The Three F's and a T.

A hodge-podge sort of fortnight, full of threads, fabrics, flour and family. 

• A random little patchwork project for no other reason than I fancied doing it. Started as a doodle, and then ended up as a near 12" square. Rather pleased with it too. If your wondering it's a quote from the Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland. A quote I can get behind "It's Always Time for Tea". Here, here!

• More thrifty finds - Went in search of shelving units for the bathroom and instead came back with some cheap reels of Sylko thread for my aunt, a rather lovely plain white linen table cloth for £9 and a thimble rack; no I haven't started collecting I have other plans for it.

• I love, love, love Nigel's Lazy Loaf - Lives up to it's name. Second week I've made it now. I have found I had to play about with the amount of flour as Sainsbury's only sell Buttermilk in 300ml not the required 350ml. And I don't like to buy more than I need. So chopped down the flour to 175g and I think it's worked even better this week. Either way, it's super yummy....and toasts nicely too.

• More adventures into Wonderland - The quote that I featured on the little patchwork piece is back again, and this time I've decided to embroider it. Currently work in progress. 

 

Can never find my white tissue paper, so pale pink was used. I tend to find it easier stitching a rough outline on linen that can't be drawn onto, rather than using the prick, pounce and paint method. It's quicker, well for me, and less messy. If your interested in the other method, my good friend, Jen Goodwin, has an excellent tutorial. 

Of, course my favourite stitch is back, trailing for the win! And there is going to be quite a bit of it. Can't help it.

See, I told you there was going to be more! You can just make out the start of a clock, with multiple hands. 

• Giving child marriage the finger! And you can too. Let children, be children. I have recently supported this campaign, and you can too. If you can't donate, but have a social media account, a blog even. Post a link to it. Spread the word. 

Time to Mention Christmas...

I know, I know! 

It's the middle of September and here I am talking about the one word that even makes me twitch. But I have to do it, I have to break it to you that alas I really do need to start to think about it. Like others in craft land its time to think about Christmas. Those who are better at working out that schedule have already started, and are well into their preparations.

Me?

I've dipped my toe in over the past couple of weeks and now it's time to cannonball into the pool of Christmas making. There is a good reason for this, I've got a fair in December, more on this soon, my first in over three years. I think? Memory fails me. Anyway, so whilst I am doing my utmost to remain calm and collected I do have to pull my finger out now. Now whilst I was in the States, I took the opportunity to purchase a few items (coughalotcough)...

Not only for playing about with, but to use for the fair in terms of decorating the stall to using to make stock with. I had a great time purchasing lots of lovely new quilting fabric (I will seek out a fabric store where ever I am), And I came to visit a couple of times, Flash Sew and Quilt store in Naples, Florida. It was lovely and holy crap there was a lot of fabric I wish I could have purchased. Next time, I'll bring and even bigger case...

I made a few notes about what I thought was realistic to make in the time and what I wanted to take. A few new ideas were jotted down, including a design for a Christmas card. It had to be stitched now so that I had time to get it photographed and printed in to cards. It was nice to do a spot of stripy trailing again. 

And it didn't take me that long either, which was nice. Was a bit worried I had gotten a bit rusty...

Anyway with it stitched I can now start working on the other bits and pieces on my list. I have two test pieces to try out one is the new Christmas bauble bee design. Last year it was a Queen Bee and this year? Well you'll have to wait and see. The other is just small little keyring idea, there will be bees...again.

Didn't start this weekend as it's been a bit busy as for most of today for instance I attended The Handmade Fair, with massive thanks to We Make London for my ticket. I entered a little comp they were running to win a ticket. And low and behold I only gone and won. Now, I'll talk about that adventure with the one I will be undertaking next weekend when I pop along to Threads, with Laura Howard aka Bugs and Fishes.

I hope everyone had a lovely fun, and crafty weekend.

Short and Sweet Post

Today is just to lovely to be sat indoors, especially now that I just finished 'Today is a Good Day'. I'm so utterly thrilled with the final outcome that sitting out in the sun is my reward for some damned good work. 

So I am really not going to waffle on in this post, or talk about much beyond, have a look at the finished piece for yourself. I am so thankful to Hannah Dollery for allowing to use it and I can't wait to hang it up, well once I've decided how I am going to do it. 

Only thing left for me to say is I really want to stitch some more words, phrases anything really, and work more in the lush silk threads from Mulberry Silks.

And that's it...

Well one thing, next Honeycomb tutorial will be ready next weekend.

Promise that is the last thing!

Final bits to stitch

Want it Wednesday - Hand Dyed Threads

This week, as I have been stitching in between being a little bit poorly is the lovely world of hand dyed threads, having just sorted out my own stash its probably time I got my hands on some of these lovely beauties. 

Embroidery floss hand dyed cotton "Leafy" - yarnplayer

Mystery Bag - 10 assorted mini-skeins of hand dyed cotton embroidery thread - therainbowgirl

Silk Embroidery and ribbon thread brown and beige Variegated Hand dyed threads with coordinated beads and sequins - NellsEmbroidery

hand dyed tatting thread / crochet cotton, size 30 - BathtubStudios

This weekend you will be able to download a free embroidery design!