Textile Art ShowCase

From Design to Stitch

2012-03-02T20:27:00.001Z

The 2 ‘linked days’ course that I taught recently at Alston Hall went down very well. I had planned for everyone to spend a short amount of time in the grounds with their digital cameras but the weather was freezing cold and quite windy. Not very conducive! I gave them each a gallery of 20 images to work from instead.

We spent the 2 days working through a series of tasks using layers, filters and blend modes to create some really interesting effects. They learned how to edit and manipulate images, getting rid of unwanted areas, layering images and applying different effects to each. Selecting interesting areas, applying gradients and copying and pasting to create pattern or texture as well as creating their own brushes, patterns and motifs and adding text. We also selected areas in which we might like to change the colour and made changes to the opacity levels.

We looked at a variety of ways to transfer images to fabrics and paper and how to develop an image into a stitched piece. Sadly there wasn’t enough time to start any stitching. Everyone did however go away with two printed pieces of fabric ready for stitching.

Below are some of the interesting pieces produced.

The lily bud started out yellow in the original image Adding text

These images were created from a photograph of a stitched tulip that I had created. They then had to select the tulip and saved it as a new brush. Then they experimented in applying the brush and applying colour changes , layers and filters. I was really delighted with the results. They were too.

Open Day

2011-11-25T22:09:00.001Z

If you are not going to the Knit & Stitch Show at Harrogate tomorrow (Saturday 26th November) you might like to take a visit to Cedar Farm, if you are in the vicinity. One Step On are having an Open day. We can be found in the Courses Room in the Pig Barn. There is a Family Craft Day taking place at the same time – so lots going on.
Do come and say hello.

NW Region Embroiderers’ Guild Summer School

2011-08-29T17:58:00.001+01:00

This year at our summer school at Alston Hall I did the Francis Pickering course on making books. I used Tiffany Glass as my source of inspiration. I started the book on the course but have only just finished the cover the contents.

Francis and her husband were very generous with their time and ideas/ suggestions. I actually made a completely different cover whilst at summer school but decided that I didn’t really like it when I got home so I started again!

Current Brooch Collection

2011-08-09T22:49:00.001+01:00

My attempt to create a page for brooches instead of them all being in a post had failed miserably. So until I can sort that out they will have to appear here in a post!

Latest collection - August 2011
£12 each plus £1.00 p&p (If interested please email me).

             Brooch 1                          Brooch 2


           Brooch 3                            Brooch 4

Brooch 5 Brooch 6

Brooch 7 Brooch 8

Brooch 9 Brooch 10

      Brooch 11                         Brooch   12


      Brooch 13                            Brooch 14


    Brooch 15                              Brooch 16


     Brooch 17                             Brooch   18

Latest Collection of Brooches

2011-08-08T22:06:00.004+01:00

I have just put 6 of my machine embroidered brooches in the current exhibition at Booths Gallery in Lytham St Annes. As of yesterday I heard that I had sold 5 of them. That made me look at my current supply which was 4 so I have set to to make some more asap. I Have about 20 in the pipeline and these are the first ones 'hot off the press' as it were.

Brooches 1, 2, 3 and 4 were the ones left in stock. The rest have been accomplished today!

This is just one of the newest brooches - click here to see the rest.

I have created a page for Brooches but do not ask my why they have turned out like they have. In blogger I do not seem to be able to have much control over the way they can be displayed. I will have a go at doing the page again in Live Writer and see if I can improve it.

Aintree 2011

2011-08-04T21:29:00.001+01:00

I know that I haven’t posted for quite a long time, mainly because of RSI in my wrist and elbow – brought on by working long and hard on creating this years Embroiderers’ Guild North West Regional Journal and the tickets and programmes for the the NW Regional Day!!

After I had finished with that I then had to prepare for my 2 day course on Computing at Alston Hall. We then went away to Scotland for the whole of May and gradually my wrist and elbow have started to recover sufficiently that I can work on the computer for longer periods now. I will not be doing the journal again and I certainly won’t be doing any tickets or programmes for other events!!!!

Back in January I showed you some images of a panel that I was working on for an exhibition of work with One Step On, the other group of textile artists that I work with.

This is the finished panel that appeared at Aintree this year, along with two other pieces that created based on the source of inspiration used for the panel.

These last 2 pieces are now on show at Booths Gallery in Lytham St Annes in the Blackpool Art Society Exhibition. I also have 6 of my machine embroidered brooches on display in a cabinet.

Rossendale Exhibition

2011-08-04T21:15:00.001+01:00

Since the beginning of the year I have been a member of a second Textile Art group, Preston Threads.

Recently the group had an exhibition at Rossendale Museum. As I had not been a member at the start of the work that they had done based on items in the museum I just entered 2 pieces, a woven bag and a woven scarf. It was felt that they would fit in quite well with the other exhibits.

These were both woven on my Ashford Knitters’ Loom

August Exhibitions

2011-07-10T22:14:00.001+01:00

Two exhibitions during August for you to visit if you are in the Lytham St Annes Area.

The first one is Blackpool Art Society at the Gallery at Booths Supermarket. Members of Blackpool Branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild are also members of the Art Society and as such will be exhibiting some of their work too.

The second exhibition is a joint two and a half day exhibition at the Assembly Rooms. This is the first time that Blackpool and Lytham St Annes Branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild have joined together to exhibit their work. (Actually that is not strictly true we did put on a joint one day exhibition at the North West Regional Day in April but that was a members only day). This one is for the public.

I will be stewarding for some of the time at both exhibitions so do please come and say hello if you are there.

'Crazy for Colour'

2011-02-12T22:00:00.002Z

I have just been on a superb course at Alston Hall, called 'Crazy for Colour'. The tutor was Ruth Issett. Those of you who have her books will know how colourful her work is. It is a privilege to be able to work with her and learn from her first hand. I have been on quite a few of Ruth's course and have always enjoyed them and this one was no exception. Ruth can usually be found at the Knitting and Stitching Show and the The Festival of Quilts, demonstrating many of the techniques that she uses, both on paper and cloth, at the Art Van Go stand.

Ruth is a delight to work with, a very talented lady, very generous with her time and her expertise. If you haven't been on one of her courses and get the chance to I strongly recommend that you take the opportunity - you won't regret it. For more information about she works look no further than in her books – ‘Glorious Papers’, ‘Paintstiks’, ‘Colour on Paper and Fabric’ and ‘Print Pattern and Colour’

This image is a combination of papers that have all been treated differently but using the same colour combination. There is a range or printing, rolling and tearing, and colouring using acrylics, markel paintstiks and varnish.

This is one strip torn down the centre, separated and placed over another strip. I am going to take sections of this one using photoshop and explore the design possibilities from them.

This was two more strips that I have cut up into smaller pieces.
And the same with this last image. All of these are now ready for playing about with to develop into designs.

There is a lot of potential from just these images. I am sure I don’t need to tell you that I have large number of strips that I haven't photographed that hopefully will be brought into play sometime in my future projects.

Work in Progress

2011-01-29T17:06:00.010Z

I think I lost my mojo for most of January but now that the days are lengthening I think it is returning. Well I hope it is!

These are pieces for a panel that I am creating for our Group Exhibition, One Step On, at Aintree this year. We have decided to work with in 6 inch squares,, as many as we like, to be displayed vertically in a panel. The topic and colour are of our own choice but we need to use shades and tone of one colour only. I have changed my mind as to the subject of my piece many times and the colour but I have finally decided to work on old ruins and keep to the greys of the stone work on the original sources of inspiration.

This is work in progress. I am going to apply these pieces to a background when I have finished embellishing them and then I will add further details to the background to make the pieces blend together and to fit into an appropriate setting.

I am not sure yet whether I will use all 6 pieces. One in particular is bothering me, at present, and I may decide to abandon it altogether.

More American Smocking Samples

2011-01-22T21:50:00.003Z

Here are a couple more samples of Amercian Smocking. We we introduced to these by Monica at our last meeting on One Step On.

The blue one is silk dupion with gold spots done in the lattice pattern. The second image shows the reverse side. (Just as interesting in its own right)

The other sample is worked on olive green spotty cotton and shows the wave technique on the front and also the effect on the reverse side.

They are really quick to work.

One Step On - Meet the Members

2011-01-20T14:47:00.004Z

I am in the process of adding the profiles of the members of One Step On and images of their work. There is a tab at the top of the blog which lists the members and down the right hand side there is a heading 'Members' Profiles'. (I have only managed to add the information for 3 members so far).

I wanted to add the profiles as separate pages rather than posts but the there is a limit of 10 pages at the moment so that isn't enough. We currently have 11 members. Hopefully is will work quite well the way I have set it out and should mean that anyone viewing the blog can look at the work of individual members without having to trawl through all the past posts!!

If anyone has any suggestions as to how I can create more separate pages please let me know. I know that there are a number of blogs out there which do list their members and have links to their work. (I just can't find any at the moment).

New Blog

2011-01-17T23:01:00.004Z

I have just started a blog for the group of textile artists that I work with - One Step On. We already have web site but thought it might a nice idea to have a blog as well. Do please take a look and perhaps you might consider becoming a follower. There is only one past so far but we all have to start some where. There is a link to past exhibitions at the top of the page with plenty of images of some of our work.

These are some samples some North American Smocking techniques that we were introduced to at our meeting this last weekend. Monica, who showed us how do them, had some very interesting samples. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me. I will have to get her to send me some images.

Where would we be without……..?

2010-12-28T21:24:00.001Z

A sewing machine, an overlocker and an embellisher. As most of you will have experienced difficulty getting out to do some Christmas shopping you often have to resort to other tactics. This year I managed to make two presents in a very short time making use of the above machinery. I made two scarves, one for my sister-in-law and one for a friend and I attached one of my machine embroidered brooches to each scarf.

These were both made using the embellisher and then surface stitched using my sewing machine.
This year I also had a go at Japanese Gift Wrapping. We were introduced to this at the December meeting at Parbold branch of the Embroiderers’ Guild – PEG Stitchers.

I was really taken with this idea and rushed out to buy some suitable fabrics for Christmas wrapping. Typical how the stash you have already never has quite what you want at the time!!
This is where the overlocker came into the proceedings. It does a brilliant rolled hem. Perfect for the edges of wrapping squares.
My DH was so taken with the idea he wanted a crash course on it so that he could do some wrapping too. He made a great job of it and has now sworn himself off using traditional wrapping paper!


