Interesting session this week!
Working further on the theme of darning and couching I gathered a few bits and pieces and tore some magazine pages with which to work on - and spent the morning alternately oohing and ahhing & generally gasping at some of Kim's delightful and inspired samples with cling film from the week before!!
I grabbed my knitting (V.neck tunic) as a project to work on after my brother turned up on Sunday evening and spent the WHOLE evening going through his (thankfully!) edited photo's from his trip and at the end I was too tired to sort my bag out with embroidery stuff!
Didn't get much knitting done, rather more TALKING! but thats what its all about! talking and sharing and looking at each others work! We have some very talented ladies in our group and it would be easy to feel intimidated by such talent, however very soon you come to realise that it IS all possible! and its not that hard, really! (it just seems to come easier to some!).
Except for Kim. Kim is the exception! she's like a creative tap! it just POURS out of her! her books, her bags - even her pockets! just seem to hold handfuls of experiments, of scribbled notes, quickly drawn ideas and bits of fibre buttons etc! She's one of those ladies who is just an inspiration as she, apparently, feels no fear!
My project is decided! After discussion with tutor, Sarah, I'm going to do a small piece of Kantha inspired stitching - we have only 10hours in which to plan, prepare samples and achieve the project .. (hence the word "SMALL" ..)
I decided on this as I enjoyed (eventually!!) this type of stitching and its totally new/different to me - it would be too easy for me to pick a machine stitched project or even a knitted one and while I yearn to do a more meaningly or creative piece with loads of "stuff" chucked at it eg embroidery/beading etc I've had a good long think about what I want to DO for myself is not necessarily the same as being suitable for the PROJECT!
Slightly panicking, still, about lack of progress on the Kiri mind! Although I have been invited to join a Kiri dedicated group on Ravelry which may inspire me further to pick up the needles and get going again!
Work this week involves couching and darning and I'm currently half way through a simple landscape which I hope to be able to show you soon.
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Saturday, 12 April 2008
David's Adventure
A selection of photo's sent to us from his travels abroad from my no.2.brother, David:
Super scenic shot from New Zealand, above.
Partying with new friends - David is 3rd on the left looking at the camera (inevitably sat next to a pretty blonde lady!)
Apparently Sydney was "full" when he and his friends, John and Kerry, arrived and it seems that David ended up sharing with 5 Dutch girls .. .. hmmm (David is at the bottom of the heap in pic above looking a bit squashed).
It looks a bit ccccoldddd ... (New Zealand)
This is better! looks delightfully hot!
Fancy Dress party, David is the football field toward the rear.
Kite surfing in New Zealand.
Tons more pics and he threatens, I mean promises, to come round this afternoon with the entire collection for us to enjoy ..
It will be hard for him to return to normal/routine/work from Monday having spent last 8weeks away with his friends, John and Kerry, this trip was a last minute decision that came about following the sudden breakup over the New Year of his relationship with Becki.
Super scenic shot from New Zealand, above.
Partying with new friends - David is 3rd on the left looking at the camera (inevitably sat next to a pretty blonde lady!)
Apparently Sydney was "full" when he and his friends, John and Kerry, arrived and it seems that David ended up sharing with 5 Dutch girls .. .. hmmm (David is at the bottom of the heap in pic above looking a bit squashed).
It looks a bit ccccoldddd ... (New Zealand)
This is better! looks delightfully hot!
Fancy Dress party, David is the football field toward the rear.
Kite surfing in New Zealand.
Tons more pics and he threatens, I mean promises, to come round this afternoon with the entire collection for us to enjoy ..
It will be hard for him to return to normal/routine/work from Monday having spent last 8weeks away with his friends, John and Kerry, this trip was a last minute decision that came about following the sudden breakup over the New Year of his relationship with Becki.
PICTURES! at last!
SEW much the better for PICTURES!
Laura was pleased with her gift comprising needlecase, pin cushion and scissor-keep, the fabrics are all cottons lined with silk dupion.
I've actually done more to the quilt since taking this photo, added the pink outer border and prepared it ready for quilting - it looks super!
The lovely knitty book!!
Today has been mostly boringly, tediously but necessary domestic - chores complete and we wait now for David to phone!
