When the Stars go Blue

When the Stars go Blue has been my favourite song at choir this winter. I thought of it again recently when my Uncle died. He was the last of ten siblings so it was a big loss for everyone. I needed to go into my cave, away from people, afterwards and I stitched this little piece.

 

It is the old house where they were all born and where I spent many joyous times. There are eighteen stars because I believe that stars are a gap in the sky where our loved ones who have gone before us can shine a light down to tell us they are happy. The biggest stars are for Uncle Jim and my Dad. My Mum's star is there too along with my Dad's other siblings and their partners. I couldn't leave out my grandparents as they too lived in that house and my great grandparents who built the house. It is a ruin now but the times spent there are stitched into my heart.

 

I have to do it again because I am not quite happy with the shape of the house, it needs to be longer and lower. For now though it adds to my winter sparkle. I think I might do a winter hare one too! 

 

 

 

 

Winter Challenge

We were all challenged to do a winter scene which was postcard size. I have quite enjoyed working on my land/seascraps little ones so this size was a new challenge. I added some robbins as I know Annie loves them and it is now part of their Christmas decorations. Here too is a little snippet from the other ones.  

 

 

Fine Stitches

Julia taught us all some simple stitches that we could use in our work to create texture etc. I hope we will do lots more workshops in the group as we all came away saying how much we had learned. Here are some examples.

 

 

Sparkles

On a cold, damp day we spent the afternoon in Annie's conservatory making gift tags for wine bottles. We shared all our treasures and here are three that I completed. I intend to make more for future presents.

 

 

Frosty and Friend

A bit of plain knitting was needed to make scarves for these wooden snowmen. Frosty (now called Sidney) and Friend have now found new homes on other people's doorsteps.

 

I think the next project might be reindeer. I wonder if there are any big red buttons in Great Aunt Florence's stash?

 

 

Elements Scarf

I found a wonderful crochet pattern that is inspired by a French designer that I like. I will need to crochet 151 circles and 150 squares and then join them all together. I am using the Stylecraft Batik yarn called Elements. I love the names of all the colours. This will keep me busy for a while!

 

 

Wild Threads storage

I bought a bag of oddments of threads from Oliver Twist. Needless to say the ones I was using most often were sea coloured. I wanted to separate them out and found a jar while we were away in Shropshire. I wrote to the company and asked if they could do me a special commission. Here is the finished jar and it is just perfect for my wild threads. I was inspired by a very grey sky and green sea when we were in Clare recently so I have to add some silver and grey threads to this jar before I start the next piece.  

 

Happy stash sorting!

 

 

Allium

I did another seascape and was thinking about what flowers to add to the foreground because I had used up the other material. My eyes lit on some silk allium flowers I have in a vase  and I thought they would be perfect. I used a purple batik fabric cut in a circle then stitched the flowers on top with some green seed beads.

 My silk flower looks a bit sad but I can turn it agains the wall. This one may be heading off to the UK but if not my sister wants it and if it does head off I will have to attack the silk flower again.   

 

 

Commission for Jill

Jill asked me to do an underwater scene for her. I have had a scarf with wavy ends for ages and thought it would make a good jellyfish so that was the starting point. I wanted a bit more colour so decided to do some Suffolk Puffs with some batik fabric I had in my stash.

 

The circle for the small ones was the lid of a glass yoghurt pot and the larger ones were a mug. They are very easy, you just do a running stitch all round the edge, pull it tight and iron them flat. You can stuff them to create fuller ones and line them with a different colour and not pull up as tight.

 

I am pleased with the end result and think I will make some pink flowery ones next for hollock flowers. I can see a window in France, with blue shutters and hollyhocks.  

 

 

 

 

Underwater stitiching

I have been asked by a very good friend if I would do an underwater stitching. I have settled on a jellyfish as I found a wonderful scarf with wavy edges. I think I might attempt some suffolk puffs too.

 

My friend wanted to pay me but we settled on some threads instead. She sent me a wonderful package of goodies much more than the two or three hanks of thread I had asked for. The background is prepared, so time now for some slow, slow, slow stitching.

