cathedral.

and then on the Toy Train (in England we would call it a Noddy Train!) to the Botanical Gardens where we had a very late lunch - partly due to the fact we got on the wrong train and had to walk back to the train stop!  But as you can see the weather was amazing, not a cloud in the sky!

On Saturday we visited Dusseldorf and had a great time wondering around the old part of the city.  I really loved the Farmers Market.

And before I knew where I was it was back to the Airport and home - Lovely obviously to see DH and the puppy, but soooooo good to see Faye!!

Silk paper and Lola

We have just come back from spending a few days away in Glastonbury (no pictures, I've done Glastonbury Tor to death!!!) but it was fabulous weather - beautiful sunny days and chilly evenings.  We did some walking, or as much as you can do with a 15 week old puppy and I did some sewing and reading - bliss!  I love the way this silk paper has turned out.  I love the colours!  The photo doesn't really do it justice - you can't really see the textures with the french knots and bullion stitch.  Still not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I think I can class it as a finish!!!!!

I usually work on a Wednesday so it's always nice to do something.  And that something was a walk along the beach (if I had planned this picture better you would have been able to see the Isle of Wight needles in the background).  We still aren't brave enough to let Lola off on the beach yet.  There are just too many wonderful smells and she gets so distracted we can't get her back - not even for a treat.  So we are still playing it safe!

Embroidery + silk paper

Not a lot to show for this week!  I have finished the little elephant I was making but need to take a photo to post.  I've also managed to add a few stitches to the paper I made in textile class a couple of months ago.  I'm not entirely sure what I am going to do with it?  A birthday card for someone maybe?  But I am nearing completion of UFOs so that is good!

Felt soldering

I'm a bit out of sync with my textile class photos (the computer is playing up and won't let me log on let alone upload pictures!)  But this is what I did in august - felt soldering.

It was good fun!  I only used cheap felt and I think the results would be far more polished if I used a better quality felt (having said that if it looks too good people don't think its hand made!)

I really enjoy adding the stitching to it and have since stuck it to a tear off note pad.  I went a bit mad with the soldering so have lots of shapes to play around with, so might make a couple of Christmas presents with the left over felt.

Dragonfly

Despite it being a really sunny day yesterday I did manage to get the scraps all placed on my dragonfly.  I've added a piece of very fine net (you can't see it all in the photo) and it is now pinned and ready to be quilted!  Not sure when I will get round to starting though - next weekend we have visitors so no chance of spending any time in my workroom, I guess it will be the weekend after.  But I should be able to manage some more hexies.  Orange is the colour for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge during September so hopefully I will have something to show soon!!

Have a good week

x

RSC - a finish

A finish!!!!  Well almost!  I had five blocks already made up so needed to slice them up and create the disappearing four patch.  Which gave me 25 blocks the perfect number for a small baby quilt.  I was thinking of donating it to Project Linus but I think I'm going to save it, as there are lots of my friends children getting married at the moment it seems likely that babies will start to follow.  So it will go in my nearly completed box and come out when needed.  I can then add a boarder depending on the sex of the child and job done!  I will link this up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge later on because it was created last year following Angela's blog.  You can see what other people are doing this month HERE

Dragonfly

Here is Dragonfly in progress.  After several false starts I re-read the book and realised I should cut out pattern pieces, once I had done that it all started to make a bit more sense.  Lesson to self - read instructions first!!!

Anyway its beginning to take shape now and hopefully I will get some more done this weekend. Today I can actually say I've completed the top of a baby quilt.  I will iron it later and post a picture tomorrow for Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Another finish and a new start!

Another finish!!!  I really love this fish but haven't known how to finish him off properly.  I thought he would look good in a frame but couldn't find one the right size so in the end I tucked the edges over and wend round with the sewing machine.  The only trouble is the edge is now very wavy!!  So a bit disappointed.  It measures equally but still its wavy!! So Ive put it on the table as a table runner and i will live with it for a while and then decide what to do. But in the mean time it is another finish which means i can start something new!!!!!!

So I'm thinking of doing a similar picture to the one above using Susan Carlsons technique of sticking little bits of fabric onto a picture - a dragonfly in this case!  I want to make something for Faye to hang in her new flat in Germany.  Not sure it will be this but I'm not very inspired at the moment, so will see where this goes!

And here are a couple of cards I made earlier today. One is for a work colleague who is getting married in three weeks and the other is obviously a wedding anniversary card.

Weaving finished!! and Lola

Its so nice to be back in my work room.  My poor sewing machine hasn't seen the light of day for weeks, but today I dusted it off and used it!!

My motivation....... I won't allow myself to start a new project until one is finished!  Ah ha I hear you all cry (you've heard that one before)!  so i decided to finish possible one of the easiest to do.  The woven panel was already attached to the front of the bag, the front and back had both been quilted.  Just the handles to make and cut the lining and sew together.  And I'm rather pleased with it.  The photo doesn't really do the panel justice so you will just have to take my word for it, that it looks good!  I started this back in March so job well done!

I can now start something new....

I couldn't possible sign off today without showing you a photo taken yesterday.  This is Tigger who belongs to my Dad and stepmother.  He is the most gentle, good nature dog you can ever hope to introduce to your new 10 week old puppy and he puppy sat brilliantly, even with her nipping his tail and biting his ear and worse still steeling his bone.  But Tigger just lay there and let it all happen around him.  Such a great dog!

Silk paper

Last week I had my Textile class to attend (it was a struggle after the wedding, I didn't realise how tired I was) but I'm glad I made the effort!  The topic was monochrome seascapes.... but of course me being me I thought I would use the colours of silk I had already, rather than buy more!!  Besides which it could be a tropical seascape........

 Here's my attempt at a few sailing boats.  The boats are silk carrier rods by the way.  Not sure even putting stitching on it will make it any better!!  My DH says it looks OK viewed from a distance with your eyes squinted!  Bless!

And this one is palm tree reflections on a Caribbean sea.  You may well laugh out loud - I know I did. Again I'm not sure any stitch will help this rather dismal effort!

But.......

This one has some potential I feel.  I'm thinking delphiniums in a cottage garden?  I will try adding some french knots and see where it goes!

I'm also guessing that maybe this isn't my forte!  But I still had fun!

Faye and Matt's wedding!

I can't help myself, I just had to post a photograph of my beautiful daughter on her wedding day with her new husband Matt!  Are all brides beautiful or am I just biased?  Faye looked stunning and totally took my breath away!  And yes I did shed a tear.  It was a fantastic day, the sun shone (I did buy a wedding umbrella just in case!!) and the ceremony was performed in a pavilion decked with blue bunting to match her bridesmaids, while the guests sat in the garden.

It was an amazing day!

You can just see some of the bunting (that's my only nod to any sewing for this post) in this group photo of the bride, groom, bridesmaids and ushers.  The photographer had them all jumping in the air.  Matts Dad took this just before they jumped!  Its a great picture!