Last year I started a SAL by Tempting Tangles called Enlightenment. The patterns are released every two weeks and there’s still another two patterns to go but I’ve finished it!!
Last time I showed it to you I was here…
It was pretty obvious where the design was going (which was somewhat disappointing) especially when the pattern came out for the next section which took us up to the middle of the bottom row…so I just kept stitching to get it finished.
I’m pleased it’s finished, I’m going to make it into a cushion for our guest room. I like the colours, especially in the border which uses a beautiful variegated thread. I actually added more colours than the pattern suggested. The design just used four threads, brown, dark green, soft green and the variegated. I used three or four extra shades of green to bring in a bit more variation – for example, the round trees should all have been stitched in the darker green.
I like it, I just expected a bit more interest, a bit more variation.
My plan this year was that I wasn’t going to do any stitch-a-longs or quilt-a-longs, I was just going to do projects I already had in the pipeline! Then Faby Reilly released details of her next stitch-a-long, the Anthea Calendar, my resolve disappeared immediately and I signed up within minutes!
This is a monthly SAL, each month we’re sent a design which has flowers on for that month – Anthea means flowers or blossom in Greek. Faby’s designs are always beautiful so I knew I would like them.
I’ve just finished the design for January – a gorgeous bunch of snowdrops. Just to show you how Faby’s designs develop, here’s the snowdrops when I’d stitched all the cross-stitch and just started the back-stitch. Faby doesn’t use any half or quarter stitches, so it’s pretty straight forward to stitch. I used a soft grey/green linen, at first I thought it might be too close in colour for the snowdrops…
With the blue back-stitching the snowdrops looked fine against the soft green…
Once all the back-stitching was complete I started the embellishments, adding beads, sequins, rice-stitch border and half Algerian star stitches in the corners. It’s these bits that really make Faby’s designs stand out…
Isn’t it gorgeous!! I was hoping to show you it made into a small of some kind, but I haven’t quite decided on the finish yet! I’m wondering now what February’s flower will be, we’ve nearly two weeks to wait!
On Monday my friend and I had a lovely drive over to Scarborough, a seaside town on the East Yorkshire coast. We were going to see a piece of my work in an exhibition – it was pretty exciting as I’ve never had something exhibited like that before!
Back in the summer I heard about a project being organised to celebrate 200 years since Anne Bronte’s birth. Anne was one of the famous literary Bronte sisters, she was born in Haworth, just up the road from here, but she died aged about 30 in Scarborough.
She wrote two books, Agnes Grey and the Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Over the years she’s been a bit overlooked by her more famous sister Charlotte,but actually Anne was quite radical in her time, a feminist in a male dominated era. She wrote about how life was for many women, with alcoholic, abusive husbands and no legal means of escape. This didn’t necessarily make her popular with those who preferred the sanitised version of life in their times.
This exhibition and lots of other events in Scarborough this year aim to set the record straight! It’s the brainchild of Lindsey Tyson, she’s done an amazing job getting 200 artists organised! She’s a textile artist herself working from her studio in Scarborough, her work is beautiful.
200 artists were each given a page from a vintage copy of The Tenent of Wildfell Hall and we had to create something inspired by the page, or by Anne herself. I wrote about my piece and how it came about here.
The exhibition opened on Friday at Woodend Gallery on The Crescent in Scarborough. There’s an amazing variety of art media on display, painting, calligraphy, book art, as well as embroidery. I felt pretty proud of my piece!
There’s also a book been published which has a photo of each piece and the artists description…so I’m in print!!! I picked up my book on Monday, it was beautifully gift wrapped!
If you’re in the area it’s well worth a visit, though don’t go this Saturday as there’s some event on so it’s not open. There’s been alot in the press about it, with TV and radio interviews, so hopefully it will be well supported. You never know, I might even sell my piece!
The advantage of doing courses like the Stitchbook Collective is that you can try new techniques out without major expenses, a bit like attending workshops, you can decide if it’s something you want to try more of. A couple of weeks ago I had a messy morning trying Joomchi and gel plate printing. I had mixed results…
Having made the ‘textiles’ I still had to do something with them!
I tackled the joomchi first, this is a bit like felted mulberry paper. Helen, from the Stitchbook Collective, had included some shiny stranded thread to try as she said it works particularly well on the joomchi. It was a cheaper alternative to pure silk thread. I decided to try the pink circle first…
The centre is worn away during the process with the idea that holes start to appear – how big they are depends on how far you go with the process. Mine were still fairly small, I decided to put some ivory silk dupion behind to bring a bit of light to the centre. I chose the pink shiny thread which Helen had sent and simply went round in a spiral. I quite surprised myself how much I like this one now!
