latest eyes

 

These eyes are stitched onto a page from an old book, they are from a piece I am going to enter into an art competition so I will post the whole image after I know if it has been selected, which will not be until Jan 2016.

I have been thinking about doing some cross hatched stitching for a while and am really please with how it has come out, a similar thought process as Blackwork. It was interesting  stitching on paper as you had to be sure where your stitch was going as the needle would leave a hole in the paper, so no unpicking!

finishing quilt

I have spent the morning putting the binding on my latest challenge quilt, our meeting is on Sunday so the quilt will be completely finished by then which is great. I love the way the colours work together in this quilt, I can see this colour way popping up again in the future. It will be hung in Road to Colour at the Hamilton and Christchurch craft fairs in September.

Open studio

I have just returned from a planning meeting organising an arts festival in Helensville, During Labour weekend Oct 24th - 26th Helensville will be alive with creative energy. There will be artists doing live demos and have a go sessions, exhibitions and open studios. I will be having my studio open. I will have work on display and I will be stitching. I will post more details nearer the time, and maybe I need to tidy the studio!

I have also been asked to go down to Christchurch in Sept to be a guest artist at the Quilt and Craft Fair ( Sept 10th - 12th ) I will be doing various demos during the 3 days so if you are in the area come and say Hi.

new dress and face

A while ago I saw a dress made from a pair of trousers in a book and thought I would keep an eye out for a large pair of trousers to have a go. About a week ago my friend across the road came over with the perfect pair of old suit trousers. And this is the result, along with its Tula Pink pocket. I love it.

 

I have been working on this split stitch face, I love the way split stitch catches the light as the stitch direction changes. The face is worked in just 4 shades of blue thread but looks like many more.

Holiday Dressmaking

I found this fantastic fabric at All Things Patchwork, it is from Alexander Henry. I knew straight away I needed to make a shirt for Kit. I have never made a shirt before but I have finished it and I am really pleased. It even has covered buttons down the front and proper plackets on the sleeves. Not sure I would win any dressmaking prizes but it looks cool. It was a Vogue pattern which are always good.
I am now thinking  I could embroidery some of the skulls to make Mexican day of the dead skulls, I made sure I got extra fabric so I have plenty of skulls to play with!

Working on challenge

I have been slowly working on my Colour Quarterly challenge, It has had a few different arrangements of the blocks but at last I am pleased with this one. I have to make some more small blocks for the rest of the border.

 

 

I have also been playing with the idea of transferring a sketch into a stencil type piece, Maybe to work as applique or solid satin stitch, we will see.

Wrist Warmers finished

Just as the weather is getting colder here I have finished my wrist warmers, I love them and I have worn them pretty much everyday since I finished them. I still have heaps of wool left so I think I am going to knit a matching scarf. It would make a wonderful jumper but not sure I am up to knitting a jumper in such fine wool, think I would be still knitting it in 5 years time!