12/08/2013
continuing the body bag process
As you can probably gather, the body bag is on my mind a lot at the moment. For now I'm just looking, from tomorrow I will be connecting pieces and joining sections together. That means I will have to pleat more muslin and damp stretch a few of the finished silk pieces. I will do that later today, the damp stretching anyway.
I have been feeling a bit ''off'' since Thursday. Sore throat and a little prickly around the face....does that make sense. I was up half the night last night too. I couldn't sleep because of a general ''yuk'' feeling. Consequently the house is only half trimmed for Christmas. I have my main tree up in the dining room. I gave up on the smaller one for the lounge at around 7 pm last night. The lights were spread across the carpet all night, plugged in as we were testing they worked and I have to say....an illuminated carpet is a very pretty thing to behold. If you want to see any of this then it's on my Instagram...
So I hear you say, what on earth has this got to do with embroidery? Well there is a connection, a tenuous one but it's there. Because it's nearly Christmas I'm going to extend my dining table, open it out. I really do know how to live an exciting life don't I? Anyway.......that means I can get my HUGE damp stretching board out and stretch all my lovely silk pieces....see....told you there was an embroidery link here.
12/07/2013
a buttonhole.....
The lemon pouch is fast becoming the handkerchief pouch but that's OK because I quite like handkerchiefs. At some point this weekend I will be searching for all the other vintage handkerchiefs that I know I have......somewhere.
The piece with the green edge is the corner of a vintage handkerchief and I added a single hand bound buttonhole along with some cross stitch hearts and a few lemon French knots. Simple embroidery.....
You may have noticed that I am early today. I nearly never made it at all. I have unexpected entertaining to do this afternoon. Not of the ''fan dance'' or ''tap dancing'' variety. The ''bore a young adult to death'' kind of entertaining if she is expected to sit here for 3 hours and watch me stitch kind. So, and I hope you are impressed with my selflessness here......I will take her shopping. Yes, on a Saturday very close to Christmas....that's if I can find a parking space. I will see you all on the other side.
12/06/2013
where I am up to....the body bag
Earlier this week I laid out all the pieces of embroidery that are finished for the ''body bag'' alongside the artwork/design work/ ledger which accompanies it. I am trying to gauge how much more I need, how many pieces of embroidered silk and how many pleated muslin panels. The answer? I need to pleat more muslin and begin the joining process. Thing is, the spanner that may disrupt the works, I always get new ideas when I do something like this. I am liable to get distracted, go off an a tangent. I have given myself a good talking to. I have insisted to myself that I MUST be more disciplined. Let's hope it works.
Yesterday.....did you miss me? I was up North delivering Christmas related thingies and spending time with my niece who is visiting from Sweden. I only ate one piece of cake all day....but then again I did slightly over indulge in home made cheese and onion pie....
a little message for Beverlee.......I have tried to respond to you both times....I honestly would not ignore you. Unfortunately when I send you an e mail they bounce right back. I am at a loss as to what to do?
12/04/2013
The White Pouch
Yes, the white pouch is now finished. There are handkerchief corners, scraps of cotton cloth, scraps of vintage trim, scraps of vintage lace. There are bullion knots, French knots, web stitches along with buttonhole lace, cutwork, hand bound buttonholes, hand made buttons and applique.....phew. It's like an embroidery menu or maybe even a recipe. Yes, recipe is probably the best word.
I hope you like it. I hope the person who ''ordered'' it likes it......
I am now going to play with the ''body bag'', remember that? If you don't then there are reminders here, here, and here.
12/03/2013
this and that.....again.
So, what's been going on here. Well.....more bullion knots on the lemon pouch. Lots of coffee drunk. Buttons made and added to the white pouch. The white pouch being finished off.
More of that tomorrow.
Christmas gifts are getting wrapped. Christmas cards are being written. I am planning a bound buttonhole for this afternoon. I am going to cut out more cloth for the body bag. Do you remember the body bag? It's been a while.
And it's so dark here......all the time. Every day for weeks.
12/02/2013
lemon.....
Lemon knots, lemon detached chain stitches...lemon/yellow information here....I like how the lemon lifts this, adds a little interest that isn't better than white on white, just different. I used it because of the coloured embroidery present in the vintage handkerchief which forms part of this pouch.
Images 2 and 3 are the same.....the reason? If I delete one both of them disappear. The mysterious ways of Typepad.
This morning I added more pictures to the ''America'' page...scroll down...they are bigger too.
12/01/2013
this and that....
