It's an image heavy post today. It's proof I haven't been constantly eating chocolate over the holidays or twiddling my thumbs.
I promised a little shop update, a rare shop update and here it is.
The buttons you saw in detail yesterday, they're here if you missed them.
A little distraction, a quick project, a sideline.
I must admit to a little obsession with these huge puffs and I'm tempted to make more just because I can.
It's been an embellishment week in class this week. It will be next week too.
So far we have embroidered prairie points, dangly chain things and hand embroidered ribbon.
The pieces we are creating are suitable for finished fabric works and artist books so it's a win win.
I am particularly enamoured with the embroidered ribbon and also the fact it is stitched in such a way that I can cut lengths from it without ot falling apart!
Yesterday was spent making more titivations for one of my Liberty cloth panels.
There are now prairie points at an edge and rouleau loops were made to use as ties.
This one will be a pillow, I will show you at the weekend!
Registration will close for my next class at midnight GMT tomorrow.
There is a lot of prep to do for this one and although it doesn't begin until July 5th I need a good idea of the numbers before I start work on it.
You can read more about it here.
I'm really happy with the progress I am making with this embroidered cloth. It's growing quite quickly.
You have seen it before here and here.
Today I'm showing you a new finished panel which now needs to be attached to the main body of the cloth.
Meanwhile I am measuring for what comes next. I fancy a flounce at one edge of the next piece so i'll play with that idea later today.
I've addedfa little embroidery to the reverse side of this cloth book cover. There are Prairie Points peeking out from some gold silk ribbon and I have started a row of sequined bullion loops.
(talking of bullion loops....I watched a very quick video on Instagram yesterday from a well known embroidery supply company where they were demonstrating how to stitch a bullion knot. My first observation...they didn't make them in the same way I was taught, which is perfectly ok, there's more than one way to skin a cat and all that but the second most shocking observation? They were using 6 strands of stranded cotton and they didn't separate the strands....jaw drop, shock, horror. If you have taken one of my classes you will understand my horror. Please do not take any notice of them....you know better)
Anyway, back to my cloth book cover. As you know I have been picking it up to work on in between finishing a bag for hankie class. I will most likely work on it some more this evening (the cloth book) because....drum roll....the bag is finished. I can't show you until the girls have seen it but this was my table this morning.
Embroidery School 2018, more information here.
A little pillow......for me. It will be used for pins because let's face it, you can never have too many pin pillows. This one measures 7 x 6 inches (not counting the prairie points). It's going to live in the dining room, the front room, the room where I work. There are four other pin pillows in the house. Why didn't you just move one of them you ask? Well, because I wanted to make another one. I felt like treating myself without leaving the house or spending money. I recommend it.
There are circular beads along one edge which are very tempting to play with, to run your fingers along. Let's hope I stitched them on securely! The toggle was added as a finishing touch (despite being created for my happy cloth. I stole it from my happy cloth stash)
You last saw this pocket here, minimally embellished with embroidery although the Prairie points were in situ and it was waiting to be embellished, adorned. Since then a large, pleated applique motif has been added as has a smaller applique pocket, a tiny little circular shape with a double layer of patterned cloth.
The buttons are new, created in class this week. These will most likely live on the reverse of my ''happy cloth'', added as a final titivation when the embroidery, edges, joining, finishing is complete. You haven't seen the back of my cloth yet have you? I have only completed a minimal amount of that up to now and I need to damp stretch it so it may take a few days but I will show you soon, promise.
Yesterday was amazing. Yesterday was busy but in a good way........videos for both classes and most importantly, embroidery. This piece is for my ''happy cloth''. It's a long way from being finished , it will be a pocket. With that in mind I put some puffs inside it today, just to look, to play.
There will be a lot more of this going on now. Most of the sorting out is done, a place for everything and everything in its place.....Just one problem.....I just can't find any buttons???
I have been buying a lot of bright and busily patterned fabric recently. These fabrics were bought with my new class in mind where I am hoping to combine them with white, snippets of pattern and bright colours with a white background.
(you can read more about my new class here. It starts in just over one week from now)
In order to get a ''feel'' for this new cloth I spent a little time yesterday afternoon folding and unfolding it, placing it together, comparing and thinking and was suddenly compelled to make the buttons. You can never have too many buttons. If all they ever do is brighten a little corner of a shelf they will have served a good purpose.
Back to the fabrics.....the top two in the last image were bought in France from the show where I was teaching, the other three from the Festival of Quilts. Although I love them all I particularly love the depth of colour in the top two. There is a different quality to the cloth with those two and the patterning appeals more. With that in mind I ordered more yesterday. Although I bought them from France they are available online and if you are even slightly tempted you will find them here. ( I haven't been paid or rewarded for this...I am merely spreading the fabric love, distributing the temptation in order that mine is not the only bank balance with a headache)
Now I am going to find a corner of a shelf for my buttons.....