05/10/2014
Oversized White Pocket Pillow
Oh my goodness it's huge.......it's a new pocket pillow, a white one. It's got hand made buttons and loops and applique and knots and piping and hand bound buttonholes. It's a pocket, a big pocket and a pillow, a big pillow. Stick pins in it, I have, it won't hurt honest! It measures overall 20 x 13 inches. (51 x 35 cm) Is that big enough? I would say so. It's now in the shop along with the class, a work on your own class, where you can learn to make one for yourself. It doesn't have to be white, it can be any colour you wish.
Thank you so much for the feedback on lace from yesterday. I am in the middle of making more. I decided I didn't have enough and anyway, my plans for ''4'' demand I make more. Having said that how can I resist just making it for the sake of it if my machine is up? So along with the planned lace for ''4'' I will make more...I have to...you might see that tomorrow.
05/09/2014
lace cloth
I gathered my lace like I said I would. There doesn't seem to be that much actually. I was surprised, I feel as if I am always making lace. Some will be in ledgers and some will be sold but I still expected that I would have more. Oh well....I best get making some hadn't I. Happy days!! A good excuse to play with lace.
It helped, it prompted me and sparked an idea or two....result.
Re my non functioning ''w'' key. Christine hit the nail on the head I think....white......it's over use of the word white. Maybe I should change my preferred colour to black?
05/08/2014
ticking.....
That's my brain not the clock, ticking. Looking, thinking, trying to decide. Which way next? Text options, transfer options, lace options, composition options. More sampling, definitely more sampling. It may even be necessary to do a little doodling, painting perhaps.
(SS4 prepare for an unscheduled video over the next couple of days...I need you)
The lace options are many. I have samples, quite a few samples. You have seen them before but perhaps if I put them on here tomorrow it will help to clarify things for me....perhaps.
In other news....the surface of the white pocket pillow is almost finished. It just needs six bullion loops and it can be damp stretched. Yes six, very precise, I counted.
And.....there is something wrong with my ''w'' key. Oh yes. I have to proof read and then go back. The ''w'' key won't work unless I hit it with some force, my finger hurts but imagine this post with all the ''w'' letters missing. That would make for very interesting reading.
05/07/2014
the body bag
I've been working more on the ''body bag''. It had been put to one side for a while and now it's calling me again. Yesterday I introduced it to the girls in ''4'', they will most likely be seeing quite a bit of it from now on, a change from blue and white. The blue and white will continue but with this as a companion. Speaking of ''4'', I have been asked if it's still available. Well it wasn't....but now it is, here. ''4'' will actually continue through to August so due to ''demand'' it is listed again. You really want to listen to me until August? I admire your resilience! You will jump straight in, have access to it all from day one, no catch up, no deadlines, just cake...
If you're not familiar with the body bag, just click the link in the category list over on the right and it may become clearer but basically this is going to be a bag, a human sized bag....hence, ''body bag''. It's not going to be a prop in the next series of CSI. Well actually, if they asked?
The newest section is laid on top here....a patch, some hexagons and a large applique circle partially edged with bullion knots. It needs more.......I feel some lace cloth coming on.
05/06/2014
everything, well almost
A glimpse for you of everything in progress. Well, not everything but a sizable portion of it. I have been busy with Alchemy, there is a tiny view of that in the top three images along with lace from ''4''. It's the early stages of a design sheet, I'm cracking the whip over there. They're all exhausted bless them. It's not too late to join us....go here if you're considering, are tempted, or just want to browse. We only started yesterday so it would be quite easy to jump in.
I've also pinned these little sections into the bigger cloth. It's like a jigsaw puzzle....then, not visible, out of camera shot is the body bag.....it's making a comeback, I'm working on it as we speak. There is also more lace.....more blue and white......I hope you are keeping up because I'm not sure I am......
05/05/2014
hand bound buttonholes
Two hand bound buttonholes have been added to the white cloth that will become a pocket pillow. I was a bit worried that they wouldn't show up very well in the photographs so I made a video too. It's less than 2 minutes long. I also added the tiny loops you can see along the lace strip that is more obvious in the third image.
This piece is almost finished, I found a few minutes last night to titivate with the buttonholes. When I say almost finished I am talking about the surface embellishment. I still need to put it together, make a pocket, make a pillow, make rouleau loops....OK, not nearly finished then!
Thanks so much for the response to my lace buttons yesterday...wow....I am hoping to add them to some lace soon, an edge, a final titivation. I will show you when that's done.
I was awake at the crack of dawn this morning, big plans to see through. I have made three videos for ''4'' ( you will get those tomorrow girls) and posted the first installment of Alchemy. (if you are registered for Alchemy please get in touch if you didn't receive any sign in info, passwords etc) so it's mission accomplished so far today. I'm off to put the kettle on.
05/04/2014
five lace buttons and playing with composition....
