Looking Forward

 I gave up writing new year targets and goals a few years ago and as it made no difference to the amount of creativity that happened during the year, so I see no reason to change!

My plans for the year so far are to take part in Contemporary Quilts Journal Quilt challenge, restart working daily in my sketchbook and complete a 'year of stitches', all of which are underway.

Journal Quilt

This year's challenge is a little different to the previous few years in that there are guidelines for each set of four months.   The first set (January - April) must include a sewing technique, preferably one that you do not usually use so that you are more challenged.   Suggestions given were applique, reverse applique, traditional quilting, EPP, foundation, trapunto, curved piecing, chenille and collage.

Straight away 'curved piecing' jumped out at me as it is one technique I have never used.  I have tried it with disastrous results which I vowed never to repeat again.  If a curve was required, bondaweb and zig zag stitching was the order of the day!

I have also been drawn back to rust recently and together with indigo dyeing I decided that as far as possible I would use the two for each of the quilts.  I discovered rusting powder so no more wrapping fabric around bits of metal!

So, for my January quilt I made two drunkards path blocks using some rust dyed fabric and some very old indigo dyed fabric.  It must be nearly 30 years old as I remember doing it while doing C&G in the 1980s.   I consulted the web for instructions for curved piecing which was worthwhile as the two blocks were made with no unpicking and the seams layed flat!

The addition of free machine quilting in a circle design plus some hand stitching using perle cotton - another technique I intend to use on this year's quilts - completed the quilt top.  For the binding this year I am using a patterned fabric from Jim Holtz Eclectic Elements range called Travel Labels.  Once cut up the colour is perfect for the binding.

     

 Year of Stitches

I have also decided to challenge myself to regular stitching by making a commitment to stitch during every month.  I have seen various challenges on Instagram so went for a circular format divided into each month.

This was the starting point.  It's only an 8" frame so hopefully I will be able to keep it going.  So far it has been very slow stitching but I do have lots of ideas for the next few weeks so I will catch up again at the end of the month.

Finally for this beginning of 2019, I have restarted my daily sketchbook with the intention of creating some sort of art each day.  Once again it will be a mixture of sketching, collage, mixed media, stitching, in fact anything that takes my fancy or inspires me on that day.

So far this is what I have completed....

Pen and watercolour sketch

Collage of sweet papers

Pen and watercolour sketch

Acrylic paint layers

Pen Sketch

Collage of Christmas stamps and lettering

Acrylic paint stamp with watercolour wash

Layer of silk organza of printed photo with machine and hand stitches

Collage of gelli printed tissue paper

Finished work now mounted

A couple of projects that I have already mentioned, although at the time I was undecided how to mount them, are the cross stitch Mandala Owl and the crochet Mandala.

The owl was finally mounted in a plain embroidery hoop so it could sit on the window ledge amongst the owl collection.

For the Mandala, I mounted it on a stretched canvas frame which I had covered with a piece of my own dyed fabric.

Keeping busy over Christmas and New Year

The few weeks before Christmas found me with nothing to do so I found some wool I had bought a few months ago and made myself another virus shawl.  It was once again a quick and easy make and filled in an empty slot!

As I have mentioned many times, I am not one to sit and do nothing!   This is even at times like Christmas and the New Year when there are other things going on - if I am sitting, I have to be doing something!

Thankfully Little Box of Crochet and Craftpod both came to my rescue with projects to fill my time.

The December Little Box of Crochet was a Toft pattern for a delightful little dog.   Not that I am particularly a dog lover or a fan of amigurami, but it kept me occupied!

Even I have to admit he's cute!

The Craftpod box had two 'makes',  The first was an embroidered mistletoe sprig in a hoop which was joined by a felt fox. 

I really enjoyed both of these makes and although I have resisted a subscription to Craftpod, I am usually tempted once I see what's on offer!

Finishing up 2018!

Before I begin to talk about 2019 I must finish updating you about 2018!

I had a quick check through to see where I was on the blog and the first thing I realised was I had not mentioned November and December Journal Quilts.

For November the colour palette was violet/purple so I started my log cabin with a square of fabric hand printed with a purple swirl pattern and added strips of various shades of purple from my fabric stash, all dyed by myself.   I made the block on point to make it a bit different.