Next to be tackled was one of the leaf ones, I liked both of these which always makes it a bit more tricky when decideding how to embellish them! I remembered some real silk threads I’d bought off ebay, I think they were left over from someones project, I chose a soft green and a grey-blue. I embroidered round the edge with herringbone and then used an irregular feather stitch towards the centre. On the inner row of feather stitch I added beads to give a bit of sparkle. The leaf in the centre is slightly clearer in real life. I’m pretty pleased with this one.
The next one was very delicate, I decided to machine quilt it onto silk, just using two shades of variegated thread in a basic meander. It was my first attempt at free motion quilting on my new machine – with a speed regulator and no foot pedal – scary stuff!!
After my success with the joomchi I turned to the gel pate printing. Helen advised tearing one into strips and overlaying it on another. I decided to try the Catbells one – I wasn’t too keen on my first one and the poppy fields had been marked when drying on the radiator.
Well, I like the lake bit….and the sky isn’t bad, but I couldn’t get the mountain to work, I tried overlaying organzas, but they were too shiny, in the end I found some batik in similar colours, tore a strip and gathered it along the botom where the woods are, I embroidered over it but I still don’t like it. I’ve stitched it to a page in the book but I still haven’t decided if the page will be kept!!
Having tried tearing along the markings on the poppy one I couldn’t face spending hours stitching them on only to still not like it, so I’m afraid it’s gone in the bin!!
You win some, you lose some, it’s all a learning experience 🙂
Last month I finally finished my Down the Rabbit Hole quilt so it was time to choose a new project for my Hand Quilt-a-long posts. I was planning for a while to start a different quilt, but having started this Advent SAL before Christmas and got a bit behind, I decided if I didn’t finish it now it would languish for years as a UFO!
Hugs ‘n’ Kisses kindly organised this free mystery SAL, they released a pattern each day for a little bit of Christmas stitching and by the end we had 25 cute mini embroideries. The suggestion was to make an Advent calendar ready for next year. We’ve already got one I made years ago, so I decided to make mine into a runner for the sideboard. This is where things like the Christmas cakes and gingerbread houses are displayed so it would be nice to have a pretty runner.
I found three co-ordinating Christmas fabrics in my stash and started to play about with ideas. In the end I decided to edge them in the red and green fabrics and use the cream in the centre and maybe for an extra border.
A couple of the embroideries were stitched too close together, I patched one but the other I’ve left out as it was also easier to arrange an even number of squares. Similarly I arranged them with one in the middle of the short sides so I would have an odd number down the long side, so the crib could be central!
I’ve just to finish a couple of long seams, decide on final borders, then I can layer it and I’m going to do a very simple big-stitch quilting in red and green thread, well that’s my plan at the moment. Apoplgies for the photo, I couldn’t get it all in without relaying it on the floor, but you get the gist of what it will look like!
This hand quilt-a-long is organised by Kathy, we post our progress every three weeks, it’s a great way to keep motivated!
New members are always welcome, any type of hand quilting is acceptable. That could be piecing, quilting, embellishing, applique and finishing.
Last year I made my mum a cross-stitch small with a beautiful bumble bee on it. The pattern is still available on Etsy, I think it’s gorgeous! I found some cheerful quilting fabrics with sunflowers and bees on to titivate it. We used to keep bees when I was young so it seemed appropriate, she loved it…
The cross-stitch was so beautiful I decided to make myself one too! This time I made it more oblong shaped with a subtle soft green fabric with bees on. I added some mini pompom trim with ric-rac and beads round the edge…
I posted it on facebook and a good friend asked if I would make her one too! Over Christmas I stitched the bumblebee and later sent her photos of three different options for making it up. She chose the pretty green fabric with bees amongst twines of leaves. It’s one of my favourite fabrics at the moment…
I rummaged through my trims drawer to see what would work, trying lace, pom-poms, ribbon – someone asked to see my drawer, well here it is!!!
As you can see I still haven’t worked out a way of sorting it! I tend to pick up lengths at shows or just when I see them. At first I found it quite hard as I didn’t know what I would use – I’m getting better!
I stitched the basic oblong, added bee tape and a gorgeous variegated ricrac which co-ordinated perfectly with the blue of the buds on the fabric. I stitched on the backing and stuffed it. I still felt it needed a little more embellishment so I added some tiny soft gold beads next to the ric-rac – it’s just enough.
I wanted something round the edge, but the ric-rac would have been too much, so I chose three coordinating DMC threads and made some cord. I used two shades of blue and a soft yellow. Now I have a cord maker it’s a two minute job. I stitched it round, forming a loop at the top and a bow behind to finish off the back.
She loves it! I think it’s the first time I’ve stitched a pattern more than once – three times is definitely a record!
