More glimpses of Switzerland

A few more photos to keep you occupied because I am in the midst of about 5 too many things this week!

A few things on the streets:

I loved the connection with armoured tanks and the rhino - (Panzer)

interesting wording

 
Sea creatures

 lion on a pillar

flower clock

 I loved this door!

and under the train station

An underground waterfall with changing lights.

Finally for today... the planting under a tree was alpine strawberries! Why not?

Though people had dogs on leads everywhere. Even the posh shopping street...not designer ones either, regular home loving pets. Even taking them in shops. SO, I didn't pick the strawberries.

And the bead keeps going on and on... 19-25 June

Week 25 - June 2016

no.171

no.172

no.173

no.174

no.175

no.176

no.177

Something on Saturday

How do you sort photos...one at a time. Here are 3 from Our holiday in Switzerland.

Interesting card on the bed...

No, we never had them change it!

First dinner...we were given a discount card for dinner. So, after checking out the menu prices, decided to go for it. But then were guided to a different part for the discount...

This x 2, my dear friends, plus bread rolls and a soft drink came to over 60CHF! With the discount! Without, it would have been well over 100CHF.

Yes, the asparagus with cheese was lovely, but not that lovely! With normal sliced ham? even if it did have a pansy on it.

So, I ate the pansy.
I am normally not a 'foodie' but, for that price, I took a photo.

So, out with the plans to have our posh dinner in St. Gallen. We should have asked for the leftover sliced ham for a packed lunch.

It was quite a shock to discover the cost of things there. But, they were really proud of their fresh water from the Zürichsee (Lake Zürich). So proud, that they had fountains all over the city. Each one different.
The tourist website says: Zürich has the most fountains of any city in the world with approx. 1,200 drinking water fountains.

This one was 'Different'. But free.

Preparation

So, I have been catching up with Sewing Bee shows and hand stitching the lace motifs down on 'Golden Grace'.

I have been filling out proposals for workshops at events this autumn and next spring.

And cutting out red flags for next weekend for the Bull sculpture at Engage! with Art at SHP. You can find out more about the event here.

I used an old waterproof jacket to cut the flags. They still need holes to string them up.

I have another which I am considering for another part for which I need a big piece. But I need to think whether to lose the reflective strips or not. I may need to cut and seam...not sure.

Also included on the website are links to the schedule of workshops and events happening.
I am doing a workshop each day. "Keeping Memories" - borrowing(with permission) Margaret Cooter's memory ball idea.

So, I have been starting off the memory balls. We are meant to have up to 10 in a workshop, so there are at least 10 to get a start. (I have extra of some of the smaller skeins.) Whether they want to do this 1 1/2 hours is another question! But I would like more than 10 people each day to take part, so we will see how it goes.

And I will use scraps left from the red flags for people to write their memories.

Still need to cut them in writing size bits, but the above is a practice at what pen would write on the fabric.

So, keeping too busy to sort photos!

2000! and more of Golden Grace

So, I have just passed my 2000 post! The last month or so I have been rather patchy with posting, but I got there in the end.

I mentioned yesterday that the Gown has a proper name now. Golden Grace. I frantically got back to sewing when I returned last week and was able to get the gown to the point where it would Look like the final product. Took photos and sent them off to be used in the catalogue.

So, a few lace motifs need the netting trimmed away and a few need to be stitched down better. The sleeves are draped and pinned into place and 'just' need stitched in position.
The lining is sewn, but only added at the neck, so I could turn the raw edges to the inside. However, it is pinned into place, rather than edge-stitched, and just sort of hanging inside!

So, now that I have had a breather (not! I have been typing up proposals for workshops and all sorts!) I will get back to the finishings...well, as soon as I get the flags cut for the bull for the Engage! with Art event. And there is the matter of sewing on enough pearls to make it look special.
Oh, and I'd really like to do a bit of quilting on it...and...

Lovely Surprise!

Right, We were away in Switzerland, seeing Ramshackle Villages in the St. Gallen Textile Museum.

Then we came back and the next day I delivered Lilac And Lace to the National Quilt Championships in Sandown.
Meanwhile working on the Golden Gown (here after known as Golden Grace) so I could send images for their catalogue - you can't quite see the pins holding some bits of lace in place.

Then all the washing and other life things. So.... not even time to download photos from the camera!

Just to show it was worth it - This is what I found on Sunday when I went to collect Lilac and Lace.

 nicely matching ribbon!

A closer look

So, motivation to crack on with the hidden parts of Golden Grace.
And to catch the blog up.

And the bead keeps going on and on... 12-18 June

Week 24 - June 2016
(delayed)

no.164

no.165

no.166

no.167

no.168

no.169

no.170

Golden Gown - 6

Thinking about the embellishments whilst the lining is being sewn

Pearls!

And the bead keeps going on and on... 5-11 June

Week 23 - June 2016

no.157

no.158

no.159

no.160

no.161

no.162

no.163

Something on Saturday

Caught my eye in the kitchen.
Swede and Leeks
Sometimes I intentionally do contrast bowls like for tomatoes and cukes.
This time it happened unintentionally.

Reminds me of the colours going on in my studio.

Golden Gown - 5

and more pleats for a train

Not sewn at the top yet. But laying over the back of the gown.
A bit of inspiration from Watteau or sack back gowns

Golden gown - 4

Sewn together

Front

getting there

Back

a bit of pleat thing going on

Golden gown - 3

Lace panels sewn in

a complicated angle at hip level.

And the bead keeps going on and on... 1-4 June

Week 22 - June 2016

The rest of the beads for this week. The first part of the week was posted on the 31st May.

Purple/pink beads for June fabric squares. Pink because it works to fill out the month as I find it hard to get a month's worth of different purple beads.

Besides, "Pink is Purple's friend." Said a little boy I knew.

no.153

no.154

no.155

no.156


Also using silver sequins rather than purple, as I haven't got small purple ones. And the pink ones I have aren't on the purple side of pink.