Piecing and pinning.

 

Just putting a small piece together, using my stash of Liberty fabrics on a silk dupion base.

There are prairie points here and there will be Suffolk puffs.

I'm thinking minimal embroidery, perhaps just a little stab stitch to secure these pieces. 

Hopefully the Suffolk puffs will add enough of a finishing touch on here. 

bullions.....

Remember the video from yesterday? Well I told you I had embroidered, embellished and titivated......oh yes, bullion knots a plenty!! This is a great piece of cloth to just pick up an put down as and when....it distracts me from bad stuff like housework and provides an opportunity for contemplation when I need to think, think of a direction, think of inspiration. I would recommend you all get one of these,  perhaps I will call it a thinking scrap......better therapy than medication.

I have been up since dawn working on my newsletter, working on my new class.....more of this as soon as I get everything ready. How does 'an embroiderers ledger' sound.....?

playing with cloth

I had a yearning to play with cloth. I used vintage cloth, printed cloth and surfaces that I created myself for extending embellishment. I pinned them together in full view, sharing the process and then took photographs.

Last night I embellished part of this fragment and I will show you that later.....

on my table....

This is how my table is looking...I hope nobody needs to eat! I think I am hanging back a little with this, taking too long, wasting time. I think I can be excused. Do you have any idea how hard it is to let go of something that has consumed you for weeks? That's how I feel about these big pieces. When this is finished I will be lost for a few days....at the moment it's a constant, pick it up and put it down at will...not once it's finished.

Anyway...once again...it's a regular occurrence...I need to get a grip!

My new class is filling up nicely, thank you...I am always amazed at the faith you have in me...I feel privileged.

more.....

Yes, more white. Gorgeous white though, well I think so anyway. Another section for Helens cloth which is making slow but steady progress. I feel as if I am getting into a better routine although I had to go out yesterday and I've been out this morning to the optician. I didn't know there were so many ways to photograph the humble eyeball! They've been flashed at with glaring lights, had high pressure air squirted into them, been examined microscopically, phew....but at least he said he got great images. Well that's O.K.  then, at least I have photogenic eyeballs if nothing else!!

I hope to make great strides over the next couple of days If only because I can remain indoors, reclusive I am hoping. I may venture out to the shed at some point but that shouldn't be too traumatic. As for the pile of ironing...I shall shut my eyes when I pass that. It will be as if it never existed.

p.s. Hotmail is having problems today. It's fine if you want to leave a comment I can still get those from my dashboard but if you want to mail me leave a message on my facebook for now, thanks.

in love with my needle...

Yesterday evening was lovely. Sitting with my son watching a very far fetched yet entertaining film, punctuated by cries of  ''as if!!'' ''never, just wouldn't happen!!'' and sitting, feet up getting reacquainted with my needle. Have I told you how much I love this fine cotton lawn which I bought at the Knitting and Stitching show? Oh, I have? Sorry about that but I'm telling you again. As I made tiny puffs with it for the throw I decided to use it on another section. I am getting to the stage now where pieces for my throw need to be properly measured, using a ruler and everything!! No more randon bits thrown together on a whim, very precise and accurate is going on here now. Are you impressed? Well this lovely little piece, approximately 6 x 7 inches to be....yes precise!! is made up of a little printed cotton, some hankerchief corners and the beautiful fine cotton lawn you may have heard me mention....

There is still work to be done on it, lots and lots of french knots for one thing, as for the rest, I haven't decided yet.

Now you won't be suprised to hear that I can't put a page on here for my sketchbook. Being a dimwit and everything I really don't know how to do it. I have looked, perused, read, investigated, not a chance. So I think I will have to link to a section, a collection, on flickr. The gobbledegook at the top of the page remains too, like you hadn't noticed. Someone offered to remove that for me, said it was a piece of cake. Guess what? I came out in a cold sweat and was terrified of losing my blog again so I declined. Call me a wuss, I don't care, sticks and stones and all that. Perhaps I can start a trend....you too can have a blog like mine, just give me the nod and I will mess yours up too. Call me anything you like but I'm definitely not selfish...

I have been out this morning, yes, out! I got vouchers for christmas (off the afformentioned son) so I went to spend them. I had seen a lovely jacket that I wanted last week but didn't buy it immediately and when I got home I saw that my nieghbour had beaten me to it, strolling down the road she was in my jacket!! It kind of put me off so I decided aginst getting it, I mean what if we both went to the shop at the same time?? Anyhow, I'm afraid I couldn't resist. I tried avoiding it, looking the other way and everything but it kept calling, so now my little street has the same jacket twice! Never fear, I have a plan..... my neighbour works 9-5, so I wear mine in the day, she can have the night shift! and don't forget, I hardly ever go out so mine will last a lot longer than hers....

at last.....

What a relief to have the clutch bags finished. I originally ordered frames which were faulty when they arrived. I sent those back and ordered more from somewhere else and I seemed to wait an age for them to get here. Maybe it wasn't that long, maybe I was just being super impatient. Anyhow, they're here and they're finished. I had people already waiting for these two but due to unforseen circumstances one person can't take hers, these things happen, it isn't a problem because it means that the red one is available for anyone who wants it. I am so happy with how these have turned out, bigger than my smaller coin purses thay are approximately 8 x 5.5 inches in size (21 x 14 cm) more like a small handbag than a purse. I am definitely going to order more of these frames so keep an eye out for more bags, be warned, you may get bored!
The postman is forgiven though for taking an age with my frames. This week he has brought me gifts, yes gifts. Gorgeous packages of lace have dropped through my letterbox courtesy of the lovely Jane and Mary. Isn't it amazing when people just give you stuff, makes me wonder what I have done to deserve it. I wonder if this is how Victoria Beckham feels when she gets given all those designer dresses? Give me lace anyday, you can't wear a designer dress when you're putting the bins out!!
We had a really good day in York yesterday. a change is as good as a rest they say. I was remarkably restrained in the shopping department too, I am very proud of myself. I did buy a little baby dress from Monsoon kids in the sale though and when I got home last night after an hour of cutting it up I have now got the most fantastic pile of edges and trims. How's that for innovation and seeing an opportunity?
My white silk piece is almost finished. I did want to show you pics of it in progress but we haven't seen the sun here for weeks and I really want good light so I can do it justice. Next time I hope.... otherwise I will have nothing to show you at all. I will also announce the winner of my give away next time too. Now I have to go and sort out piles of lace and trims and find homes for them so that in 2 weeks time I won't have a clue where I have put them!