Sandra from Wild Daffodil is organising a monthly photo challenge again (last years theme was windows) this year it’s all about textiles – right up my street! Do follow the link to her post to see lots more textiles.
I’ve been playing today,messing about with paints and paper…
I got a bit behind with the Stitchbook Collective, monthly workshops which are produced by Helen Bellingham of Untangled Threads. They’re great, she sends everything you need to try a new technique and as well as written instructions she provides a really good video too. December’s box was on Joomchi, with Christmas etc I hadn’t got round to doing it, so when January’s box arrived and it was also a messy one I decided to have a messy morning!
Joomchi is an ancient Korean paper-making technique which uses water to mesh several layers of thin mulberry paper together to make one pice, it’s a bit like felting with paper. The traditional mulberry paper is pretty expensive here in the UK but Helen has devised a way of using Thai mulberry paper which is easy to get and much cheaper. Helen sent us half a dozen sheets in the pack of random colours, I also happened to have a sheet of handmade paper which I’ve had for years, it feels like a thicker version of mulberry paper, what I love is the leaves and petals that are caught withing it.
I learnt how to tear mulberry paper accurately – just wet a line – so simple when you know how!! I made four samples altogether, first up is the one with a pink circle. The pink is rubbed gently until it becomes almost threadbare, showing lacy holes. For the second sample I used different colours to make a bit of a collage effect.
My favourites are the last two. I’d saved my favourite papers for these – a lovely soft green paper and a blue/grey one with fibres in it, they blended nicely with my leaf paper. I made one by layering strips of paper and putting the leaf one on top, this one is a little fragile really.
The last one was made by making a ‘frame’ in the darker green and then felting it t the grey with a leaf on top. I really like these two. I’ve just got to put some stitches on them now and create something.
This months workshop was on gel plate printing. Helen had sent a gel plate and a selection of paints together with calico etc. There were three main prints from each ‘painting’, the first is the strongest, a second is softer, then the gel is sprayed with water for the third print which gives a lovely watercolour effect. We could also play around with second prints overlaying prints.
My first attempt was just a sort of moorland scene. I then tried a proper scene. Regular readers may recognise the shape of my favourite fell, catbells. I had to concentrate painting it as everything comes out in reverse!
For my final set I felt I really needed to try some different colours, I decided to do a sort of poppy field, overlaying with extra splodges of red. I was pretty pleased with these but when I popped them on the radiator to dry they immediately marked from the metal lines, I’m hoping I can do something arty-farty with these!!
Now I have to do something creative with them, embroider them, embellish them,, even tear them up and rearrange them!!
Over the last couple of years I’ve set a challenge over the year of things I wanted to make or do, I started to compile ideas for Twenty for 2020, but the numbers were just getting too big – it also makes for a long post each month! I enjoyed having the challenge, trying to meet targets without fretting if one wasn’t going to get started, never mind finished, but it needed a new framework…
I’m trying to reduce my stash somewhat – I have to admit (don’t tell anyone!!) but it’s getting a bit out of hand!! Not helped by lots of people passing stuff on to me! I’ve made a list of twenty projects I want to complete over the year. Several of these are projects which I know will stretch me a bit, but I’ve had the fabric and the pattern for ages, prevaricating as I know it’s not going to be a quick and easy make. I’m also hoping that having made one and remembered it’s not so difficult, I’ll go on and make more!
There are also kits which have been in my stash for far too long, quilts I’ve got all the fabric for, unfinished projects..
So here’s my list, five quilts, five clothes, five projects and five items or kits;
Clothes;
Jeans; I’ve got two patterns, all the buttons and zips etc, lots of denim, and I need some new jeans!
Trousers; I’ve two trouser lengths in my stash and a wardrobe lacking in trousers!
Tailored jacket; I’ve a Vogue pattern for a beautiful tailored jacket and several lengths of wool to choose from.
Tailored coat; I bought a coat length form a local mill in the autumn. I’m just waiting for Vogue patterns to have a half price sale so I get the pattern I want.
Sheer blouse; I’ve about three sheer fabric lengths which will make very pretty shirts, it’s just having the courage to start!
Quilts;
Coming Home quilt; This is my Sarah Fielke BOM from last year, I’m a bit behind but I’m not doing her final deep border. I still need to applique the corners and then add a final smaller border.
The Cottage Garden quilt; this is in a book by Kathryn Whittingham. The quilt is gorgeous, lots of embroidered and appliqued blocks, I collected all the fabrics last year, just trying to get a few finishes before I start this one.
Baby quilt; we’ve got a new baby due in the family in the spring, so I’ll make a quilt for the new arrival.
Scrappy quilt; I’ve joined a new facebook page on scrap quilts and it’s quite inspiring!
