not all stitching

The life of an embroiderer is not all stitching. I am teaching in the South Island of New Zealand in Feb for 2 weeks, 9 classes in all, most of them doing Goldwork techniques. This involves me measuring off packs of gold threads for each class. With up to 15 students in each class, that's lots of gold!

All done now so back to stitching tomorrow.

Christmas project

 

I found this cool book in the library, fantastic birds to make. My daughter has decided which one she wants to make so I thought I had better have a go at making one to see if I could follow the pattern.

This is the result. The patterns are really easy to follow and my little bird only took me an afternoon to complete so not too long either. He is made from left over fabric from a Tula Pink quilt I made but is still waiting to be quilted. This is the 2nd thing I have made from the left over fabric, think its time to quilt that quilt!

New quilt idea

I have been thinking about doing a pixelated face as a quilt for some time, After a few sketches that would have been about 3 m square had I made them I have come up with a design that will work, I think and not be too big. I plan to cut 2 1/2 inch squares and have them in piles and then follow the design and stitch them together in rows, just like a computer printer would print a picture.
I am guest artist at a quilt show in Warkworth in April so I will make this quilt for that show.

Dress a Girl around the World

A group of us had a day sewing dresses in the school hall today. We made 29 for a charity called dress a girl around the world. The dresses get sent all over the world, wherever they are needed.
We were given all the fabric and we have so much left we are going to have a sewing day once a term. Fantastic for the children at school to see people sewing.
I will post the date of the next sewing day in case any one reading my blog is close enough to come and sew with us.

New Faces

My computer decided it didn't like the internet for a while, so much so I had to get a computer man to fix it so I am back on track now. I have given up on the 100 numbers, I have just got a couple of jobs which are taking up both time and brain power. One for a fashion designer and one for a new priest, very different but both great jobs. I decided the number had to go, I got to 34, may go back to them after this rush of work is over.

In July next year I am teaching at the Embroiderers guild conference in New Plymouth. I am teaching a class on stitching faces. The students will all bring along a collection of faces and either stitch a series of small ones in different techniques are one large one. They have 3 days so lots should get done.

16 - 23

 

Here are the next few numbers of my 100 numbers. I am still enjoying it and starting to have a ideas about what to do before I sit down which saves a bit of time.

 

 

Watching is famous!

This picture of Watching along with Brandon Mably appeared in the latest Kaffe Fassett newsletter. They had seen the quilt in Houston, and thought it was great. How cool is that! I love Brandon's Skull T-shirt, it is my Alexander McQueen.





 

more creative numbers

The numbers seem to be getting more interesting now, which is good. Not sure why I decided to use such a loose weave linen as a background, seemed like a good idea at the time.

11 - 14

 

I am finding the numbers harder than the spiders, I think I am too worried about them still looking like the number, need to be a bit more creative.

 

I have started doing some sketches for a new collection of work about modern communication, mobile phones, facebook etc. The fact that many people today do not talk to each other face to face and think they have 500 friends!



 

 

More numbers

Here are the next 6 numbers in my 100 numbers project.

Slow is the new Fast

Friday is my children's athletics day at school. Not the most favourite day in the school calendar but they both manage to survive till the end of the day which I am very proud of. To help my daughter get through the day I have made her a new t shirt to wear.

 

Just simple applique with a buttonhole stitch edge. The fabric has snails on too which is just perfect. My hands still have a green tint from dying the t shirt. I never seem to remember to put gloves on!

 

I am reading a book at the moment about slow living which is very interesting, I already live a pretty slow life being a hand embroiderer but it is interesting to read how good it is for you.

another 100 days

Myself and a friend have decided to do another 100 day project. No outside pressure just us, and a catch up outside school each day to see how we are going.
I have decided to stitch a number each day. If I ever get round to writing a book,( I have started!) I plan to use the embroidered numbers as page numbers.
Here are the first 4, we started on Nov 1st.

Or Nue samples

 

I am teaching Or Nue for some South Island guilds early next year so I decided to do some new samples as my other ones were more than 10 years old. These pieces are only 4 cm square so will almost be finished in the day class. I use passing thread so it is easy to turn, and stranded cotton to stitch it down.

 

 

Amazing garden design

These photos are of one of the gardens at Hampton Court Palace. When we were in the UK I caught up with some of my friends from the Royal School of Needlework which is based at the palace.
When I first started working there these gardens were wild, with large trees and very overgrown. We used to go and have our lunch there sometimes to hide from everyone. Just before I left to live in New Zealand they cleared the gardens and slowly found where the original paths and gardens were. They then re-planted the gardens as they were when they were first created. They look fantastic, I can't imagine how much time goes into keeping them so neat.

Finshed Roam face

 

This is the finished Roman face. I really like how the spit stitch looks. I now have plans to use this historic technique to work some of my designs based on modern living. I think that could make for some interesting pieces. Pretty fast too.

Roman face

When we were in the UK we were lucky enough to visit a small collection of Roman artifacts on a local farm. All the items had been found on the farm which is the site of a Roman villa.
I decided I would stitch a Roman head as a gift to the owner of this farm. After some research in my embroidery history books and some from the library I have come up with this design and started to stitch yesterday. I am not sure the Romans did much embroidery but there are a few examples of pieces using mainly split stitch, will that's what it looks like from the photo.

Beach huts wall quilt

I have spent the day sewing my beach hut quilt. I think I am going to call it Beach Boys. It is only small which was the plan so I could get it sewn in a day. I have lots of teaching before Christmas that I need to do stuff for but just needed to use that cool fabric and use up the beach hut idea. I will pin it together with some batting so I can quilt in in the evenings. Sometimes its nice to do things that are just for fun, keeps the brain active so I can create new ideas.

Back from Holiday

I have been on holiday for the last 3 weeks in the UK, visiting my family and friends over there. I had a great time so now I am back full of ideas that need to be stitched.

My parents have had a beach hut for a few years but this is the first time I have been able to visit it. I have always loved beach huts, the colour, shape and the way they are all in a line I just love.

 

They are set back a few metres from the sea wall because in the winter the sea comes over the sea wall and would wash them away!

 

 

I found some fabric when I got back to All Things Patchwork that will be just perfect for a beach hut wall quilt. Due to the jet lag I have already drawn up the pattern and will start today.