A few little bits of different stuff today. I've been making puffs over at SS3. It's such a long time since I made any of these I had forgotten how appealing they can be. Then there are pouches, this one is barely started but I will work on it more now as the white on white pouch is finished. It's not completely finished but the surface embroidery is complete. Later today I will damp stretch it, then it will need to be backed before the edges are embellished. It will then be ready to wing its way to its new home.
Then there are doodles.....I bought new pens.....this is a little playtime exercise from yesterday, around an hour. I have a hankering to create some backgrounds.....
Finally a moan. I can't get on Facebook. I rebooted my internet. I rebooted my pc. I cleared my cache. It won't let me in. Am I banned? Who did I upset? Any idea of a fix anyone? So if I don't appear over there I am not ignoring you. I am sitting here weeping, wondering what I'm missing.
did this post publish to facebook??? I can't see anything on there....from my end it is giving the message that I am denied access to facebook. all my facebook feeds have red marks next to them indicating no access....please let me know if you see this over there.
11/30/2013
Saturday white with an added pocket
The white on white pouch now has a pocket!!! It also has a lot of scruffy tacking stitches still visible. At the moment they are holding everything together, they will come out tomorrow I hope before this gets its final damp stretch after which it will be backed/lined and put together.
I love this stage...the almost there stage of a piece. It all seems to come together very quickly and before I know it the whole thing will be finished. Having said that I also love the planning stage, the piecing stage and the embroidery stage...it's win win then.
Still no new holiday pictures sorry......I've been attending to domestic chores....cleaning the bathroom, ironing, hoovering....sadly I will have to do all that again at some stage due to the absence of a maid and a butler.
11/29/2013
lace cloth.....
Hi everyone, I'm late today...well later than I hoped should I say. The supermarket run took an aaaaaage and add to that the fact that somehow I couldn't get my derriere out of bed this morning and there are the reasons.
Lace cloth....made by moi. Metallic silk tissue, lace snippets and cotton scrim. I have put this in the shop.....testing the waters so to speak. It is rather lovely.....I might even make some more for myself.
Anyhow, due to my idleness, can't get out of bed behaviour, the America pictures aren't updated. Booo I hear you cry...patience...it's a virtue you know.
11/28/2013
extending white
I have added to yesterdays piece, there are bullion knots and cross stitch but I have also extended the piece, made it longer, bigger. I added Broderie Anglaise cloth to each end and then layered the surface with lace and trimmings. I am on a roll here. Tonight I have plans for applique.....
Tomorrow I am hoping to add more images to the ''America'' page, speaking of which...Happy Thanksgiving. Turkey dinners, yum.
I am looking forward to my own Turkey Dinner on Christmas day. I really don't like cooking, not a happy kitchen occupier at all....except for Christmas. I love to cook the Christmas lunch, so much so that I already have a little list of things I must buy that don't normally reside in my cupboards....dried sage, cloves, thyme, dried cranberries, peanuts, mini marshmallows for chocolate fridge cake....are you salivating yet?
11/27/2013
white on white laid on a page
The white on white pouch is evolving. Hand bound buttonholes have been added along with cutwork, bumpy bits and other hand embroidery stitches. I have extended it this morning in terms of surface area, adding more cloth to the edges. I will begin to embroider those this evening.
I laid it on an old page for the photographs. I had this book out in order to refer to it for Simply stitch 3, tomorrows video, and whilst I was taking pictures of this page I thought how the white on white might look more precious with this as background. I will let you be the judge of that but my opinion?...........it's a much better backdrop than a table.....
11/26/2013
how the ledger looks today
Yesterdays pieces are now mounted in my ledger. The page isn't finished yet but it's getting there. Other pieces will be worked on with the Simply Stitch 3 group and once they have been pored over I will show you on here. I have so many ideas for this, for moving it on, extending the pages and the process.....
I'm also working on the white on white pouch. Last night I added a few hand bound buttonholes to that and a little lace. I will damp stretch it later before I take pictures tomorrow.
This morning I went Christmas shopping. It's early I know but I have to deliver gifts ''up north'' very soon so thought I had best get my act together. That's one thing ticked off the list now which feels good. Don't get me wrong, I haven't finished ALL the Christmas shopping, just the stuff that needs doing early. I have also added a few more picture to the America trip page....here...they are at the bottom, scroll down....
11/25/2013
a ledger in progress
Did you miss me? I haven't actually been anywhere but I have not been online since Friday night. It's quite liberating in some ways but there is an overwhelming sense that you are missing something, that exciting things are happening and you're not aware of them. I know...I'm a loser...but I am a loser with insight and that's got to be good right....