Even the tissue box got a Japanese style wrap!!!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-22T23:25:00.003Z

A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year to each and every one.

One Step On - Exhibition

2010-09-03T21:26:00.002+01:00

I did not intend to take a summer break from blogging it just happened. I was away in Canada for 3 weeks in June and then a few days away in the middle of July at Embroiderers’ Guild Summer School followed by 2 weeks down in Solva, St Davids, Pembrokeshire. I just don’t know where the time has gone!!

Now back to reality and the textile art group that I work with have just set up an exhibition at the Brabins Gallery in Chipping, near to Longridge, Preston. The exhibition started on Thursday and will run until the end of September. On Sunday from 2 – 4 pm it is a chance for visitors to meet the artists. (One Step On)

These images will give you a taste of what is in the exhibition. Hopefully some of you might visit Chipping and take a look at our work.

Alston Hall- Sandra Meech Course

2010-06-04T18:17:00.001+01:00

Just back last weekend from a course with Sandra Meech at Alston Hall. The requirements list seemed endless but I have to say I think I used most of what I took with me. We needed to take photocopies of images that we were currently working on or wanted to use as our source of inspiration for the work we were going to be doing.

I really enjoy design work in all its many guises and techniques and was in my element creating designs.

We painted on A2 paper using black acrylic paint –mark making. We used these pieces to identify specific areas for development using an A4 piece of paper with 8 squares cut out of it. We took photos of our work so that we would have them as a reference and so that we could work from the digital images at some other time.

We painted papers with brusho (for collage purposes) and also with transfer paints. (Sandra uses transfer paints a lot in her work. We selected areas from our black and white mark making papers and worked in the grid spaces colouring in using coloured pencils and oil pastels. We ended up with an endless supply of piece of paper and numerous designs.

We used the A4 sheet grid to explore using different mark making materials, pencils, oil pastels, crayons, pens and charcoal. (Not a fan of charcoal – never have been)!!

Mark Making

Transferring onto fabric
This design was drawn using a permanent maker onto different fabrics, cotton for transfer paper and poly sateen, vylene or lining for the transfer paints.

This next design was drawn using white oil pastels on paper then painted over with transfer paints – giving a batik look.
(permanent marker)

These are using transfer paper – Sandra had her computer and printer with her and copied two images for each of us.
The second piece has wireform between a couple of layers of fabric so that it can be shaped.

I have no real idea why but we also had to draw an apple using crayons!! I think that most us had done it before at some time. I guess it helped anyone who hadn’t to get to know what range of colours can be achieved by using just a couple of red, yellow and blue crayons.

All in all a fulfilling weekend. I certainly came home with a lot of designs to work on in the future!!

Craft & Stitch Show at Aintree

2010-04-24T18:14:00.001+01:00

The ICHF Craft & Stitch Show is taking place this weekend at Aintree. I am exhibiting with One Step On a West Lancashire based group of Textile Artists.

I spent the day on Thursday helping to set up our display and spent yesterday stewarding. I am having a break today and tomorrow.

There are more stitch and embroidery exhibitors I think this year. We talked to a lot of very nice visitors and got lots of lovely, encouraging words about our work. We are not allowed to sell our work but if anyone asks they can leave their name and details and can be contacted by the artist to arrange a sale separately.

We got lots of people asking if any of us do workshops and we do have a list available of those that do.

Take a look at our display.

There are 11 of us in the group. We did a group project, making black bags, based on the pattern of a bag that I bought in Bejing. We embellished the bags in our own individual styles inspired by the embroidered designs on an old Chinese embroidered panel belonging to one of our members. Some of us used the butterflies for inspiration and some used the flowers. They all looked quite different but make a very nice display.
These are my pieces based on butterfly wings.

Jackie, of Dogdaisychains fame, was displaying her work on the stand behind ours with the group that she works with – Embroidery 2000. We managed a bit of chat on Thursday whilst setting up. Actually we had both been at Embroiderers’ Guild Regional Day in Manchester the previous Saturday and she won first prize with some of her leaf designs and won 3rd prize with my ‘Flights of Fancy’.

My Chinese Bag

A digitally manipulated image, transferred to fabric, machine embroidered, hand embroidered and beaded.

If any of you have been or are going to show it would be lovely to hear from you and find out what you thought of the all en exhibits.

Marks and Spencer - A Salutatory Lesson!!! - Beware!!

2010-04-08T20:11:00.005+01:00

Yesterday I tried to return two items that I have purchased from Marks and Spencer, Deepdale, Preston. Granted I bought them in the middle of February and so more than the statutory 35 return without question period has elapsed. The very nice man serving me on the returns counter told me that I would only receive vouchers and wouldn't get the actual money back. I was fine with that as I already knew that was the score.

I was fairly confident that I would have redeemed the vouchers before leaving the store and they would have got their money back again.

HOWEVER!!!....... the man then told me that the amount I would receive could be less as I would only get back the current value - if the price had been reduced I would only receive that amount in return. mmmm ok. Imagine my horror to discover that the amount they could give me in vouchers was £2 each for the items that cost £29.50 and £19.50 respectively!!!

I could not believe my ears - it was a 'management price decision'. As there was queue forming behind me I didn't want to make a fuss - I just decided to keep the two items and take them home.

Needless to say I am not in any hurry to go back and neither am I interested in looking to see what is available on-line at M&S. My M&S card isn't going to be earning me any points for vouchers or offers for the foreseeable future.

Who on earth do they sell items to for £2? I have never seen any.

Has this happened to anyone else or am I making a fuss over nothing.

I did email M&S returns who said the decision on pricing and refunds is down to the store and they can not do anything about it.

If you have things you need to take back - please learn from this and make sure you return them with in 35 days. How do you know how soon after the 35 days that the price reduction will take place and how low it will be?

I was not aware that individual stores could set the price reductions and not make this known to customers before they attempt to return an item.

As a long time shopper at M&S - I do feel let down and will not be returning in any hurry.

It takes a lot to get me riled but this certainly has!!!

Birthday Bag & Felt Flower Brooches

2010-04-04T12:49:00.001+01:00

Happy Easter to all readers and visitors to my blog. It is a lovely sunny day here right now and the forsythia in my garden looks beautiful. Spring has arrived at long last!!!

Today is my sister-in-laws birthday so I have made a bag and a scarf.

The scarf is made from an interesting yarn that is a stretchy, lacy tape (Four Seasons – Grundl – Flemenco Uni).
This one is a creamy white and I made one for myself in a teal colour. It is lovely and soft to wear and is more like a ruffle collar than a scarf. I cast on 140 stitches, plain knit rows and used 2 balls of yarn. (£2.50 a ball – can’t be bad)!!
The cast off edge makes the scarf curl naturally.

The week before last we spent a week back in Threlkeld, in the Lake District. (The week before winter returned)!!! The weather was mixed but we had some nice spells and were able to get out and about walking again. I did the low level walks this time and left my DH to do all the high steep bits. Actually if the truth were known I only decided to do the low level routes after one very tricky ascent that had very steep parts and lots of moving shale. Two thirds of the way up I decided to stay put and wait whilst my husband went to the top and back. I can see no point in forcing myself to wear out my knees and hips any more rapidly than is necessary. The bottom line is he has very long legs and I have very short legs. I enjoyed a lovely walk on our last day on a low level route – taking my time and photographing all sorts of interesting design features!

I always take something to stitch with me and this time I turned my attention to making some felt flower brooches. I have been asked to teach a workshop in may and was asked to do something quick and easy and summery. So felt brooches it is!! This my collection so far.

As you can see I got quite on making these. They are quite different from the usual sort of work that I produce but quite addictive! I know what you are thinking – there is quite a limited colour scheme going on here. You are right – I need to put those colours away and only let myself work with the missing colours. I found these combinations very easy to work with. Hopefully I will have some more to show soon.

Finished at last!

2010-03-17T22:57:00.001Z

I have been keeping a very low profile of late as I have been compiling the North West Region Embroiderers’ Guild Journal and have finally finished it! It has now gone to the printer and I await the inspection – fingers crossed that there are not edits to do and it can finally be printed!!!

I have been keeping an eye on everyone’s blogs and commenting from time to time but not blogging myself.

I have got a few pieces ready now for exhibiting at Aintree in April with One Step On. (I don’t expect all of these to be exhibited but some will be for certain). These were inspired by some lovely butterflies on a very old Chinese embroidered panel – thought to be a piece from the bottom of a robe.

‘Wing Study 1’ ‘Wing Study 2’

                               ‘Wing Study 3’


                          ‘Kindred Spirits’


                            ‘Flights of Fancy’

‘Eastern Blue’

‘Oriental Pearl’

‘Flowers of the Orient’

                               ‘Utterly Fluttery’

                               ‘Fluttering’

‘Flying High’

                       ‘Old Beijing’

              ‘Looking In Looking Out’

‘Liulichang’

‘Fragments’

Short Break

2010-03-03T21:16:00.001Z

This week we should have been on holiday in Madeira. In view of the recent events there we decided to cancel and we have managed to re- book our holiday for later in the year. We have never been to Madeira so we were really looking forward to it but somehow it didn’t seem quite right.
We went to London on Friday to spend the weekend with our son and we were going to be going on to Madeira on Sunday afternoon.
In stead we made it a long weekend in London and came home on Monday night.

We like to do walks around London whenever we can and my husband takes his book of walks and has most of the time we are there all carefully planned to get the most out of our visit.

We started on Friday afternoon with a walk round Piccadilly and Mayfair. I felt that we should be be buying a selling properties and putting our claim on well known buildings on Park Lane etc, just like in Monopoly!

This image is of the ironwork over the side door of the Ritz Hotel.

I didn’t take any more images that afternoon – it was windy and very cold – we had to keep on the move. Our main objective was to get to Neal’s Yard at Covent Garden to buy a selection of cheeses and bread for lunch at our son’s flat on Saturday.

On previous visits to London we have gone either to Covent Garden or the Borough Market for our cheese and bread from Neal’s Yard and we have usually topped up our dwindling supply of coffee from the Monmouth. More recently we have taken to getting the supplies on the Friday afternoon and on Saturday (and this weekend was no exception) we take a drive through Richmond Park to the Petersham Nursery for morning coffee. They have such beautiful cakes there that we buy a small selection to take back with us for afternoon tea.

