Using up those pretty scraps…

Hello everyone, I have spent the last few weeks making Christmas gifts. I know it is a little early for the ‘C’ word, but if I don’t get started now I will never finish!

The latest make is a @zeriano  pouch that appeared a while back in  ‘Love Patchwork and Quilting Magazine’. I used lots of little scraps that I have been unable to throw away as I hoped I would find a use for them. I think it looks quite sweet, especially those mice, and I hope the recipient likes it too.

It is a standard pouch shape but with the addition of a vinyl pocket at the front. I added a little fussy cut behind the pocket – just because..

Here is a quick view of the back, nothing fancy….

Now, on to the next….

Thanks for popping in, Happy stitching everyone.

Wings of hope! SAL 34

Hi everyone, I have made a little bit of progress in the last three weeks, but it is small as I have been busy getting some Christmas projects finished (sorry if it is too early for some – but if I don’t get a head start, I won’t have anything ready!)

Both wings are now finished and cut out and I am currently buttonholing around the flannel inserts.

As you can probably see the left hand wing has a much better finish around the satin stitch semi circles and the shapes are more defined – maybe I should have practised before I started to sew! A lesson learnt – but I am not going to redo them as I would destroy the tweed layer beneath the stitching.

All the little elements are now completed and I can start to put my little bird together – yay! Then I just have to tackle the base!

Keep safe and well, and more importantly – keep stitching! See you all in another 3 weeks from now.

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 little birdie told me….

Hello everyone, after working on a beautiful goldwork robin, that had been designed by Georgina Bellamy of ‘That Embroidery Girl’,  some time ago – I decided to make another one as a Christmas gift. This really is a lovely little design to sew. It has enough challenges to keep you interested, but not so many as to make you feel totally daunted.

It took me three days to complete this little fellow and I am really pleased with the results. Here is a close up of his face and red breast. The top of the robin’s head was sewn in both bright check and smooth purl. As you can see I haven’t laid the metal threads flat like the sides of the bird – instead I have overlapped them all to add texture. The breast is worked in metal threads (in three different colours) that have been looped and sit tightly together.

Here is the finished bird, I hope the recipient likes him too….

Thank you for popping in. Happy stitching everyone….

Back to the goldwork…

Well it has been along time since I have worked on my goldwork module for the RSN certificate and as I have been unable to get into Hampton Court because of lockdown it has been sat in my sewing room in it’s large plastic bag!!

Here is where I was at last time I posted……. the design had been painted onto the silk and homework set.

Although there is not much more to see, I have stab stitched around the whole design to ensure that the silk does not move around when stitching on the metal threads and I have also added some string padding to the front tentacles. This will have cutwork laid over the top.

I used twenty lengths of waxed bumf or soft string – these are then over sewn in position. Individual lengths of string are then cut away to enable the ends to be tapered.

Although the tentacles are not meant to be symmetrical, I did redo the top sections several times to get them looking as similar as possible because they looked a little odd otherwise.

I now need to cover all the padding with stitching. Here’s hoping I can get back to class sometime soon and make some progress with this piece.

Thanks for popping in, happy stitching.

Sorry guys! SAL 33

Oh my goodness, I must have missed the email,  where did that 3 weeks go! So sorry I am late with this posting and what is more annoying is that I have actually made a little bit of progress. Last time I posted I had completed 1 wing of my little blue wren….

but now the second wing is also nearly finished…

All I have to do now is finish off the scalloped edge and button hole the flannel inserts – then I can put the little bird together!

I do hope that you are all keeping safe and well. See you in another 3 weeks if I don’t forget!!

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 32: No progress….

Hello everyone, sorry to say that since I have been back in class full time and also preparing on line learning for children at home, I have had very little time to do any stitching at all. So no progress made on my SAL project. I will simply leave you with a picture of where I was up to last time.

I do hope that you are all keeping safe and well and managing to get more sewing time than me! See you in another 3 weeks when I hope to have something to show you.

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 31: The wings of hope….

