Thursday 3 April 2014

Time for tea.

It is definitely time for a cup of tea, but before I put the kettle on , lets have a catch up
first, this is my postcard for the  big postcard swap, loads of stitching, painting, printing and a few buttons.

very cheerful and zingy, I hope my swapee likes it. I really enjoy collecting postcards.
and this is the postcard I received from Janet Bemis, a beautifully and carefully painted card, thankyou janet.
And still catching up... .


Gilly Theotricoff came and gave a talk to our local quilt group last week, her talk was very interesting and her quilts were amazing,
I am very much looking forward to her workshop next month, but what really impressed me was her really, really  fine kantha work, truly beautiful.I love kantha and I think her technique is especially fine

 
change of subject--went to duxford a few weeks ago and spent too much money on very unnecessary Japanese fabric, what am I saying? wash my mouth out, no Japanese fabric is ever unnecessary, anyway whilst I was there I had a good look at the quilts and this one impressed me with its fine stitching.

really fine work.

really fine applique work.

beautiful.
there were more photos, but they appear to have disappeared.hmm
anyway....

this is a tiny fragment of a baby dress painted with walnut ink, to knock of the white, and added to my latest wallhanging  full of little scraps and memories.

looks like Im going to have to show you what Iv been working on as blogger has loaded my photos in the wrong order, so anyway...
here is teatime,,the layers are slowly building up, and it is stitched stitched stitched, who said less is more? rubbish, only more is more.


on top of all the stuff are some birdies, just for added interest.

oooh its busy, or as I like to say endlessly interesting. and only twelve inches wide,

vintage doillies waiting for a tickle from the walnut ink.


and now for a complete change of subject, thankyou blogger,
last week I went to the nec for the sewing for pleasure show, oh it was great, I watched Hillary beattie cutting and sticking and  glueing and painting and eating chocolate, then I popped over to the Palestinian embroideries and then I gazed good and long at gill travis's indian work, so beautiful,, and then stopped to chat to sue allen and her beautiful giant handmade felt chicken....gorgeous.

And then I spotted this stall, sew me something, selling these amazing pinafore patterns, a bit lagenlook, a bit boho,[ old boho in my case] I got really excited and bought a pattern and then fought my way through the crowds to buy some dress fabric,


exactly what Iv been looking for, I want some pinafores that I can paint, dye, sew stuff to, I can see a denim one, a vintage one, a linen one, flowers, bees spots ,oh the worlds my lobster, and did I mention indigo????

so heres my first attempt, on cheap calico having a swim in a flower vase with some bits of lace, the jar of beetroot keeps it constrained so that the dyeing  will be hopefully uneven and splodgy[that's a technical term we dyers use]


up close and interesting. 
   next time you will see the results.
oh! its so exciting.....

5 comments:

  1. Thanks for all the piccies of Duxford and the NEC of things that I missed. You're right about that embroidery, it's soo delicate. I love your postcard, lucky recipient, and your table runner is looking beautiful. I can see our 'gang' all wearing similar pinafores ;-) Do you think I could make one out of patchwork?

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  2. I agree with everything you said and am very happy to see the word indigo :)

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  3. Everything looks so beautiful! I love the idea of the pinafore - maybe I'll have to dust off my clothes making skills too. In the meantime, inspired by your hand stitching and the kantha work to put some more threads into my travelling sewing kit.....

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  4. You have a great sense of humour . I love your post card - quite delicious xxx

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  5. Your blog is definetly going to contribute to my keeping cheerful. I
    'just slept for two days and nights but .am up and will be in my workroom in a moment I want to sew ,shall have to make my wobblyness be part of what I do some how.Your hand stitching is
    encouraging me so thanks

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