End of November

How is it nearly December? This year seems to be rushing to the end so fast!

I went to Manchester on Friday night, driven by my daughter on a very cold and snowy night over the moors, where we had a very nice Thai meal and then stayed in a Premier Inn so as to get to the Kristy Allsop Christmas Craft Show in the centre of Manchester nice and early on Saturday. It was a nice small venue compared to the places like the NEC, and had some interesting stands where I managed to get a couple of presents. I treated myself to some new hardanger scissors, but I did avoid buying any more fabric, as I currently have the fabric laid out for a least 5 quilts on my craft room table, all ready to start, and drawers full of my stash too!!! 

I have been doing various little bits of hand sewing and have cut out a White Christmas Luna Lapin Rabbit from a  http://www.coolcrafting.co.uk  kit (from Manchester Show) that will be a present for my daughter. The kit comes with a dress and lovely red winter coat which will be much more difficult to sew than the rabbit!

I have nearly finished a berry and leaves freehand embroidery on hand dyed linen - not sure what I will do next - I need some hand sewing to take to the embroiderers guild next week, I suppose the rabbit will do, if I do not find something else!!!!

Various crafty things

Been a funny few weeks craft wise, working on a Hawaiian quilted bag and a few bits of hardanger as Xmas decorations.

Completed some bits for travelling books for Embroiderers guild. Also took a hardanger angel I did a few years ago to the guild to go on the groups tree in a Xmas tree festival.

Had a go at a felted and embroidered polystyrene ball, did a peacock feather embroidery and finished a large layer cake quilt with machine quilting,

Camels finished!

Well I am pleased to say I finally finished the third camel yesterday, and spent half the afternoon and evening lacing it onto a mount board padded with some Hobbs wadding.

 It ended up 30"x 9.5", so now I need to decide how (and where) to display it. At the moment I am thinking a bigger piece of MDF and paint it to match the room - whichever that will be. Not sure how I can then put them together!

Just before I hang it I have a few additions to tack on, a ceramic pot and cooking pans. I must admit it is looking good and even my hubby keeps going on about it!!!

Well, back from a family road trip in USA. We toured 6 States in 2 weeks, highlights included Yellowstone, Deadwood, Little Bighorn and Mount Rushmore. I did manage to visit 4 Quilt Shops and got lots of lovely fabric!!!

All that touring meant I did not get much sewing done, a piece of variegated Hardanger while sitting by a pool and a piece of chain stitch - both of which I will probably use in travelling books.

I got home Sunday Lunch time and have been busy putting together the 35 x 9" blocks, layering up and machine quilting in the ditch. started doing hand quilted circles and round the appliquéd parts - my deadline is mid October, so on track. I would like to finish by the end of next week when I have a cataract operation.

Been so busy with latest quilt for Linen and Lace, not had much time for other sewing. I did go to Embroiderers Guild meeting last Tuesday, and had managed to get a few things ready for the travelling books.

Can not wait to get back on with my camel project, so nearly finished!

Linen and Lace

This is the draft of the piece I have just written for Create and Craft Blog in the USA.

Hi, my name is Sue, I live in a lovely little, rural village in the East of England, we have only 60 houses in the village and we are surrounded by green rolling hills with sheep and fields of crops.

I have always been "crafty" and spent most of my childhood drawing and painting, if there is a hands on craft I have probably had a go at it! From macramé, knitting, woodwork, scraper board in my teenage years to hardanger, watercolour, quilting and embroidery latterly. I have also spent many, many hours dress making - well costume making, as Wardrobe Mistress for a well known Shakespeare Company - so no stranger to a sewing machine!!!

I am fairly self taught as an embroiderer and I am a member of the Embroiderers Guild. I took up quilting a few years ago, having loved the pictures in books and magazines and thought "how hard can it be" that sort of thinking has got me into all sorts of trouble, including producing items for Linen and Lace!!!

My daughter works for Create and Craft TV in the UK, and happened to mention to Stephanie that I quilted. So when the Crossover Machine with deep dish dies was being launched here in Britain, Stephanie asked if I could manage to do two small quilts, using the number dies and the small maple leaf dies, very quickly before the deadline, to be shown on the launch show.

My work seems to have gone down well, as I was then asked to do a quilt using the heart dies, a wreath using the large maple leaf dies and a pincushion using the square dies for the magazine. I had lots of fun thinking up projects that could be made by beginners, but would inspire the more experienced and really show off the versatility of the Crossover Machine, when using fabric.  

 My house is full to bursting with my work, it hangs on walls, covers beds, fills draws and clutters my Craft Room - but I love doing it. I even made another autumnal batik, maple leaf wreath, it hangs on my kitchen wall and glows in the evening light!

My Craft Room.

http://blog.createandcraft.com/

Still playing with pressed flowers and leaves

I have been having more fun dyeing calico (to embroider later) with different flowers - the current crop being pressed onto damp fabric between 2 bits of clingfilm, is some black Hollyhocks, which is coming out a lovely deep purple. The blue Hibiscus came out too pale to really use.

I have started to embroider the Maple Leaf, done with the bashing with a hammer on dry fabric, with a Anchor Bronze Metallic thread, starting with 2 strands chain stitch down to 1 strand and  then back stitch. Looking good but very tiny stitches!!!!