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.....

Avoidance tactics

OK so here we go, I have been very naughty recently, employing avoidance tactics whenever possible
I have stitched suddenly urgent curtains, made postcards to say thank you for Christmas pressies, took a 4 week course in embroidery and artystitchy stuff with Mary sleigh, took a days course to refresh me for free machining, finished things[ that rarely happens],planned my next cloth book, taken long walks on the beach and countryside,  to consider my inspiration,,
painted wardrobes, tidied, bought new cushions, Iv even,....... tidied my sewing room.......
Anything to avoid the big enormous vintage lace elephant in the room,

My good friend Pam  the crafty mugwump is a bit poorly at the moment and has madly decided to pass on her latest very large vintage piece for me to continue and finish.
What a responsibility, Pam is an outstanding exhibiting  contemporary embroiderer, whilst I am mostly enthusiastic and keen but still very much learning, like a young Labrador-- only fatter.
 

Iv always had trouble being a grown up, and had actually given up trying, but I don't want to disappoint Pam or her friends and family, but
today's the day !!!!
enough shilly-shallying.
Finally, Iv picked up my favourite needle, and current favourite thread, a beautiful creamy anchor Perle  ,and put some stitching into the monster,  I also gave my self a talking to and said come on girl, man up and grow a pair[my kids favourite expression] and took the scissors to it too.
 

Pam has a marvellous technique of building up background layers of papers, newspaper, music, labels and then.. horrors, --she cuts up vintage lace and doilies and paints, and foils and stamps over them, I'm hoping this elephant will give me magical powers and I will begin to be much, much braver and work with a much more natural organic style,as Iv been a bit straightliney recently, and the cutting was to expose a little more of the subtle background layers

phew!, it feels like that first time you run into the English sea when your on your on your hols ,terrifying, but so exciting,
,I may have to run away occasionally for a fix of second hand  raggy clothing and some serious colour, but iv broken my duck now, so Il give it my best go.
wish me luck......

 

mugwump