I love this place!!!

On Saturday afternoon, after a sumptuous lunch of bread, cheeses, ham, salad etc we made our way to Fulham Palace. We always try to find somewhere we haven't been before and we hadn’t been there. It was very cold so not many pictures were taken and as we had cake waiting for us at James’s flat we didn’t feel that it would be appropriate to make for the cafe!

Oh it is so lovely to see snowdrops at long last!!

I can’t resist wrought ironwork, tree roots, branches, or bark.
This last image is of just one of the interesting Kinetic Sculptures in the park. The park also has a way through to the side of the Thames. There were lots of people out walking but they all looked very cold.
We went to a local pub in Wandsworth for our evening meal and managed to avoid a torrential downpour, accompanied by, what looked like, hurricane winds, in between walking there and walking back.
We spent most of Sunday indoors keeping warm. We ventured out to Dulwich Park – boy! did the wind cut through us – we were really pleased to be able to find warmth for a very short time in the cafe in the Park. That was enough to make us go back and stay indoors. Good job we had a good supply of Sunday papers to read.

On Monday we walked along the Thames from Monument to St Pauls and through the Inns of Court. We just took our time, had morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea before heading off back to Euston for the train home. Towards the end of the afternoon we came across St Bride’s Church. This is the ‘the spiritual home of printing & the media’, being set back from Fleet Street. It is also said to have been the inspiration for a local baker back in the 1700’s who made a wedding cake for his daughter based on the tower!

A lovely Church inside and out.

This image was on the wall at our hotel – it really caught my eye – not my favourite colour combination but it did have a certain appeal!

Madeira it wasn’t but we did still have a very nice time despite the cold, rain and wind. The ‘icing on the cake’ turned out to be, not only St Bride’s Church, but also a lovely sunny Spring day on the Monday – hoorah!!!!!

Yes they are!

2010-02-11T20:44:00.001Z

For Sale that is. I have had a lot of emails from people asking me if the FDTS (From Design to Stitch) disks are for sale. Yes they are.
More information about them and images of what is covered in the disks can be found on my all new website www.annchristy.co.uk

My old website was looking a bit out dated so I have given it a face lift. I hope that my regular blog visitors will take a look at it and please do let me know what you think.

Some pages have links on them that take you other pages that are not on the main navigation bar and 1 of the gallery pages is completely empty at the moment but I do have images waiting in the wings for that page.

I have been away from blogging for a while working on my website and also a website for some friends of my son. That website belongs to a Country and Western Venue that is close to where we live www.fort-san-antone.com I have handed the site over to the owners for them to maintain. I have just been looking at it and noticed on or two images have gone awol! I will have to let them know.

Not only have I been busy doing the websites but right now I am creating the Journal for the North West Region of the Embroiderers’ Guild – so that will be keeping me quiet on the blogging front for a bit longer. I do keep taking a break and spend a bit of time checking up on what you are all up to.

Workshop at Alston Hall

2010-01-31T17:56:00.001Z

For those of you who read my blog and get the brochure for courses at Alston Hall, Longridge, Preston you will perhaps have noticed that there is new one day course called ‘Design to Stitch’. The tutor is yours truly. I have been on course at Alston quite a few times over the last eight years or so but this is the first time that I will be teaching a course. The brochure has only been out for a week and my course already has quite a few on it. If you are someone who reads my blog and attends courses at Alston please let me know even if you are not attending my course. We may already have met without realising that we are already acquainted through blogland!

The course is an introduction to using Photoshop Elements for design aimed at beginners. I already teach a City & Guilds course – Creative Computing into Stitched Textiles for the School of Stitched Textiles. Having written the modules for the C&G course I decided to create some tutorials and workshops for beginners who do not want to do C&G but are interested in learning how to use a graphics program, Photoshop Elements in particular.

Disk 1 focuses on Line, Disk 2 on Colour and Disk 3 on Texture
All 3 disks also have a Gallery of copyright free images.

What do I Know about Cars!

2010-01-29T16:11:00.001Z

I have just been reading The Weaver of Grass’s Blog – you will need to read her blog to see why I have decided to try and put pen to paper and write a poem – not something that I am normally given to. I prefer to read other people’s poems and admire their talent.
I thought about the topic mentioned – a red car and thought about the many times cars have been mentioned in our house and how when I have tried to describe an incident about a car my usual response has been – ‘a red one’! The boys and their dad just simply roll their eyes in despair!

All Cars are Red

I just saw a car driving much too fast.

What kind of car was it?

A red one!

There was a car parked right across next door’s drive

Did you see it?

What kind of car was it?

A red one!

Did you see all those cars on the other side of the motorway,

About six of them, one after the other?

What kind were they?

They were all red!

Do you know anything about cars?

Well I know that MOST of them are red!

(actually most of then seem to be silver these days but there was a time when there seemed to be a lot red cars on the road).

A Walk on the Beach

2010-01-10T21:55:00.001Z

Well today I remembered the camera. The sun was shining but not as brightly as yesterday so it wasn’t quite as picturesque.

All of this is about 3 minutes walk from our house when there isn’t any ice or snow. More like 5 or 6 minutes yesterday and today!!

These are the only 2 birds that we saw on the shore – and in the distance we heard and saw an oystercatcher.

In the dunes we saw a pair of stonechats – being remarkably quiet!!!

It was bitterly cold. The only mammals spotted were dogs and humans – not sure quite who was walking who!!!

Walk along the beach

2010-01-09T19:51:00.001Z

This morning I went for a walk along the beach. It was beautiful and I had not even thought about taking my camera. How cross was I with myself!!! I hope it is another lovely sunny day tomorrow and then I can take some photographs to show instead of just rambling on. We say some thrushes, fieldfare and redwings all very busy foraging in the bare patches in the snow. Not that there were many bare patches for them to find some food. We had a thrush in the garden this morning. We haven't had one quite sometime now so that was a welcome sight.

Great minds think alike Weaver and Heather. I decided that this piece needed some black beads and duly stitched them in place. I later took a look at my emails to see that you were both offering the same advice. It think it is much improved now. I really do need to start trying to think of some titles for my work. This isn't any flower in particular - it is just one that eveloved from placing petal shapes on the fabric.

Doing what I like doing best!

2010-01-08T17:09:00.001Z

These are my latest pieces – I also have several other stacked up that haven’t light of day yet. I will blog about them gradually.

The first two are pressed and mounted – the last one isn’t – I can’t decide whether to add some beads to it or not. ( The jury is still out on that one).

Ok I Give in!

2010-01-06T14:11:00.001Z

I am not a fan of snow and ice having spent 3 long, very cold, very snowy and very icy winters in Canada, on 2 separate occasions but I will agree snow and ice do have their picturesque qualities!

We have had a rather loud avalanche off the roof and as the sun is shining some of it is thawing – on the plants but not on the road outside – that is like an ice rink.

I am keeping busy doing what I like doing best – stitching!

These are just a taster – I have quite a few more – I will be post them very soon!

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T23:38:00.001Z

Happy New Year to you all and I hope that 2010 will be a happy and healthy year for everyone.

I have chosen to start his years posts with an image that is looking forward to when the spring flowers arrive. I am keeping a keen eye out now in my garden for the first signs of Spring – or at least the first sign of snowdrops. Is it just me or have I imagined that the days are actually already starting to draw out – it doesn’t seem to be going dark quite so early – thank goodness! I seriously think I suffer from cabin fever so longer days are a really welcome sight to me.

I have been working on a whole series of machine embroidered, drawing style, pieces of work. So this is just a little taste of what is to come.

This is a better picture of one of the scarves in my last post. I managed to get hold of it and photograph it in daylight – It does now look like its true colour – raspberry.

A few of you have asked about my Knitters Loom. It is a weaving loom. It is portable and folds neatly into a shoulder bag. It really is a very user friendly piece of equipment. It is made by Ashford (the New Zealand company that makes weaving looms and spinning wheels).
It is beautifully made (as one would expect from Ashford) and they were created with knitters in mind as they always seem to have lots of balls of wool left over from knitting projects that are crying out to be used up!! I bought mine from Scottish Fibres. The lady there is very helpful and they delivery very quickly.

Got them done just in time!

2009-12-27T21:17:00.001Z

I went out at the start of December to purchase some yarns to make two scarves for Christmas presents.

(made on my lovely Ashford ‘knitters’ loom’)

The first scarf was made almost immediately as I had a reed just the right size for the yarn.

This one was for my friend and the second one was for my Sister-in-law. I have the yarn at the ready but realised I would need a 5dpi reed as some of the the yarn was thicker than that used on the first scarf. I frantically sent off for the reed only to be told there were none in stock!!! (I knew I should have made them in November)!!!

More were expected in and hopefully one would arrive just in time for me to make a scarf just before Christmas. The reed arrived on Tuesday and the loom was set up straight away. Scarf completed by Wednesday morning! Phew !!!! at least I my sister-in-law was coming to us for Christmas so I didn’t have to post it anywhere.

The photograph of this one was taken under electric light so not a true reflection of its lovely raspberry colour. I will have to try to get one of it in a better light – to do it justice.

(Make a note to myself – must be more organised next year)!!!!!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-21T10:05:00.000Z

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all a very happy and feastive time and keep healthy and safe. Love Ann.

Louise Gardiner Course

2009-12-06T13:17:00.001Z

Last weekend I went on a 2day course at Alston Hall with Louise Gardiner. It was brilliant. Louise is a great teacher and we all had a thoroughly enjoyable time. We worked on portraits – now I can draw and paint fine and love doing lots of it but I avoid bodies, faces etc like the plague normally. (Give me buildings, structures and plant life any day). So I went a little in fear and trepidation – As it happened Louise’s approach to doing portraits brought the best out in all of us. Sadly I can’t show you anyone else’s pieces of work as I haven’t asked their permission but let me assure you they were all really good and I know that Louise was thrilled to bits with the work produced.

I did apologise in advance to the subjects whose portraits I attempted to capture - I think I managed a cross between Giles and Gerald Scarf!!!

Most people did one or two large faces/ bodies – mine was more in the lines of a crowd scene. As you can see I never made it to hands/ feet/ full bodies – next time maybe!

No prizes for guessing where I was last week!

