Silver Cloud for a Grey Day

Just a mini update on the cloud progression. Further chain stitch has been added in varying shades of grey and thickness's of silk thread. I've also given in and started to add crystals and beads, and I've also begun to add a highlight of silver purl thread around the edge of the cloud to give it a neater finish. It won't be long to go till I add the wording to the off-white silk background. Seems rather apt to be working on it today given how gawd awful the weather has been again.

Magazine Review: Love Patchwork and Quilting

As you know I am a little obsessed by my sideline hobby of quilting, its my go to thing to do when I don't really want to do any embroidery. Still keeps my hand in stitching just in a slightly different way. Some point I might combine the two and bring it into more Mason Bee things, I have done a little bit in the past but for now I am happy keeping it as a way to make things for me. 

I've been looking a lot lately at books and magazines on the subject for sometime to build up a bit of a mini reference library. Now I know I have mentioned several times over that I am not much of a magazine buyer, being rather fussy about it too. I have ones that I buy from time to time, and others that I have stopped buying all together as it was turning into an expensive coffee table habit; quickly read and discarded. 

So I was rather happy and surprised by how much I enjoyed Love Patchwork and Quilting mag. It's a rarity to find a publication that I want to read cover to cover and have a really strong desire to make the projects. Not just think about doing them but actually working out when I can do them.

As you can see from the two editions I have, lots of sticky tabs for me to refer back to, for little projects I am tempted to do, fabrics and bits and pieces for reference.

One project I have my list to do, and have already sourced the fabrics (one of which is going to be this delightful Koi print), and worked out the quantities for is this Hexagon Table Set by Elizabeth Bett. Been after some nice table mats for sometime, especially now that I have chairs for my dining table...it's taken a while.

I am having to keep myself on a bit of a tight leash so I don't end up buying loads more fabric before I've got even one project complete. 

But it is rather tempting and this magazine doesn't help...

Silk Thread and Puffy Clouds Progress

The Silver Lining Project (which makes it sound like some sort of Government top secret...) is progressing long rather nicely. The week before last I managed to get the initial stages done, which largely meant prep work and stuffing the cloud. Like you do.

The cloud is made up of two thin layers of pale grey linen, which has then been applied to a layer of silk dupion. This in turn has been machined to a layer of calico (to give it some grip and support when in a ring frame - also handy when it comes to mounting the work). The cloud before I finished stab stitching it to the silk has been stuffed with polyester stuffing. Not too much so it looks akin to the Michelin man but just enough to give it some depth. Also didn't want to make it too stuffed as it be tricky when it comes to doing all the embroidery detailing around the cloud. 

After that point I had to put it to one side till I had picked up the threads I wanted to add into the mix and to work on the project for Crafty Magazine, I need to confirm when this is out, I think its the March issue. This weekend, however, I managed to get back to it, and I must say I am really pleased with how it's coming along. I had a few initial blips, where I was trying out thread on the actual piece and really disliked it, so there has been quite a bit of unpicking. It took a cup of tea and a break from it work out how I wanted to really start it. Which turned out to be couching a main-ish outline in silver smooth passing. Which gave me something a bit more solid to work against. 

After the outline I just pretty much cracked on with running stitch, couching, metal work, stab stitching and lots and lots of chain stitch, the latter being the main stitch for this project. I am using numerous tones of grey, some with pink or blue hues, different thickness's and types of silk thread. This really is a cornucopia of all things grey and silver.

I haven't even got to the beading part! Which I am saving till last so not to get threads caught on them.

It wasn't the only project I got back to working on, I even spent sometime last night whilst watching Wayne's World, still makes me laugh, to work on the small quilting project. I hope to get back to working on that a bit at a time in the evenings so that doesn't become an unfinished project (got way to many of those floating about). 

Oh, and I've also given some thought to my previous tutorials the honeycomb pieces, it's been a long time since I did one, and I have to be honest I am not sure I want to do another one. Is that bad? Planning the next one felt like a bit of a battle and not terribly enjoyable. The design has been filed since I moved house. 

I certainly want to do more little tutorials for you guys and I don't want to completely abandon the idea of the honeycomb pieces, I just have an idea for something else, something I am pretty sure will work and both you and I will enjoy doing. I have a rough sketch of how it will look and even some of the stitches I want to put on it, I now just need to work out how to go about it. But I think you'll like it. I wont put a time-scale on this one, other than it will be soon. 

Now time to get back to the cloud! 

What's in the Post?

I've been rather fortunate over the past couple of weeks to have oodles of yummy packages come in the post. Some of it is down to me ordering books, magazines and what not. I know I said I would talk about those books and mags, but I became rather sidetracked by the fact amongst those deliveries some rather lovely folks, that I am rather fortunate to know, have sent me some of the most wonderful sewing materials for me to play with. 

