Titivations, buttons, Suffolk puffs.....thinking which of those two things would look better on the surface of this embroidered and appliqued silk piece. Maybe they would work together, buttons and puffs? I'm leaning towards puffs though, they're softer, gentler....
There is very little surface embroidery left to do on this. The next decision, for miss indecisive 2015 is whether it should be a pillow or a pocket? I'm thinking pocket.....what about you?
Which came first? The silk piece is the answer. More has been added to that, more applique, more chain stitch. I am pondering on what, if anything I should put in the more open spaces. Maybe I will make titivations especially for those spaces........can you hear my brain ticking?
The lace piece was my afternoon task yesterday. For someone who used to avoid a sewing machine at all costs I would have been more than happy to stay there for hours yesterday.
Doodling on silk was the order of the day yesterday. What can I say, I was compelled, couldn't resist the temptation or the urge. This doodling is done with Pigma Micron pens. I did consider doing it with some new Inktense pencils I was gifted but I was scared. There will have to be a little more playing with those before I am confident enough to take them near fabric.
Some of the lines here have bled. I expected that as I have done this before. It's hardly noticeable though by the time the cloth is embellished, titivated, stitched to within an inch of its life.
Applique, little motifs which remind me of lollipops. I made quite good progress with this last night, the lace is now edged with buttonhole, there are lollipops, wrapped threads, a few more web stitches and a little more chain stitch. The next step will be hexagons I think...... later this week. I may need to rein myself in a little soon. I am getting carried away with playing for the new class and if I get too far ahead I will run out of steam before we even start.
The current class finishes very soon. This week we are on fastenings so I'm going to immerse myself in those. It takes me back to these....and that's a lovely place to be.
Gingham and Broderie Anglaise criss crossed on a bed of lace......sounds like a recipe. You have seen this before, a couple of times I think but today it's different. There are little gingham ''nuggets'' appliqued on one strip now and there are three bumpy bits as opposed to just one. The little flowers, far left, top picture were the first embellishments to be embroidered onto this some weeks ago. I'm now extending the surface embroidery without a firm plan on where to go next. That doesn't worry me, I'll just keep stitching until that blinding flash strikes me. I also don't know what this will be yet.....don't hold your breath for that decision as I'm in no hurry.
Earlier today I was making lace cloth for class. This afternoon I need to make more but I also have a hankering to make some in pure white, to play with. If you need me I'll be sat just over there covered in little snippets of lace and white and thread....
Photographed on my ironing board yesterday whilst I was attaching a lining, this piece is almost finished. It still needs final titivations in terms of folding and hand stitched edges but it's nearly there. There is a little label attached too which is printed with the words ''a pocket''...
The lining is the lilac circle cloth, the open spots, spotty cloth with a difference.
If you look at the second image you may think it seems a little disjointed in terms of composition, placement of motif but trust me.....I have a plan...it's intentional. This piece will look completely different once the folding has happened. Watch this space.
Tomorrow you will see the lilac spots again....this one has had a little more attention.
Two pocket tops, one moved on more than the other. These are this one and this one with added titivations. One has a new pocket with lilac cloth with little circles, the edge of which is crammed with bullion loops and French knots. There's also a tiny double cloth applique on that one, edged with bright pink bullion loops.
The other, the one that has had least attention now has a length of gimp attached which is secured with multi colour bullion knots....I think I need to work on that one some more tonight.
I have been cutting out pages for little books and collaging scraps of tissue paper with torn paper doilies too. I may show you that tomorrow if I make enough progress....
Last night, buttons, stems and bullion loops with a little gimp thrown in. Buttons...continuing yesterday's video chat, bullion loops, stems and gimp...extending this piece as also seen here in it's earlier stage.
I didn't want to put this down last night, could have gone on all night....maybe I will tonight....then again I have pockets to titivate for class, panels to embroider for the body bag. Not a problem, I will just keep stitching, eventually everything will be stitched and stitched and stitched some more.
I'm almost mesmerised by this hand blocked cloth. It's like nothing I've ever used before at least as the focal point for a finished piece. It lives so well on the white silk, like it belongs, like the contrast option of these two very different surfaces was begging to be explored.
Since you last saw it I added three more flower heads (not padded). They fall from below the strip of cloth I added in this video. There is also a half 'Grandmothers flower garden' hexagon piece, I think there will be more of those.
I'm considering the lining already, pieces of both joined together? Strips? Squares? Or maybe fine strips of the hand blocked cotton dotted on white silk? I am so indecisive.....I feel some sampling coming on.
New cloth, not the kind of cloth I usually buy. I was drawn to it, what can I say. I got it here, scroll down the page....the interesting stuff is lower down. (if you are in my class I show you this and speak about it in one of Wednesdays videos)
I figured if I buy it and use it in the same way I would a piece of Broderie Anglaise or Liberty or white then I can make it fit with ''me''. What do you think? I think so far so good. Four padded applique motifs, four chain stitch stems and a lot of bullion knots on white silk.....I think its working. I'm not sure what comes next, I'm thinking about it. A strip may figure, a thin hemmed piece of this stretching across the width, just under what's here already? Maybe....