In Which I Stitched a Flower...

I'm going to skip with a usual opening of..my its been a while, as it is fairly obvious with the last post being back in October. I'll simply say I took a step back and let myself get on with other things. To be truthful I am not entirely sure if I'll ever get back to regularly blogging and making again, but I'm not going to let myself get caught up in feeling any guilt. It's funny how not doing any of these things can leave you with that sense of...'what if' or 'if I don't do anything people will forget...' in a nutshell, this has only ever done to keep me happy, and if your not happy with what your doing why let the guilt bog you down? Not worth it.

Anyway, enough of the introspection...I've actually made myself do some stitching, and it's been rather nice to do. What the hell I am going to do with the thing I've done, I'm not entirely sure, suggestions on a postcard??

Where did I begin?

As with most things I make, I started with a doodle. This one was inspired by a rather snazzy calendar I picked up during a visit to the States last year from Paper Source (WHEN WILL YOU EVER COME TO THE UK??). I think it was a Rifle Press design, but bugger me if I can find the makers mark on it. Anyway, a doodle and a play about with colours. I began the process of turning it into a piece of embroidery...cue some soft swearing and a 'why am I doing this' moment(s).

Looks so organised...stays like that for about ten minutes before each project.

I started with a single thread of floss, and split stitched around the outside of the shape, or in this case petals. Note, I didn't separate each of the petals, this was for a reason...well I had an idea and just went ahead with it. Once the split stitching was complete, I marked the order of the petals with some thought (ish). 

Each petal was then padded out in the middle with long stitches using two /three threads of cotton stranded. Now I know what your thinking, cream padding when your going to do satin stitch in bright pink over it?? Yes, I am a nutter, has been said many a time. I did because I had loads of cream thread, I wanted a challenge and lastly, I knew I cover of it (so modest).

By the way, that shiny thing at the top of the picture is my stainless steel mellor, or laying tool, normally I use it for gold work but it works a treat for threads using it so that they lay flat. Also it's shiny...*_* I have a sterling silver one too.

With each petal I used a different number of padding layers, between 3 - 5 to give it a bit of a my realistic finish. By the fifth petal I had hit my my stride, which is typical.

So shiny...I do love a spot of silk thread.

Time for the middle section, I started it one way and then started it again. Yeah, I had thought to use chain stitch padding for the middle but when I tried it out it wasn't giving me the height and frankly it looked rubbish. So well over an hour later, with copious amounts of swearing, I unpicked the chain stitch.

Once calm again, I opted for a simple approach...couching the padding, using around 12 threads of cotton thread, in a long length I couched it round and round the middle, so it looked like a doughnut. Once I was happy with the height and the filling, I started to satin stitch over the top.

Then the question of what to do next? I had a small idea that the flower needed stamens, and after a brief reminder how to do it, I used a thicker weight yellow silk thread, and pistol stitched the stamens.

And now it's complete....

Now do I add more flowers, leave it be...make it up into something.

I have some pondering to do!

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.

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?

Spring is here - Let's Polka

So on Monday, Blighty was treated to a day of brilliant sunshine. It felt to me, and others, that spring had finally sprung.

It was fantastic timing too as I had booked a day off from the day job to spend the day with my best mate crafting, drinking tea, chatting and eating plenty of cake.

Of course, no day could start without a decent breakfast and this put us on the path to a fantastic day looking colour. We toddled around for a bit in town which meant I was able to pick up some thread, and as these things happen I also ended up buying fabric. Yes, the sun had done a marvelous effect on my mood and colour palette. There was also a brief stop in Farrow& Ball for paint and wallpaper charts. I love their colours even if my bank account doesn't.

The remainder of the day was naturally spent looking at the colour swatches and playing with the various threads I had picked up earlier that morning. We flitted between looking at ideas for the soon to be new flat (yes, getting there slowly) and new project ideas. The sun pouring into the livingroom, whilst making the room hot, certainly aided our colour picking abilities.

Aren't they smashing colours, the three spools at the bottom are the silks threads I purchased at the beginning of the year, the skeins above at the ones purchased on Monday, just your standard DMC cottons.

With the colours chosen for the new project ideas picked out on Monday, it meant I was able to get on with one of them today. Now, originally I had planned on using the DMC threads to stitch the projects but I was nudged into using the silk threads, so I ended up doing just that, except so not to waste the limited amount of silk thread I had I used the cotton as the padding for the satin dots. It was pure fate that the colours picked up on Monday matched the silk.

Work in progress - seeing dots.

This is the first of three new spring/summer collar designs, and the first one made up is Ice-Cream Polka. Every time I look at it I just want to smile, and then poke the satin dots (I haven't...yet). I backed it in the new purchased cotton fabric too. Using my previous collar pattern means this design is fully reversible. And look it features my logo as the fabric label.

Dots...lots of dots

Now, all I need to do is crack on with the other two designs! Ice-cream polka will be available to purchase from my Etsy store.

Kandinsky Inspired Trinket Box

It's been a while since I made a fabric covered box, so it was nice to do one again, even if I don't particularly like working out the maths to construct it...but that grumble aside I like the final outcome. It was good to turn the Kandinsky inspired piece into something practical and not just framing it. Not that there is anything wrong with framing embroidered pieces, it has its place and I normally do frame my pieces but I've always liked to turn my work into something more useful or have some practical purposes or another. From clocks, trinket boxes, coasters to Peter Pan collars I've turned my hand embroidery into something other than something that can adorn a wall and looked at from a far...

I'm sure this says a lot about me or simply shows I get bored with framing, I like to think it's the idealist inner craftsperson. Anyway, before I go off onto another path have a look at the box for yourself, smashing isn't it? I know, so modest.

The turquoise lining works well, and compliments the stitching on the outside as well as giving the inside a great big, eyeball grabbing zing of colour. 

Speaking of colour, and reminding myself something I said in a previous post I will be doing something more with this design, colours and the stitches I've used. I have in mind a set of really bright, cheerful and playful Peter Pan collars, just designs mind you at this time, no wait three. 

And it's also helped me come up with a couple more thoughts for the stitch along that I mentioned on Wednesday.  So with that said, I must get the ideas down on paper, and start trying them out and then blitz the flat for tomorrow I have a day off and I'm having a crafting day with my best mate.

Huzzah for tea and cake.