2009-12-04T11:07:00.001Z

Our first visit – must go back sometime – preferably Spring or Summer!!! (Very cold, very wet and very windy)!!!!

From Design to Stitch - Disk 2

2009-11-13T14:14:00.001Z

It is finally ready and is already proving to be quite popular (especially with those who already have disk 1).
The screen shots and instructions are all based on Photoshop Elements and anyone using Paintshop Pro, Corel Paint or other graphics programs could use the disk but will need to have their program manual to hand as there will be some variations

Disk 1 focuses on Line and introduces you to the Adobe Photoshop Elements toolbox-
setting image size and resolution
using the toolbox and toolbox options
changing foreground, background and brush colours
printing on papers
ideas for creating stitched samples

Each disk includes a gallery of 20 copyright free images.

Disk 2 focuses on colour and introduces you to
working with the colour palette
working with layers
using blend modes
working with filters
creating pattern,tiles and motifs
pattern development using layers and filters
ideas for creating stitched samples
printing on fabric

For further information please email me.

Ruskin Bag work of art!

2009-10-27T10:34:00.001Z

Well it has become a work of art - or a labour of love which ever way you want to look at it. I think I have to come down on the side of a labour of love as when I had completed all 8 sides I discovered that the ones with the large square designs on them where all slightly longer than the ones with the small square designs - so there was no other answer than to make 4 new ones with the large square design on. (There are times when I question my sanity)!!!

All that is left to do (hopefully) is to make the cord and beaded pulls that thread through the top of the panels to open and close bag.

Waste not want not is my motto so two of the offending panels have been turned into a biscornu.

When I first started to learn Ruskin Lace I found myself rather impatient - I started the sampler but very soon decided that I wanted to make some of the articles that are associated with the technique - so I made the small bag. I now want to make the pin cushion/ s and the needlecase!

Looking at these pictures together I think I am going to have to make another of these bags with the matching lining - so that it looks like part of the set!! (Mad - completely)!!!

Little bits of frippery

2009-10-27T10:22:00.001Z

Just a few little bits of frippery that I created whilst on holiday in the Lake District.

Not sure just what I will do with them yet - I might put them on cards or I might make them into brooches.

Beautiful Blencathra

2009-10-18T12:02:00.001+01:00

I have been so busy since we returned from a week away in the lake District that this is first opportunity I have had to write about it. We set off on October 2nd weather not too bad but the forecast was awful. Well we weren't let down by our meteorologists this time as the weather was appalling on the Saturday - fierce strong winds and constant heavy rain! We managed to go our for food supplies and hopped from coffee shop to somewhere very nice for lunch before giving in and heading off back to where we staying for a cosy up with the paper and the stack of books we had taken to read.

On Sunday the weather was lovely and we walked to the top of Latrigg. We couldn't believe the difference in the weather. The only other - not very nice day for weather - was Tuesday when we did a bit of moseying around over towards Caldbeck (John Peel country). There we visited the Wool Clip (very nice little find for anyone who has a passion for wool, felt, fleece, yarns of any kind) and we had coffee and lunch in the lovely little cafe. These were both at a Preists Mill, Caldbeck.

The other days we were out walking - we walked to the top of Highrigg, Lowrigg, Dodd and Longlands - all giving wonderful views of the surrounding area and lots of lungsful of beautiful, refreshing - fresh air!! Most invigorating.

Perhaps the best bit was the cottage as we were right at the foot of Blencathra - a beautiful mountain and views from the other side across St.John-in-Vale, Keswick.

Blencathra

A view of Skiddaw from Latrigg

Highrigg

Lowrigg - looking back to Highrigg

A view of Bassenthwaite lake from the top of Dodd

A view from Longlands

Virginia Creeper in all it's splendour on the wall of the tea-rooms at Priests Mill, Caldbeck!
A great week - but boy did I discover muscles I had forgotten that I had! These fells are considered to be low level - I will need better preparation if I am to attempt some the higher level fells!!

The Bus Pass - it comes to us all eventually!!

2009-09-25T23:01:00.001+01:00

I never thought I really would reach the age when I would be eligible for a bus pass - I think I thought I would be different and be able to stay in my 50s for evermore! Anyway a special birthday means a special present and mine was an Ashford 'Knitter's Loom'.

Now those who keep up with my blog will know that I played about with one of these at the Ashford stand at Woolfest in Cockermouth.

I was really taken with it and added it to my wish list.

It is very easy to warp up and very therapeutic to weave with it.

These are what I have created so far.

This is the first piece I wove. It is quite long and used just 1 ball of fluffy wool.

Same warp - 3 different balls of yarn. One is a velour yarn, another is a long haired yarn and the third is the one with bits of fabric attached. This is 3 times as long as it shows as it is folded over. As soon as my sister-in-law saw it she claimed she had just seen one like it in M&S!!

When I ran out of the yarns on the second weave I started with a different yarn - very soft and bobbly and finished off the ward - I might make this one into a bag - the jury is still out on that one!!!

I think I need to set up a new warp to do some more!!! The great thing about the loom is that you can fold it in half whilst there is work on it - pack it away in a bag and take on holiday with you if you can't bear to be parted from it!!!

Printing and Sketching

2009-09-05T16:11:00.001+01:00

I had taken all sorts of scraps of fabrics, threads and beads with me to Solva but I managed to forget my watercolours, pens and sketchbook. Fortunately I found that Raul Speek, a Cuban artist, with a studio in Solva now sells some artists materials. (He also now opened a cafe on the side of the old church building that is his home and his studio - called the Lavender Cafe).
I bought a small box of watercolours and some brushes and bought pens and a sketchbook when we were in Brecon.

I also spent some time working on disk 2 of 'From Design to Stitch'
(for more details of the disk - watch this space - in the forthcoming blog posts)!

Whilst working on the disk I kept coming up with designs that I wanted to explore on paper and fabric so I then needed to be able to make some print blocks. As ideas sprang into my head I had to make do with pieces of torn or cut paper from my sketchbook.

I played about with these in Photoshop too! I really like the effects that I created.

I was a bit frustrated with only be able to use paper but then good old Morrisons - and their children's stationary section came up trumps! They had a small pack with some funky foam in them and pieces of card - so I made several quick print blocks to play about with. I only had watercolours to paint them with but they kept me happy for a while!

on paper

on fabric

Summer in Solva

2009-09-01T16:12:00.001+01:00

Well it was 2 weeks actually. Just after Summer School at Alston Hall we set off for our two weeks holiday in Pembrokeshire just a mile outside Solva. If you have never been to Solva then just Google it and take a look - it is an idyllic place.

As always en-route we stopped off for our lunch break in the car park at Colinette Yarns near to Welshpool. From the outside you wouldn't think that you could so easily make a dent in the contents of your purse and before your husband has managed to down his lunch!!

Job done and then it was on off for a visit to Stokesay Castle , Shropshire - what an amazing place. After that we spent the night at the Brynafon Hotel in Rhayader.

The following day we visited Brecon - an historical market town, before ambling on to our lovely little bolthole at Middle Mill, Solva.

Well I don't think any one would believe me if I said we had two weeks of glorious weather because we didn't - we did have a lot of rain but we also had quite a lot of sunshine too. So we can't complain and it was very relaxing. Lots of walks and visits to some NGS Gardens.

I always take hand stitching with me and usually manage to create one or two pieces of my 'little works of art'. (not a machine stitch in sight other than on some of the applied snippets)!!!

A bit of a Missing Link!

2009-08-29T18:00:00.001+01:00

Hi to one and all who are taking the time to read my blog. (Thank you).

I haven't blogged in over a month - so what have I been up to then?

Well first of all I was at Embroiderers' Guild Summer School at Alston Hall (in fact I arranged it - so really needed to be there - as well as the fact that I chose to be there too)

We had 3 tutors. Susan Chapman was our 3 day tutor teaching 'Exploring Simple Print' and the two 2-day tutors were Diane Bates teaching 'Flower Power' (machine embroidery) and Lucy Smethurst teaching 'A Modern Net Curtain' - a modern approach to applique.

It all went very well - as always the staff there were brilliant, the food was very good and it was great fun to get together with lots of nice ladies for branches from all over the North West Region.

Susan, our tutor, was a delight. She was extremely generous with her materials, and ideas, suggestions and lots of examples of her work to show us. How she managed to get into her car I will never know - it was packed to capacity!!!! (including a spin dryer)!!

These were the printed pieces that I managed to create. I had to do a bit of dipping in and out to various sessions so I didn't manage to do quite as much as most of the members in the group - but looking at this little lot I didn't do too badly either!

I haven't a clue as to what I am going to do with them - but no doubt they will come in useful for a future project.

This screen print is on linen and refuses to let me iron out the creases!!!!! I really like printing on fabric and do a lot of it. I haven't done much screen printing so I was really keen to try that - but I have to say I found that a bit messy for my liking and rather time consuming. Great to try but not exactly on my - must do again sometime soon - list.

More to come as to what else I have been up to over the last few weeks.

Strawberry Tea & Rainbow Squares

2009-07-14T09:08:00.000+01:00

Last night we had a strawberry tea at our branch meeting (Seasidestitchers.blogspot). We had strawberries, scones with jam and clotted cream and shortbread fingers.
We started the evening by stitching together all of our rainbow squares. We ended up with 44 and the ladies worked like little trojans stitching them altogether. They look really good.

I baked the scones. They are from a recipe that came from my mother-in-law, now sadly no longer with us. I rescued the recipe from her old hand written recipe book. My husband can remember what the scones used to taste like from his childhood and I was really pleased that they tasted just the same when I first tried out the recipe.
They went down really well last night and I have to say I didn't have any to bring back home with me. The scones are not quite like traditional scones that you get in tea shops but they are scrummy.

I thought I would share the recipe with you. (This is not going to be a regular feature of this
blog).

Firstly I must apologise that the quantities are not in metric - I am sure you can all convert them using one of your cookbooks - I have kept to the original recipe.

Grandma’s Bun Scones

Ingredients:
4oz self raising flour
4 oz of caster sugar (I use much less as I don’t like things really sweet)
2 oz of butter (or margarine) I use about 1 ½ as it seems to rub better
1 beaten egg (you can add a little milk if you like) I use a large egg

Method:
Put flour and sugar in a bowl, rub in the fat and then mix in the beaten egg.
Do not use the whole egg, just half of it to start off with and then add a little more if the mixture isn’t binding together into a soft ball.
You don’t want the mixture to be sticky but neither do you want it to be too dry.
Knead the ball slightly with your hand and if it is a bit sticky sprinkle some flour over it.

