At last!

I've finally, and I mean finally finished the pink quilt. 

You have no idea how thrilled and relieved I am that it is complete. It's been the longest project in progress I had hanging about, years in the making. That's what you get when you have it in your head that your going to hand quilt, whilst trying to do several other things as well. It certainly has been a labour of love but I don't regret the hours, and hours of time it took to get it complete. Sure there are parts of it that I am not totally thrilled about but you know what it was a learning process, I had never put together a quilt, technically I hadn't actually put the blocks together, but I have done that before, it was the actual hand quilting I had never done. I wasn't even sure or certain how you actually achieved a good finish, especially on the back (which I won't show....)

Still it's done, and it's ready to be used in the new place, which you'll be pleased hear is progressing, slow as hell but I know these things take time.

With it finished, it means I can get back to a couple of other works in progress, and really need to get finished. I don't want another wip to take years. Ha, though I say that and I just remembered there are a couple of projects that have been gathering dust for years,  a knitting project and a complex cross stitch...I am not sure I'll actually finish them. Should probably do something about that...possibly.

 

What else have I been up to this weekend? Pottering about mainly I started the buttons for the private commission did one test button to see how it would turn out and they are looking good, I couldn't stitch the others as I am low on one of the threads so I prepared the fabric and put it to one side. I could have worked on a few other things to stitch but I wasn't actually in the mood so instead I got out some paints I was given at Christmas and decided to colour some project designs. 

KOH-I-NOOR HARDTMUTH watercolour paints. Highly recommend them. 

A good little set of great colours. Nice to use too.

Such as the one below. I almost forgot how much I love painting and I really need to get back into the swing of it. And if your looking for a good set of paints, that also don't take 

Painted it, now to decide when to stitch it.

Now I must dash as I am off to have lunch with my mum. But before I go, I thought I would leave you with a few lovely things to look at, or to do. Enjoy!

A pretty watercolour of a squirrel.

Peekaboo, I see you.

Can't turn down a slice of pie.

Gold Bees

Following my post yesterday about the little bee brooch that I made on a spur of the moment I've gained positive and useful feedback by folks over on Facebook. So much so I made another one day. The suggestion by a lovely lady called Jessica was to make the bee a little bigger and so I did just that; this afternoon in fact.

And you know what she was right it looks so much better, I also managed to give it a bit more height in the process.

Playing with the gold metal thread - It's been an age since I last worked with gold thread and I have a surprising amount of goldwork thread in my stash so it's been good to get it out again.

Stitching in progress...

Back of the brooch, which has a little sliver of Liberty Tana Lawn fabric

And finished!

I've just listed this example over on Etsy and are given people the chance to choose the print for the back of the brooch, five different Liberty Tana Lawn prints in fact. And of course, the donation to the BBKA for each one sold is 50p. 

What else have I been working on today, I was knocking up the sample for the bee mirror pouch. I did get the dimensions a little wrong, maths went a little to pot this morning. But you know the overall look of it I am happy with, and my little custom stamp made by Memi the Rainbow, also got its first outing. Isn't it fab! I think I need to get myself some black fabric ink, but for the time being the brown ink will suffice.

I'll be looking to get the bee mirrors ordered next week, so I'll keep you posted as to when they are available to purchase. 

Hope everyone else is either having a productive crafting day, or snuggled up on the couch and relaxing. xx

Return of the Bees

Nice to get back to stitching my bees once more. 

I stitched the ring in the centre of the clock last week, as its going to be used for my next mirror design, but it's kind of two for the price of one as it's also for my next clock. 

Actually this clock...

Ring of Bees Hand Embroidered Wall Clock

Size: 13 (w) x 13 (h) x 2.5 (d) cm - 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 x 1 inches (approx)

Materials: Cotton threads, linen, card, wooden hoop, and a quartz clock mechanism.

More bees on the horizon though, I need to work on the pouches for the mirrors, well once I have ordered the actually mirrors. I also got a bit sidetracked this afternoon I made a tiny bee brooch, whether or not I'll actually make more of them I am not entirely sure but I might gauge your opinions on it...

It's a tiny gold bee, which was stitched in gold check purl, over stitched with stranded cotton, on the back of the brooch it's backed with Liberty Tana Lawn fabric. It's just under 2.5cm in diameter.

What do you think?