First to arrive in the post was these wonderful silk threads from the Silk Mill this came about from a discussion over on my facebook page where I was talking about Mulberry Silk was having a January sale. My friend Jen Goodwin, fellow RSN Apprentice, suggested I looked at Silk Mill, and very kindly offered to send me some of her spare skeins for me to try out. Byjove they are so utterly lush! So shiny and bright.

Almost too pretty to use, but use I will. I need to think of a project just for them. Having dug through and sorted out several boxes of materials last night...I know I have some rather lovely beads and crystals that would work well with them too. 

Several days later, Bridgeen of Cherry & Cinnamon sent me a package of fabric that she designed herself! There so ruddy awesome that they, like the threads, need a project for them or several...agh so many uses! You can check out Bridgeen's fabric designs over on Spoonflower. 

Now who doesn't love a bit of post?

Silk Threads and a Quilting Show

It's Sunday, so that means I get to catch you up on a few things. Firstly I have nothing to show for the quilt, the mini quilt as they have been put on the back burner this week whilst I worked on the latest project for Crafty. As there are just mini makes I'll be going back to them very soon. 

It has also meant that I have done much in the way of the cloud embroidery either, though I had ground to a halt on that whilst I sourced a few more threads. Threads which I picked up today. So spur myself and complete the samples for Crafty magazine, I nipped along to the Quilting show at the Farnham Maltings. My main reason for going was to go and see my favourite thread supplier, Mulberry Silks. I have been in dialogue with the lady who runs it, Patricia Wood, who very kindly was holding some particular thread packs for me to match to the cloud project fabrics. It was so nice to put a name to a face, and she's awfully sweet. Naturally I didn't just buy for one project, I also got drawn to another thread pack, which has me in mind for a potential future project to do with illuminated text and fonts. 

The show itself was interesting, but like with the last one at the Maltings I didn't stay long, it was busy, a little bit hot and sadly there was none of the rather lush quilting fabrics that I have been drooling over online were there. It was strange though I did notice that at lot of the fabric that was on sale was a similar tone and colour range, lots of muted colours and some of the designs were a little dated to me. Or it could just be I am incredibly picky.

Anyway, I take the time to have a look round at the quilts on display, and there were some stunning designs, and top quality work.I did take a moment to look round the quilts that were being exhibited and there were some amazing designs and amongst them I stumbled across one of my old tutors from Guildford College which was totally unexpected and rather awesome. She used to allow me to work in her classrooms because I was learning toward textiles much to the chagrin of my actual form tutor...oops.

All in all, a nice weekend. I must add that the threads weren't the only purchases this week, I have been going through a  phase of buying books and magazines on quilting. In fact I've even gone as far as to clear another shelf in my study to give them a shelf of there own. As I don't think it will be long till its filled. I will share with you what I have purchased on Wednesday, as the day is getting on and I still have instructions to finish writing. 

Oh there is one thing I mustn't forget, and near enough did! I've reopened my Etsy store this weekend, and as mentioned on Wednesday I have a number of items marked down. 

London Trip and Sale Time

Today is the last day of my holiday, two and a half weeks of bliss have near enough come to an end. The time was spent relaxing, hibernating in my flat and getting covered in fabric. Many a cup of tea was drunk and I ate my weight in sugar. 

In order to prepare myself for the return to work tomorrow, the last few days of the holiday have seen me venture out into the beautiful weather (yeah right) on Monday I spent several hours in London with my Mum, mainly at the Victoria and Albert Museum and I have to say like most museums doesn't matter how many times you go, there is always something new to see. Or a new little nook you haven't been in. In this case it was the whole Medieval area and the mezzanine level that holds the ironwork/ironmongery. 

Sensing a return to the VAM to check out the Ironmongery again, as it's got me thinking about potential future project ideas...

One of my favourite pictures I took, rather impressed with the camera on the iPod Touch

Yesterday and today as well I've been getting myself prepared for going to back to work  (admittedly don't think I am ever fully ready for that) hair cut and digging out the work wear that's been banished to the far reaches of draws and cupboards. I envisage that the weekend will mostly be about recovering from the shock of being at work. 

Actually not entirely true I'll be in theory working on a project for Crafty magazine if the fabric ever turns up. My Etsy store will be reopened on Saturday and I will be having a sale, mainly on the clocks, as I have made the decision not to make any more for the foreseeable future. Time for a break..no pun intended. Sort of.

I need to move on from them, likewise I'll be taking a step back from hoop framed embroidery. Whilst I find it a very effective way of hanging work, and no doubt I will be doing that with a few pieces of my own for the flat, I find myself going back to the traditional way of framing. With the typography work and other such pieces they can be a bit too delicate for being open to elements. 

Oh on Sunday I'll be nipping over to the Farnham Maltings as there is a Quilting Exhibition and supplies sale, and my favourite thread supplier will be there, Mulberry Silks. Patricia who runs it has very kindly agreed to take some particular coloured thread packs I want to match to fabric to the show for me to look at.

New Project for the New Year: Every Cloud has a Silver Lining

Last year I mentioned I wanted to do more typography / quote based embroideries as I loved working on the last three; Tea Solves Everything, Today is a Good Day, Life is a Big Puddle Jump In. I've had a design in my notebook for a while now but wasn't quite ready to work on it, until now that is. 

