Lots happening on the table today.
The outer part of the drawstring bag is finished in terms of surface stitching.
I now need to make cords for that.
The small piece of patchwork in the centre will be added to the larger piece of patchwork on the right whilst the two tiny patchwork pieces on the left are just an idea I am playing with.
Busy fingers here!
It seems like a long time since I did any notebook stitching.
I came across this page yesterday and I'm tempted to continue where I left off here.
There are also new plans for patchwork, an idea I have for a new surface.
Too many ideas, too little time.
It's an old one today, Guilloche stitch.
Some of you may not have seen this video.....it's from 2018!
I was so much younger then ha ha.
I think some of you will enjoy this, it's a lovely stitch.
There is a short video here so you can make your own minds up.
Pink gingham, patterned fabric, sheer white dotted Swiss, floral patchwork motifs, a new drawstring pouch in progress.
There are four more floral patchwork pieces to add to this surface and white fabric cords to be made for the gingham channels.
This will then be lined and a drawstring added at the opening.
You probably won't see it again until it's finished.
Wish me luck!
These samples have been languishing for quite some time.
Patchwork motifs mounted on painted silk backgrounds.
My intention was to create a little silk book with these, the painted area being the page background.
I have another eight or so patchwork motifs that do not have painted pages though and in all honesty I can't face painting more silk.
So, strips of Liberty fabric forming mounts...that was the brainwave.
They will be smaller than shown here when they are finished as I intend to turn the edges, mitre the corners and neaten them.
You can read a blog post here about this piece.
It's growing slowly but as you can see I have piles of patchwork pieces ready to add to it.
My favourite process here is making the actual 'grandmothers flower garden' pieces.
It's meditative. It's relaxing and I do have a love of the repetitive.
It's crumpled.
It hasn't been damp stretched...ever.
I created this piece for a specific space in my home, a sofa which gets a lot of wear.
As I was embroidering the cloth and piecing the patchwork flowers I was convincing myself....this is the piece that will go in the washing machine.
By the time it was finished I was OK with that.
I finished it a couple of days ago and true to my plan I threw it in the washing machine.
Then I got extra brave and put it in the tumble drier.
It will definitely NEVER be ironed.
Meanwhile, I'm embracing the 'lived in' look.
I'm focusing on a couple of things at the moment.
A fabric mount is in progress for a sample relating to my drawstring bag (which is also in progress).
There are patchwork motifs being created for that drawstring bag along with some grandmothers flower garden patchwork to use on this piece.
I have also this morning pinned the backing on a wrapping cloth which should be finished and ready to show you very soon.
My hands are never idle!
The table.....now.
The wrapping cloth on the left will be backed with the yellow fabric.
I have been measuring marking and pinning.
More patchwork pieces are being cut from gingham offcuts too so that I can progress my drawstring bag.
If you are in my class...hello! You may notice something annoyingly wrong with the fabric on the right.
Safe to say it's giving me a headache with my plans.
I'm not crying....yet.
I will make a video to speak about this on Monday.
Small embroidered samples, gathering information for a new drawstring bag.
Initially I intended to create my new bag using gingham but after sampling have decided I much prefer a white base cloth with gingham highlights.
I now have a lot of the patchwork flowers to create as I need nine of those in total and I also need to source some white silk ribbon.
The fabric with cartoon like small children was bought in Sweden several years ago.
Thankfully I have managed to find some more with a UK based supplier as I am running low.
Now I just need to stalk the postman!
Something a little bit different from me today.
I figured since I have spent all weekend making two baby blankets you needed to see them to prove I haven't been idle.
No they aren't for me!! and no, there are no new grandchildren on the horizon.
But.....I can't say who they are for either.....sorry about that.
Really this kind of thing isn't my forte.
These pieces are completely devoid of embroidery, that way they can be thrown in the washing machine.
I did buy a lightweight wadding to put in the sandwich but chickened out because I'm not clever enough to figure that out.
I doubt the babies will freeze though, they do have a 'weight' to them.
Note to self.....take patchwork and quilting lessons!
I've been wrapping up loose ends with this design collection as the wrapping cloth is ready to be finished.
It seems I have 6 unfinished fabric beads!
So, a quick 'how to'.
My little pouch is finished and is now available in my shop.
The edges were closed with hand stitch and a pretty, contrasting printed fabric has been used for the lining.
You'll also notice that I couldn't resist adding a Suffolk puff too, I'm a sucker for Suffolk puffs.
Also in the shop, these two pretty pin pillows.
Today's plans....
Measure, mark and line my 'mushroom' wrapping cloth.
Finish the embroidery in the hoop.
Line the pink gingham piece with the blue cherry fabric.
Make five big gingham Suffolk puffs.
And below....
Already ticking things off that list.
Yes, more pink gingham.
Design work for a new drawstring bag...a pink gingham drawstring bag with child themed applique.
I have woven paper and gingham here for the backgrounds of this sampling which I feel works well.
These pieces still need to be finished and I'm also piecing more samples.
The more information I have to hand when deciding on my final design the better,
Last image, patchwork pinned and ready for the next section to be embellished.
This piece is developing nicely!
It was damp stretched last night ready for the final section to be embellished before I line it and put it together.
There's a 'freshness' to gingham that I love.
Below is a short video from when you last saw this which explains what I'm doing here.
Following on from my last post.....three more headers for hand embroidered samples.
There are four more waiting to be done, I'm slowly getting there.
Do you remember this post?
I have finally started the process of finishing these pieces in order to create another cloth sample book.
After thinking about it I decided to use cloth headers, it really is the most practical solution.
The strips of Liberty print fabric that are pinned here will be embellished with hand stitch at the seam.
There are seven more pieces requiring headers and once they are all finished with decorative embroidery they will be joined to finish the new cloth sample book.
A little surface design happening over in class.
Collage, ribbon, papers, tags...all hand stitched to a white base.
This work is moving on, can't show you yet but I'm getting there.
I've been gathering, or more accurately 'scrabbling' around to find things that will fit as I progress my latest design collection.
I think I have fallen a bit short to be honest.
It's true when they say you can have a house full of stuff but still not have the one thing you need!
I'll crack on and make the most of what I've got, I will try and be inventive
(don't laugh)
A table full of samples.
There are ten 'pieces' here.
I say ten pieces but there are many more than that as each piece is made up of at least two embroidered samples.
They need to be attached? joined? a cloth book? or maybe a folded situation? joining these at the side edges not the top edges?
That option needs thought....maybe a border of cloth on that edge which can be folded without folding the embroidered samples?
I'll have a think.
Yes, more patchwork, more Grandmothers flower garden.
If you look at the first image there is quite a large piece of patchworked hexagons, it looks a little bit like Australia to me!
It's at the top of that image.
A little while ago...OK.....quite along time ago I had a plan for a single bed size patchwork coverlet.
That's as far as I got.
What can I say, distractions, daunted.....
But, last night, looking at my recently pieced Grandmothers flower garden patchwork it occurred to me that I could add them to the Australia piece.
Nothing would match.
It would be a mishmash of all sorts.
What do you reckon?
"Mishmash" (a confused mixture or jumble)
(I'm sure you know what mishmash means but I do love a definition)
A little patchwork today, Grandmothers flower garden, hexagons.
I love making these, I lose myself, repetitive, meditative stitching.
There are no plans for these as yet but that's OK, they're here, they will be used at some point.
I'm in no rush.
Thanks so much for all the love on the 'pillows' earlier this week. It's really appreciated.
There are just these two left in the shop now.
(if your country isn't listed for shipping please contact me and I will try and work something out)
