Getting there

I'm still not tidy, but some stitching is being done.



This is how "Tree" is getting along. There has been a lot of free machine embroidery in two different variegated threads. Here is a detail:



You can see the madness a little better from the back view:



I shall be using FME to add some "Leaves" using these scraps. I really am not sure how this will all work out, but the process is interesting.



The size of this piece is 9 and a half inches (approximately) by 14 and a half inches (aproximately). The edges have not been tidied, hence the approximate sizes. I think I shall leave the edges just as they are. This will probably end up as a hanging.

This week, I have been looking around on the internet and thought you might like to share this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_wgE74Mro4

I really want to have a go with Trapunto and Patsy Thompson really makes it sound do-able.

This is her website address.

http://patsythompsondesigns.com/

Inspirational!

Well, after that, my own work looks really tame. Never mind, I shall keep on plodding away. After all, the more I do, the more I can improve. This paraphrases something which Nadine of Dreamweavers Quilts always adds to the end of her posts:

"Go quilt! Your work gets better every day!"

She is right.

I have also been listening to podcasts as I tried to get my workroom into some kind of order. One quote which really made me feel more positive about myself was this:

"Don't be afraid to walk away if its time."

I heard this in an interview Paul Overton had with SisterDianne on the Craftypod podcast. The interview is well worth a listen. The topic is "Crafting for money v. passion."

As you can tell, I have been doing far too much web browsing and too little work on my stitching. I must try to get the balance better organised this next week.

Speak to you again soon, Mandy:)

Stunned.

Aren't people kind................

The box of flowers is from my colleagues. The teddy from a friend. He is dressed in the school uniform.

Presents from pupils.........

The photograph album is full of messages from the children and colleagues. Something I shall treasure.

Lydia Buttercup is a soft toy. She is a cat given by a pupil. "To help you in the garden even when it rains", read the message. She even has her own tools!

The pot plant came from my younger daughter........... My wonderful husband gave me orchids........

One door closes, they say. Well my opening door tempts me with textiles.

The next photos are of my next project. The working title is "Tree". Not sure how this will work out.

I started with small fabric scraps, tacked together using Bondaweb. Then I placed the resulting shape onto one of my pieces of felt. You may remember this piece from several months ago.

Next will come "leaves" and lots of free machine embroidery.

Earlier today I went into town and found these two books in the Oxfam Charity Shop.

This book is in perfect condition and dates from 1976!

The second book is the "Readers Digest Complete Guide to Needlework". This edition dates from 1984. It will take pride of place next to my copy of the "Readers Digest Complete Guide to Sewing" which I was given free when I bought my first sewing machine in 1979.

Ooh, before I forget. If you live in the UK, go into your own Oxfam Shop. My local one has the new 2010 diaries in stock! Well worth a look. I shall say no more since I bought one for a special friend.

Aargh!!!

Normality will resume as soon as possible. I hope.

My workroom is full of stuff from school, all waiting to be sorted and then put away.

I have a small piece of sewn work I really want to work on but I have no workspace free.

I sit perched on the edge of my chair with a small cabinet digging into my back - it awaits a new home. This keyboard is barely fitting onto the desk, which is also stuffed with bits and pieces.

Why the madness? Well, I have finished teaching full-time and all my school stuff needs to find a home here in my house. Eventually I shall sort it all out and get rid of anything not worth keeping. I intend to work as a supply teacher (relief teacher).

Perhaps tomorrow I shall have tidied enough to sew....................... please........................

Flowers

I just love this time of year. In the garden, there are so many lovely flowers. The colours are truly amazing.

The show from these plants is just stunning this year. I think they are called Crown Imperials, though I am not entirely sure. Any help with naming them?

A thousand colours for Abruzzo.

My quilt has arrived safely with Roberta in Italy! What a relief.






For more details of this wonderful project, just go to Roberta's Blog.

Knitting in public day.

Well, I knew I wouldn't be able to join in with any of the official Knitting in Public events this year. So, I did my own....................



I went to help with the Club Barbecue yesterday for the Model Flying Club where my husband is a member. Imagine this - a large field grass field. It is occasionally used by visiting light aircraft (full-size). At the side of one hedge are a series of buildings. One is the club shed. The other, a covered area. This covered area housed a home-made barbecue. This had been constructed in the shell of a large metal filing cabinet. Two barbecue firepits one above the other. Impressive.
At the front of this, a trio of gazebos (tented roof structures) to give shade. Under the gazebos the picnic tables covered by my collection of tablecloths. There was red/white tape showing the boundaries not to be crossed by anyone not directly involved with the model aircraft. In one of these was a static park for all the model aircraft due to fly that afternoon.

We arrived at around 11 am to help out with the setting up of the gazebos, chairs, tables, food preparation areas, etc. Lots to do at the start. The event was due to begin at 2pm with the "neighbours", the farmers, and other house-owners living around the area of the flying field had been invited too. It was to be a big social event. The weather was kind and the day dawned bright and cheerful.
I took a couple of project bags with me, since I could foresee quite a few hours where I would be on my own. Ian had brought four models with him and he was going to be flying those during the course of the afternoon as well as moving around meeting and greeting visitors and members. He is a member of the Club Committee.
The projects I took along were: the cardigan and two knitted tops I am currently making; a piece of applique I wanted to hand stitch around; a sketchbook and pencils; and my camera. There was also my Travellers Chuck which was also brought along in case I needed something to spread myself out on. I managed to complete the back on one of my tops - a lace piece that I am inventing as I knit.
During the afternoon I had a series of fascinating conversations with the wives of members. It was really so nice to be able to stitch along and chat. A couple of people said "ooh I wish I'd brought my knitting." Perhaps they will, next time.The nicest conversation was with an eight year old learning knitter who was fascinated by the lace. It was so nice to show her that lace is really not scary and to connect it to the stitch she had learnt. I hope she starts playing with lace for herself - I showed her the principle of knitting two stitches together and adding a yarn-over to make a deliberate hole.

I finished my Italy quilt during the week and it is now ready to be posted.

Piecing, quilting and Worcester.

Do you remember that I mentioned taking part in the quilts for the children affected by the earthquakes in Italy? Well, mine now just needs binding. Hopefully I shall be able to get that completed in the next few days.

Felix inspected it when I had finished piecing the front. I was incredibly fortunate that my friend Jude offered to quilt it for me. She has a long-arm quilting machine and is very talented, doing pantograph or custom quilting for others.

She has done a wonderful job, quilting it very simply, which was all it really needed.

Sorry the pictures have been taken on a richly patterned carpet, the cats were occupying the bed and were too comfy to want to move.

During the recent Bank Holiday, I was in Worcestor for a wonderful family gathering. We were celebrating my mother's 80th birthday in a location midway between the locations where everyone lives.



On the first morning, I was able to take these photos of reflections on the walls outside my room. They were caused by open windows a couple of floors above.

Whilst in Worcester we all (There were 17 of us! The ages ranged from 18 to 82 - mum's elder sister came too!!) went to explore the Cathedral. It is a really beautiful building. I really love this window.

The ceilings were spectacular too.

When we went there was an amazing exhibition of work which had be made as a result of an Art Project involving children from the age of 5 right up to 18.