This is what had me in raptures the other day, my hankie cloth. It's coming together, nine embroidered handkerchiefs attached to a backing of cotton cloth, one stitched down with running stitch, eight tacked/basted and the whole thing minutes away from more titivation.
Unashamedly......I love it, adore it, can't take my eyes off it and it's not even damp stretched yet so imagine how I will feel once that is done. There is more needed here, more adornment for the surface...I'm on it.
I think my plan worked, you be the judge. I added to the silver and white piece, extended it. It will become a pillow, maybe a pouch, I haven't decided but I like the change and especially the addition of the bright white cloth which enhances the silver in a very unexpected way. The video is very short, two minutes. It explains things in more detail.
I'm back from my latest trip up the M6...boy am I sick of the motorway. Hopefully that's it for a while. The next couple of days will be slightly hectic getting ready for Monday. I have clothes to wash, clothes to iron, clothes to pack. I have a house to clean ( if you saw the image I put on instagram this morning that is only a tiny area of a much larger mess!!) Thankfully it's a glorious day and the washing is drying beautifully on the line. I don't have my car either....garage....that needs to be collected later. Oh well......embroidery will fit in somewhere I will make sure of it.
The tick in the title relates to these two little things....they are ticked.........not finished but almost....My plan is to finish them tonight and mail them in the morning. So that's me....my chores for the day listed here and my plans for embroidery too. I will be here tomorrow. What will I show you? Haven't a clue but I will be here!!
I pieced this cloth on Friday. Yesterday I began the embroidery, (no pictures sorry) This is the cloth for the final batch of unmentionables. There is silk dupion, silk tissue and lace. It is a gorgeous surface....very soft, almost quiet and also gentle. I will show you the embroidery but I can't today. Why? Because i'm not here. I am ''up North'', a birthday visit to my parents so they don't forget about me. There will be cake and presents....yes, more presents. And then this little angel is going to be 3! To celebrate that I will be going here....I will behave myself, let the kids go first....honest.
Making pin pillows would be a quick process you would think. Maybe it is for others, maybe I fuss too much or flap about doing nothing very much. Anyhow, it doesn't matter because I'm in no hurry really. First of all I had to piece the lace and the silk. Then I had to titivate and then titivate some more. Maybe that's where I fall down, over titivating. Anyway again, it doesn't matter as I am in no hurry. Then I had to damp stretch. The next thing was measuring the cloth for the back, pressing it, cutting it out. Then I had to find my labels, a major task if you could see all the piles of stuff I have here. Once I found the labels I pressed those and cut them out cutting the tabs to size at the same time.
Are you keeping up? Now I have gorgeous little cloth piles, cloth sandwiches.....on the ironing board ready for tacking and making up. Don't fall asleep yet......after that they need to be stuffed and the final seam requires closing by hand. That's not quite it though....then I will hand embroider every edge, to finish, to add that little extra, to go to the n'th degree. Now....who wants to make a pin pillow? Off you go then, get pressing, piecing and cutting up.
The weekend has been busy, interrupted, a little chaotic yet managed to also be productive. I have been working on three cloth pieces, you remember those and I have been planning final pieces for my wrapping cloth. Video has been made for embroider, embellish, create and there have been notes and lists made in relation to my plans for a lace class and the return of Alchemy. Looking at it all written down here makes me tired yet it hasn't been hard work at all. Quite the opposite actually it all appears to have passed seamlessly....now that's a first.
I hope to have more information on the lace class and Alchemy in a couple of days but before then I am wondering about the interest in Alchemy.....how much is there? I did have enquiries as the previous class was in progress. My question...is that interest still there? I would be grateful for a little feedback on that one.
***it would appear that some people are having issues trying to comment. I have checked my settings which are OK so it must be a typepad glitch...sorry!***
Following on from my thoughts in yesterdays post...I have changed my plans slightly. I don't think I want a side zip but I do still want a zip. Two thirds of the way down from the top, not central but the back meeting the front on the front. Does that make sense? Last night I pieced the back, I tacked the back and I embroidered on a small section with cross stitch. The back is actually quite big...bigger than the front as it needs to come over to meet the front.
As you look at these pictures the mainly white, creased, not damp stretched piece is the back in progress. Don't be fooled by its 'dogs dinner' appearance it will be titivated to death before it's finished. This pocket, pouch, is going to be large. I like that it will be big. It will be useful and very satisfying to have to hand with my muslin inside. I think this will be the best Christmas gift I have ever given myself.
If you have signed up for Alchemy then expect a mail and a video before Monday. If you have a hankering to create a beautiful wrapping cloth then keep your eyes peeled for news regarding embroider, embellish, create running again quite soon.
(keep your eyes peeled....not a pleasant thought)
P.S......I just had another buffet...that's not the news though, sorry. Drum Roll.....I have a new toy... a lot of buttons along the bottom of the post. You would make me very happy if you could see your way to clicking the facebook one every once in a while...thank you x
Today is all about the things I bought in London. I didn't buy a lot, just things I needed and less vintage cloth than I bought last time but hopefully I now have enough to keep me going until next time I go. Also, the last image, my wrapping cloth in progress. This was on the table yesterday as I was making a video for class and I thought you might like to see it. I love how it looks, how it's progressing. (and did you spy my Christmas tree sneaking into the second picture?)
A flood update now...basically it is drying out. The carpet is getting there, the ceiling will require a new coat of paint. That will happen after Christmas there has been enough disruption for this year.
Enjoy the video.....
This morning I have been ''perusing' my ledger....some of which is hidden as the girls haven't seen it yet. I am actually finding it quite relaxing picking this book up and playing for a little while each day. It's like being back at school! Mind you....I didn't like it there much....this is different, I like this. I have also been putting together more cloth for the veil/festooned/holey/lace piece, just pinned for the moment.
This made me smile yesterday...really. Uttely charming? My Northern English ''common'' voice,
| (Synonyms: | ordinary - vulgar - usual - general - coarse - public) |
I am so grateful...utterly charming...I will live off that compliment for years, thank you so much!
I won't be here tomorrow and I can see you all jumping for joy now. I will be spending time with my little brother who is coming all the way from Sweden to see me....