I make about 10 balls from the mixture using my hands and place them on a baking tray that has parchment paper on it.
Use the remaining egg to spread over the top of each scone.

Bake at 180 degrees for about 15 mins – test for browness and doneness! I always think you have to judge finished baking by your own oven – if not quite done give them another 5 minutes so – it isn’t crucial!
When baked they will have spread and look more like biscuits.

I have also baked them in one of those flippy floppy baking trays – placed on a metal tray. Then they come out more traditional scone shaped.

These are not like traditional scones – but they are delicious and unlike normal scones they will keep for several days!! (Bonus)!

Enjoy

FAO Bob T Bear esq

2009-07-07T15:14:00.000+01:00

Otis, Bitsy Beans and Boston Bruin want you to know how much they enjoy reading your blog and look forward to hearing all bout what you have been doing!

They haven't learnt write to yet and are quite shy so have asked me to say Hi on their behalf.

Hi Bob!

from
Otis, Bitsy Beans and Boston Bruin!

NB Boston Bruin has not got a plaster on his left arm - he was tattooed with his owner's name when he went somewhere far away from home and was in danger of getting lost!

Necklace

2009-07-06T22:58:00.000+01:00

This necklace matches the last bracelet that I made.

Lots of fun to make - and they don't take too long to do.

Whoopie sold 3!

2009-07-05T22:04:00.000+01:00

I am really pleased the first three bracelets have sold - all to the same person and I have to admit is is a reletive of mine who is particularly fond of my jewellery and wears a lot of it.

I am still really chuffed.

I only created this one last night and she has gone off home with it.

More scrumbling

2009-07-04T11:59:00.000+01:00

I couldn't resist making another bracelet this time with turquoise beads. Great fun.

A necklace next I think!

Bead Scrumbling

2009-07-03T22:19:00.001+01:00

You have heard of Crochet Scrumbling (freeform crochet) well this is my version of Bead Scrumbling!

Not sure what I am going to do with them - wear them or sell them but I really enjoyed making them. I am going to have a go at some in other colours. (watch this space)!

I am sure that there are already lots of people out there already doing bead scrumbling and if so I just have to say that is means that I have taken a long time to catch on!!

I have no idea what I would charge if I was to sell them - any ideas?

Woolfest

2009-06-27T21:22:00.000+01:00

Had a great time at Woolfest on Friday. I met up with Fiona (LoveFibre) who I know and we had a quick catch up before separating to continue on our individual quests to get make sure we got to see everything and revisited the the stalls that we had lingered over at an earlier stage (well I did at least and I am sure that Fiona did too).
Hats off to Fiona for making a long and tiring journey to be at Woolfest. I am sure it was worth it and I don't think she went away disappointed or empty handed!!!
We spent a few minutes at Bloggers corner before rushing off to check out some more exciting things (I don't mean more exciting than the bloggers corner - you understand)!

I thoroughly enjoyed it all. It was my first visit. I found all of the animals quite intriguing - it took me back to the days when we had angora rabbits (supposed to be for the children) but of particlar interest to me as a spinner. They took some looking after - their fur was not at easy to keep free of knots if left for more than a day or two.

I spent the first hour at Woofest checking aout the Ashford equipment. A very nice lady and her husband very patiently explained how to use the 12" knitters loom. I really liked that. After a while I asked if it was easy to set up the warp. They very kindly said they would show me on the larger loom and whilst they got that ready and spoke to one or two more interested people they left me in charge of their electric spinning wheel. WOW - I fell in love with that!!! (I couldn't wait to hear how much that cost and I have to say the price shocked me a bit and will need some serious saving up for I think. I had to laugh when the man said it could be plugged into the car and used whilst travelling. Now I can tell you that I think I am married to the most patient and laid back man on the planet but I am not sure even he would be too keen on that idea - epspecially as I have a habit of falling asleep when he is driving!!! not sure he could cope with me asleep in charge of an electric spinning wheel!!
I did get a lesson in learning how to warp up the loom - all very quick and easy to do - I was left to complete the warping for a while whilst they again had a chat to other people needing some attention.
Whilst the man was showing me how to use the knitters' loom a man and a lady and came and took some photos (wasn't sure if they videoing actually) so goodness knows if I am going to appear on somebody's blog or you-tube even. watch this space!

Well I didn't purchase any spinning or weaving equipment but they are still well and truly high up on my to buy list.

I did however purchase some pieces of ready dyed pre-fet and some undyed pre-felt and some packets of koolaid and a book called Felted Bags, Boots and other things by Cendrine Armani. It is a really nice book with some lovely feleted projects in it. I also bought a small felted purse kit - I might get round to making it tomorrow.

I really enjoyed all of the felted items at the show and came away a very happy bunny!

I saw Jackie's (dogdaisychains) brooches and pieces and they looked lovely - hope you did well with them Jackie.

Fish

2009-06-27T13:54:00.001+01:00

Creative Bookmaking

2009-06-19T10:42:00.001+01:00

I have just spent from Sunday evening until Tuesday 4.00 p.m. afternoon tea at Alston Hall, Longridge on a Creative Bookmaking Course with our tutor Sandra Kedzlie.

Sandra's courses are always very good, she is a great tutor (and friend) who is more than happy to share lots of good ideas and techniques. She brings a great display of finished pieces of work and lots of samples to demonstrate a range of techniques - you come away feeling as though you have learnt too much!!! Can that be possible.

I managed to complete 1 book on the course and another since I arrived home. However I created a lot of interesting papers and fabrics on the course to make a great many more. (watch this space)!

This is the one that I completed on the course - made using trapped snippets of fabrics and other little scraps between two pieces of bondaweb. Lots of free machine embroidery doodles!

This next one is the one that I have made since I got back home.
I call it 'Old Manuscript' as the surface texture has been created out of an old piece of sheet music. I think I might have been a bit heavy handed with the acrylic paint as none of the script actually shows up, however I do like the finished effect. The motifs are made from painted tyvek - the lovely soft sort that comes from the white suits that the police use when they are investigating a crime scene! Much

It is great stuff for textile artists! Much nicer than the normal stiffer tyvek. A friend gave me some and now I don't know where to get some more. This book doesn't have any pages yet!

It does have two of the beads that I bought in China on the ends of the cords!

The Birds' Nest Stadium

2009-05-06T21:35:00.001+01:00

Last year when we were in Beijing the Birds Nest was just being constructed, it was shrouded in mist and surrounded by huge boards and could only be glimpsed from a nearby bridge.

What a difference this time. It is an amazing structure and beautifully landscaped.

And we were there with one or two others!!

Back Home!

2009-05-01T22:15:00.001+01:00

Well I have just been back home from Beijing for exactly 1 week. The trip started really well as we were upgraded to Business class on our flight from Paris to Beijing! (Brilliant!)

The weather was lovely most of of the time - nice and warm and sunny. We were lulled into thinking that Summer had arrived!

I will only bore you for a few blogs with pictures of our time spent in Beijing.

First things first - beads.

These I bought. I have bought some on previous visits so I have a little collection of them now.

Aren't these just fantastic? I didn't barta for any of these - these are serious beads and there were plenty of people busy trying to negotiate the right price for them. I couldn't resist photographing them however. (these were expensive beads!) last year I bought 3 or 4 very small ones and they cost more than the string of beads above that I bought this year.

Mountmellick Workshop

2009-04-05T00:04:00.001+01:00

Today we had a wonderful workshop with Rubina Porter teaching us how to do Mountmellick Embroidery. Ruby is a lovely lady who gave so willingly and generously of of her time and her expertise.

She is a trustee of Shishu Polli Plus. (Here you can read all about the project). She told us all about the work that she does out in Bangladesh and brought a lot of beautiful items made by the ladies at the centre. If you look at the 'news and events' section on the website you will see that they have formed an Embroiderers' Guild group. We had a really good day and we were all so quiet because we were so engrossed in what we were doing and listening to Ruby.
(see also Seaside Stitchers - Blackpool's Branch of the Embroiderers' Guild)

Ruby brought several cushions worked in Mountmellick. They were all worked on cream silk.

Ruby's cushions

Work in Progress

This is my piece - I have deviated slightly by using some darker shades!!! (There's always one)!!!

These pictures were taken at the centre in Bangladesh. (Don't mention the apostrophe)!

This last picture shows some of the items that Ruby brought show us. These are produced by the women in Bangladesh and sold here to provide money to support the project.

Echinacea 'needle-felted bag'

2009-03-28T21:15:00.001Z

This was quite a bit of fun - the bag came in separate pieces. The back of the bag is a grey coloured felt and the front was a startling white. I needle-felted merino fleece, hand-dyed silk net and silk organza and machine embroidered over it until there was not white to be seen!

The pocket on the from was made a year or so ago and and until I covered this bag I had no idea what I was going to do with it. A sudden flash of inspiration and it has become a pocket for the bag.

I have decorated the handles at the side with two buttons from my button stash that were a perfect match!

I am hoping that this bag too will be in the ICHF show in April at Aintree - exhibited with the One Step On Group.

'Lilly' Bag

2009-03-22T10:25:00.001Z

This is one of my pieces for the ICHF show at Aintree in April. I will be exhibiting with the One Step On group.

I used a ready made felt bag. I have needlefelted and machine embroidered over the outer surface with hand dyed silk georgette and lined the inside with silk dupion.

I made the stumpwork flower a while ago and knew it would come in handy for something!! I think it is just right for this bag!

Wow - what a week!

2009-03-14T18:37:00.001Z

On Thursday I went to visit Kirby Lonsdale's branch of the the Embroiderers' Guild. Josie Storey was the Tutor/ speaker. In the morning we did a workshop with Josie - we used her painted backgrounds and scraps of fabric and worked a piece to a theme of our own choice. I chose Spring.

In the afternoon Josie gave us a talk on her work with the Ebor Group. She gave us the same talk at Lytham back in November but it was nice to hear it all again and to be able to have the opportunity to look at all of her lovely pieces of work for a second time.

On Friday when the postman arrived I received a beautiful collage from Gunnel and lovely printed postcard of her work.

Thank you so much Gunnel they are both really lovely. It is such a treat to receive them.

