SAL 45 – Hmm, not much going on here!

Hi everyone, I am really sorry but, apart from adding a few French knots to my project, I have done very little over the last three weeks as I have been trying to finish off a number of swap packages. I will leave you with the picture I posted last week and a promise to try and finish it off in the next 3 weeks!

Many thanks for popping in and look forward to catching up in three weeks time.

Happy stitching.

We are a small group of crafters using a variety of different techniques. Please check out the fabulous stitching by all the other members of the SAL. If you are interested in joining us you can contact Avis for details.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, MaryMargaret, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, Connie, AJ, Jenny, Laura, Cathie, Linda, Helen

SAL 44 – A little more green on green!

Hi everyone, posting later today as I have been trying (all day!) to get my photos to upload from the phone. Since last time I have managed to spend a little time getting more texture onto my little mossy hillock. As you can see I have sewn down eyelets and ruched rayon tape around the edges of the design. The rayon tape is a lovely material to work with and is simply held down with a few stab stitches. I have also added little ribbon wheels made with variegated silk ribbon.

Mossy Hillock under construction.

All I have to do now is add some French knots, make up the little pincushion and add the needle lace fungi that I was working on last time we met.

Many thanks for popping in and look forward to catching up in three weeks time.

Happy stitching.

We are a small group of crafters using a variety of different techniques. Please check out the fabulous stitching by all the other members of the SAL. If you are interested in joining us you can contact Avis for details.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Mary Margaret, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, Connie, AJ, Jenny, Laura, Cathie, Linda, Helen

Turtle Power

I have managed to do a little stitching on my goldwork turtle (designed by Georgina Bellamy of ‘That Embroidery Girl’) , The design was published in a new book called ‘Passion for Needlework’ published by @inspirationsstudios if you would also like to have a go. Last time I had managed to complete the shell of the turtle and the padding for the base.

The base to the turtle

The entire body was then outlined in gold pearl purl and then the next job was to add the metal threads over the padding. The flippers were covered in bright check chippings in three main colours – gold, purple and brown – with circles of green added as an accent colour.

The base of the turtle covered in metal threads

The sides of the turtle were a mixture of bright check and smooth purl, as was the head which had been pulled upwards. The eyes were black beads defined with gold pearl purl around them. Finally a black felt was sewn onto the base of each piece before assembling.

And here is my completed little turtle. I think he looks lovely and I have attached a hanging ribbon to him so that he can be hung up.

My finished turtle

I really enjoyed making this little fellow and now have quite a menagerie!

Thank you for popping in. Happy stitching.

SAL 43 – A little progress

Hi all, well I promised myself some time to work on my Blue Wren Etui by Jenny Adin Christie and so spent the whole day on a piece of needle lace which will be turned into a fungus that sits around the hole where a pair of scissors will live.

Unfortunately it doesn’t look like very much, so I hope you are not too disappointed!

Ooh, while you are here – I have been gifted some cross stitch kits and to be quite honest I do not have the patience for them. I do know that some of you ladies enjoy cross stitching and wondered if anyone was interested in them. Please let me know if you would like them.

Many thanks for popping in and look forward to catching up in three weeks time.

Happy stitching.

We are a small group of crafters using a variety of different techniques. Please check out the fabulous stitching by all the other members of the SAL. If you are interested in joining us you can contact Avis for details.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Carole, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Cindy, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Mary Margaret, Renee, Carmela, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, Connie, AJ, Jenny, Laura, Cathie, Linda, Helen

Goldwork Turtle

Just loved this design by Georgina Bellamy of  @thatembroiderygirl . The pattern and instructions can be found in a lovely book called ‘Passion for Needlework’ published by @inspirationsstudios . They are a good introduction to anyone interested in 3D goldwork embroidery and there are lots of diagrams included, which I find very helpful when trying to envisage each process along the way.

As with all goldwork – the main work is in the padding. I started first on making the shell which consisted of at least 6 layers of thick felt covered with a thin white felt. Onto this I drew the shapes that were to be filled with chippings and outlined them in gold pearl purl.

As you can see in the picture above I have began to add the chippings to the segments on the shell. Once the shell had been completed it was back to padding work. The turtle is constructed in two parts – the shell and the base.

Now that the base is completed I can start adding the metal threads – which is the fun part. I will keep you all posted as I progress.

Happy stitching everyone.

SAL 42: Slow progress, but a little in the right direction…

Hello everyone, another three weeks have shot past and life is still as chaotic as ever but I did managed to find a couple of hours today to work on my little blue wren etui, designed by Jenny Adin-Christie.

I have been adding a little texture to the base and managed to create a few fluffy, mossy hillocks out of embroidery thread.

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Since the picture was taken, I have added 4 more tufts – I think I might have gone a little overboard! At least it is a little progress in the right direction!

Many thanks for popping in and look forward to catching up in three weeks time.