I've had fun this morning. It started with an extra hour in bed, just couldn't get my bones out from under the duvet what can I say. Despite that I made videos and I played with bits and pieces, composition, arranging and rearranging. There will be a lot of that happening in Alchemy you see, I need to practice.
Have you noticed the buttons? I was inspired to make more, lace ones this time. They will fit along an edge of one of these delicate samples.....I feel a new addiction coming on.
(if you are registered for Alchemy 2014 I will mail you this evening with a short video concerning privacy and images. Sign in information for the class blog will be sent tomorrow)
05/03/2014
buttons
Friday evening, button night. Four hours, nine hand made buttons made and attached. I love them....yes love. I am quite fickle with my devotion aren't I. I loved something else last week. It is possible to love more than one thing, it is.
More piped cord has been added to this, some bullion loops are taking shape, progress is being made although if you look closely there are still quite a few open spaces on here. I have decided this will be a white pocket pillow. I can't continue with it this evening though....the remainder of my weekend will be concerned with preparation for Alchemy. I will be immersed.
05/02/2014
embroidery and cloth
I'm back....did you miss me? No? Thought not. You've had a few days peace, what's to miss.
London was amazing, London is always amazing. Helen had a lovely birthday. We went on the Thames Clipper, to Tate Modern, out for lunch, out for a birthday meal. We went shopping...oh yes...There is a little glimpse here of some of the cloth I bought, some silk, some Broderie Anglaise, some embroidered cotton. I bought Liberty prints too, you will see them eventually honest. If you're in ''4'' or have signed up for Alchemy you will most likely see them next week.
Remember the piece that was in my hoop recently...here....? It's finished, it's here, laying on my new cloth along with another piece I made for the same purpose. I'm making these to fill gaps in this. I think I said that before?? To be honest this particular cloth will most likely take a back seat for a few weeks now. I have a huge list of wishes in my head...things to make....plans. I have new cloth to play with and I can resist anything but temptation.
Alchemy 2014 begins in two days....yikes.....I need to pull my socks up and get to it.
04/29/2014
Helen
Today it's my little girls birthday. I am probably eating cake. Happy birthday Helen, we love you to the moon and back.
04/27/2014
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and last nights hoop....
I've
emptied my phone of images in preparation for filling it up again in
London. Don't think I haven't been working though because I
have...embroidery in a hoop. Cutwork, applique, tabs, bumpy bits, French
knots, bullion knots, white, pink, green, trims of lace, seams of cross
stitch....that's a lot because this piece is tiny.
This afternoon I will be working in blue and white, in my ledger, text and scraps of lace. That is the homework I have set the girls in ''4'' for when I'm flouncing around London. I will show you my efforts when I get back.
I will be posting to Instagram whilst I'm away.....miss you already.
04/26/2014
compare....
There are three pieces here, one new, two not new. The new piece is the white with piping cord......with bullion knots binding the piping. I don't know yet what it will be but it's enough for now just to play with it, titivate it. The other two pieces were on the table, for a reason, a ''refreshing my memory'' task, a reminder of what can be done, which surfaces can be created.
I love all these images today, I probably couldn't pick a favourite........good thing i don't need to.
Don't forget Alchemy registration closes tomorrow.
SS4 girls, I have video for you tomorrow....a final flourish before I abandon you and leave for the big smoke.
To be honest I think this break will be good for me. Yesterday it was cream, today the cabinet has fallen off my bathroom wall. I have no explanation, nobody in the bathroom, alerted by the crashing. It's time to go away.
oh and finally, because my confidence in Typepad remains low....you can also read this over here
04/25/2014
progress in ''4''
I am typing with fingers crossed, (quite difficult), my toes are crossed too....and my legs. All of this in the hope that we don't disappear today, enough already.
I am going to cary on as if nothing at all could go wrong...ignore it, bury my head in the sand. All that could of course change if during the course of today something goes awry....I will be you know where if that happens.
These pictures, this lace....sigh.....work from ''4''. The first images are of my newest piece, the others of the collection that is rapidly growing. There are more...in a ledger....but for today it's just these. I am actually considering changing the name of my house from ''Ruane Towers'' to ''sample central''.....I am surrounded by them. I know that when I'm gone, (in around 100 years), I know that all these will end up in a skip, a dump or set light to with a match, I just know it. I won't really care I don't suppose because I won't be here and I have to say I do feel sorry for my kids with all the stuff they will have to sort out but for now....I'm here, staying for longer than I ought and I love being surrounded by this ''stuff''.
I went off topic a bit there didn't I? Sorry about that.....
I am off to London first thing Monday morning. I will post tomorrow and Sunday, of course I will, I can't keep away, but.....Alchemy will not be available after Sunday basically because I won't be here to send out the mail and PDF documents you get when you register. I will list it again when I come back I'm just not sure yet which day that will be, it could be Friday...we start a week on Monday. You can read more about Alchemy here and see some of the brilliant work from last years group.
