Learning Goldwork and quilting.

Colour challenge fabrics

A couple of weeks ago I got the next stage of the NWCQ Colour Challenge under way. Everyone taking part brought in a metre of fabric which was then split between all nineteen of us. To make this work, each metre was split up into twenty pieces, with the owner of each metre getting two twentieths of their fabric back along with one twentieth of everyone else's. This is my collection. A really exciting collection since at the last meeting we were all asked to choose one of the selected three colours and to bring one metre of that colour to the latest meeting. Well, we had a lot of fun writing the names of colours onto bits of paper, putting these into a box and then drawing out three at random. The colours chosen? Jade, grass green and elephant grey. The idea for this challenge came from a description of a similar challenge organised by Edwina MacKinnon at a Regional Day for The Quilters' Guild. 

I am so looking forward to what everyone makes with their fabric. The choice has been left completely open. It should be really interesting. The deadline for finished items is the January meeting. I shall keep my own plans to myself until then.......

felt workshop piece

The 25th September saw me heading off for a Felt workshop with Viv Netherwood. She was showing us how to make landscapes using felt. A really interesting workshop. My finished felt is above- not very interesting at the moment. I still have the stitching to do.

stitching sketch for felt

This is the sketch I made at the workshop as a plan for my piece. It is based on a photograph I took some years ago when I went on a hot air balloon ride. The photo has been manipulated to turn it into a black and white image. I wanted to have a go at a monochromatic picture for a change.

original photo

I've chosen a small section of the photo and moved things around slightly. I'll have to wait to stitch it until the African quilt is complete. I need to get that done before the talk I am giving next week. Did I tell you how good I was at prevaricating?

learning goldwork

Last Monday saw me learning Goldwork. It is something I have never tried before. This was my version of a star at the end of that day. The workshop was given by the very talented Sarah, who runs a company called "Golden Hinde" with her mother.

Africa quilt - top

The African quilt is nearly finished now. Just the rest of the stitching around the outer borders. I really enjoyed stitching the face images. You can see that I need to get a lot of tidying up done before that talk. A long session getting rid of all the fibres on the black fabric is required too. I didn't realise just how attractive to bits this black fabric is......... hmmm. Must remember that in future.

Africa quilt - the back

Oh yes, I actually finished the Goldwork star this afternoon. My next problem will be to decide which way up to mount it. The piece is sewn onto a blue silk dupion.

finished goldwork piece

A house in a day, quilting and other things

Completed cotbed quilt

It has been rather busy here since I last wrote anything to the blog. My apologies for that. I have been busily quilting the cotbed quilt and also completing the cushion to go with it. These are for a very special baby who came to visit last weekend. She went home with the quilt and also the cushion. Her mum and dad were, I am very pleased to say,delighted with them.

Completed quilt with the cushion

The quilt size is designed to fit a cotbed rather than a cot since that is what the baby will be using when she is a little older. At just four weeks old at the time of writing this, her mum is more likely to use the cushion for the moment.

View of the quilting on the reverse of the cotbed quilt

I never know whether I overdo the free machine embroidery. However, since I enjoy stitching it it is probably okay........ what do you think?

Completed cardigan

This cardigan also got finished during the weekend. I had left the crochet edging until the very last minute since I wasn't that confident about doing it. I had to grab the cardigan back, briefly, to get a photo of it whilst the baby was being changed. The mum really liked it. Can't say that the baby was too impressed. Free design by Martin Storey called "Elly".

Closeup showing the crochet edge

I've also started putting together some pages for a book I need to complete for an exhibition in October. I'd better get this done before I get involved in anything else.

The pieces started as a Chinese Whispers challenge. Such fun. The idea is that each person taking part finds a photograph. This photo is not to be shared with anyone taking part. This is my photo. It was taken during a visit to Hong Kong back in 1998. The dragon carving was one of a pair of temple lantern holders.

Original photograph

I next made a textile piece, A5 size (8.25" x 5.75") based on this photograph. This was then passed to the next person in the group, Anita.

Chinese dragon - my design

Anita then completed her own interpretation of my piece, returning my design back to me.