Hi everyone, as I am now back in school there is less time to sew (not that I had a huge amount- what with all the online learning to post!). But I have made some progress on my little blue wren.

Last time I posted I had just finished the breast area which was worked in sequins and metal work…..

Since then I have turned my attention to the wings which will form little needlecases. A wire casing is sewn around the outside edge of the wing using buttonhole stitch. The scalloped edge is also buttonhole over a larger detached stitch. Satin stitch in two shades of blue – not my neatest! and then the rest of the wing uses goldwork techniques. One wing down and I have made a start of the second now.

Thank you for popping in. Happy stitching and I hope to see you all safe and well in another 3 weeks.
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 30 – My little blue wren

Hello everyone, I do hope you are keeping safe and well during the lockdown. I have been making slow and steady progress on a number of unfinished projects, including my little blue wren kit by Jenny Adin-Christie.    Three weeks ago I had finished the tail section and the wren’s head and back.

I then set to work on the chest area. This is worked using a combination of sequins and curled metallic purl. The area is first outlined in with rows of sequins in different shades of blue. Then the centre of the chest is filled with interlocking layers of metal purl to give a very textured finish. So here is where  I am up to now….next stop the wings.

Thank you for popping in. Happy stitching and I hope to see you all safe and well in another 3 weeks.
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 ,  Jackie , Sunny ,  Hayley,   Megan, MaryMargaret ,  Renee , Carmella ,  Jocelyn,   Sharon,   Daisy,  Anne,  A.J. , Jenny ,  Laura , Cathie,   Linda,   Sherrie  and welcome back to Helen

 

SAL 29 – New techniques

Hi everyone, sorry I am so late to post today – I just keep losing track of the days! I hope you are all keeping safe and well during this difficult time.  I have got myself into a routine of school work in the morning and a little bit of gardening after lunch and some sewing in the evening. I  do seem to have managed to get a little bit of sewing done on my little blue wren this time around. Here was where I was up to last time….. I had finished the tail and made a start of the needle lace collar…

Since then I have finished the collar and made a start on the top of the birds head – shading the cheeks with chenille threads and a ribbon work crest – both new techniques for me.

I then added the needle lace collar, and covered the join with sequins. Also added a little fly stitch with metallic threads. So here is where I am up to now….

I can’ t believe how long this little part of the birds head has taken me. Next job the wings.

A big welcome to our newest member, Sherrie. Can’t wait to see what you are working on!

Thank you for popping in. Happy stitching and I hope to see you all safe and well in another 3 weeks.
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, Jackie ,Sunny , Hayley, Megan,MaryMargartet ,Renee ,Carmela , Jocelyn, Sharon, Daisy, Anne, A.J. ,Jenny ,Laura ,Cathie Linda, Sherrie

SAL 28 – Less is more..

Hello everyone, I do hope that you are all keeping safe and well. I have been at home for the last week, but that doesn’t mean that I have managed to get much stitching done! The infant school that I work at has closed early and we watched the children depart last Friday with a mixture of sadness and relief. So for the last week I have had a crash course in online learning platforms and mobile phones – both of which I have resisted to date. I think I had more time whilst going into school!

I have managed to get a few hours stitching on my little blue wren kit completed over the last week, but it has been needle lace which is very time consuming. So there is little to show for the 5 or so hours of work.

After finishing the birds tail, I have moved on to making a collar to go around the birds neck.The first thing I had to do is lay down a network of wire over a pattern piece and then infill with tiny button hole stitches worked in a very fine silk thread. Here is how far I have got….

Thank you for popping in. Happy stitching and I hope to see you all safe and well in another 3 weeks.
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, Sue,  Constanze,  Christina,  Kathy,  Margaret,  Cindy,  Heidi,  Jackie, Sunny , Hayley, Megan, MaryMargaret, Renee,  Carmela,  Jocelyn, Sharon, Daisy ,  Anne,  Connie, A.J. Jenny,  Laura,  Cathie, Linda