The completed block was then free machine quilted with a swirl pattern to reflect the centre print and finally bound with more of the swirl fabric.

    

December saw a return to the beginning of the colour wheel so had to be purple and red so starting with a larger central square gelli printed with red, I added strips in slightly different width of purple and included so red piping as I went.  Once the quilt was free machine quilted in a 'greek key' type pattern, I bound it with red gelli printed fabric.

This is the first year I planned each month in advance and stuck to the plan!   I'm really pleased with the end result, particularly the way they look when stacked up .....

..... and as a group they look good too!

Christmas Cards

Suddenly realised I'd not posted about my Christmas Card makes for this year and didn't want to do it after Christmas!

It's a bit of a cheat this year as I discovered I had a large stock of cards made in previous years that had been left over plus some I'd made to sell and never did.  I decided that I would used these up and just make some new ones this year for the special people in my life who I know really appreciate a handmade card.

I returned to my love of inchies and created some red and green needlefelt that would become my inchies.  So long since my needlefelting machine had been out so I must reacquaint myself with it properly in the new year.

I'm always amazed when I look at the base felt when I make inches and wonder at how they change into little gems of loveliness!

To each little square - just over an inch square - I added combinations of sequins, beads and stitches and then buttonhole stitched around the edges.

 

Each set of four were mounted onto backing paper together with a hand printed "Happy Christmas" and then mounted on to a card.

Really pleased and already had compliments from some lucky recipients.

One more completed project - my November Little Box of Crochet which was a lovely mandala in Christmasy colours that was a delight to make.  Lots of overlay crochet which I love.

It was designed by Amanda Williams (@yarn_house on Insta) and worked in Yarn and Colors Must Have Cotton.

A bonus was a little wooded reindeer who desperately needed a coat so some of the left over yarn was put to use.  As you can see from the photo he is already hanging on the tree!

That really is all for this year so have a great Christmas,

End of another year

This is probably my last chance to post this year as I can already see how busy it is going to be between now and 2019, so it's time to update my creations of the last few weeks.

More Ecoprinting

I had another go at ecoprinting making a slight change to my first try by soaking the fabric and paper in the iron solution instead of painting it.  I wanted to try 'cooking' it in the oven but was unable to find a brick to weigh it down so that will have to wait until next time.

I used a variety of leaves, flowers and onion skins with differing results.  I must admit some of the leaves were very dry and crumbly and the flowers weren't exactly fresh so I feel there is still room for improvement.

I want to make some books with the printing I have done so far and hopefully my next exploration in eco printing will be with fresh leaves and plants and maybe using alum as the mordant.

Winter Display

For the Winter display I made a wreath, all be it a small one.  I've always wanted to make a crochet wreath but just didn't have the time to do a full size one so thought this was the best option.  Yet again I turned to Attich24 for my inspiration and guide, choosing two of her hellebore flowers for the decoration.

A little snowman also joined the display, along with some snowflakes hanging from a twig.  I also stitched a snowflake in cross stitch to display in a hoop. 

  

And put together .....

No sooner was the display up when Christmas preparations began and took over the mantelpiece.

The snowflakes stayed in place and the hoop was replaced with a crib scene worked in redwork plus all the lights and bits collected over the years.

Mandala Owl

The final stitch has been crossed on the Mandala Owl and although washed and pressed it hasn't been mounted yet.   I can't decided whether to put it in a hoop or frame and it will probably end up being the one I can get most easily!

Really pleased with the end result so hope the little people like it too!

Beginnings of an eco home

I've long been aware of how much single use paper and plastic is used in our home and feel the time has come to do something about it.

My first change was to buy cotton fabric serviettes to save us buying paper ones this Christmas.  Available at a most reasonable cost on Amazon, it seemed something much easier to do than I thought.  With more planning I could have made them myself, and my intention is to make another set in a different colour at some stage.

I wanted to personalise them with some embroidery so used some small mandala designs I have in a book Mandalas to Embroider  by Carina Envoldsen-Harris.  I used a blue/grey palette of embroidery threads to match our décor which I feel have given a great result.

These are some of my favourites......

     

There are still creations in hand as well as those planned to get me through Christmas and into the New Year, so I will be back!