Japanese lettering and fireworks - Anita

Her piece then went on to Meryl, who made her own interpretation of Anita's piece. Part of the challenge was that we were not allowed to show anyone any of the pieces during the course of the challenge. We couldn't chat about it either, to anyone taking part.

Chinese acrobats - Meryl

Meryl's piece was then passed to Glenice, whilst Anita's interpretation of my piece was passed back to me.

More acrobats - Glenice

Glenice passed her completed piece to Minnie while Meryl's version was handed on to me.

Circus acts - Minnie

Minnie was the last person in our group. She completed her version and then handed both Glenice's version and her version back to me at the final exchange meeting. We then all showed our little collections to everyone, disclosing the original photos at the same time.

Although I have only written about my own theme, I should explain that everyone was collecting work for their own themes. 

Here are the pieces I made for each of the other members of the group. In all, we had three groups working at the same time. We should have fifteen books to show at the exhibition. 

"Music" - made for Minnie

Accidentally dyed fabric with silk scraps appliqued in place. Free machine embroidery and couching. The white threads show the outer edges of the A5 shape.

"Garden" - made for Glenice

 The background fabric was printed onto cotton sheet using my computer. It was a scan of a piece of paper which had been painted with acrylics. Free machine embroidery and quilting over silk scraps appliqued to the surface. The faint white stitches delineate the A5 edges.

"Fairground" - made for Meryl

 My own printed fabric with thermofax and stencils over a piece of cloth originally used to mop up spills of dye. Free machine embroidery of the figures.

"Celebration" - made for Anita

The background is a piece of silk which I had dyed. Silk and satin pieces appliqued over free machine embroidery. The strings are couched in place.

Lastly, the "Build a house in a day" challenge which Pinfold members took part in earlier this week. Needless to say the basic house was completed during the session, but the stitching took rather longer. I still haven't quite finished it.

 I still need to stitch the tree and tree trunk. The idea came from this bag which I found in the latest edition of "Love Sewing". Still not sure whether this will turn into a cushion or a wall hanging.

Finished!! Some completed items.

Completed sweater - front view

Well, I eventually got my Dolmanesque sweater completed. I found I had to rip out and start again with the collar since I just couldn't make it the pattern version work. It gaped far too much. The pattern is a delightful one to knit with plenty of interest, so well worth the trouble.

You can find our more about the design in this post. It is comfy to wear too.

Completed sweater - back view

One project finished, I have been working to complete two quilts for the Region 13 challenge, "A postcard from...." The challenge comes from The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles. Region 13 covers most of North Wales, Cheshire, Lancashire and a lot of the North West of the UK. The challenge asked members to complete a quilt, A4 size (roughly 11.5" by 8.5") on the subject, "A postcard from...." NWCQ also challenged it's members to take part, using the town of Frodsham where we meet.

Messing around with brick patterns.

Well, mine started off with this pattern of bricks. This is it:

A postcard from ..... Frodsham - The bee emblem. 

 As always, completed just in time since I need to hand it over tomorrow. Last minute? The brick pattern has been printed on cotton sheet, it has been bondawebbed in place onto a piece of my own rust dyed fabric. This has been free machine embroidered. The design on top was taken from a gorgeous stained glass window above the Frodsham Library front door. The design comes from the fact that the emblem for the town is a bee.

A postcard from....... Moulton - the Crow Dance

Well, I'd foolishly decided to also do one for my local village - Moulton. The emblem for the village is the crow. There is also a rather unique dance performed each year by an anonymous group of local men. Hence the strange figures and the crow watching on. The photos have been printed onto cotton and bondawebbed in place onto a piece of my own dyed fabric. The figures have also been printed and hand coloured before being bondawebbed in place. Free machine embroidery keeps the layers together. Why the cenotaph and the street scene? Well, the dancers usually parade down this particular street towards the cenotaph.The scarecrow and the farmer are all part of the dance.

I think I'd better give my room a good tidy before starting anything new. I really need to get on with quilting the African Crosses Quilt next. It is all layered and ready to start, but I need to work out what patterning I am going to use. A few sample trial pieces will be worked on first, I think.