Laura was pleased with her gift comprising needlecase, pin cushion and scissor-keep, the fabrics are all cottons lined with silk dupion.
I've actually done more to the quilt since taking this photo, added the pink outer border and prepared it ready for quilting - it looks super!
The lovely knitty book!!Today has been mostly boringly, tediously but necessary domestic - chores complete and we wait now for David to phone!
Friday, 11 April 2008
it will just have to BE without PICTURES!
Well we've limped along this last couple of months while my brother is off round the world with his mates but now, it seems, our remaining "good" pc has decided to go on strike and I'm now unable to upload my photos or to print for that matter, until such time as my brother can come and sort us out!
I've neglected my blog, a little, within all this pc-chaos - but have decided to continue anyway even if without relief of some pictures to glance at and I hope to get this situation resolved but in the meantime here is a summary of what I've done/bought/working on!!
BOOKS:
Again! couldn't resist! this lovely book came into store last week and three of us fell on the five copies and set aside for purchase! I paid for mine yesterday and though I've not had chance to really read it it I think it will be a useful book to add to my knitting library
Knitted Edgings & Trims by Lesley Stanfield
It looks fantastic resource! what we liked about it was the variety of decorative knitted effects - 150 in all - and clear photographs.
FABRICS:
Again! couldn't resist! new in store was a fabulous poly-cotton almost crinkly and with bits of sparkle and a super overall subtle "pattern" that depending on the angle to which you hold it shows up and then disappears! is white! and then silver/grey! I can't possibly describe it, its just YUMMY though and, again, we all HAD to have 2ms and at £6/m a real summer bargain! Not sure what I'm going to make with mine, possibly something top-wise for summer hols in Spain, a colleague is planning a tiered skirt and another a blouse and another a kaftan!
QUILTED PROJECT:
My bargain strips of pink fabric are now joined together and framed with a "turkey-red" border and yesterday I bought some lovely sugary-pink mottled quilters cotton for a deeper border and backing and this is being worked on as we speak!
(actually, in truth, am waiting for my longstanding quilty-pals to put me right on one or two matters regarding the backing and I imagine they are eating their cornflakes and wondering quite what I mean by "help!!"
I'm pleased with the project and hope to complete it soon and will take photo's which I'll endeavour to upload as soon as the pc issue is resolved!
BEADING:
Can't wait to try out a bit of a sample to test a new theory (to us!) of how to attach beads to knitting! My colleague learned of this method via a customer who in turn had bought a beading magazine with a simple "how to" within it! A quick demo yesterday has sort of made a bit of sense, but I'll do a sample to test the theory before I attempt to describe it here!
HANDMADE GIFTS:
One of our young student colleagues commented on a lovely fabric within my quilt/strips and said she'd love a needle case for her forthcoming course at Uni and, having two spare squares left over, I selected one that reflected this particular fabric and made up a little needle case, a pin cushion and a scissor keeper from a matching square. I used pale green silk dupion to line each, with hot pink felt for the needles/case and a lilac snap and green binding - the set looked lovely not least because of the lovely fabrics and she seemed really delighted at this unexpected gift!
Gift making is a hot topic at the moment! With some fellow crafters reporting lots of requests, appreciation and other favourable comments when gifting hand crafted goodies - I've given it all up this last couple of years (aside from the occasional gift!) I should say, rather, I've abandoned the "tradition" of the birthday/xmas sewn gift! Maybe its because my family is now entirely made up of men! and they just don't LIKE the crafted frillies!! lol! Anyway, I'm rather happier being a selfish sewist/knitter and beyond the occasional, and the cards for special occasions I'm finding it much easier all round to just BUY "them" something!! (AND a lot cheaper too!!).
Mind! reading the Simply Knitting blog this am, I did rather feel tempted to rush out and start knitting these GORGEOUS Dr Who treasures!! .. SEW far I've resisted!!
MAGAZINES:
Latest Sewing World mag dropped through the letterbox last night and I see there are a couple of interesting articles on couching and folding/pleating-effects too.
I'm letting my sub to CME go, this year, received a reminder in post to continue but I've decided not to renew.