The new quote is Every Cloud has a Silver Lining, and whilst I have one design in mind and doodled, I have an inkling another version of it might just follow.

As you can see I've started to gather the materials, I love the hunting and sourcing aspect of any new project and especially if it means trawling through my stash. As it means the more I use up the more reason I have to buy new materials.

I pulled out the metal threads, silk threads and silk dupion and a few other odds and sods that I have stashed away. I think I need a few more silk threads to add to the mix as a few of the colours I have aren't quite right. So this is an excuse to make the most of the Mulberry Silk sale. Not that I really needed an excuse. Beads and maybe a few discreet crystals (special bit of bling) will also be added too. 

Now normally I like to work and play around with threads and stitches as I go a long on the main piece, it can be a scary doing this but I tend to work well doing it this way. However, last night I whipped a small sample as I wanted to see what the pale grey linen would work on the cream dupion, and I like it and I've kept the sample so that I can use it to try out stitches etc on it. this time I knocked up a sample mainly to see if I like the linen on the cream silk but I'll also be using it to play on.

I can't stop poking it...squidgy.

Hey look I am drinking tea...

I'm really looking forward to getting cracking with this but I first have to see if I can't get the project for Crafty magazine completed first, though I am still waiting on the fabric to arrive.

More information on this as it progresses.

2014 - Welcome and Winter Projects

*Gives the blog a good dust down*

Hello folks and a very Happy New Year to you all! 

I hope you all made it in good health and spirits. Owing to my extended winter holiday I am very much still in high spirits and I find myself at long last in the mood to get cracking on with things again, whilst at the same time taking it easy. Part of this comes in the form of working on things that are for the flat. Projects that allow me to play with absolutely no pressure to get them done quickly. Perfecto.

So what have I been making whilst curled up on the sofa over Christmas whilst ignoring the bad weather, watching old flicks and generally eating my body weight in chocolate (still eating it now)....

I didn't actually make the Deer head over Christmas it was for a gift, but I couldn't show it off because it was for my mum and she reads my blog posts... She had her eye on the one I made for myself for quite sometime, and has had to be prevented from walking off with it on more than one occasion. So I finally got round to making one for her, and I have another to make now for my sister. You might recognise it to be a Tilda design for a deer version of a hobby horse, you can find it in Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle book. 

I also made this sleepy mouse over a course of three evenings, for my best friends first baby, I've called it Sweet Little William Mouse and it's yes another Tilda creation. 

Projects I have been working on whilst on holiday are as follows, the patchwork quilt for the bedroom, using Petite Street fabric and the Ruby, Opal and Pearl pattern. I've machined two of the twenty blocks I need to make, and I have two more pending. Currently awaiting another stash of the fabric before I start cutting out the rest (underestimated...typical). It comes together quite quickly, which is great as I really want to get on with the hand quilting the layers together.

It's not by any means the only quilting project I have on the go. I've started to make up the design I doodled in my sketchbook for a little while now, a small paper piecing art quilt. I even did samples for it, which for me isn't something I normally do for projects for myself but I wanted to try out the new thread and work out how I was going to quilt it. I eventually settled on the version below, which uses small running stitching and a thin wadding layer. The thread if your wondering is a rather snazzy Aurifil quilting thread, 100% cotton and made in Italy, colour number 4648. It's so lovely to use. It's prompted me to call this the Sunrise Quilt.

The pieces are 1-2" in size. So was a little fiddly!

I did have to unpick some of my stitching as I found I was going a little wobbly.

I will of course be posting little updates on the two projects over the coming weeks and months (in case of the large quilt). Quilting really is becoming very much my hobby of choice. Its both practical as I get to make things for the flat and keeps me stitching when I don't feel like embroidery. I also like it because it gives me a chance to learn new techniques. Techniques I am sure I will start to use in projects for Mason Bee a bit more, though don't expect to see a full blown bed spread any time soon. It took a long time to finish the last one and that was a hand-me down from my Aunt!  

Plus it gives me even more of an excuse to buy more fabric....*whistles*

Aside from the stitching and the quilting, I have also started working on Mason Bee related bits and pieces too, such as updating the website and even tided up the blog as I am sure you've noticed. I've gone for a much simpler design and deleted a lot of unnecessary pages and content. On the website I updated my about me page, removed quite a lot of the gallery and did a bit of tweeking. Main reasons behind this was that I realised how quickly everything was getting out of date because I either forgot to update or it was time consuming to do it. Sometimes pretty designs and layouts can be a headache.

Now enough about what I've been up too, what about you guys? Did you get a chance to work on any projects for you? Purchased or been given any lovely new craft related items? 

I've been spending most of my money on new clothes a necessary evil (hate clothes shopping!), but I did buy a new lamp for the workroom/guest room and as I said more fabric for the quilt and I've heard that Mulberry Silks has a sale on...