Holiday Handstitching

As my workroom becomes a bedroom for visitors over the Christmas holiday I made sure I had some hand stitching to do while my machines were 'out of bounds'.

Thinking ahead to my exhibition next year, I machine felted up some squares that after the additon of hand stitching, I will make up in to cards for selling at the exhibition. Regular readers will notice they are part of my "rust" series.

I really enjoy hand embroidery and with the addition of a few beads, I'm really quite pleased with these little embroideries which I hope will sell well.

Inspired by an idea in Quilting Arts Gifts, I made this needlefelted box, again with idea of something to sell at the exhibition. It was a bit labout intensive so I'm not sure whether it will make it as a sale item.

Pre-Christmas Creating

A few weeks ago, while clearing the way to wrap up Christmas Presents I got way-laid by making a runner for the dining room table for use over the Christmas holiday.

I don't know what started it but once the idea was there, there was no stopping me and three hours later it was finished. The end result was just what I wanted and as it was all made from my stash, I felt good that it had cost nothing and there was now a little less fabric in my workroom.

My daughter has suggested one for Easter but somehow I don't think I will go that far!

And by the way, the presents were all wrapped up on time!

And now for something completely different

Regular readers will know that we spend much of our time in the better weather in our caravan at Pagham.

This is a place much loved by our grandchildren and is affectionately known as "Nanny Caraban". Earlier this year I started to make a quilt which will live in the caravan to be used by whoever is there but mainly Eloise, Hope and Samuel.

I really evolved from a collection of ideas based on a seaside theme. My intention was to hand quilt it through the long winter months but when it came to it - as is so often with me - once the quilt was pieced I really just wanted it finished.

Being forced to stay at home because of the snow was my chance to get it finished by machine quilting.

Taking advantage of a "Snow Day"

Well the snow has once again forced me to be housebound so I've had a chance to get some things finished and to get them posted.

My second completed piece for my exhibition is made from 'left over' pieces of the rusted fabric used for the panel I've previously posted. This panel of pieces was quilted and then stretched over a board before mounting it on some naturally dyed fabric I've had in my stash for some years. This in turn was stretched over a canvas board.

The copper 'buttons' are the ones I bought from Dale Rollerson at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally.

This next piece is squares and shapes cut from fabric I've used for a much larger piece (well large for me!) which is still 'work in progress' while I decide how I will quilt it.

The squares and pieces were stitched onto a double layered dyed background and backing and then washed to give it a frayed appearance. I have to admit I saw this idea done, probably much better, by Dinah Travis at the Hever Quilt show this year and as I had some work in my sketchbook that lended itself to this method I thought I'd give it a try.

Incidentally, this is the page from my sketchbook that inspired the quilt.