INSTEAD! I think I'm going to buy either a quilting mag or perhaps Stitch (take a look at their site, its useful!!) instead from time to time for variety! and I'm also considering dropping the sub to SK too (particularly since I can pick up any of the knitting mags easily enough at Tesco!!).
WEEKEND AHEAD:
Boring domestic chores planned for Sat and work on Sun - I must get my sketch book up to date as its being marked on Mon (gulp!) and I've not completed any of the tasks for week and am desperate to get quilting!!
I've neglected my blog, a little, within all this pc-chaos - but have decided to continue anyway even if without relief of some pictures to glance at and I hope to get this situation resolved but in the meantime here is a summary of what I've done/bought/working on!!
BOOKS:
Again! couldn't resist! this lovely book came into store last week and three of us fell on the five copies and set aside for purchase! I paid for mine yesterday and though I've not had chance to really read it it I think it will be a useful book to add to my knitting library
Knitted Edgings & Trims by Lesley Stanfield
It looks fantastic resource! what we liked about it was the variety of decorative knitted effects - 150 in all - and clear photographs.
FABRICS:
Again! couldn't resist! new in store was a fabulous poly-cotton almost crinkly and with bits of sparkle and a super overall subtle "pattern" that depending on the angle to which you hold it shows up and then disappears! is white! and then silver/grey! I can't possibly describe it, its just YUMMY though and, again, we all HAD to have 2ms and at £6/m a real summer bargain! Not sure what I'm going to make with mine, possibly something top-wise for summer hols in Spain, a colleague is planning a tiered skirt and another a blouse and another a kaftan!
QUILTED PROJECT:
My bargain strips of pink fabric are now joined together and framed with a "turkey-red" border and yesterday I bought some lovely sugary-pink mottled quilters cotton for a deeper border and backing and this is being worked on as we speak!
(actually, in truth, am waiting for my longstanding quilty-pals to put me right on one or two matters regarding the backing and I imagine they are eating their cornflakes and wondering quite what I mean by "help!!"
I'm pleased with the project and hope to complete it soon and will take photo's which I'll endeavour to upload as soon as the pc issue is resolved!
BEADING:
Can't wait to try out a bit of a sample to test a new theory (to us!) of how to attach beads to knitting! My colleague learned of this method via a customer who in turn had bought a beading magazine with a simple "how to" within it! A quick demo yesterday has sort of made a bit of sense, but I'll do a sample to test the theory before I attempt to describe it here!
HANDMADE GIFTS:
One of our young student colleagues commented on a lovely fabric within my quilt/strips and said she'd love a needle case for her forthcoming course at Uni and, having two spare squares left over, I selected one that reflected this particular fabric and made up a little needle case, a pin cushion and a scissor keeper from a matching square. I used pale green silk dupion to line each, with hot pink felt for the needles/case and a lilac snap and green binding - the set looked lovely not least because of the lovely fabrics and she seemed really delighted at this unexpected gift!
Gift making is a hot topic at the moment! With some fellow crafters reporting lots of requests, appreciation and other favourable comments when gifting hand crafted goodies - I've given it all up this last couple of years (aside from the occasional gift!) I should say, rather, I've abandoned the "tradition" of the birthday/xmas sewn gift! Maybe its because my family is now entirely made up of men! and they just don't LIKE the crafted frillies!! lol! Anyway, I'm rather happier being a selfish sewist/knitter and beyond the occasional, and the cards for special occasions I'm finding it much easier all round to just BUY "them" something!! (AND a lot cheaper too!!).
Mind! reading the Simply Knitting blog this am, I did rather feel tempted to rush out and start knitting these GORGEOUS Dr Who treasures!! .. SEW far I've resisted!!
MAGAZINES:
Latest Sewing World mag dropped through the letterbox last night and I see there are a couple of interesting articles on couching and folding/pleating-effects too.
I'm letting my sub to CME go, this year, received a reminder in post to continue but I've decided not to renew.
INSTEAD! I think I'm going to buy either a quilting mag or perhaps Stitch (take a look at their site, its useful!!) instead from time to time for variety! and I'm also considering dropping the sub to SK too (particularly since I can pick up any of the knitting mags easily enough at Tesco!!).
