Bead on - 22-27Jan

week 4 - 2018

Bead on fabric to date:

Should be turning to the next row during the coming week.

Bead trim update:

29in so far on the first side of the Double St. Petersburg chain.

I put a paper clip through the brown bead of the last set before I start adding to it each day. Then I can get a better idea of how much I have done. I am aiming for about 3in a day. Sometimes I find I have done more. SOOO much easier than the last trim project.

Something on Saturday

cow 54

From butter keepers to creamers.

Again, not used...Even harder to clean out!

I like Thankful Thursday

I like that I can just go back to bed when the fibro weariness takes over. and even better that I actually feel up to doing stuff since I got up again!

I like TVCT.
I run a large textile art group. We meet 4 times a year. So, on Saturday the Thames Valley Contemporary Textile group met up. So lovely to chat with different ones and catch up.
Also, a good talk from Hazel and Terry from InStitches. I had asked them to talk about the professional journey they have taken to develop the business and get a studio space for delivering the In Stitches Creative Textile Courses.

I like that they actually hit the brief! I have all ranges of ladies at different levels of the artistic journey. I want to challenge the ladies who are more experienced. But up to now, most of the speakers I ask to talk about the business side end up talking more about their work because they think the members would be bored. Ok, generally their artistic journey is interesting and inspiring. But not what I asked for!

And it wasn't boring! wow, gives you a different perspective to what is behind their wonderful teaching studio. Some, like me, decide to be content not to go that route at all. But I have already had one lady say that she eventually wants to do a business, so found the talk very helpful. But also then asked me for advice on how to get going on the learning and experience of the type of textile work she wants to do. I like being an encourager! She has a young son and limited income now, but I was able to tell her how I 'gathered' info and experience when I was in a similar situation...like you would gather materials for something you wanted to make.

So, also I liked watching people as they got excited about the workshop. With a group this size, it is usually only a taster sort of workshop, but I had asked for something about design. This being one of the things most people feel they don't know enough about. So, the members loved it!

Doing a bit of mark making

  

a bit of colour added

and then folded into a booklet.

The booklet was a brilliant idea because having a page of marks and colour is one thing, but where to go from there. So, to have it cut and folded down into a book means the marks made look totally different and more inspiring.
Cool!

To see more of what others like check out LeeAnna's blog.

DONE! Ramshackle Row

In spite of finding thousands of other things to do, including sorting our the cupboard with glasses and mugs (What is that about?!) I have finished Ramshackle Row and it is ready to pack up and send to America for the SAQA Spotlight Auction at the conference in San Antonio.

Ramshackle Row
8in x 6in

I tried something different with golden yellow lines instead of dark ones. And this time I have worked very small with the cutting...not totally intentionally! I usually use chalk, but couldn't see the pale chalk and didn't want remnants of dark chalk on it. So, I used a pencil, which with a smaller line makes you think you have left plenty of room. However, I do like this. I wanted to do terraced houses, and I think this way of working helps to add to the idea of the houses being close together.

The Spotlight pieces will have a surround about 6 1/2 in x 4 1/2 in. for people to frame them. So, it only needs a zigzag finish.

Deadline 1 March! So, that is out of my head now. 😁

Bead on - 15-21Jan

week 3 - 2018

Bead on fabric to date:

Just one special set this week...Saturday because of the TVCT meeting. look at the farthest left you can just see. Photo somewhat late at night. Won't be too exciting til there is a few more weeks on there.

Bead trim update:
I decided 20 inches was enough for the Dutch Spiral. It is taking too much time, too many thread breaks and using too much thread. and too frustrating.

As you can see, I haven't had the heart to sew in the thread tails.

Such a relief to put it away!

So, I have chosen to do a Double St. Petersburg chain. I did a St Petersburg chain started in January last year. I didn't particularly like my colour choice, so it took a few months to finish. (Besides I was doing to many other things!) Now I want to go on to try the double variation.

This is already enjoyable and going quickly. I  may be able to complete the first side by the end of the month.

Something on Saturday

Cow 53

Since we had the one butter keeper, we picked up this one at a jumble sale.