What a lucky lady I am!

Beautiful Brooch

2009-03-14T18:35:00.001Z

This the beautiful brooch that I received from Kayla Coo which I won in her recent giveaway competition. She inspired me to do my brooch giveaway which has travelled to Sweden to it's new owner Gunnel

Thank you Michala - It is lovely.

The Winner of a Brooch is......

2009-03-08T21:26:00.001Z

The lucky winner of a brooch is Gunnel - so the brooch will be soon on its way to Sweden!

Congratulations Gunnel and thank you to everyone who entered for all of your kind comments.

I have had fun doing it and will maybe do it again sometime.

Brooch Give Away

2009-03-01T21:58:00.001Z

I am going to give away one of my machine embroidered brooches to a lucky winner. You just have to leave a comment and make sure that I have a way of contacting you.

I will put all names into a hat and draw one out on next Sunday evening and then I will announce the winner.

I have been making these brooches for several years now and a great many of my friends and relatives have quite a number of them. They are always surprised as to how many things their brooches will accessorise.

In your comment please leave the number of choice.

            1                       2                                3

4 5 6

New Embroiderers' Guild Branch Blogs

2009-02-26T11:12:00.000Z

As of yesterday two new Embroiderers' Guild Branch blogs have been formed one by myself and the other by my friend Sandra.
Do please take a look at the blogs.

Seaside Stitchers is my branch blog - Blackpool Embroiderers' Guild and P.E.G Stitchers is Parbold Embroiderers' Guild Branch - set up by Sandra.

Seaside Stitchers www.seasidestitchers.blogspot.com
P.E.G Stitchers www.pegstitchers.blogspot.com

More 'Little Works of Art' Workshop

2009-02-14T21:46:00.001Z

Today it was the turn of members of the Blackpool branch of the Embroiderers' Guild to try out their design skills and create their own Little Works of Art under my tutelidge.

We had a great day and the ladies produced some brilliant pieces of work. As you can see!

Corryna's ATC

2009-02-13T13:13:00.001Z

Here is my lovely Artist Trading Card that arrived this week from Corryna. I love it - the colours are lovely and rich. I am pleased to share it with you all.

Thank you Corryna

Oh What Fun!!

2009-02-03T17:41:00.001Z

I spent the afternoon dyeing pieces of silk and hanks of wool using food colouring, white vinegar, water and the microwave.

The house stinks of vinegar now but I love the results of my efforts!!

I have dyed habouti, silk net, silk chiffon and silk crepe, hanks of arran wool and some grey felt that was really quite drab and is now muted with different shades and the lovely bright green in the centre is a piece of pre-felt!

Now it all needs drying our and the fabrics need ironing but I just love the yummy colours and can't wait to start doing something with them. Watch this space!

Really enjoying my new sewing machine

2009-02-02T18:03:00.001Z

Just before Christmas I treated myself to a new sewing machine.

It is an Husqvarna Sapphire 870 and it is wonderful. I am so pleased with it that I cannot begin to tell you how much!!!!!

I have always been an avid Bernina fan and was quite convinced that I would never have a different make - but I have to say I am very impressed with this machine. It is much quieter than my Bernina. It can automatically cut my thread when I have finished sewing and take the threads through to the back. It automatically sets the tension to the thickness of the fabric and comes with a good range of feet. Extra feet do not cost a fortune!!

It is great for free machine embroidery. It will also use quite springy threads very nicely and it doesn't keep breaking the thread when using metallic threads!! (How good is that!) It has a really range of different stitches and I can set up to 20 of my own stitch patterns.

Lots of free machining and applique. Silk, organza and felt.

Felt, organza, nylon and scrim. The panel on the front is one of my 'little works of art' - (created using the embellisher, tea-bag paper, silk, scrim, net and buttons and a piece of discarded jellery. The cross stitch pattern on the main body of the book cover is my own pattern created on the machine and saved for future use - a mix of cross stitch and straight stitch to create a random effect. The hand stitches are created using space dyed linen thread that I bought a few years ago from Riitta Sinkkonen Davies. Riitta is a textile artist based in Pembrokeshire, specialising in weaving. You can visit her at her workshop at her home. I always look for her work in local exhibitions when we are on holiday in the summer in Pembrokeshire.

Mmmmmmm - now what shall I do next?

More Little Works of Art

2009-02-01T12:52:00.001Z

I have a large collection of beads, buttons and small metal treasures that have been recycled from discarded pieces of jewellery that I am starting to make it one of my aims to use as many of them as I possibly can in everything that create!!

I am also thinking that this blue background doesn't really do justice to some of my pieces. Do not be surprised if this blog goes through a few colour change cycles whilst I determine which one I like best!!!!

All of these pieces are quite small - from some of them I will make cards but with the slightly large one I still have to decide on their fate. (They are not the only ones - I have quite a stash of them and just don't know what to do with them all for the best).

Not my usual choice of colours

2009-01-30T22:31:00.001Z

A short time ago I read someone's blog (can't remember whose it was) that suggested working with something that we wouldn't normally choose. I didn't set out to do something different but realised, when I had finished, that was exactly what I had done.

I never choose these colours to work with! I was definitely out of my comfort zone working on these and they are not the right colours for displaying on this dark blue background. Ah well - I have decided to display them anyway. They look quite drab and are probably closest in colour to the bottom right of the four.

Good Intentions

2009-01-08T14:47:00.001Z

I don't make New Years resolutions as I find it so difficult to keep them. I do however start with lots of good intentions.

One is to make more effort to be more creative and work on more pieces than I do and less spend less time on the computer (that will be a difficult one!)

The other is throw away all little bits and scraps when I have finished a piece so that it looks less congested in my workroom and I can then make a start on the pile of fabric that somehow just appears to keep on mounting up.

Well I succeeded in producing some pieces of work - however I failed on throwing out the scraps during a tidy-up session as I used them all on the pieces created!!! I don't think I am going to win this battle somehow!!!

Ok back to the tidying up - see if I can have more success this time!!!

Little Works of Art Workshop

2009-01-06T21:57:00.001Z

Saturday's workshop with Preston Branch of the Embroiderers' Guild went really well. I couldn't believe that there was no ice on the roads at all for the journey to Preston and back home - what a bonus.

Lunch was great - they usually have a Jacobs Join at their first meeting of the year - the food was delicious!!! a real treat.

I was really pleased with what my students produced and I am sure that they were pleased with their results. They certainly should be.

After they had looked at the mountain of samples that I had brought we spent some time on creating designs to work from. They then set to work on using their own designs with great results.

I think you will agree they produced some really interesting pieces. Some were hand-stitched and some were machine stitched. I hope that they will carry on make some more using the designs that that created. Thanks ladies - I really enjoyed the day.

'Little Works of Art'

2009-01-01T20:20:00.001Z

I am teaching a workshop on Saturday and have been very busy making friends with my new sewing machine - preparing some examples of 'Little works of art'. I had originally called the workshop 'Textile Art Miniatures' but prefer the one above - it seems to roll off my tongue more readily when I refer to the pieces that I create.!!!

I now have quite a stack of these from previous workshops - but always feel that to get into the workshop I need to work on some new pieces!

I have done some very rough sketches that show the source of inspiration - sometimes I create a piece (a happy accident from simply playing about on the machine) and then I do a sketch afterwards so I can work something else from it!

None of these are actually completed pieces as they need embellishing and I need to think about how I am going to mount/ present them in their best light - as it were!

Like I said they are just quick rough sketches

These next sketches belong to the set of book covers

I hope to be able to take some pictures at workshop and will post them over the weekend! I am using my now quite old Nikon Coolpix 4500 - great camera but seems to work best indoors on small items - it has the smallest window for a digital camera ever!! Still need to sort out buying a replacement camera for the one that went 'walk abouts' in Tiannamen Square!

Textile Translations

2008-12-30T21:26:00.001Z

At long last I have completed workshop 1 of the on-line workshops available to purchasers of Maggie Greys lovely new book Textile Translations. http://www.d4daisy.com/

I completed the panels a short while ago but I was waiting for the arrival of my new Husqvarna sewing machine. I wanted to choose just the right stitch to edge the panels and then join them together. My Bernina was rather limited on choice of stitches. My new machine is lovely - I love my Bernina and always said I would never have any other make but I was wrong and am very pleased with my new purchase.

I used gesso, quink ink, bleach, tyvek, silk paints and treasure gold to achieve the effect.

I now need to take a look at workshop 2. So watch this space!!!

6th Photo from 6th Folder

2008-12-28T10:52:00.001Z

Well I took a look and this is the photo that popped up!

This is the new campus for the Beijing Institute of Technology where my husband visits several time a year. This photo was taken on the visit before the one where his camera disappeared out of his bag. On that occasion he had just taken a photo of a colleague who had arrived earlier without his luggage (including camera) from a flight from the UK - so my husband took a photo of him in front of Chairman Mao on the Forbidden City. When he got back to his hotel he decided he would download the pictures he had taken only to discover that the camera was missing - never to be seen again.

That was about 6 months ago and now we are without said camera and keep borrowing our son's camera. Only problem is he bounced his camera on a car park floor just a few days after he had purchased it. It was repaired of a sorts but is very choosy about deciding whether to work or not and the image in the screen is not straight !! still we seem to manage.

New Years resolution to PURCHASE REPLACEMENT CAMERA!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone

2008-12-23T15:23:00.001Z

A very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

The image of the snowflakes is a photograph that I took at the newly renovated St Pancras station in 2007. I don't know whether the glass panels with snowflakes on them where a permanent set up or not. I haven't been back since so maybe someone can tell me if they are still there or whether this year the display was different!

Weekend in London

2008-12-15T22:15:00.001Z

Just back from a lovely weekend in London. We spent the weekend visiting our son. He works in Soho Square so we met up with him after work and then went for a lovely meal to Andrew Edmunds (Lexington Street) - as we left there to walk to the tube we passed all these lovely Christmas Snowmen. I just had to photograph them!

The following day we went back into the centre of London to Covent Garden - first stop coffee at the Monmouth coffee shop followed by a good browse on my two favourite bead shops - Beadworks on Tower Street and Bead Aura in Neal's Yard. I dispatched my son and husband to go and look in a gallery or something they might find interesting - telling them that I wouldn't be too long as I didn't really think I needed any beads - I was just going for a look!! Ahmmmmm - not quite how it turned out!!! (The beads are yummy!!)