WEEKEND AHEAD:
Boring domestic chores planned for Sat and work on Sun - I must get my sketch book up to date as its being marked on Mon (gulp!) and I've not completed any of the tasks for week and am desperate to get quilting!!
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Creative Textiles summer term
hurrah! we're back to school! I know I was more pleased at this prospect than the lads, but then again my *school* is SEW much more fun!
With all the wintry weather and snow of Sunday, hard to think we're on our final summer term, and that soon it will all be over!
This week we learned our deadlines for projects and stuff and also, that our Centre Manager will be poking and prodding through our work I mean marking our work - not sure quite how independant this will be, but I dare say its all official and approved!
The good news is, that I don't necessarily have to finish my lace shawl.
(actually I want to finish my lace shawl! at some point! however I seem to be having this problem with finishing of anything just at the minute! am battling on with my Vneck tunic having just cast on and started the deep rib for the front am hoping to get this one tucked away in order to start on some seasonally summery knits! and with the holiday looming I must start the annual stressful wrap-skirt sewing session!).
My problem, I think, is that I am too ambitious in my projects and unrealistic in what I actually can achieve, there are some who apparently manage with ease to produce marvellous works of creativity while saucepans bubble, no doubt, with delicious food for the family and clothes line filled with freshly laundered linen before being ironed and put away. in OUR house its a few grubby t.shirts draped on any surface that will support the slightly cardboardy garment but at least it disguises the lack of ironing! and the only thing that bubbles away in our kitchen is the Fairy power spray that helps to remove the burnt bits ..
Anyway, you can see my problem? too easily distracted!
HERE, then, is our schedule for the summer:-
(of course, I say all this very much in jest.)
(and bites hard on tongue.)
With all the wintry weather and snow of Sunday, hard to think we're on our final summer term, and that soon it will all be over!
This week we learned our deadlines for projects and stuff and also, that our Centre Manager will be poking and prodding through our work I mean marking our work - not sure quite how independant this will be, but I dare say its all official and approved!
The good news is, that I don't necessarily have to finish my lace shawl.
(actually I want to finish my lace shawl! at some point! however I seem to be having this problem with finishing of anything just at the minute! am battling on with my Vneck tunic having just cast on and started the deep rib for the front am hoping to get this one tucked away in order to start on some seasonally summery knits! and with the holiday looming I must start the annual stressful wrap-skirt sewing session!).
My problem, I think, is that I am too ambitious in my projects and unrealistic in what I actually can achieve, there are some who apparently manage with ease to produce marvellous works of creativity while saucepans bubble, no doubt, with delicious food for the family and clothes line filled with freshly laundered linen before being ironed and put away. in OUR house its a few grubby t.shirts draped on any surface that will support the slightly cardboardy garment but at least it disguises the lack of ironing! and the only thing that bubbles away in our kitchen is the Fairy power spray that helps to remove the burnt bits ..
Anyway, you can see my problem? too easily distracted!
HERE, then, is our schedule for the summer:-
- 7-4-08 Creating surfaces with clingfilm and outline activities for texture
- 14-4-08 Texture 1: couching
- 21-4-08 Texture 2: darning
- 28-4-08 Water solubles and bonding materials
- 12-5-08 sketchbook and project update
- 19-5-08 no class due to prior commitment for tutor (something important at Rowan at which we hope she'll manage to sneak back snippets of something NEW and IMPORTANT)
- HALF TERM
- 2nd/9th June Post-War textile design
- 16th/23rd June The Liberty tradition (and hopefully a visit to Liberty for a cup of tea I mean a browse through their remnants, NO! I mean their archives. am hoping this won't involve clipboards of questionaires to fill in and puzzles to solve as per class outings to museums in manner of yr.7's)
- 30th June: THE END! booo! I mean hurrah! we've finished ...
(of course, I say all this very much in jest.)
(and bites hard on tongue.)
Saturday, 5 April 2008
Back to normal! (school/college course/work)
All been a bit upside down this last 2.5weeks what with dh taking time off work, the lads been home for Easter and my rota juggled to allow for commitments over the holiday period - hopefully after next week it will all return to normal and I can get back to blogging more frequently too!!
