Take a Stitch Tuesday - weeks 23, 24

Take a Stitch Tuesday

The stitch for week 23 was 'wave chain stitch' - I had a quick look at the instructions & thought 'that looks easy enough, I'll do it later'. Well when I did it later I knew I had done it wrong, it was more like fly stitch, so I tried again, but it still didn't look right [see sample - 3rd image], I think some of them look quite nice so at least I have got some new stitches. I went back to the website to follow the instructions properly for the sample in the book.

The stitch for week 24 is 'siennese stitch' which I did right first time!

Vintage Cushion Cover

I embroidered this cushion a while ago but I have only just photographed it.

 The cushion cover was part of a set, and the linen fabric was ready traced for embroidery, printed in blue [which can still be seen even though it has been washed]. It was among my grandmother's belongings, and my mother gave it to me after she died. I have a page of the 'Woman' magazine which had the offer of the linens, it looks like it is from the 50's and one cushion cover cost 2s.9d old money. [14p today?] The instructions say follow the pictures for colours [multi-coloured], however I wanted it for my living room so I used shades of red. I may try a different technique on another cover. [one day]

What a lark!

The lark was a mono print which was roughly torn around and stuck to a drawing

Sandstone & Stalagmites

Colorado Sandstone -  my interpretation of a photograph done when I was working on the 'layers' project [brush pens, felt tips]

I used a photograph of stalagmites & stalacites for this one too

Altered Book - North East England

I was looking through my images on my computer and came across these from an altered book I did a few years ago. I have posted pages from this book before but not these. The page above is all about bridges in the North East area. The Tyne bridge was the starting point for these two fabric designs.

The book was to get the inspiration flowing for the Vervey project 'Illusions of the North East'

The Baltic Flour Mills were converted into a gallery [for contemporary art]

I filled my version with images from photos I took, and other images such as the dragon which was on a bag from the Oriental Museum in Durham.

The picture above was changed a little for a canvas picture. And the one below was the idea for a mixed media 3D picture.

Heart Cake

Another cake, I was originally thinking of doing a dome because my daughter showed me a picture of one she liked, but as I was only going to make two cakes I didn't think it would be tall enough so I decided on a heart shaped cake. I drew a heart on some paper, placed it on top of the cake, took a big knife and cut through the cake following the paper. For the smaller cake I just trimmed the paper heart. It did look a bit uneven in places and bits of cake came off where they weren't supposed to. Two friends said after I'd done it that they had a heart shaped cake tin! The cakes were attached together with boiled apricot jam then marzipan'd before icing. I coloured the icing with food colourings and used cookie cutters for the flower shapes. I didn't put leaves on this time. I like the colours on this one especially the lilac. I didn't realise I had damaged it until I looked at the photos. The cake was for my lovely daughter & fiance who were having a barbecue in our garden  to celebrate their forthcoming wedding with their friends who live in the North East, most of them will not be going to the wedding in London. Weather stayed nice apart from about 10 seconds of rain.

Leafy Sea Dragon Sketch etc & Illustration Friday - Artificial

Pen sketches above of jellyfish, mantid, leafysea dragon etc and below is my picture for the Illustration Friday challenge - Artificial

The petals are from an artificial flower, they also have a sequin & bead in the centre. The background paper has a bit of collaged newspaper and it's been painted and stamped [hand made stamps of course]. I had dipped the flowers in dye some time ago but I ended up with pink fingers as the colour had not been 'set'. I cropped the work but I think I prefer it before cropping, see the bottom picture.

TAST - week 22 - Triple Chain Stitch

Take a stitch Tuesday - the stitch this week is triple chain. I thought I would do my sample while I was at a friend's house and I thought I remembered how to do it, but it appears I have done it slightly different to how it was done on the TAST site. I also sewed on some flower sequins and beads [below]. I did another one following the instructions [above]. I've also sewn on some dyed lace and flower sequins and beads. As usual I have stuck the samples in my altered book.

Sketch Book Doodle

Workbox article

Some of my 'Layers' work is featured in the new issue of 'Workbox' [Aug/Sept 2010] together with work from other members of Vervey. [mixed media & textile group]. the article is spread over 4 pages with images too. For more details of Workbox click here. For more images of the Layers project click here.

Another surprise this week, I received a parcel from Purple Missus because I won a random 'give away'. In the parcel was a couple of textured & stitched postcards, some printed postcards, some heat transfer foil and sheets of tyvek paper as well as the gorgeous hanging. Aren't I a lucky girl then and I'm looking forward to having a play day soon!

Take a Stitch Tuesday - week 21

Take a Stitch Tuesday - week 21- Slipped Detached Chain Stitch - I stitched around the centre of a crochet doiley

The pink thread looks a bit redish here but it's not.

Doodle Pattern Repeat

Doodles in squares, one repeat is 3 x 3 small squares [the large square above], repeat these 9 squares to make a wallpaper background.

Stars and Stripes & Thermofax Screen Printing

I did the above for the FAMM July challenge - stars and stripes. I used pen and coloured in with brush pens on paper and there are a few sequins on it too. I was going to translate it into fabric but I don't have the time.

Below are some samples I did with a thermofax screen on different fabrics. Thermofax screens are an option if you haven't got the room for the regular screen printing equipment. I got my own design put on the screen by sending a picture by email to Thermofax Screens. Their site has lots of information about the screens and they sell screens with images if you don't want your own picture.

I used the screen for the background on 'It's all L'

Pink Lilies and Screen Printed Dog

Aren't these lilies gorgeous, I took this picture a couple of days ago before all the rain and wind. It has been looking a bit like autumn in my garden, the wind was blowing all the yellow leaves off the trees and they were scattered all over the lawn.

I have posted a sample with this dog before, but these are different samples. They are screen prints on fabric, the dog has been cut out and appliqued with added beads. screen printed trees, with stitching & beads and a fabric flower with beads in the centre.

This one has been glued on and has sequins, screen printed background.

Sewing Postcard

Flower Cake

A cake I did for a pre-wedding garden party for my daughter and fiance. It was raining when we first arrived but luckily it stopped almost immediately and we even saw the sunshine at times. A fun time was had by all.

Leafy Doodle & Illustration Friday

Illustration Friday challenge this week is 'breakfast'. I thought this old one from a sketch book would be ok as I probably wouldn't get a new sketch done this week.

Tast - weeks 19 & 20

Take a stitch tuesday week19 was Up & Down Feather Stitch. I've added a bit of lace and some French knots and put it into my altered book with all the other samples.

Week 20, this week, is Buttonhole Wheel Cup. I just did one large one with high sides. I can see that both of these stitches could be very useful.