I'm going now....I made a mess. I dropped a whole half pint of double cream on the kitchen floor and I did clean it up but I'm thinking some may have gone under the cooker so I'm off to check.
04/24/2014
a page and a scrap of cloth
you can scrap this....it went down as I was typing.....enough is enough is enough.
You can find me here again if this goes missing.
***I'm staying put today, placing all my faith in Typepad...that they won't go AWOL, that they won't let me down. I can't be doing with this back and forth, I don't know whether I'm coming or going, staying or leaving. One thing I have learn't.....a nomadic life style isn't for me.***
Last night I titivated a tiny scrap of cloth to fit in one of these gaps, whilst I was at it I added something to a ledger page, just because I could.
This morning I had plans to make a video for my girls in ''4'' before I leave them and flounce off to London next week......ha, some hope. Every obstacle imaginable was placed in the way of that little plan. Never fear....I always have the weekend. I will banish everyone to the far reaches of the house, demand solitude and quiet.
04/23/2014
a pocket pillow....
Ding Dong.
I'm going to start today with a public service announcement.
For the next few days, if Typepad goes AWOL, you will be able to see my posts over here.
Over and out.
Today.....a pocket pillow. I love this, love it I tell you. I nearly didn't put it in the shop but I've already got one, this one. How many do I need? I am officially out of gingham now. That has gone on the London shopping list along with Liberty print fabric, lace, cotton seersucker and any other titivated cotton I can clap my eyes on. I may also get some Broderie Anglaise....we shall see. I intend to resist vintage. I have a lot of vintage however I may need more for Alchemy....and as you know I can resist anything but temptation.
04/22/2014
this week....
I am hoping you get to see this, that Typepad doesn't go AWOL again. Yesterday I wrote a post over here.....go have a look if you missed it, it's quite interesting, lots of gingham.
Today is a recap of the past few days from my phone. I'm told that some of you quite like to see these. The eagle eyed amongst you will notice that I bought new thread, ate an Easter egg and that one of my walls needs new wallpaper. What can I say....you have to take me as you find me, but the kettle's always on!
04/21/2014
04/20/2014
putting scraps together
I spent a couple of hours yesterday piecing scraps together for this, so that I can move a little closer to finishing it. I cross stitched some cotton cloth and when that was damp stretched I cut it up for tabs, applique...titivation's. It's all about cohesion, that's how the cloth was put together initially, I'm trying to keep that process going, new pieces matching with those that were made quite a while ago. The magazine is out because I like to re read...to remind myself why I do this. It's not that I forget or that I am not aware of why I do this 24/7, my motivation is ever present. It's just good sometimes to see it in black and white, it kind of gives me ''clarity''.
This article is from 2011. You can read it here on my old blog. In fact there is a lot of reading on my old blog so perhaps you could have a wander around over there sometime. I do, I have almost a whole life of creativity over there.
04/19/2014
striped cloth, piping and bullion knots. A pocket pillow.
I promised you pink and pink it is. Stripes, gingham, Broderie Anglaise, piping and bullion knots. It's not even a quarter finished yet, covering piping cord with bullion knots and adorning a single seam with bullion loopy things takes and age...a happy age, a good way to while away a few hours but an age none the less. When it's finished it will be like this, a pin pillow and a pocket all in one.
You can learn how to make these if you like. I have listed the pillows and pages class as a work on your own package today........details at the foot of this post.
I'm loving all this pink. I always do and it always surprises me. I'm not a girlie girl by any stretch of the imagination, not even the wildest of wildest imaginations. My clothes are black and white and shades of grey. I have no time for make up, lipstick, any of that. Perhaps my femininity is satisfied by the occasional foray into pink stitching.
I apologise for yesterday...Typepad.....I don't know why I'm apologising really but most likely because they won't. This little home of rambling was inaccessible for hours. It played havoc with my stats and I posted gorgeous blue and white stuff that you probably missed. If you've got time, scroll down another inch or so and you can see what I'm talking about.
Now did someone say it was Easter? That means chocolate eggs. Guess what I'm going to be doing later then?
Individual Learning. Pillows and Pages.
04/18/2014
delicacy and metal....
Shhhhhh.......it's very quiet today. Everyone is in their car, stuck in a traffic jam, a fine old Easter tradition. As you can see I'm not. I'm here, playing with metal fastenings and lace and pretty stuff. Bright white delicate cloth and a blue and white ledger.
I'm also stitching gingham and stripes, a new pillow pocket. If I get that presentable, (meaning damp stretched) before tomorrow I will show you. It's pink, I expect you are becoming used to seeing pink here now. My current colour palette incorporates quite a bit of pink, quite a bit of blue and an awful lot of the ever present white.
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