Our pc continues to misbehave! we now cannot access the printer! and my read/writer box for the embroidery machine has no light on it meaning thats not working either! We've limped along for the past several weeks, but there is light at the end of the tunnel! David has emailed us during the course of his (kind of) round the world trip to forget about splitting up with his girlfriend and avoiding the whole issue of commitment and BABIES in particular! and is now on the last (US) leg of his trip!
It has made it harder to blog with photo's as I have to do a complicated route of upload them upstairs into lads pc, transfer them back down stairs (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't!) OR I have to use their pc which isn't popular OR I just leave it until now and do the lot in one go!!
Most of what I planned to share is included! like I say, back to normal after next week!!
Our pc continues to misbehave! we now cannot access the printer! and my read/writer box for the embroidery machine has no light on it meaning thats not working either! We've limped along for the past several weeks, but there is light at the end of the tunnel! David has emailed us during the course of his (kind of) round the world trip to forget about splitting up with his girlfriend and avoiding the whole issue of commitment and BABIES in particular! and is now on the last (US) leg of his trip!
It has made it harder to blog with photo's as I have to do a complicated route of upload them upstairs into lads pc, transfer them back down stairs (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't!) OR I have to use their pc which isn't popular OR I just leave it until now and do the lot in one go!!
Most of what I planned to share is included! like I say, back to normal after next week!!
Days out with the family
Over the Easter hols, we've had various days out with the family - here are some pics from one lovely day out spent at Bewdley museum.
Interestingly on the day after visiting the museum, I read on one of the blogs from my reader, that someone knits these! I wish I could remember who it was, now!
As well as finding some knitted hats, I also found some other crafty bits and pieces too! Here is a pic of me looking a bit peculiar (I think it was cold day and I was gritting my teeth while waiting for my son to take the shot!) standing by some handmade rope making equipment!
WHO are they planning to put into the stocks .. hmm ..
Totally Surprised! I promise I didn't KNOW that there was a yummy quilty shop just up the road from the museum!! I've been lucky in finding something of interest to me, on all our jaunts out and about and the family are starting to get suspicious that I might in fact be researching this!!
This lovely shop has two floors worth of fabrics, notions, mags and other things associated with quilting, including workshops and classes too!
After 15mins I felt sorry for the family and reluctantly came out with just the purchase of a cushion kit, but managed to hiss at the chap who was assisting in the shop "psst! is there anywhere ELSE I ought to know about .. wool shops!? .." and he pointed up the road to ..
Notions! inside I found some nice varigated embroidery cotton - I like to buy something from these types of shops that I find and I would have happily bought some sock yarn however it was all a bit ordinary and dull ..
Lovely day out and nice weather, we had tea and cakes in the tearooms, discovered that all the pubs were closed and didn't reopen for meals until 6pmish, so headed home and ate at local pub instead!
Interestingly on the day after visiting the museum, I read on one of the blogs from my reader, that someone knits these! I wish I could remember who it was, now!
As well as finding some knitted hats, I also found some other crafty bits and pieces too! Here is a pic of me looking a bit peculiar (I think it was cold day and I was gritting my teeth while waiting for my son to take the shot!) standing by some handmade rope making equipment!
WHO are they planning to put into the stocks .. hmm ..
Totally Surprised! I promise I didn't KNOW that there was a yummy quilty shop just up the road from the museum!! I've been lucky in finding something of interest to me, on all our jaunts out and about and the family are starting to get suspicious that I might in fact be researching this!!
This lovely shop has two floors worth of fabrics, notions, mags and other things associated with quilting, including workshops and classes too!
After 15mins I felt sorry for the family and reluctantly came out with just the purchase of a cushion kit, but managed to hiss at the chap who was assisting in the shop "psst! is there anywhere ELSE I ought to know about .. wool shops!? .." and he pointed up the road to ..
Notions! inside I found some nice varigated embroidery cotton - I like to buy something from these types of shops that I find and I would have happily bought some sock yarn however it was all a bit ordinary and dull ..Lovely day out and nice weather, we had tea and cakes in the tearooms, discovered that all the pubs were closed and didn't reopen for meals until 6pmish, so headed home and ate at local pub instead!
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