Hi all,
Cheerful flowering bulbs always look elegant in a glass bowl.
I bought some flowering bulbs on a market in Ludlow & potted them in this vintage blue bowl that I often use for plants.
I think it looks cheerful & when it has finished flowering, the bulbs will be planted in one of the patio pots so it can be enjoyed for many years.
I hope you are bringing in colour too, thank you for stopping by, it is always do appreciated.
Dee 🪴🪻💐
I mentioned in a previous post about the concept of 100 days of stitching.
This is another 100 day project which is inspiring too - this one starts from today 18th February for 100 days which is the time it takes to change your mindset.
I have already started my sewing one but will get inspiration from this one as it runs in a different 100 days time frame.
Are you temped by such challenges?
Thanks for stopping by, it is always appreciated.
Dee
It feels rather lighter, brighter & spring like at the moment. I have been enjoying my half term break from tutoring. I always love to have a project to finish over this break & saw an embroidery project in a group I follow.
I downloaded the pdf, printed it off (unfortunately at 89% size as I did not increase the printing size) then traced it on to my hooped fabric with a frixion heat pen.
I had invested in a hoop stand last year & it is so useful for embroidery as you have your hands free to perfect the stitches.
It was 2 one hour long stitch along sessions & what a pleasure to be able to come back to the recordings & to do it as time allowed. I used fabric & threads I already had which is always good.
I have not done a stitch along session in a long time & it is very useful to learn new stitches (wheat stitch) and perfect some of the others (loop stitch)
I did it at the start & end of the week, fortunately just leaving it all on the conservatory table so I could come back to it.
The colours were largely what was suggested by our brilliant tutor & I used the closest matches I had. I prefer to keep the threads I am using on a tray near me & I also use several needles all threaded at the same time - personal preference. I love using long sashiko needles because the eye of the needle is large & it is the same size as the needle so it glides through the fabric easier.
My hoop stand with the small clipboard was prefect to have the diagram clipped on & I had to work next to my laptop to follow the recording. The Frixion pen is perfect because the ink disappears as soon as heat is applied. I usually iron the back but the tutor used a hair drier & it works perfectly & so quickly - a great tip from her.
I am pleased to have finished it & will probably add it to my 100 day sewing roll now that it is finished.
I am always so thankful to the generous people who run these workshops & who give their time & skill freely - it has improved my skills so much ...
This is a good selection of basic embroidery stitches if you need a quick reference.
Thank you for stopping by, your visits & comments are always appreciated.
Dee 🧵🪡📍
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.
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.
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 🧵🪡📍
The second month of the circular stitching project has 'Conceal & Reveal' as its seasonal title, the brief suggesting circular holes that have a padded / infilled backing that is then stitched in whatever way we like to reflect winter.
I immediately thought of snowdrops as they are slowly emerging from their winter blankets of earth or snow. That leads on nicely from the previous snow blanket them & uses similar thread colours (the above picture is some I selected from my stash to use on the first one)
The 6 x 6 inch page with the 4 inch circle was once again ready for the brief - I used some fine chiffon fabric I had with some soft batting in it.
I cut 3 holes & blanket stitched around the edges to hold it in place with each hole - very fiddly.
I had to work out how to put the padded chiffon behind - that was challenging as the chiffon kept slipping & the batting did not stay in front as I hoped. I had to revert to stay stitches (loose stitches to hold it in place.)
The brief said edge with a couched rope so I opted to do some wool to suggest a tree shape with the snowdrops below.
The tree shape looked flat so I added some beads to it in places & they worked particularly well on the bottom, suggesting new growth emerging.
The 3 round shapes became snow mounds that I embroidered snow drop stems & leaves reaching out of - that part was actually easier than filling the chiffon mounds.
I am rather pleased with the second page of this project, there are some things I would change but it is done rather than too much planning & thinking which stifles the creative process.
I am always grateful to the generous creative souls who inspire & lead us to be more creative through such projects - a great inspiration.
Thank you for stopping by, I hope you are inspired to seek out projects that interest you. That is where the internet is really brilliant,
Dee 🧵🪡❤️
I know, I know - this is the second project I have on the go, alongside my 100 day one which is making progress & I will post an update soon.
I am eternally grateful to artists & talented people who share their skills online & then encourage us to push our comfort zones.
I saw this group mentioned in a sewing group I already follow on Facebook & was immediately inspired to join just before it closed to new members so that everyone would be at the same project stage - phew.
The brief is eleven 6x6 inch squares that will have a different brief each month related to circles & the seasons.
The first task, a snow blanket, needed a 4 inch circle to be woven with fabric strips, then embroidered with a snowflake. The colours were restricted to white or creams. I find that restricted colours takes out the colour choice, leaving more time for creativity. I cut or tore some fabric strips for the first part.
The fabric strips for weaving were placed on fabric stiffener, then they were ironed on to fuse them into a cloth shape.
Once the 4 inch circle is cut, the circle is attached to the backing fabric - I machined it as I was late to start this section & I thought hand stitching the circle on would take too much time.
The template for the circle was easy to do to make 6 lines, then embroidered in creamy white thread before being whipped with a slightly darker colour.
I think the pearl bead finishes the top off nicely. Some French knots & seed stitches finished off the outer space. It still needs to be backed & a stiffener sheet put between the two layers.
I admit to being rather inspired by this very manageable project & the project for February popped up - I can’t wait to start on that, it is a good one.
Do stop by for an update & your comments are always appreciated
Dee 🪡🧵📍