Just thought I would make a link to Karol Ann's blog, just to see how it works! I like Karol-Ann's blog, (and Karol Ann!) so I hope you will too.
Sew much fabric, sew little time, sew true!: Tagged again
Monday, 19 November 2007
Challenge Round-up!
Well, I haven't done all that well really. I've updated my UFO list on the right there, and count only 7 items finished, and the list I've chosen to give you is VERY VERY incomplete! My consolation is that if I hadn't set the challenge, those 7 items wouldn't be finished, although I may well have started just as many as I did!
Here's the dinosaur quilt as far as it has got:
On the left are two picture trialling the borders, and on the right is the final choice. I had to buy the bubble fabric as I had nothing at all that was right, even though I tried hard. However, the bubbles fabric is ideal I think. The back will be a rather garish green patterned fabric I bought at sale price for just such a purpose! I think this is a colour scheme that you either love or hate. I like it but I'm quite prepared to believe that it is hideous.
I'm going to have to concentrate on anything that I am making for Christmas now.
Here's the dinosaur quilt as far as it has got:
On the left are two picture trialling the borders, and on the right is the final choice. I had to buy the bubble fabric as I had nothing at all that was right, even though I tried hard. However, the bubbles fabric is ideal I think. The back will be a rather garish green patterned fabric I bought at sale price for just such a purpose! I think this is a colour scheme that you either love or hate. I like it but I'm quite prepared to believe that it is hideous.
I'm going to have to concentrate on anything that I am making for Christmas now.
Wednesday, 7 November 2007
I've been tagged! - Why do I create?
Well, Karol-Ann has tagged me to answer the following five questions that she has on her blog (following a tag herself!). When I've done it I have to tag five other quilters, so I hope I don't repeat...
I can't add pictures to this, sadly, as I am doing it on my Uni computer, and the normal tool bar is not here. Something to do with a browser or java or something, but I have no idea what. After I uploaded all my photos to this computer too. Typical. Anyway, here goes with answering the questions:
1. When did you start to make craft?
Well, I was pretty young! As a very little person I remember drawing cats and ballet shoes. Don't ask me why, except I had a cat and did ballet. Luckily, there are no pictures. My Mum used to make my costumes for the school ballet shoes - I remember being a Hawaiian hula girl in a raffia skirt, an American Indian (I still have some snippets of that fabric!), and a frog. My Miss Muffet costume wasn't home made - it was a very beautiful silk and velvet child's costume that had belonged to either my granny, or more probably my Great Granny. Sadly I have no idea what happened to it. It had a companion 18th Century style dress too. Beautiful.
A little later I remember making embroidered gifts for people, monograms on hankies, tray clothes and felt pin cushion (that was at school). My Granny had a lot of embroidery transfers, some from the 1930s, and I used those as patterns. I think I still have some of them - waste not, want not. Jacobean style was one of my favourites. I also started an embroidery kit in my early teens, but made a mess of it. I hung onto it, and finished it off when I was in my late 20s. It is a lovely picture of a kingfisher flying through weeping willow leaves over water, with fish and dragonflies. It is now framed and hanging in the living room. The kit was a gift from my stepmother, from a BBONT gift catalogue (BBONT was a local wildlife trust). Both my grannies, and my great aunts were knitters, and that influenced me a bit, although I didn't really knit until I was a 'grown-up'. I did crochet though - made hundreds of granny squares for Save the Children blankets. I also went to a local lady for Buckinghamshire lace making lessons. I still have a 5 inch long braid that I made, and a very short piece of more decorative lace. I would love to do that again, but my Mum has all the bobbins and the pillow. That might have to wait...
Mum also did English patchwork (guess - hexagons!) in the 1970s, and I copied.
