Going back and going forward in time

So on Friday I had the opportunity to go to Goodwood Revival thanks to the kindness of some very dear friends of mine. I was utterly stoked, like a kid in a sweetie store or on the eve of Christmas. I was so looking forward to going and going dressed up! I totally loved my RAF outfit perhaps a little too much, and was rather sad sending it back yesterday. It was so great being surrounded by lovely vintage cars, people dressed up from all manner of eras and generally just having a bit of a hoot.

Here are just a few images from the day:

Hehehe, I loved the hat way too much. Even though I had to keep tilting my head up to see where I was going...

This group were rather amusing, there to roleplay and interact with folks passing by, heading into one of the sponsors guest areas.

Do I want to go again? Hell yes. Do I know what I want to wear? Already planned it, uniform again but this time American. I highly recommend it to anyone, and if you go, dress up!

What else has been happening? Well I've framed up my private commission piece, though typically I've run out of webbing so have to wait till next weekend to get some. I've also finally gotten round to stitching, and finishing, another free pattern sample the second in the little planet designs.

In progress, lots of French Knots

There done!

I should have the pattern done by next weekend, and I'll be re-doing the other Little Planet pattern too, tidying up the layout and the branding of it. I am also going to be offering a deluxe version of the patterns which will be purchasable for around £3.00 which will include a stitch and colour chart, and tips on transferring the design onto fabric. Again I hope to have it completed by next weekend, so keep your eyes peeled.

I also hope to have started another luxe version of the Paradise Bird Peter Pan collars as I have some other lush silk to work with.

Experimenting & Playing with Stitches

So this weekend is mainly about playing. 

Also a bit of researching too, but I also consider this playing just with ideas more than actually physically stitching. I don't, to be honest, do samples or play with stitches before launching into my projects I tend to go with the flow, working out and challenging myself along the way to come up with solutions. But sometimes I make myself do it. 

I wanted to get sorted this year three main lines for my stores. The first one is the Paradise Bird, the second is what I am playing about with now, and the third one is down on paper just need to work out the logistics of it. So now I am done, not really, with the birds its now the time of the bees. The second line is all about bee appreciation and which will, I hope, enable me to support the British Bee Keepers Association and other worth while projects to do with saving the humble bee, humble not bumble!

The first of the bits for the bees I am looking at Black work for my inspiration. So you can see below I am playing with patterns, using colour to stop myself using black, and because it was to hand. I can be lazy.

Playing with colour here, attempting shading. Never have the right colours in my stash!

Here I am playing with the alternative way to shade, which is by breaking up the stitch.

Good overview of all the patterns and shading I did today. Didn't take me all that long to work out which one I am settled on, can you work out which one that would be?

Time for something different, this is the cross-stitch I am working on the side, it's for me. Can you tell it looks like gingham fabric yet? The whole pattern is various close ups of the fabric, awesome right?