Presents and cards

Christmas card

It has been a busy time here with presents and cards being made and given to their recipients. The card design came from a requirement by one group I attend, that presents and cards had to have a tree theme. Pinfold has a rather interesting idea in that everyone makes a card and a present and these are handed randomly using raffle tickets. This makes it fun in that no-one knows who has made their card or present until these are opened. This is done all together and then everyone goes round to see each card and present.

The red card of the pyramid box has a design incorporating trees and tree decorations. The design comes from a pad of papers and card which I picked up in Lidl earlier this year. Great fun!

Christmas present packaging

Christmas tree pin cushion

This was the tree-themed present inside the box. The star at the top is made from two star-shaped buttons stuck to the top of a flat headed flower pin. The tree is weighted down so that it won't easily be knocked over. I can't remember where I found the tiny flower pot. I would have liked to make more of these.

Article in Burda magazine

I found this delightful design in Burda's magazine from November this year. Sadly, I could not find the promised pattern on their website, so made my own.

hedgepigs in progress

My sketch

Hilary now has my first hedgepig pin cushion. This is the second which will be handed over to my younger daughter. Such fun to make.

Number two hedgepig

The project I am currently working on is the quilt top mentioned some time back. All the squares have been stitched together and the little motifs are in the process of being bondawebbed in place.

Quilt top in progress

Motifs pinned ready to iron

The next stage will be to add borders around the whole quilt. I haven't decided whether to have a fleece fabric as a cosy backing or whether to use quilting cotton.

Back to sewing once more.

Socks

So why am I starting with knitting? Well, I have had a bit of a mental block as far as stitching and sewing are concerned. I think it is all to do with having quite a long list of things I need to get on with. Once I have that sort of list, my own inclination is to walk away and get on with something else. This usually turns into a lengthy stage where I get nothing of a textile nature done at all.

Sock heel

The first sign that this impasse is coming to an end is the fact that I feel the urge to start knitting again. I tend to knit the safe and easy projects - socks, gloves and hats. So useful now that I have Ella to take for walks and I am woefully short of hats to cover my ears and protect them from the wind.

Fingerless mittens

I must admit that I do have quite a number of pairs of socks already in my drawers ready to warm my toes. But then, when it is getting chilly outside is there such a thing as having too many socks? It is the bought socks which I tend to wear out. They don't last nearly as long as my own knitted socks. It isn't that I buy them either. I seem to have them given to me every so often.

I've experimented with fingerless mittens this time too. I already have one pair, but haven't been particularly impressed with their ability to keep my hands warm. This new pair, however are quite different. Sock yarn, the same yarn I used for the first pair of socks, bought cheaply in the local Lidl. These have been a revelation. I lengthened the cuff to avoid drafty winds breezing their way up my arms when walking. They enable me to keep hold of the lead without it sliding through my fingers, and yet manage to keep my fingers as warm as my old pair of leather gloves do.

Hat

 Now, the remnants of the same yarn are being put to use as the ribbed band on my new hat. Hopefully I shall get it finished this weekend ready to start on a second pair of the fingerless mittens. The yarn is a wool and nylon mix. I must admit that it isn't all that soft, but will be hardwearing. However, they are quite comfortable to wear and the yarn is quite good to knit with. It doesn't split too much, and is quite evenly spun, although there are one or two slightly thicker, more lumpy sections.

Old print board cover

You will have seen this photo before. It is the old cover for my printing board. It had become so covered in fabric paint and thickened dye, that I had to remove it and replace with a clean white cover (two layers of old cotton sheeting). This is no longer a pristine white, but then you would have been most disappointed to hear it was still unused. There hasn't been much printing done and I really need to do some more.

The second layer of the old print board cover

This photo is one you will not have seen, however. I pulled the two layers of the old top apart and this is the lower of the two layers. I rather liked it and so used it as the basis for the Abstract theme for The Sky's the Limit challenge for October. You will find a detailed description of the piece on their blog.

"Abstract" for The Sky's the Limit challenge

I do so love accidental dyeing. It turns into something really special. I still haven't done anything with the old top layer. That will wait until I think of a use for it. I don't really think it needs much adding, it just needs the right project.