2. Why did you start creating?
Well, Mummy was also making things - for economy I suppose, but also, I think she just likes the sense of achievement, as do I! As I child I really liked the praise I got for gifts that I had made myself, and this included baking as well as sewing! I also remember that it was normal as I was growing up for people to MAKE the presents that they gave, and I really like that. My Mum made me a wooden dolls bed and all the accessories for it, for example, and a farm landscape and buildings out of hardboard, papier mache and sticky backed plastic. I am of the Blue Peter generation - I was inspired by washing up liquid bottles, matchboxes, old fashioned pegs (I made a lot of Peg dolls).
3. Why do you create?
Just have to! Can't watch telly without doing something with my hands. That ranges from reading a book, doing Sudoku puzzles to knitting and sewing. Sewing with the TV less now as I mostly use the sewing machine, so I have to retreat somewhere. But I get cranky if I don't make something regularly. I actually feel like a failure when I haven't made something. Even if its only curtains!
4. What do you create?
See above! Curtains, clothes, dressing up costumes for the children, toys for the children, whether fabric or otherwise, sometimes I make cards, sometimes I draw and paint although not as much at the moment as I would like, quilts, wallhangings and cushions, household items, sewing kit items, bags, occasional knitting and crochet, mostly for the children ... On and on.
5. Has this changed since you began crafting?
Yes but no! I think the main change is that I try to make things more stylish, although as that is a matter of taste more than anything else, I think I should be satisfied with making things in my own style rather than trying to emulate the style of others. Although learning how to design things while doing City and Guilds has made me more confident with design, I have never been entirely happy with my style. As I have less time at the moment to spend on design, when the urge to make is upon me, I have been trying to work through the design processes of others, so I can get into their minds. This is quite interesting, I liken it to being apprenticed to old masters. I think I am learning a lot doing this, without having to invest a lot of time thinking about design before making something. I just get stuck into following someone else's process, reading what they say about it, and following their recommendations. I then do the thinking while I'm making. I hope when I have more time and space for my own work that this will come to fruition. I really should start a sketchbook again though.
One thing I would like to do more of is exploring creating my own fabrics through dying, painting and embellishing...
Who am I going to tag? Ali, Kate N, Sally, Lynda and Andrea. Sorry girls, hope you don't mind!
I can't add pictures to this, sadly, as I am doing it on my Uni computer, and the normal tool bar is not here. Something to do with a browser or java or something, but I have no idea what. After I uploaded all my photos to this computer too. Typical. Anyway, here goes with answering the questions:
1. When did you start to make craft?
Well, I was pretty young! As a very little person I remember drawing cats and ballet shoes. Don't ask me why, except I had a cat and did ballet. Luckily, there are no pictures. My Mum used to make my costumes for the school ballet shoes - I remember being a Hawaiian hula girl in a raffia skirt, an American Indian (I still have some snippets of that fabric!), and a frog. My Miss Muffet costume wasn't home made - it was a very beautiful silk and velvet child's costume that had belonged to either my granny, or more probably my Great Granny. Sadly I have no idea what happened to it. It had a companion 18th Century style dress too. Beautiful.
A little later I remember making embroidered gifts for people, monograms on hankies, tray clothes and felt pin cushion (that was at school). My Granny had a lot of embroidery transfers, some from the 1930s, and I used those as patterns. I think I still have some of them - waste not, want not. Jacobean style was one of my favourites. I also started an embroidery kit in my early teens, but made a mess of it. I hung onto it, and finished it off when I was in my late 20s. It is a lovely picture of a kingfisher flying through weeping willow leaves over water, with fish and dragonflies. It is now framed and hanging in the living room. The kit was a gift from my stepmother, from a BBONT gift catalogue (BBONT was a local wildlife trust). Both my grannies, and my great aunts were knitters, and that influenced me a bit, although I didn't really knit until I was a 'grown-up'. I did crochet though - made hundreds of granny squares for Save the Children blankets. I also went to a local lady for Buckinghamshire lace making lessons. I still have a 5 inch long braid that I made, and a very short piece of more decorative lace. I would love to do that again, but my Mum has all the bobbins and the pillow. That might have to wait...
Mum also did English patchwork (guess - hexagons!) in the 1970s, and I copied.
