Crazy Patchwork Piecing

I am lucky enough to be taking part in an online course in Crazy Patchwork with Kathy Shaw - see link on the side of the blog.
My pieced block:

The instructions are so well explained and I've managed this easily, even though it's my first time.
 

Screen Printing

I am just so proud of myself .... to have produced these pieces of fabric at the recent screen printing workshop at Blackmore Vale!  Thank you Alison Hulme!

I have also bought myself a spinning wheel today!

Hope is the thing with feathers,

that perches in the soul and sings the tune

without the words,

and never stops at all.

EMILY DICKINSON

A Month Of Events and Goals Achieved!

It is about a month since I last posted anything on my blog - a little annoying; but I have been rather busy and have still been stitching.

I finished decorating my bathroom and finally persuaded my son to do the 'drilling' jobs that I don't attempt. 

 As previously mentioned, I spent 4 days at the Kingcombe Wildlife Centre in Dorset, where I was lucky enough to take part in the course held there by Sandra Coleridge - using the embellishing machine - the title being Fantasy Follies.  Sandra encouraged us to base our designs on buildings like the Taj Mahal and the Kremlin.....but to make them as imaginary as possible. I managed to make two and have finished one and am very nearly there on number two.  

MY FIRST PIECE - VERY EARLY STAGE

MY FIRST PIECE - STITCHED AND READY TO BE MOUNTED

MY SECOND PIECE - AWAITING MACHINE STITCHING

Pieces of pre-felt are cut in the required shapes and felted to a background, and in an alternative way, fancy yarns are laid down in shapes of the buildings. Both ways of working are then lavishly enhanced with hand stitching, followed by free machine embroidery using black thread... the whole thing is cut out to reveal the outline and the pieces are then mounted onto artist's canvas.

SANDRA COLERIDGE

SANDRA COLERIDGE

SANDRA COLERIDGE

 

FELLOW STUDENTS WORK

FELLOW STUDENTS WORK

The first Sunday of March took me to Frome for the Totally Handmade Craft Fair where I had a stall for the first time - lovely venue, plenty of customers, friendly fellow traders and I sold some bits and pieces too.

Then, on the Monday, it was time to go to the group I attend with friends for developing our work with the embellishing machine.

At the end of that week I went on a day trip to Bridport and West Bay (Broadchurch fame) with my friend - visits to charity shops and a fantastic fabric store in the old rope maker's building of Bridport - so you can imagine the size of the shop and the amount of fabric.

As if that wasn't enough, I took myself to Devizes on the very next day to  a Vintage Fair where I treated myself to a beautiful vintage brooch and some fantastic vintage french postcards, letters, fashion magazine and a map. 

The stalls were so interesting; vintage lace, patterns, fabric and buttons; vintage household items, books and toys; vintage clothes with many of the stall holders dressed in authentic style of the 1920's, 30's, 40's and 50's - brilliant!

It was such a lovely, sunny early spring day and Devizes is one of those old towns built during the height of the wool trade and the high or main street is wide; you can imagine the shepherds driving their sheep through the centre ready for market.  The wool trade also brought the canals to the town; the Kennet and Avon canal runs through the town and as it was such a glorious day a walk was almost obligatory.

Recent activities include a workshop at West Country Embroiderers with the fabulous Stef Francis - a piece of work that has been added to the ufo's at present.

BRAIDS AND BORDERS

On Wednesday of this week, it was the regional day for the Dorset groups of West Country Embroiderers, which was hosted by the Swindon branch (which is in Wiltshire - but the only one, to my knowledge, in that county, so they join up with us). A cooked lunch prepared for us, lots of traders, a few small exhibitions and a talk in the afternoon by Anita Bruce - most interesting. http://www.anitabruce.co.uk/pblog/pblog.html

Knitted Plankton - it is all explained in the blog!!

Tomorrow is the Embroiderers' Guild meeting and we are doing Screen Printing.

In between all this, I went to visit my sister in Sussex for a few days and also met my future daughter-in-laws' family at a most enjoyable bridal shower - I also have a order for bunting for the reception now!!! 

And today I've signed up for an online course in crazy patchwork with Kathy Shaw http://www.shawkl.com/

My treat to myself this month, a rather tasty looking book!

Friendship is far more tragic than love. 

It lasts longer.

OSCAR WILDE