Halloween

The Elements

This is the theme for next years Harmony Hill Craft Group exhibition. I stitched this piece, a background sample, as part of my C&G course last year. Would it be acceptable for The Elements?
My Research for Design was on Morocco and I was inspired by the colours --- the earth, the desert, the heat of the sun. I've decided to add some beads to this now and have ordered some Ghanaian Upcycled Vinyl beads from Spoilt Rotten Beads. I can't wait to see them as I think they will be perfect.

'Inspired velvet' demo

Earlier this year Angie Hughes held a workshop, arranged by the NI Embroiderers Guild, entitled 'Inspired Velvet'. Angie came over from England at the time the volcanic ash was disrupting all the flights, and determined not to let anyone down she came over by ferry instead.
Last Thursday a member of my craft group, who had attended the workshop, gave us a demo and brought in her samples to show us.
We all enjoyed seeing the sparkly effects you could make on the black cotton velvet using Bondaweb, foils, glitter and sequin waste.

Holiday with the relatives

Went to the Costa del Sol for my hols and while the others read I made this sketchbook. Used Koh I Noor water-based dye to colour the pages.This is the first sketchbook I've made and it was fun!

C&G Diploma

DONE!!!

Almost there........

Well, in another week I will be taking my stuff into college for assessment.
No blogging as I have been working at my course any chance I get. Now tidying up the loose ends and what isn't done is just too bad. I am tired.
Then I hope to have time to put some photos of finished quilt onto this blog. I still want to bead the 'water' on the fountains but my tutor says I have done enough for what is required. I can't wait to say goodbye to C & G. Meanwhile this photo is from a panel on the Moroccan lantern I made.

Almost finished

Find I just don't get time to do this blog. Also something called 'lightroom'is on my computer(due to husband messing about)and I dont know how to put my photos up.Good news is I am almost finished this Quilt and hope to get some photos up sometime of the rest of the project, mainly for my own interest. Still got loads to do for rest of course so I'll be back in a while.

I'm back

Anybody who happened upon this blog would soon give up.By writing it I was hoping it would spur me on to work harder. Well not alot of progress due to Christmas - and baby grandchildren mostly, and apathy on my part. At least I have now got the quilt sandwich done and the centrepiece stitched on. Now free machining the fountain border. 3 fountains done--9 to go. What else have I to do?
Just 2 countries, 3 embroiderers, a history of embroidery, 2 design books to sort out, a portfolio of stitch samples and techniques to put together. Quilt to finish. And thats just for starters.
Piece of cake.

rose petal beads

Had a go at making these beads by wrapping a rose petal around a cocktail stick. Here they are drying.

Xpandaprint

Progress slow on my mosaic stitching so not much to report. Anyway I have the design for my quilt thought out and I'm working on a fountain border taken from a piece of wallpaper. The first thing I did was a pastel rubbing. That's when I could see it might make a nice border. Then I tried out a fountain tracing on my dyed calico. Painted it with acrylic first then used the xpandaprint to get a 3D effect. I thought it looked like china but it's too heavy.