I haven't been entirely idle over the last few weeks. I have been sewing, but this has just been a sequence of repairs and also alterations for the costumes for the next Drama Group production, "Bolt from the blue", by David Tristram. Ella comes along to rehearsals too. She quite enjoys all the fuss she gets, especially the treats for being good.

In case you are interested, here are the links to the knitting patterns:

Socks - "Wise Hilda's Basic Ribbed Sock" by Kate Atherley.

Fingerless Mittens - "Koigu fingerless gloves" by Astrante.

Hat - "Double Layer Sockyarn Hat" by Dawn Adcock.

Each of these patterns is available on Ravelry.

Time and the lack of it - a textile enthusiast's view

Where does the time go? It is over a month since I last posted here with all good intentions of posting regularly.

Mosaic footpaths on Madeira.

A beach on Nevis.

Amazing skies. 

I must admit that we have been away (for three weeks) and I have been trying to catch up with one challenge whose deadline was this week..........

Sadly, I can't show any photos of the challenge. I was in such a hurry I forgot to take a photo of my finished piece. It is a Chinese Whisper challenge. Each person taking part has to make an A5 (8.5inches x 6inch) small quilt based on a photograph. Each small quilt is then passed to the next person in the chain without being shown the original picture on which the small quilt is based. At no point is anyone else in the group to see the quilts or the original photographs. The whole thing is quite intriguing. I now have a small quilt made by Ros hanging from my bookcase on which I have to base my own small quilt. The small quilt I make will then pass to the next person in the list in January, (she currently has my first small quilt) whilst Ros' quilt returns to Ros.

I finished working on my last three Journal Quilts. I just need to get them trimmed and the machined satin stitch edging done. Then I can take photos.

Quilts, knitting and more.

Have you ever used this stuff?

I found it some time ago - probably a couple of years ago on a stall at a show somewhere. I rediscovered it tucked away in the back of a drawer when I came to reorganise my workroom a few weeks back.

All you have to do is stitch it to the back of some fabric,

Use the steam of an iron held just above the "Texture Magic" and this happens...........

The "Texture Magic" scrumples up and you have instant texture. Great fun to play with. The piece above is destined to become part of a Journal Quilt for this year's challenge. More photos when the first four are completed. The challenge this year is based on colour. The first four are to be Shades of Red. It just makes sense in my head to get all four red quilts done together. Yes, I know that is just insane...........

One little challenge I was given lately by my friend Hilary was to make book covers. This is my first cover. It uses some printed fabric I made ages ago. The notebook inside is home-made. Just a few sheets of textured paper held together by ribbon at the moment. I shall be replacing the ribbon with wire shortly so that I can actually use the notebook. The ribbon holds the pages together too tightly for them to be opened easily.

I promised knitting. This first piece has been ongoing for a little while. A fairisle waistcoat in Rowan Cashsoft 4ply. The design is by the wonderful Martin Storey. I do like his designs. This one is "Rosamund" and can be found in the "Rowan Classic 4ply designs for men and women".

This was finished recently too, a lace weight top. No, I don't have a waist like this - Aggie my tailor's dummy likes to think I have. The design is "Tirrold" by by Jen Arnall-Culliford and can be found in "The Scrumptious Collection" Volume 1 published by Fyberspates. The yarn used is Fyberspates Scrumptious Lace weight, a glorious mixture of silk and merino.

I have been making a number of shawls. This is the second of this design, the gorgeous "Holden Shawlette", by Mindy Wilkes. I wear this one a lot around my neck and shoulders. So useful in the chilly weather. I have yet another shawlette on my needles at the moment, a design by Kristin Briney. This is the "Context Scarf", a delightful shawl which is being knitted in sock yarn.

"Blue Eyes" has been languishing in my collection of WIPs for some time. I completed the top recently by adding a few borders. It is now a modest 36 inches square.

The next photo shows the back. As you can see it uses a spare block I had made for the top but didn't use.

At present the quilt has been layered and quilting has started and faltered........... I must admit to getting bored. I had tried to quilt this very simply and I am not entirely happy with it. It sits on top of Aggie taunting me to get back to finishing it off................. It will have to wait until I have finished with my Journal Quilts. I have four on the go at once at the moment.