2. Why did you start creating?
Well, Mummy was also making things - for economy I suppose, but also, I think she just likes the sense of achievement, as do I! As I child I really liked the praise I got for gifts that I had made myself, and this included baking as well as sewing! I also remember that it was normal as I was growing up for people to MAKE the presents that they gave, and I really like that. My Mum made me a wooden dolls bed and all the accessories for it, for example, and a farm landscape and buildings out of hardboard, papier mache and sticky backed plastic. I am of the Blue Peter generation - I was inspired by washing up liquid bottles, matchboxes, old fashioned pegs (I made a lot of Peg dolls).
3. Why do you create?
Just have to! Can't watch telly without doing something with my hands. That ranges from reading a book, doing Sudoku puzzles to knitting and sewing. Sewing with the TV less now as I mostly use the sewing machine, so I have to retreat somewhere. But I get cranky if I don't make something regularly. I actually feel like a failure when I haven't made something. Even if its only curtains!
4. What do you create?
See above! Curtains, clothes, dressing up costumes for the children, toys for the children, whether fabric or otherwise, sometimes I make cards, sometimes I draw and paint although not as much at the moment as I would like, quilts, wallhangings and cushions, household items, sewing kit items, bags, occasional knitting and crochet, mostly for the children ... On and on.
5. Has this changed since you began crafting?
Yes but no! I think the main change is that I try to make things more stylish, although as that is a matter of taste more than anything else, I think I should be satisfied with making things in my own style rather than trying to emulate the style of others. Although learning how to design things while doing City and Guilds has made me more confident with design, I have never been entirely happy with my style. As I have less time at the moment to spend on design, when the urge to make is upon me, I have been trying to work through the design processes of others, so I can get into their minds. This is quite interesting, I liken it to being apprenticed to old masters. I think I am learning a lot doing this, without having to invest a lot of time thinking about design before making something. I just get stuck into following someone else's process, reading what they say about it, and following their recommendations. I then do the thinking while I'm making. I hope when I have more time and space for my own work that this will come to fruition. I really should start a sketchbook again though.
One thing I would like to do more of is exploring creating my own fabrics through dying, painting and embellishing...
Who am I going to tag? Ali, Kate N, Sally, Lynda and Andrea. Sorry girls, hope you don't mind!
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Not much creatively speaking
Well, not much has happened at the sewing machine, although I have progressed one quilt from the cut strip stage, to having sewed some together and then cut them up again. Gosh that's amazing! The picture above is from something I made (and finished!) over a weekend in March. Day one was a workshop at one of my local quilt shops. Unfortunately, I failed to take a note of the designer of this beautiful pattern, so I can't give proper credit. I don't think my border does it justice - I rushed it a bit just to get it finished, and the quilting is fairly basic. One of the things I really like about this one is that a lot of the quilting is actually zig zag over the edges of the bonded applique - 2 stages in one! This one is hanging on our bedroom wall, where it cheers me up every morning.
Also, I've started a dinosaur baby quilt and added some borders to the block centre. Stuck on the third outer border, as I don't have quite the right shade of blue.
Otherwise, my next trick will be making a Count Dracula cloak, specification black bat wing shape with scarlet lining. Someone (sadly not me) is going to a fancy dress party. He's going to 2 actually, but has opted to go pirate to the Peter Pan one. That's dead easy, have all the required bits for that one already.
My veg box lady loved the veg bag - I hope she uses it!
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
Trying to keep up
Well, the last few weeks have been a bit much, without anything in particular happening. Trying to up the pressure on my PhD to progress it, but every time I try that the family needs me. What about me!!!
Anyway, when I can't work on intellectual things I can play with fabric, as that is more 'interruptible' - so I've done a few quilty things, although nothing old is actually finished, and some new things have been started - one of those was finished though, so its not all bad.
My attempts not to buy fabric have been completely useless - I have bought loads! One of my cyber quilting friends was visiting Aberdeen, so I escorted her around some of our quilting shops. Of course I HAD to buy stuff - pictures above!
