Some more sentimental stitching....

 Last weekend I managed to fit in some time to create another sample piece for an upcoming workshop I am hosting. The workshop 'theme' is to create a little personal textile piece playing with transfer techniques, applique, embroidery, vintage fabrics, suffolk puffs and a bit of kantha stitching too! I'm only taking fabrics of a neutral colour, to match the black and white photos....something a little different for me, and which I must admit my brain finds a little weird! (it's like...hello! something is missing here....)

 

If you are interested in having a go at transferring an image onto fabric, I created a tutorial on how to do this a while back, which you can find HERE.

stitching in progress...

This is my Granny and Grandad 'Jink and Chick', celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. I wasn't even a sparkle in my Dad's eye at this point ;) 

They met when my Granny was 14 and he was 15, and got married several years later, when they had both carried out their military service after 'signing up' during the 2nd World War. My Grandad never spoke about 'the War' and his experiences in the front line trenches in Europe. I can't even begin to imagine the horrors, but I do know how much he loved my Granny, and can imagine how much comfort and happiness this brought him. She was the absolute apple of his eye.

Granny had all kinds of weird and wonderful superstitions,which I can only remember little snippets of. Suffice to say if I see a blackbird or a robin I think of her. They were both real lovers of gardening too, which after my Grandad died my Granny embraced wholeheartedly...boy did the garden bloom once she came along!
                             

 They are both together now.... which makes me smile. 

Lovebirds are meant to be together.

xx

Lovely Purse Making Workshop

What a super day I had last Friday, involving a trip up the coast to a gorgeous wee fishing village called Johnshaven, where I was "teaching" a purse making workshop at Starfish Studio. Of course this workshop wasn't to make just any old kind of purse! The aim was to brush up on some stitchery skills and get layering, embellishing & embroidering, with a vintage/shabby chic theme in mind!

It was a glorious winter's day with the sun splitting the sky when I arrived.

6 lovely ladies had also come along- the perfect number to fit around the table which sat snugly in Starfish Studio ( also open as a treasure trove of gorgeous handcrafted  goodness to buy!)

photo credit: Kate 

I think the photos say it all really....several cups of tea,one messy table and plenty of stitching and chatting..... my perfect kind of  day!

 And the end result?! 6 purses...almost finished but not quite! Perhaps the chatting overtook the stitching?  :) However the girls went home armed with instructions on how to sew the purse clasp on (and I have a video tutorial sharing this, added on my list of things to do!)

Haven't the purses come out so beautifully though?!

I just love seeing the different ways people inject their own creativity into a project..the differ colours they are drawn to and effects they create. So fascinating and inspiring!

 And this could also be seen with the inner linings of the purse too, where some couldn't help themselves but add a wee surprise pop of colour on opening!
Love it!

What a lovely day indeed! Thanks so much ladies :)x

Sewing in Progress......in need of sprouting an extra pair of hands!

That's the thing about sewing...it's super relaxing and peaceful-making (have I just made up a term?) , because it's S.L.O.W.
However with all the different sewing projects I'm trying to get finished (new embroidery pattern pdf's to introduce, new kits to get out into the world), the SLOW sewing is beginning to feel like one of those running on the spot dreams.... except I'm sewing on the spot!
Atleast I'm too "zenned" out from all this slow sewing to get stressed out about it! Ha!

So I'm still stitching this pretty pink flower and background circles....

I've been trying to create some designs that are simple and don't take ages to sew... failed on that one! I always seem to add more detail, or fill in more than perhaps necessary, but I'm loving the effect so far especially the variegated thread I'm using to fill the circles!

I've actually completed this stitchery project....a hand sewn purse made from applique, embellishments and embroidery. It's to be used as an example for an upcoming workshop.

Still stitching away on a halloween inspired design I created for this months newsletter.I'm almost done and am going to turn it into a quirky pincushion.....why not hey?!

(You can sign up for the newsletter on the sidebar if you want to receive a free monthly design along with inspiration and updates)

You would of course be right in thinking there are more unfinished in progress projects lying in the wings.. the hazard of becoming so Zen is that they may just remain that way ;)x

Tutorial - Embellish your clothes with Embroidery

I must confess to feeling a little bit of a fancy pants...I'm on a video roll!
Remember the video last week where I shared how to embroider a Rose...well this week I've created one showing you how you can use your embroidered pieces to spruce up your clothes...OR turn your stitchery work into a brooch.
There are so many other options available as to what you can do with this technique..... which fills me with delight, as there is only so much wall space in our homes for our embroidered pieces to go, or chairs to plump up with cushions! Its time to turn to our clothes...
I'm thinking snazzy patches (not just for my 6 year old who inevitably ends up with a hole in her knees!), or attach to those huge elastic hair bands you get...or some kind of funky cuff? See my brain is ticking over with ideas already!

a cute little rose brooch

Yes sometimes it does hurt to be so smug :)

You can check the video out below! 

ps...I used the new video camera I got from my sweetest Stu for my bday. Not quite sure how to get rid of the black frame......it's still watchable though! And in "HD" too Stu proudly announced as I opened the pressie.... :)

xx

Applique techniques and Embroidery stitches

Applique in "official" terms, is the attachment of one fabric piece to a base fabric piece, sewn by either hand or machine.

It is a great technique that quickly fills in areas, adds texture and contrast to an embroidery design, and is heavily used as a decorative element on clothes, bags, cushions..you name it!

*This tutorial has been re-located to my website. You can find this tutorial sharing 2 different applique techniques here *