It rained all day Saturday - we tried to get to the Petersham Nursery for afternoon tea but left it rather late and discovered that Richmond Park was closed by the time we got there - the traffic was very heavy so we sent back to James' flat for tea before heading off back into London for one of the London Walks. The walk started at Holborn Station and was about Sherlock Holmes and Alfred Hitchcock. It was very good especially as we visited two pubs during the walk. It was especially good to get inside the pubs because it was throwing it down all of the time - we were wet through but had a great time!!

Yesterday we spent the day at another favourite place - Eltham Palace. James had never visited it before and he was really impressed. The Art Deco interior of the house is really interesting.

Then back on the train and home!! Very tired all day today - I wonder why?

More work in progress

2008-12-10T16:06:00.001Z

These little works of art were created on weekend course at Alston Hall with Sandra Kedzlie - I decided to make a fabric book - using the green pieces on one side and the rust coloured pieces on the other. I wasn't sure whether to make it a free standing concertina book or make it in to a type of wall hanging book. It could be reversed if needed. Needless to say I haven't actually attached the pieces together yet - so it is neither a book nor a wall hanging - lets just say it is on my 'to do list'!!!!

The pieces were needlefelted to the background fabric and then machine embroidered and embellished with beads.

New Brooches

2008-12-06T15:15:00.001Z

I just discovered a whole set of brooches that I embellished in the summer and never got round to completing with backs and brooch pins. (I have now got round to finishing them off!)

Each one is a one off - very popular with my friends and well travelled - I have brooches residing in all four corner of the UK, Canada, the US, Australia and China to name but a few.

I really enjoy making them and I love it when I get feedback saying just how surprised their owners are to find just how many outfits they can were their brooch with.

1 2

3 4

5 6

7 8

These have been seen before - but are still available.

9 10

11 12

13 14

15 16

Almost forgot these.

18 , 19, 20 & 21

If the numbering seems strange it is because blogger won't let me move the numbers to be in line under the appropriate image!!!

If you are interested in any of these unique items please email me.

Stumpwork

2008-12-04T15:29:00.001Z

Very recently one of the branches of the Embroiderers' Guild that I belong to celebrated their 25th anniversary. To celebrate they had an afternoon lecture from Josie Storey about her work with the Ebor Textile Group. In the evening Josie joined us for a meal and on the Sunday she did a workshop for us on Stumpwork.

The whole weekend was really enjoyable. Josie brought along a really good selection of kits and supplies or if preferred people could work on their own painted backgrounds and use their own sources of inspiration.

I chose the latter. For my inspiration I chose a photograph of a Jali, an Indian window. I photographed the jali at the Petersham Nursery in Richmond, Surrey . The Tea-house and the Garden are absolutely delightful and full of beautiful, inspiring ideas. They also serve the best cake I have tasted -- if I tell you my favourite they might not have any left next time I go!!! - so I am keeping mum on that one!

This piece is worked on haboti silk.

Last minute .......

2008-11-30T14:48:00.001Z

As always I manage to leave things to last minute. One of the branches of the Embroiderers' Guild that I belong joined in the custom of decorating a Christmas tree in our Parish Church last year.

I did a workshop for the group on 3D patchwork stars and many of the those produced were proudly hung on the tree.

This year I am just creating members are creating their own items - these have to be white/ silver. As usual I have left it to the last minute before deciding on what to do. They have to be in my the end of November.

Phew!!! I have just made it in time. Good old clingfilm to the rescue - trapped glittery silver organzas and threads, some silver cord and silver beads and 6 glittery gift bags later!!!!! Hopefully they will blend in nicely with the lovely crochet angels that I have already seen that have been lovingly made by another member.

Wall Hanging, book cover or bag?

2008-11-22T14:15:00.001Z

This was created as the result of a day spent sewing with a friend - basically just by

attaching a variety of strips of fabric to a background and a layer of felt,
covering with a layer of organza,
machine stitching and then zapping with a heat gun, and
stitching down torn pieces of dyed scrim, devore habouti and pieces of painted lace.

It was then lined with a piece of black dupion and edged with a dense zig-zag stitch.

My dilema now is do I make it into a wall hanging (embellishing it first with thread and beads, make it into a bookcover (my original intention) or a small purse? The last one has quite a bit of appeal.

The colours remind me or Autumn Fruits - so retrospectively you could say that was the inspiration for this piece - not just simply attempting to do something with all the scaps of fabrics accumulated from numerous other projects - I think you know what I mean!!!!

Felt & Silk Painting Workshop

2008-11-05T23:27:00.001Z

Last Sunday I attended a workshop at Cedar Farm, Mawdesley, Lancashire. It was a collaborative workshop run by Sheila Smith, a feltmaker and Joanne Eddon a silk paint artist. We worked on silk screen printing with Joanne and incorporated pieces of her painted silk into the felt that we created with Sheila.

It was a superb workshop. Joanne and Sheila held an exhibition of their work in the Gallery at Cedar Farm and it was truly inspiring.

I haven't decided yet but I might make this into a bag. This was made using some pieces of Joanne's painted silk.

This piece was created from a strip of the silk that I painted when working with Joanne taken from a second print created at the same time as the piece below.

I am sure that the 2 tutors were glad when the weekend had come to an end as they had run a course on the Saturday as well - but I could certainly have done another day!!!!

Workshop

2008-10-28T22:23:00.001Z

I gave a workshop on Saturday to the Parbold Branch of the Embroiderers' Guild.

It was a really good day. I enjoyed it very much. (I hope they did too)

These are some of the pieces that I took for the workshop entitled 'Textile Art Miniatures' - as soon I arrived I decided to rename the workshop to 'Little Works of Art' it seems to be more fitting and rolls off the tongue a little more easily. None of these pieces are bigger than A5 - hence the term 'little'

Work produced by the members. I think they produced some really interesting pieces.

Hot off the press

2008-10-28T22:02:00.001Z

My first CD is now in print and available.

This is the first of a set of three disks all based on an introduction to using a graphics program to create designs which can then be interpreted in stitch.

Anyone interested and requiring more information please email me.

It includes a gallery of copyright free images as well a set of workshops. I am just in the process of updating my website so there will a page on there giving much more information.

Red Beaded Evening Bag

2008-10-28T21:55:00.001Z

My sister-in-law recently gave me a Medici beaded evening top that she had decided she wasn't going to wear any more. (It was really heavy and I wondered how on earth she could have moved about in it in the first place!)

Anyway she wanted me to have it and use it in my textile art work I couldn't resist making a bag out of it for her. She was thrilled to bits with it when I presented it to her. She is going on a cruise this weekend and the bag will be having it's first outing! I seem to think it necessitated having to purchase a new outfit to do it justice!

Any excuse!!!

New Bags

2008-09-28T18:17:00.001+01:00

I enjoy making bags and tend to work on one in the spur of the moment - nothing is really planned at any stage.

These are two recent examples

This designs are actually on the fabric itself so I didn't need to do any real work on it - I just looked for beads and embellishments that would set it off. I am pleased with the way it worked out.

Just finished this one today - I have used a piece of furnishing fabric and used the lines to work out the design. It is embellished with hand made cord and yummy metallic beads. The pearl item centre front is actually a locket! So the bag could be a 'treasure or secrets' bag.

Lytham Windmill

2008-09-24T17:47:00.001+01:00

The Lytham St Annes branch of the Embroiderers' Guild is 25 years old this year. As well as having a celebratory weekend with Josie Storey as our guest speaker, a meal out and a workshop with Josie the following day, we are also holding an exhibition at the Heritage Centre. The competition entries from the Trudie Goodenough competition at the AGM will be on display as well as other pieces of work contributed by the members and we were also asked to create a 5 x7 inch piece of work to represent Lytham St Annes. These are going to be made into a book.

My piece I think speaks for its self - it is Lytham Windmill.

The background is needlefelted using the embellishing machine as is the windmill and the buildings - the remaining details are in machine and hand stitch.

Take a Stitch in Silver

2008-09-24T17:40:00.001+01:00

Another branch that I belong to (Embroiderers' Guild) are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year and decided that the competition at the AGM would be 'Take a Stitch in Silver'.

All submitted pieces are going into an exhibition which will take place in October. We had more entries this year at the AGM than we have had in a long time. The winner is decided by votes from the branch members. The winning entry was lovely and most deserved.

(not this piece!)

The background is embellished georgette. The petals are layered, embellished, machine stitched, hand stitched and beaded. The stitch choice being a straight stitch!

Oya

2008-09-24T17:34:00.001+01:00

I have long admired Oyas (Turkish Needlelace flowers) and have been attempting to learn how to do them. I have taught myself and this is my first completed flower - a pansy.

I am really hoping that somewhere someone will have a nice tutorial on it - I have looked in one or two books and they all seem to have a slightly different technique (which can be confusing to a complete beginner!) and I did find a short clip on Youtube showing how to do the stitch. (That's the stitch that I have attempted to put into practice in this effort).

This is for a branch competition at the AGM. We had to create something related to gardens and it had to be no bigger than 3 inches square to fit onto a 4 inch square background fabric - we all have a piece of the background fabric so that all of the completed squares will make up a group project.

From Design to Stitch

2008-08-23T17:27:00.001+01:00

The first of 3 CDs covering learning to use a computer graphics program for design which can then be interpreted in stitch is now available. I have decided to call it 'From Design to Stitch' and have dropped the word 'digital' from the original title. The reason for that is as the content is for complete beginners so it focuses on learning to use the tools, tool options, layers, filters, gradients etc

The other 2 CDs in the series will be available very shortly and I hope to have a further 2 ready by the beginning of 2009 concentrating on using digital images.

I am currently updating my website and am hoping to make the contents of the CDs available as a download.

If anyone is interested and would like further information please email me.

Latest Bag

2008-08-23T17:18:00.001+01:00

My latest bag. One which I started without any pre-conceived notion as to how it would turn out, but I have to say I am pleased with the end result.

It is machine embroidered around some details and embellished with a felt and organza flower effect, created on the embellisher. It is fully lined and a good roomy size.

It can currently be viewed on Etsy at

Chyadesigns

Digital Design for Beginners

2008-08-05T21:19:00.001+01:00

I have been working on a CD on Digital Design for Beginners based on Photoshop Elements. The instructions on the disk will enable the learner to create designs that can be interpreted in many different forms of art, mainly aimed at embroidery, stitch, and textile art.

