A cloth for James

I am too good to you!! I am so good to you that I get to play with cloth and talk you to sleep!! Torture of the worst kind....not. Another video for you today, hope you like it, about six minutes long. Honestly you can't shut me up these days!!

And just because I can, another plug for my next class....buttons and more...starts next Monday. Over here if you want to know more. If you don't then you can skip this bit.

Some buttons to tempt you?

( we won't necessarily be making these particular ones )

have a lovely Tuesday.

first cloth....

Something slightly different for you today. I say different, the reason remains the same yet the cloth, stitch and surface are completely different to 'now'. These are the first two 'wrapping cloths' I made way back when, 2004 to be precise. At that time I was studying the theory surrounding the history of women and cloth going way, way back as far as Biblical times. At the same time, my eldest child Helen had gone away to University. I was bereft. I missed her, I was floundering as I would no longer be able to physically hold her close, keep her safe. I had a desire to wrap her up, keep her safe, keep our relationship precious. So the first cloth emerged....over 300 buttons sewn on by hand, a life size piece, the same height as the height of my daughter at that time. The fragile pink thread, only just visible hanging free in the second image, a thread I removed from the hem of one of her infant gowns and painstakingly stitched by hand into the fabric of this cloth.

The second cloth, for my youngest child James. Again an awareness of his growing and developing into an independent adult. Another human sized cloth, the fractured surface revealing precious metallic silk. In truth this represents the protective cover I wished to provide wearing away, almost being torn away against my will. Applied to the surface of my cloth for James, torn and worn fragments from his baby blanket. A precious blanket, vintage when he first received it, a gift from my maternal grandmother.

I have revisited these cloths for the purpose of my class. I am so happy I did because now I can share them with you. I hope the explanation wasn't too 'heavy' for you...

If you are taking my class you have seen these before.........That doesn't matter because you shouldn't be here anyway!!! You should be sewing!!

in progress.....

More work for the shop, when I finally get round to it that is! These will eventually become pin cushions, honest they will as soon as I can be bothered to get the sewing machine out to back them. I have been a bit distracted today, explanation coming up but it has been a busy 24 hours. I have finished another white fragment, that's for next time, started another white fragment and been searching online for plain bindings for my new and exciting venture.

Now , my busy 24 hours.....It is my little boy's birthday today!! Now he is all grown up I would say he is even more adorable but I know that's hard to believe! We went out for a meal last night and this morning has been gifts, cards, balloons and cake. Now he has gone to the football with his dad and straight from there he is going away for a birthday celebration with his friends. My mothering is done for the day, I don't mind, I am happy because he is happy, so happy birthday James. We love you more than we could ever express.

So I am on my lonesome, not a bad thing, I can make a mess, cut up cloth, spread threads through the house. I can have fun making, playing and planning....and very exciting news...I have it on good authority that I am getting a FULL TWO PAGE SPREAD in the magazine...all my birthdays have just come at once!!!

just for you....

Hi!! I am so happy today, in such a good mood. That's because I had the best weekend ever. Both my kids at home, a delightful christening, a beautiful baby. I listed my books, I was amazed at all the brilliant comments I got over on my guest post. I'm feeling a bit spoilt truth be told...So, this morning, agonising over what to post because I have done zero stitching at all since thursday!! Yes, thursday...I came up with an idea to spread the love. Don't worry, I haven't gone all gooey all of a sudden, I will be back to my miserable self in no time at all but if I was you I would enjoy it while it lasts!!! Anyway....babbling again...do you know this is my 561st post!!! I didn't celebrate number 500, very remiss of me, so in an effort to compensate and fill todays blank page I thought I would give something away..

I put this little design sheet/ sketchbook page together. A tiny scrap of vintage embroidery, some wrapped thread to colour match the cloth, a little stitched paper, a composition.

Whoever wins this can either leave it as it is, mounted on high quality watercolour paper, they could use it as an additional page in their own sketchbook or it would be usefull as a scrap of old rubbish to write your shopping list on... a multi tasking mini design sheet!! All you have to do is leave a comment, simple as that. AND...now don't pass out or faint or anything, tomorrow I am giving something else away!!

Back to yesterday and the weekend and the christening and all that. Those of you who were around last night will have seen that I posted pics from the christening, scroll down and you will get a look at the three people who light up every day for me...

that's enough gooey stuff for at least a year, back to misery tomorrow...see you then...

Lydia....

Lydia on her special day with my little girl and my ''little'' boy....