Happy stitching.

We are a small group of crafters using a variety of different techniques. Please check out the fabulous stitching by all the other members of the SAL. If you are interested in joining us you can contact Avis for details.

Avis, Claire,  Gun,  Carol , Sue,Constanze, Christina,  Kathy,  Margaret,  Cindy, Heidi, Jacky , Sunny ,  Hayley,   Megan,   MaryMargaret , Renee ,  Carmella ,  Jocelyn, Sharon,  Daisy,   Anne,  A.J. ,  Jenny , Laura ,   Cathie,  Linda,   Sherrie,  Helen

SAL 41: No progress here…

Hello everyone, the last three weeks have shot past haven’t they? I am afraid that I have made no progress what so ever on my SAL – as school life has been very hectic and hasn’t allowed any down time to sew. I will leave you with my little blue hen….

I look forward to seeing everyone elses progress – it might cheer me up!!

We are a small group of crafters using a variety of different techniques. Please check out the fabulous stitching by all the other members of the SAL. If you are interested in joining us you can contact Avis for details.

Avis, Claire,  Gun,  Carol , Sue,Constanze, Christina,  Kathy,  Margaret,  Cindy, Heidi, Jacky , Sunny ,  Hayley,   Megan,   MaryMargaret , Renee ,  Carmella ,  Jocelyn, Sharon,  Daisy,   Anne,  A.J. ,  Jenny , Laura ,   Cathie,  Linda,   Sherrie,  Helen

SAL 40: Mossy bank

Hello everyone, I do hope you have all managed to enjoy Christmas. Ours was very quiet – just the two of us (and dog), but it was also quite relaxing as there was no pressure to entertain or get in the car to make the numerous visits we normally do.

Now that I have finally finished my little blue wren etui, designed by Jenny Adin-Christie – he needs a base to sit on, which also provides a place to put a pair of embroidery scissors and a little pin cushion.

The first job is to cut out and mount the velvet base onto a white cotton backing using herringbone stitch. Then mark out where the pin cushion will sit and the embroidery will go.

Applying the velvet base.

Once in place I made a start on trapping spangles in a green organza. These will create texture over the base.

Capturing spangles in organza

So that is what I have managed to achieve in the last few weeks – not much I know, but a step in the right direction. Many thanks for popping in and look forward to catching up in three weeks time.

Happy stitching.

We are a small group of crafters using a variety of different techniques. Please check out the fabulous stitching by all the other members of the SAL. If you are interested in joining us you can contact Avis for details.

Avis, Claire,  Gun,  Carol , Sue,Constanze, Christina,  Kathy,  Margaret,  Cindy, Heidi, Jacky , Sunny ,  Hayley,   Megan,   MaryMargaret , Renee ,  Carmella ,  Jocelyn, Sharon,  Daisy,   Anne,  A.J. ,  Jenny , Laura ,   Cathie,  Linda,   Sherrie,  Helen

SAL 39: Happy Dance….

Aaah, I had this all ready to post – but my brain has been such a scramble that I forgot all about it – sorry everyone!

Yay, feeling very pleased with myself as I have finally finished my little blue wren etui, designed by Jenny Adin-Christie. I have loved learning lots of new techniques, sewing with ribbon and using chenille threads.

Since the last time we met I have added the wings and flannel underwings which act as needlebooks. I have also added two small magnets to the end of each wing – these help to keep the wings down when the needlebooks are not in use.

So here is my little wren…

My little blue wren

A little closer

All I have to do now is to make the little mossy hillock for him to stand on – so I thought I could do this as my next SAL.

We are a small group of crafters using a variety of different techniques. Please check out the fabulous stitching by all the other members of the SAL. If you are interested in joining us you can contact Avis for details.

Avis, Claire,  Gun,  Carol , Sue,Constanze, Christina,  Kathy,  Margaret,  Cindy, Heidi, Jacky , Sunny ,  Hayley,   Megan,   MaryMargaret , Renee ,  Carmella ,  Jocelyn, Sharon,  Daisy,   Anne,  A.J. ,  Jenny , Laura ,   Cathie,  Linda,   Sherrie,  Helen

A better bit of bunting!

Fancy a bit of bunting and a little scrap busting all in one go? Having seen some lovely bunting on Instagram by https://www.instagram.com/katewebberdesigns/ I thought I would make some for some younger members of my extended family!

I kept the design simple and matched together some material scraps and a few cute fussy cuts.

Once I had sewn all the materials together and backed with a thin interfacing – I then added some little embroidered details and appliqued hexagons.

Then it was simply a case of adding a bias strip along the top of the pieces of bunting and for a little added decoration I made a small folded flower that was sewn onto the bunting with a button. Here are the results of an afternoons sewing…

I think they will look really cute above a bed!

Thanks for popping in, happy stitiching!