I already teach a City & Guilds Creative Computing into Stitched Textiles on-line, for the School of Stitched Textiles and have been asked by many of my friends to produce something that they could work from which is not a certificated course but more a course for personal pleasure. It has been a while in the making but the first of the 3-CD set is almost ready. The CDs will be available separately - a Level 1 - Beginners, Level 2 - Intermediate and Level 3 -Advanced.

(If interested please email me) or leave a comment.

These pieces are included in the first CD - I have spent time on holiday stitching the hand-stitched samples and have worked on the printed and machine stitched samples since I arrived back home.

Using this simple line design I worked a hand-stitched interpretation

Once I was able to get home to my sketchbook I started to create some print blocks and worked on a few different interpretations.

This print is on blue silk fabric washed over with black ink.

These two are printed on handmade
paper. (bought!!!!)

Printed on cotton and then machine stitched. This piece has a layer of soft cotton wadding between the top layer and the bottom layer to give a quilted appearance.

Not decided yet as to how much more detail I am going to add or what exactly it will be. (Work in Progress!!)

At least it means that the first CD is complete (apart from a final read through and edit) and then it can go to press!!!

Summer Jewels

2008-08-04T23:09:00.001+01:00

Whenever I go on holiday I always take some stitching to do. I usually spend the evenings stitching. I am such a fidget and have a low TV threshold that I have to have something to do!! (I know I am not unusual in this, I am sure!)

I took a piece of prepared fabric with me - no preconceived notions as to what I was going to do with it. I had bonded it to a piece of black felt and machined over it with a gold metallic thread.

I took all sorts of scraps of fabrics, a random selection of beads and threads. A bit short sighted really considering that there was a possibility that non of those things would have been the right colours as I just threw all sorts in at the last minute.

I am quite pleased with the outcome which I have called Summer Jewels. My two weeks in Pembrokeshire turned out to be quite productive - not bad for saying that for at least 5 days I could hardly move my left shoulder and ended up spending more time than I would have liked with a bag of frozen peas on it!!!!

Last years NWR Summer School

2008-07-17T18:46:00.001+01:00

This is my masterpiece from Summer School last year with Sheena Norquay. She is also not only a lovely person, but truly inspirational.

I suddenly realised that this piece hasn't light of day and should come out for an airing!

I call it 'Shining Circles'

North West Region Embroiderers' Guild Summer School

2008-07-16T17:08:00.001+01:00

I have just returned from a great weekend at Alston Hall, Longridge for the North West Region Embroiderers' Guild Summer School.

It started on Thursday evening with Angie Hughes doing a 3 day workshop on Exploring Velvets.

Sheila Smith and Owen Davies joined us on Friday evening for their 2-day courses on felt making and knot gardens, respectively and on Sunday 2 more tutors joined us for 1 day courses. Lucy Smethurst who taught 'Hat pins and Corsarges' and Sandra Wallace who taught 'Jewelled Elements' (beading).

A great time was had by all.

I was in Angie's class. It was brilliant and enjoyed by everyone. We worked on several examples using white cotton velvet, which we dyed, inked, bleached, printed, foiled and stitched. We also worked on black velvet concentrating on foiling and stitching.

This is the only sample of mine that got to the stitching stage but I have several others 'waiting in the wings' as it were! Not sure yet how I will finish this piece but lets say it is almost there.

A Truly Welsh Bag

2008-07-16T13:34:00.001+01:00

Another bag made from a remnant of fabric from Melin Tregwynt. The reason I am referring to it as a truly Welsh bag is because the fabric is woven in Wales and the cord handle is made from Colinette Yarn - dyed in Wales.

The button is a find from the bag of buttons found at my mother's house after she had passed away. It is a lovely soft wooly button from a woollen coat I imagine - it was just perfect to give a finish to the bag.

As I will be back in Wales very shortly both Melin Tregwynt and Colinette will get my annual visit. (Can't wait) - I also always make a visit to the Llanidloes Quilt Show. That too is on my list of places that must be visited!!

PHD's - Projects Half Done!

2008-06-12T16:45:00.001+01:00

Whilst my workroom has been out of action for the last few weeks I have taken to working by hand on some unfinished items that have previously been put on one side and ignored!

The first one is a bag made of a grosgrain fabric and lined with a piece of black silk. All it needed to finish it off was a cord handle and some kind of fastener. The button, which is purely decorative was one I found in the button collection retrieved from my mother's house when we were clearing the house ready for selling, following he recent death. I found some more quite yummy buttons and they will, hopefully, make it on to many more bags and bookcovers in the near future. (When normal creative action has been resumed!) We have workmen coming in a couple of weeks so that we can have a new roof and then there is our annual holiday. Creativity might be limited for a little while longer.

Next I decided to finished off a necklace. This is my personal favourite and I can't begin to say how many different colour variations I have made it in.

I seem to have been bitten by the beading bug again - probably because I do not need access to a sewing machine and I can do it anywhere in the house. I have been experimenting with right angle weave and was very pleased with the outcome of this next necklace. Thinking a bracelet would be nice to go with it I decided to make it a double layer, unlike the necklace. I think they work well together.

Flushed with a feeling of success I went on to make another in clear, silver lined beads, contrasted with a lovely dark teal colour.

Book Cull

2008-06-11T21:33:00.000+01:00

I have recently had to move the contents of my workroom to another room and back TWICE - once so that we could have new windows and the second time so the room could be painted. We emptied the room the first time because we were under the impression that we had agreed to having the stone bay replaced. It seems our request didn't get back to those that needed to know and so only new windows were supplied. (We needn't have emptied the whole room after all!!!)

That was several weeks ago. I then went in search of vertical blinds and we decided that a fresh coat of paint was needed so the majority of the contents of the room were on the move for the second time. It was at this point that I decided that a book cull was well and truly over due. I still have some to add to the list but believe me I still plenty left that will not make it to the list as I couldn't bear to part with them.

No reasonable offer will be refused and for some it will most likely just be the cost of the postage. If there is anything of interest here to you please do not hesitate to contact me. (See profile for email address)

Book List

2008-06-11T21:31:00.000+01:00

Embroidery		Condition
The Embroidered Garden	Lois Vickers	Used
The Coatsbook of Embroidery	Mary Gostelow	Used
Creative Wall-Hangings and Panels	Audrey Babington	Used
Christmas Stitchery	Jenny Chippindale & Kate Thorp	Used
Inspired to Stitch	Wendy Lees	Used
Design for Embroidery	Diana Springall	Used
Designing Worksheets	Jan Messant	As new
A Trip Around the World	Gail Lawther	As new
Starting to Stitch Creatively	The World of Embroidery	As new
Three Dimensional Embroidery	Hannah Frew	Used
Fabric Painting	Rosi Robinson	As new
Painting Fabric	Marion Elliot	As new
Designing for Embroidery	Jan Messant	Used
Colour and Design for Embroidery	Richard Box	As new
Assisi Embroidery	Pamela Miller Ness	Used
Silk Painting	Eva Dimcovski	As new
Fabric Painting	Miranda Innes	As new
Thread Painting	Liz Hubbard	Used

Patchwork & Quilting		Condition
Imaginative Patchwork	Peigi Martin & Susan Young	As new
Borders by Design	Paulette Yates	As new
Basic Beauties – Easy Quilts for Beginners	Eileen Westfall	As new
Protea Designs	Maretha Foure	used
Measure the Possibilities with Omnigrid	Nancy Johnson-Srebro	As new

General Crafts		Condition
Decorative Frames	Miranda Innes	As new
Country Collage	Jenny Kell	As new
Collage from Seeds, Leaves and Flowers	Joan Carver	As new
Paper Mache	Miranda Innes	As new

Panjaiyuan Market Beijing

2008-05-01T23:20:00.001+01:00

One of my most favourite places to visit in Beijing. It is truly fascinating. It sells the most incredible things - the like of which you have never seen before. It is always very busy. The stall holders are very friendly and like nothing better to offer you a tiny little stool to sit on so that they can show you what they have to sell.

A general view of the market from a veranda that runs along one side.

Another general view.

and another - you can't begin to imagine how many stall holders there are or what it must be like in very windy weather!!

Did I buy some beads - oh yes!!!

There are more bead stalls than you will ever see anywhere else on earth I am sure - unless someone else knows different!!!!!

Same place - just another angle!

Commission

2008-05-01T23:18:00.001+01:00

I was recently commissioned by a good friend to make a spectacles case for a birthday present for one of our friends.

Red was the chosen colour and the rest was left up to me.

This case is made from a piece of silk fabric that I bought in China a few years ago from a small shop on the outer edge of the Panjiayuan Market in Beijing. We recently visited the market again only to find that the little shop in question was no longer there.

The Panjaiyuan is Beijing's original flea-market. It is the most fascinating market that I have ever visited and we always make a point of trying to go it when we visit Beijing.

I will post some photos of the market shortly.

I have machine embroidered on top of the woven design to bring our some of the details. The chord is made from fine rat-tail cord that I bought at the same place which I have twisted using a cord winder.

Work in Progress

2008-02-06T17:49:00.001Z

I started this work by experimenting with ways of transferring images onto different fabrics. This was a very clear image transfer onto white polycotton.

I made several different versions of the same image on to different fabrics. This next one was on image transfer paper, printed onto cotton. I created a painted background of a set of distressed looking doors which always grab my attention when I visit Trefin in Pembrokeshire. The peeling paint and grasses and wild plants growing infront of the doors sing out to me to be interpreted in texture created by stitch. I placed the image of echinachea infront of the doors (artistic licence!). The background has been painted with acrylics and pieces of dyed silk fabric has been machine stitched to for the doorway structure and flower image has been heavily stitched into to give the appearance of being part of the scene.

More work still needs to be done.

The next sample is based on the same scene. I did not use a transferred image this time. I used the embellisher to work the whole piece and added some machine stitched lines for effect. This too needs some more work.

Finally I attended a workshop on feltmaking with Kate Horner. I decided to experiment with the same scene again and see if I could it successfully through a totally different technique and approach. I definitely still have quite a bit of work to do on this piece before I feel that I have achieve the effect that I was trying to create.

All in all I am pleased with the way the pieces are going so far.