I don't use them - too hard to wash! and there are only the two now in my collection.

Interesting now, my husband's nephew lives and works in Jersey.

Amarylis update

I mentioned these at the beginning of the year.

The red amarylis has now gone by, but the very tall one - white with red - has first opened all 4 flowers on the first stem last week.

And now, also the 4 flowers on the second stem. In the above photo it is still holding the 4 flowers in the bud.
And here it is with all the flowers open. It is very top heavy, so the stem of the red one is holding it up. The flowers on the first stem are already wilting. I think it is because it is so near the top part of the window which we open when I am cooking. So, perhaps got a bit of a chill.

Very far to the left bottom corner, you can just see the stem of the white one. It is taking it's time to do things.

I like Thankful Thursday

A bit late today. Getting things done! so, just a few.

Related to that...finally done with the 'secret' projects that I can't show yet. and I definitely like being able to work on something I can show.

Just at the fusing stage.

Ramshackle Row will be sent off for the SAQA Spotlight Auction at the upcoming conference. Nice to work small again, too! Should get to the stitching tomorrow.

And something I like very much - my collection of deep red glass which came from Romania.

This was about 27 years ago when we were visiting several times with aid after the revolution. Most of these vases we bought. And last year we were left the tall one we had previously gifted to Mum.

To see what the others like today, go to Lee Anna's blog for the links.

Bead on - 8-14Jan

week 2 - 2018

The Bead on fabric project starts to be a little more interesting than one bead stack every other square.

This week there were 2 days with something a little special going on. Not at the level of New Years or birthdays. But I wanted to mark them. And so I used the same beads for the 'special days', but left the sequin out. So, this will help to give an added flow to the look.

I have been finishing a big project this week...it always takes more time than you think to fill out forms and enter something. So, I didn't get as much done on the Dutch Spiral trim. But that is okay.

It is very hard to keep the thread from breaking because the bugle beads have some sharp edges. And, it uses up thread quite quickly. But still, it will eventually get done.

Something on Saturday

Cow 52

My mother-in-law gave me a butter keeper with a cow on it. And the fun thing is that it had been given to her by The Thoughtful Man when he was young.

Besides the extra memories that comes with it, I like this strange little mark by its mouth...almost like a Crusade cross.

No clue why, but still somehow adds more charm for me.

At times over the past year, I thought I wouldn't have enough to fill the year. Then I started finding the ones that were hiding in other parts of the house. And now I have enough to keep going for a while longer!
So stay tuned for Some cow on Saturday for a while more.

I Like Thankful Thursday

I like surprises.

For a few months the Thoughtful Man has been trying to keep the dishwasher going. But then it decided it had something else wrong with it.
So, one day this came.

The top layer is for cutlery! Very cool.

This is similar to about a year or so ago when these came.

There are quite a few more in stacks around the kitchen! They are brilliant for not sticking. Raymond Blanc, even! 😎

And this week I got an email about being nominated for an award. 😮
and I needed to send a 'head shot' for an article.

after about 20 attempts - updated 'head shot'

I am not going to say more for now. I will know more in a few months.

So, I like and am thankful for a timer on the camera.

This was my tripod for today. I have a little one, but it is more bother than it is worth!

To see more likes today go to Lee Anna's blog

Finally today - I sewed.

For several days I have been struggling with pain in my hips and legs. For whatever reason, today it has stopped being severe! I am reluctant to say they are good, but still.
Perhaps I knocked things into place when I stumbled in the night and crashed into the doorframe. Yeah. Not so good as I have a very bruised arm. But as we are told, in everything give thanks! So, bruises can be dealt with using arnica cream. But horrible hips and legs and feet are another matter.

Anyway! Because I could move w/out pain again, I actually managed to make binding and sew it onto the secret project that has to be entered this week.
Another good thing was that with the limited amount of fabric I had left that would make the best binding, I ended up with about 1 ft of it left. Phew! This is the biggest piece I have made -approx. 1 metre x 2 metres. I had so much from trimming the quilt to size, but that wouldn't count turning corners. I had a very small amount left from a previous work I used this brown in. It was enough to cut more of the binding. I normally do double binding, but this time did single.