I have also completed and sent off some Linus blocks to Karol-Ann (sorry can't figure out how to add links). The smallest block was for Karol-Ann to keep.
I also finished off some Hearts and Flowers blocks to send to Jane from British Quilt List. They were a bit quirky, but I hope somebody will like them. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of them!Other progress - actually on a UFO this time, was to add borders and black/white hearts to a cotbed size quilt, originally inspired by a design from the Fre
nch magazine Magic Patch. Unfortunately, they are really bad at crediting designers, so I can't be sure who originally designed the quilt. Although I have strayed from the original design, because I lost the magazine after I sewed the centre, I think it remains fairly faithful. It's certainly bright!
nch magazine Magic Patch. Unfortunately, they are really bad at crediting designers, so I can't be sure who originally designed the quilt. Although I have strayed from the original design, because I lost the magazine after I sewed the centre, I think it remains fairly faithful. It's certainly bright!I've started another batch of Linus blocks. At least I think they are for Linus - I might have to use them for a baby quilt for family, as someone has just produced (a boy, after two girls), and her sister-in-law is next month (I hope a girl, as they have 2 boys!).
Other things done: started a new baby quilt (probably for new cousin no 1 - the wee boy), and a bag started AND finished, as an apology for being a rotten customer of a local veg box scheme. I hope they like it!
Also, I have added eyes to the fish, and other half has hung them on the wall. Sadly, he wants them in a particular place, which isn't right. But never mind. I'll make something else for that spot that is right, and swap later. I haven't taken a picture yet, it's still on the to do list.That is probably enough for now! I have a parcel to send to someone on the local Freecycle network who wanted embroidery things - another box has been emptied - so I'll take no 2 along to the post office! He's off nursery and missing a trip to Macduff Aquarium as a result. Rats. I'm also missing another meeting in the department. Sometimes, being a modern woman is raw deal. However, I'm glad we're not chattels any more!
Best thing that's happened is my squishy from Ali - lovely fabrics all the way from Australia, and a sweet Christmas decoration. I'm still choosing what to send to Ali, but I had better hurry up.
Bye for now!Monday, 10 September 2007
One finished, one not sure!
Well, after a fortnight of very little sewing, and concentrating on work/family or family/work, depending on what day of the week it is, I did retreat to my sewing room (aka Stu's bedroom), and finished the baby quilt for my cousin's first born.
I am quite pleased with it, although I had to make a couple of fabric compromises in order to not to buy extra. however, overall, it is quite pleasing. The block arrangement came from Mary Hickey's Sweet and Simple Baby Quilts http://store.martingale-pub.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=33&id=533. I changed the border to give it more oomph, as my fabric compromise reduced the contrast in the middle! The quilting is mostly in the ditch for the blocks, with some free quilted hearts on the triangles. The border is free quilted with stars, spirals and meanders.
I have also got a picture of the fully finished Chinese wallhanging:
Finally, I'm not sure whether I have finished this last one or not. The appliqued fish are foundation pieced and are my own invention. However, now that I have quilted and beaded the border, I think they look a little plain. The dark blue centre has been hand-sashiko quilted, but I think the fish need a little more something. What does everybody else think? Sorry it is sideways. On the right hand picture, the left is the top!
Monday, 3 September 2007
Back from London
Well, I'm back from London. 14 hours on the train has left me with a sore back. Dear old GNER - the 125 High Speed Train was wonderful once (nice big seats), but it was so rickety and noisy this time. Not to mention scruffy.
My visit to the V&A was wonderful, if short (two of my favourite items shown above courtesy of pictures on the V&A website - link to all the fashion/textile resources on the right) - I went round a fashion exhibition quite thoroughly, and went up the textile galleries, which were interesting, but a little disappointing - a rather skimpy and partial look at the richness of world textiles. I guess they have far more in storage than they can hope to display, and I suppose it is not their flagship collection.
The shop is great, although I didn't have the time or the energy to examine the books properly. Probably a good thing, as I must have saved heaps of money that way!
Back to sewing tonight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)