Planning a new sewing roll ...

Two years ago, I started doing the 100 day stitch book with Ann Wood which involved 20 fabric pages, with hand sewn stitching (collage, slow stitching, traditional or any form of stitching) which was then stitched together in a book after the 100 days. The book construction was interesting with a series of tabs & slots. 

It was all going rather well until commitments put it on the back burner from whence it did not recover. I recently rearranged my sewing things, saw it in the many containers then it disappeared from sight again.  It will appear & I will continue with it at sometime - just not now ... 

With the new 100 day challenge starting from 18th February to 27th April (100 days) , I thought I would follow the concept but do it in a long sewing roll that can be attached to one of my large vintage wooden industrial bobbins which came from the cotton mills of Lancaster. 

I used the same size as the 100 day challenge suggests (without the seam allowance) and marked it out on a long piece of creamy white linen. I got 11 sections which is fine as I can either join another or start another section if I want the 20 pages / sections. The height is right to fit aound the bobbin. 

This is a previous mixed media one 

I prefer hand sewing through two layers for softness so I attached some soft cotton fabric to the back & machined around both layers to keep it together. It also stops the linen from going out of shape. 

Late last year, I saw these 3 books in a local charity shop; they were together in the craft section which suggests they were donated together. I flicked through them & was immediately inspired by the images so I bought all three. They cover folk art across several European / Scandanavian countries. 

The images are lovely but need to be used only as inspiration or to be adapted or incorporated in to a design. 

I started the first of my eleven sections - I partly drew / traced an image from the book that I liked on to very thin tracing paper then using a frixion pen, I dotted the images to transfer them across to my fabric, before drawing in more detail. Frixion pen markings disappear when heat (like an iron)  is applied. 

I then set about adding fabric leaves & embroidery details. It is not my usual style which makes it a good challenge by pushing the boundaries. 

I have flicked through the 3 books & done the same with some other images which I am inspired by. I think this sewing roll might be more botanical in nature as it is not something I have concentrated on. I know it will evolve as I work on it. The images I have tentatively drawn are only a guide; I hope there will be a continuity across the scroll ... 

 Are you inspired to do a longer project like this? Tell all, 

Thank you for stopping by & taking the time to read & comment. Please like & share too 

Dee 🧵🪡📍