This is the back of the quilt so I don't break any rules about showing photos before time. So, now to sit and stitch it down.

And then I can make something smaller and quicker. Looking forward to having a clear head about what is next to make.

Bead on - 1-7Jan

week 1 - 2018

A couple weeks ago I posted about my idea for the bead project for 2018.
I showed my sample idea of beading onto a fabric with squares marked on it...okay...gridded fabric.

I said:
I have just enough of this fabric to do every other square and so fill it for the year. Part of this is inspired by Jeanne Williamson's Dates in a Life project. I just really like the idea of working in the squares. and when a scrap of the square fabric was on my table, it came to my mind to use it.

In the photo, I just chose beads and sequins to try a random pattern for covering the fabric, rather than the same thing every day which, though sparkly, would produce a boring flat look. This idea will mean the variation will add interest.

And so, here is the first week of the new project. I work right to left when I stitch like this.

The concept is the same, but I am adding an extra set of beads on the square following a holiday or family birthday or other special day. So, the square following 1 January for New Years Day, and my Mom's 80th birthday!
As it progresses, I may see how another dimension can be added to it, in a similar (but not matching) way to the lines on Jeanne's piece.

And wow!
One set of beads per day does give you a lot more time for something else! This is what I need for this year. I have a few other bead things going on, so this means I can give them more attention.

One of these projects or aims was to work more steadily on what I was referring to as samples or trims.
The Dutch Spiral I have been working on, has not been extremely easy...! But I am determined to get it done. So, at the moment, I have worked out if I can do about 2 inches a day, I may get to the approx. 1 metre or 40 inches goal by the end of January. I have only done a few days of that this week, but I had several inches there from 2017.

So, where it stands at the end of week 1.

Something on Saturday

cow 51

Another place mat cow. I stopped using it when it started getting marks. It lives on a top shelf with the iron skillet cow.

hidden dragon

I was trimming up a quilt when I spotted this sneaky dragon hiding in the fabric markings.

Cool!
I will definitely have do use that for inspiration!

I like Thankful Thursday

This week, I am again Very Thankful I live in England. And especially for flowers in the winter.

I took these photos in my garden on New Year's eve. The variegated holly is a welcoming sight.

And the birds like the berries.

These cyclamen are meant to be indoor kind. But I generally just stick them in the ground after their indoor life. and I am amazed at the weather they can cope with! A few there have gone by, but more keep coming.

You can just see that the rose in front is sending up a shoot. But if it comes to anything, it will probably be small and tight.

Snowdrops bravely come, even if the weather has been colder.

I wrote a poem about them a few years ago.

Polyanthus seem to have the ability to have flowers that grow even in winter.

The leaves are quite strong...looks like slugs or something is trying them out.

They get a bit watermarked, but shake off the cold.

Their more fragile looking cousins the Primula, in pale yellow, are one of the harbingers of Spring in the countryside. But these are polyanthus in my garden.


But the main thing about flowers that has helped me in past years to look forward to Spring are that the daffodils poke up their leaves about Christmas!

Even if worse weather comes in Jan or Feb, you see there is a behind the scenes effort going on for Spring to return.

And this time, there were also promises of hyacinths already! They will probably stay like that till it is properly their time, but it is still encouraging.


So, much encouragement for Spring already!

If you want to see more of the I like posts from others, visit Lee Anna's blog.

Happy New Year!

Yes, it was yesterday. Did it start well for you?
I usually get photos of the fireworks on the telly. This year I couldn't be bothered to work out where the camera was. And as it is new-to-me, I haven't worked out how to get it on a setting to catch fireworks.

So, instead, I will show a 2017 photo taken 31 Dec.

The red one nearly open. The red with white still in bud.

And then on 1 January 2018.

The red with white still looks the same, and this is where the white one is at. It has taken a lot of time to think because the roots were not in as good condition and I bought it a couple weeks after the others.

Reminder of the white with red one that bloomed earlier.

It has been only leaves for a while now.
When they have all bloomed this year, I am going to try to get them all to be on the same growing plan! So, I know beginning October is too early and end November is too late. Now to try to remember that!