My weekend has been great, family, meals, chat, laughter, remembering the wedding and the holiday...it was wonderful. Talking of the wedding and the holiday...I have a page....here. There aren't many images on yet but I will add to the page bit by bit so keep checking back.
Todays pictures? Exciting things happening in my ledger in conjunction with SS3....so many ideas, too many ideas, so much playing, lots of playing left to do.
11/22/2013
Friday white
First of all....sorry...about the pictures. There is a funny kind of light today, a pinkish light, weird. Anyway, I have added more to the white pouch, some bumpy bits and some web stitches. It's coming along, getting there. I had hoped, intended, to make three of these in time for Christmas and put them in the shop. I don't think it will happen. The days are galloping by, passing too quickly and aside from that exciting things are happening over in Simply Stitch 3. I am becoming distracted, easily distracted but what's a girl to do?
Also here, last picture, some beautiful white, vintage handkerchiefs I just bought. Aren't they beautiful? Heavenly actually, I adore them.
This weekend my daughter and her HUSBAND (can you believe that? My little girl has got a husband. How did that happen?) Anyway, they will be here but not completely here all the time, they will be in and out and during the ''out'' time I am going to try and sort out the holiday/wedding images for you. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.....
11/21/2013
new
This is new work which is developing over in Simply Stitch 3. None of these pieces are actually completed yet, they all need varying amounts of attention before they can be considered finished. I am excited about them all though. Each piece here has so much potential in terms of moving them forward into more work, developing more ideas. My head is actually close to exploding with ideas.....more stitch, some cloth, a little doodling....the possibilities are endless.
I need to find a home for them too......in the manner of doodle doo. They need their own space, similar to doodle doo in so far as a book all to themselves. Never fear....I'm on it.
11/20/2013
an updated doodle doo video
I take no credit for the printed art on the pages of this book. That is c. Anthropologie.
I did it, I promised I would. An updated video of doodle doo....
11/19/2013
sorry......
I am really sorry....honest. I said I would make you a doodle doo video. I forgot however that I had to go out this morning, to the garage. At the garage they don't care about nice things like white on white embroidery, silk and such. Their concern is for cars and oil and grease and fumes.....so tomorrow....promise.
I hope I have made amends in a small way by photographing my white pouch on a couple of doodle doo pages. Please tell me I'm forgiven. I have added to this piece, more cross stitch, some French knots and a few web stitches. It's coming on, it's progressing, it's getting there.
Now I have to dash. I am behind with everything......
11/18/2013
The simply stitch 3 pouch
It's all about pouches at the moment. This is the pouch I have been working on with my group of girls. Then there is the white one and this one. Confused? You must be because I am. All three are in progress along with pages for doodle doo and other painted, pricked and stitched stuff. I'm struggling to keep up. There must be a need for a list, there has to be. Talking of doodle doo.....I may make you a video about that tomorrow, a walk through that particular ledger.
I think the phone pictures were a success yesterday? You let me know if you disagree but one commenter (you know who you are) said they look forward to the next 100. All I can say is be careful what you wish for!!
11/17/2013
life on a telephone?
Here's the thing. I downloaded 1700 images from my phone yesterday. Who knew I had that many? Not me. Thing is they are quite good images, probably all on Instagram but hopefully better quality in PC terms if they are viewed on here. Don't worry....I'm not putting them all on. Today there is a selection.I hope you like them. If you do then over time I will add more.
They are all related to cloth in some way. After all they are a record of my days and my days always have a connection to cloth. They are of home, of moments in other places.....
So....I got to the very last image for today and Typepad decided it was having a break. I couldn't annotate that one. It's my table....an evening sometime.....most evenings actually. I will get to the wedding/holiday pictures. I have yet to pin them down but then I did get a little distracted.
11/16/2013
white
I put this piece together yesterday afternoon to work on last night. It's just two vintage handkerchiefs and a little broderie anglaise with a tiny piece of lace trim. I love how effective it is, how the different cloths live side by side. I have added cross stitch, bullion knots and some basic stab and running stitches up to now. This makes three pouches in progress. I have the one from yesterday that I am working on with the girls in SS3 along with this one.....Heather, do you have a preference?
Also, some good news....I have managed to transfer my USA images from my phone to the PC. The bad news? They have randomly distributed themselves into various folders in the ''my pictures'' section of my hard drive. I now have to search them out and write down the folders in which they can be found. Fingers crossed you will get to see them in a couple of days.
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