Charity Quilts; I’m planning to make some more quilts for careleavers, and maybe one to be auctioned too.
Projects;
Stitchbook Collective; I’m really enjoying this and it’s certainly stretching me, there’s another nine boxes for me to do.
Mum’s book; I started this last year – just!! I’ve collected all her crafty things together, finished and unfinished and I’m putting them together in a textile book. I hope she’ll like it.
Anthea SAL; this is a year long stitch-a-long by Faby Reilly, the first pattern came out yesterday and it’s gorgeous – a beautiful snowdrops design for January.
Workshop finishes; I’ve two projects left from workshops which I want to finish, an embroidery of a hare and a Bethlehem style embroidery.
The Finery of Nature; I’m three-quarters of the way through this, but that’s probably still three months work!! I started this way back in 2018!!
Things!
Slippers! I’ve a kit to make a pair of quilted slippers and my current ones are getting to be a bit of an embarrassment!!
Lampshade; I’ve two kits at least from Raggedy Ruff designs to make a lampshade, similar style to my Woodland Wreath quilt.
Jelly Roll Rug; I’ve the fabric and lots of spare batting to make a rug, I want a little one for the bathroom as a practise and then a bigger one for the dining room.
Wallet; Having finally made myself a new handbag, I now need a new wallet!
Luna Lapin; I want to make myself a Luna, I’m also wondering about making one for my mum for her birthday. I made an Archie Lapin for my great-nephew last year.
So that’s my challenge for the year, I did wonder about adding 20 walks, 20 books and 20 smalls, but it just makes for very long lists and I’ll tell you about them anyway as the year progresses!
You never know, I might actually have a smaller stash by the end of the year!!
It’s a few weeks since I last posted a mooch round the garden, mainly because the weather was inclement to say the least, cold, wet and miserable, day light opportunities are limited too as winter days are so short. I’m a fair weather gardener! A few people have commented how they missed the posts, so I thought I’d share a few photos again.
Having gone out to take some photos I probably spent about an hour outside, weeding, cutting back dead wood, generally starting to tidy up. I have to say I did feel a lot better for a bit of fresh air and physical work. I often find at this time of year that from inside the weather looks pretty uninviting, but once I’m out there, all wrapped up, I can happily stay out for quite a while.
I cut down the big clematis which goes over the arch on the patio, It’s meant to be cut back late winter, I usually wait until it starts to bud, so it could be early January or it might not be until mid February if it’s a cold winter. Cutting it all back has also revealed just how rickety the old arch has become, I’ve got a couple of weeks off in March and I’m tempted to make a new one, this one was bought probably about 12 years ago, so it’s not done badly, but having made an arbour last year for the Amber & Amethyst garden which was really just a wide arch, I feel I could tackle this arch without risk of it falling on someone!
The evergreens form the backbone of the garden in winter, I have box, choisya, several osmanthus, camillia, rhodendrons, pierris…
… as well as little ones such as hebes and eunonymous or this one which used to have the pretty name of sennecio, but now has the somewhat ugly name of brachyglottis!!
You can just see the bird feeders in the photo above, we’ve had a lot more birds than usual this year, they’re emptying some of the feeders within days! As well as the usual bluetits, great tits and coal tits, we’ve also had bull finches, goldfinches , a pair of nuthatches, we’ve even had the woodpecker back who we haven’t seen for a few years! The long-tailed tits are doing well this year, they’re tiny birds so a bad winter can decimate them,but there’s about a dozen visit our feeders each day.
I noticed today that the buds on the hellebores are starting to swell, I have quite a few different colours now so they make a great early spring show.
The magnolia buds are also forming, they’re quite a way off flowering but it does give you a feeling that spring isn’t that far away.
Bulbs are starting to shoot too, these ones are early daffodils.
I’ve an awful lot of tidying up to do before spring arrives, but at least I’ve made a start.
It’s time for a mini happy dance again as I’ve just finished another quarter of my Finery of Nature Dimensions kit. I think I’m getting a bit quicker the nearer to the end I get, this quarter took just over three months. Hopefully I might have it finished by Easter, that would be nice.
Three weeks ago I was here…
I haven’t done a huge amount as Christmas and other projects got in the way but I finished the border and added the french knots to the flowers. I’ve made smaller french knots this time and I think they look much better. The pattern uses three threads for the knots, I think I just used two threads for the first half. This time I just used one thread and two loops and I think they look about right…
Of course this does mean I’m going to have to pull out the others and re-stitch them!
The final quarter is of two butterflies, hopefully they won’t take too long to stitch.
This stitch-a-long is organised by Avis, we share our progress every three weeks, it’s a great motivator! If you would like to join us please send a message to Avis, in the meantime please follow the links to see what everyone else has been stitching over Christmas.
