Feeling Lazy

I cannot seem to get myself going today.  I am joining my gorgeous girls and being lazy!  They are Bengals which are bred from Asian leopard cats.  The top one is named Mishti Nikoo and the bottom one is Himani Minoo ( Indian and Persian names)

Circles Quilt

I decided that it was time to finish some projects that have been hanging around for a while, and  clear the decks for some new work.  I also needed a break from dress making which I have enjoyed revisiting after many years.   The background of this circle quilt was started several years ago, and last summer I added all the circles.  It has sat layered and tacked together ever since and now is the time for quilting it.  The quilting which I am making up as I go along, is going to be fitted around other things and so may take a few weeks.

I thought I would give you a peak, though I won't show you the whole quilt until it's finished.

The quilt has been made of Japanese fabrics.

I tacked the quilt together with a basting gun and add a few extra pins as I start to quilt in specific areas.  To start with I am going to sew in the ditch around the circles and then echo quilt some of them also. 







Here is what the back looks like after my first quilting session.

Pauline Verrinder Workshop

I recently spent a very enjoyable and productive weekend with The Textile Beas at Denman College with Pauline Verrinder.  Pauline is a mentor and part of the Fibre Fusion group who who often exhibit and have written several excellent booklets about embroidery.

We spent the weekend exploring scrim and wire along with other materials with machine and hand stitch.  I made several small pieces which I hope to take further when I have some spare time.

 

By stitching on the scrim, the threads are pulled apart and manipulated to create a lace like structure.  To see some amazing pieces made by Pauline Verrinder go to her website at Pauline Verrinder.com.

Felt has also been added to this sample.  As the pieces are wired they may be manipulated.

Yet Another Shawl!

I so enjoyed making the winter shawl as it was such an easy pattern.  I decided to make another one with some gorgeous Fibrespates wool bought at the Knitting and Stitching show last year in a dark pink. I would tell what the wool was called but have lost the label.  All I can say that it is super soft and has a silky sheen with a fluffy haze!  I love this colour and the wool knitted up perfectly with the pattern.

Wonderwool Wool

A couple of months ago Sonia, my sister and I stayed with my friend Susan in Wales and we attended  the  "Wonderwool" show.  We had a great time and I treated myself to a beautiful hank of hand dyed wool to make a little winter shawl. The stand  I loved was named Fivemoons and I had a hard time choosing the colour as they were all so yummy. In the end I bought some Diana 4 ply, colour Roman  Mythology made from 50 per cent super wash merino and 50 per cent silk, costing £16.50.  I was given a free pattern with my wool and I finished knitting the scarf a couple of weeks ago.

It is so soft and will keep my neck so cosy next winter.  The picots around the edge may be blocked to make them more pronounced but I liked the bobble look.  The shop also sold packs of small amounts of different coloured wool for making projects with granny squares and similar.  The web site is www.fivemoons.co.uk.

Glitzy Fabric Buy

I went out yesterday to Reading and bought some sparkly and glitzy fabric to make some party tops.  From John Lewis I bought some beautiful cream sequinned lace and from Fabric Land some cream t shirt fabric to go with the lace and some other velvet and sequinned stretch fabrics.  I am not sure yet what they will turn into but you will be the first to see them!

Deckles Anyone?

I just thought that I would let everyone know that. I am selling 3 wooden paper making deckles in my Folksy shop.  I originally bought a whole load from Art Van Go when I taught a paper making class and these were left unsold.  If you are interested then please follow the link to my Folksy shop.

One More Tunic

I made one more variation of my tunic with t shirt fabric on the back and sleeves and a cotton fabric on the front. I sewed a smaller seam allowance to allow a little more room and so I had to adjust the neck as well.  I think I made it a tiny bit too tight and it puckers slightly but otherwise I was pleased with it.

Taking Textiles Further - More photographs

Joining repeat patterns

    Weaving above and looping below.

Taking Textiles Further

I recently attended Missenden Abbey, on the third weekend of the year of Taking Textiles Further; a master class with Janet Edmonds.  We were instructed to use tints and shades of one colour and if we liked we could add white and black as well.  We then had to explore making small samples of different 3D techniques using our chosen theme, which for me was a return to apple blossom. I explored weaving, looping and layering as well as other techniques.