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.