 

 

Stash busting

Mary admired the pearl drop earrings I had made from pearls in my stash. I decided to make her a pair and then I got carried away and made lots more! I think my textile group and the stitching girls will be getting little presents next time I see them.

 



 

Re-cycle, re-use, re-purpose

I was given a bag of Liberty fabric scraps and they shouted Landscraps to me. I could see water, mountain, lakeshore and bog. They sat in my stash for a while and then I fell upon a £1 scarf in a charity shop in Wales. The scarf is by Seasalt and I have seen their scarves selling for £30. the colours were too wishy washy for me but the image of the farmhouse jumped out at me. I think it is supposed to be a Cornish farmhouse but it just immediatly said West Cork landscape to me. I have completed two of them now one with feather stitch for grasses and the other with cow parsley and little flowers. There are 57 images of houses in total so now all I need are more Liberty fabric scraps!

 

 

Stitches 2017

Our summer exhibition at Glandore is going well. Here are some imges.

 

 

Flotsam and Jetsam

I went back to slow, slow, slow stitching sea scenes. I used some of my favourite semi precous stone chips to create the look of the beach after the tide has just gone out. I think I might have a go at a larger version of this next. Perhaps I will add some land and sky????

 

 

 

 

 

 

First attempt

I had a go at eco dyeing using leaves. I tried it on a silk scarf and come callico so that I could see the results. The material was washed then soaked overnight in a mordant of 5 parts water to 1 part soya milk. I squeezed out the moisture the next day then lay cotinus leaves on the fabric and rolled it round either a lenth of dowel rod or a length of copper. I then tied it tightly with cotton string and steamed it for 2 hours with a couple of handfuls of blackberries. I left it to cool in the pot and then opened it. I dried it then ironed it and then washed, dried and ironed again. The results are below, the silk was the most sucessful.

 

I have joined a very useful group on Facebook called Printing Botanicals. I posted the results and got very useful feedback. I was advised to

• wash the material after taking it out of the mordant and squeeze it until it was just damp, I left too much moisture in it.
• not to bother using blackberries because these fade over time.
• dip the leaves in an iron solution before laying them down.
• use blackberry leaves as they print well but they are best as the leaves get older after they have finished fruiting (more tannin in them then?)

 

Summer Challenge

Julia asked us each to accept a challenge for the month of August. I have decided to have a month off stitching in August so I was allowed to do the challenge early. We were given an envellope with fabric. We had to use some of each of the fabrics and could add others. I was horrified when I saw my selection as they are not colours I usually use. The bright yellow was the most challenging so I decided to start there and cut out a small circle that could be the setting sun. From there it just came together. The taupe and the dark velvet fabrics were used to add colour to the sheer blue fabric and the other fabrics I used in the sky. I kept the forgegound simple and after working on roses and a lily pond for my last two projects I found myself back to stitching hedgerows. I am pleased with the end result which I have called "Eventide".

 

 I have now challenged Julia to set up a Facebook page for her own work so let's see if she accepts the challenge.

 

 

Lucy's moorland blanket

I ordered the kit to do Lucy at Attic 24's moorland throw and took most of the wool to Spain with me. I could not get to grips with the wave pattern so after many hours of work I ripped the whole lot out and started again with my old favourite the granny square. I don't think I was the only one having trouble with the pattern because Lucy says her next project will be much simpler and involve no counting.

 

The blanket is waiting for a good home at the moment but it actually goes very well in my living room so it might be one I keep.

 

 The next blanket will be for Kirsty and George. Kirsty wants shades of grey so it will be interesting to see what colours I can find and I think it will need a "pop" of colour - mustard, orange, lime, fuchsia, teal???? I won't be doing it until winter time so there is plenty of time to make up our minds.

 

 

Dorset Buttons

I came across a photo of a Dorset Button and was fascinated by the process. I ordered a kit and had a go with lots of help from Himself. At the end of the 1700's over 4,000 people were making buttons in Shaftesbury and the surrounding area. A good worker could make 7 dozen a day. It took us 2 hours to make one but the average time is 40 minutes so I might make a set for a babies cardigan or a blouse. I love learning new things!   

 

You can read more here

 

http://henrysbuttons.co.uk/index.html