November 2021/ 2

Good day to you all. It has been a busy time since I last wrote, but not necessarily with stitching! Life does have to have a balance! We had a lovely time recently with long standing good friends. It was a little like “old times”. Something that feels like a sort of “normality”.

I have made a start on my new stitching project, It is slow and steady! I think it is because it is the first piece of fresh work, and I am changing my mind so much about what I am working towards, that it is making me unsettled!

I am calling it “The circle of life”, and have started a fresh sketchbook with all my thoughts, some sketches, with one or two sections of photocopies from sections other work I have been doing. I am also recording the thoughts and ideas buzzing round my head.

I am sure this will all help to keep me focussed. Working intuitively is a style that suits me, but I do feel more comfortable when I have given myself some parameters! My latest thoughts are that this will be a long thin hanging. I do like this particular format, and have used it several times in the past.

I have also starting a second hand sewn project. I like to have two or three things on the go, because each project goes through various stages, and sometimes it is easier to be doing one thing rather than the other! This project is not new to me! I first designed and worked with it back in 2006, and loved the results. It took a lot of working out, and experimenting at the time, indeed I made several before I even realised the salient points of my design! It looks incredibly simple, but believe me, it’s not! Fiddly and small but it feels good to be working with them again! All will be revealed in due course! I have all my design work, and have cut out the templates; chosen my fabrics, recorded my calculations in the present sketch book, so will have both projects on the go! I am using hand dyed fabrics; some are commercial fabrics which I have overdyed. For this project I shall be working with the English method of patchwork and hexagons. However I do have to have my wits about me as they are distorted, and divided into three sections, therefore every template is a different shape! Hence I have to lay everything out and be very organised! I feel I may be able to make a start with the sewing when we visit family for a few days! Whether I even open my box is another matter, of course, with little fingers exploring everything in sight!

I have also decided on my Christmas card for this year, too. It isn’t my original idea but that was going to take many hours to complete, and, to be honest, I just don’t have that time available at the moment. For the eagle eyed amongst you, you may well think “I think I have seen this before”! It is actually one of my samples from Unit 5 of the machine embroidery course; which I was working on earlier this year. It is very nice to be actually using it!

It is not a traditional “Christmas scene”, rather a traditional “winter scene”, and I have called it “First Light”.

I had made several pieces of felt in a workshop many years ago, and I used one of my stash for this particular background. I made a template of a deer with antlers, and cut him out of brown needle cord; an appropriate texture, colour and contrast to the felt. The foliage and trees are machine stitched.

I usually print off three sizes of photograph; 4 to a sheet; 9 to a sheet; and 35 to a sheet! The tiny ones are for gift tags! Now all I have to do is assemble them with double sided Sellotape, Another few hours work!

Until next time, happy stitching!

Di

November 2021/ 1

Welcome to you all. It has been a very busy first half of the month for me, giving me little time for stitching. I have planned my Christmas card now (in my head!) and hopefully I will have that prepared before I send out the next blog post.

To the right is one of the photos pf the phone pouch that I posted in the August 2021/2 stitching News, along with a method sheet I had written: https://stitchingnews.wordpress.com/2021/08/

I have made a few more over the last few days. The floral fabric was a remnant given to me by a dear friend, Rosemary. It still had its label glued to the back of the remnant which said it was 60% linen, 40% cotton. I love the fabric, and especially because of its recycled purpose from a pattern book.

They are fun to make and quite straightforward. They do really need to be sewn by machine though, which for hand sewers can be a problem!

They make great little pouches for phones; or for taking out with you on a quick errand or to walk the dog, as they easily hold a mask, and small hand sanitiser (I have a refillable 75 ml bottle) Add a credit card for some spontaneous retail, and a house key!!

I use my walking foot frequently to help stop fabrics moving against each other. I am able to move my machine needle one or two spaces either to the right or left. When it is moved two spaces to the right, the needle is exactly 1/4″ from the edge of my walking foot, so it can be used like a 1/4″ foot. This is invaluable when I am either working with different weight fabrics, or with silky fabrics. I also often use if when I am machining bindings to a piece of work because it eliminates the possibility of a carefully measured, cut and pinned binding from ending up having “stretched” or moved when you arrive at the end of your stitching! Perhaps this is a little tip that may help someone!

Our Textiles Plus exhibition held at The Poly in Falmouth was a great success. It was a joy to steward as the visitors were so complimentary about our work, and very respectful of the Covid precautions. I felt very safe, and thoroughly enjoyed the interaction with the visitors. It felt like a little bit of normality. (The Poly staff could not have been more helpful either. The refurbished cafe in The Poly was opened during the week too, and well worth a visit.)

Post exhibition I have immediately been inspired to start a fresh body of work, so have to admit that I have again put other projects on hold, while I gather my thoughts, materials and ideas together!

I know I am not alone in wondering just where the days of the week disappear to. We all have our “must dos” to keep body and soul and home together, and I love cooking and baking, but the rest of the day just whizzes by, and hey presto another week has gone!! It remains a mystery to me! All the more reason to strike while the “inspiration” iron is hot!

Here are my present thoughts on my next project!

I am using recycled denim, some vintage cotton sheeting, some hand dyed recycled cotton shirting, with a variety of “earthy” and blue shades and tones of some of my hand-dyed stash, hand painted and textured brown paper, over-dyded Dylon colour catchers which I have already used multiple times in my washing machine, potato printed papers, and various threads and notions.

Because this will be a mixed media project, I have added some snippets of eco printed plant material, which I feel can work well with the colour palette, as well as continuing my fascination and variety of uses for my eco prints!

I shall do some samples, and have lots of resources to refer back to in my previous sketchbooks, but I also intend to start another of the single page sketchbooks too, to work through more possible ideas! I am just going with the flow, and seeing where it leads me. The beauty of sketchbooks is that you don’t have to like what you have done. It is just the process which keeps your mind active, and thought process moving on!

I feel that I have chosen quite a rich palette of autumnal colours, but I like the addition of the blue, as it provides a lovely contrast, whilst sitting beautifully as the complimentary colour to the orangy-brown elements too. Best of all, it will all be hand stitched, which is fantastic for portability and stitching in the evenings.

Hopefully I will have moved this project along little when I write again before the end of the month!!

Until then, happy stitching!

Di