Poppies are out

Wow the poppies in my garden are just coming out.

This small 3 by 4 inch embroidery is made from strips of organza heat zapped with a heat gun to cause a shrinking back and melting effect to the background. Simple long stitches and bullion knots used to give perspective and finally circles of organza again heat zapped to make the shrivel and represent my poppies.

I think poppies are one of my most favourite flowers, graceful as they sway in the breeze.They never last long enough for me to get my fill of looking at them.

Waterfall Panel for New Zealand

Wow! What a blistering hot weekend. Only problem was that i just didn't want to be doing any sewing.

Instead I added some finishing touches to my waterfall sketch book and took this photo so that you can see the outcome. Now all I need to do is work out how this rather dimensional piece is going to travel all the way to New Zealand next July. Looks like I'm gonna be posting another parcel.

Made from layered strips of organza, machine embroidered between water soluble film. Raised flowers made from bonded organza, machine stitched and wired in many cases. The leaves are bonded organza and are either wired in bunches and attached to the main embroidery or they hang from it on drops of beading. A soldering iron has been used to add details to flowers, leaves and panel.

Organza scrap flower vessels

Organza scrap flower vessels are great to make. They are based on an old idea brought up to present date. I get a lot of small scraps generated from what i do and i love that they can all be used and not chucked away. Once the vessel is dry and set hard i have decorated it with beading and bead dangles before machining flowers onto  organza and cutting them out using a soldering iron to seal and neaten their edges. They are ideal for putting scented petals in and dried flower arrangements.
This one was made for a very dear friend of mine and she nearly didn't get it as i was so taken with it.

I love Orange and so i have quite a bit of scrap orange which as you can see i really enjoyed using. My other best friend and work mate Carolyn will hate the colours as she cringes when i work in orange. This makes me smile every time i have a orange urge and so i have called this vessel "Carolyn's Delight" as i am delighted with it and Carolyn will cringe and not be delighted Ha ha

Drawings and Samples for waterfall panel

I had a lovely day today [Sunday] Everyone was out and so i spent the entire day down the studio working on my samples to go in my design book for my New Zealand project June next year 2013
I have been looking at this waterfall that i fell across in Hampshire several years ago. I didn't have a camera to hand which was a pain but i did have this odd shaped slim book, some felt tip pens and my travelling water colour set. Oh and a black Biro pen.
I made quick marks and simple drawings and boy they were quick becoz the family were bored and wanted to move on.
The drawings did spur  several pieces of work and finally a waterfall panel was made in Organza fabrics with wired and dimensional flowers and leaves over hanging the waterfall.
The finished piece is to be taught in New Zealand but the book needed to be finished as all the samples were randomly lying about with some in the book and many not even with it.
Today was that day. the little book is now all up to scratch and i have up loaded a few samples to show what i have been up to.

falling water lines and froth lines drawn with felt tip pens
Machines covered string could be used to suggest the movement lines

meandering sticth lines to suggest water movement 

Flowers and leaves falling in front of the waterfall
Acrylic paint sploges with free motion stitching details and outlining

Blossom falling in front of the waterfall
Acylic paint sploges and machine embroidery details

Stencil,stamp and free motion stitch it

Good day today as I found time to spend the afternoon down the studio getting some samples done to get the ideas out of my head and into a sample that I could think over.
I had some stiffish calico that I stencilled with a simple shape before stamping smaller images in the form of flowers, on top. I then just went for it and free motion stitched as I felt or it dictated. I was pleased with the result and felt it would be something I may use to make a hanging in the future

Scottish Surfaces: An Embroiderer's Approach

Fun in Edinburgh

I left home on Friday to give my talk at the Scottish regional day. I was full of nerves although I do not know why. It's not as if I have never given a talk before.
The hotel where we stayed was central for everything in Edinburgh and once I had given my talk I was looking forward to exploring the city with Carolyn. The weather was just dreadful when we arrived and it didn't bode well for the days we were in Scotland but I wasn't going to be put off.
After finding in the hotel and getting a good nights sleep we woke to a lovely bright day to go to the regional day.
With a suit case so full that I could hardly move it we caught a taxi and arrived in style. I was made to feel very welcome and i enjoyed being with all the other like minded ladies.
I was so thankful that the disc i had prepared with my presentation on it opened and worked setting my mind to rest and allowing me to relax.
Carolyn worked so hard on the sales table selling my wares while i set up and laid out my work.
The ladies were amazed that i allowed them to handle my work but i like to hand my work about and am not precious about it in the least. It just gives me another excuse to make more.
The regional day was very successful and everyone had worked so very hard to make it just that.


Regional day



The Art Complex where the Olympic postcards are hung

When we returned to our hotel after the regional day we were starving and so went in search of food.

We found a lovely Italian place and sat down to a starter, a main pasta dish and then a desert.

Our eyes were bigger than our bellies becoz as you can see they were hugh and no we couldn't eat them all { Mind we had a jolly good try}

A well earned treat after a hard days work

The next day {Sunday} we were up and out by 10am and on a sight seeing bus tour to get the lay of the land. It was flaming chilly on top of the bus but we gritted our teeth and stuck it out

A windy day on a sight seeing bus round Edinburgh

The Scottish Parliament building with the controversial thinking pods on the side of the building.
What a fantastic design source picture

Stone work flowers for design



After our bus tour and a wander along the Royal Mile we headed off for a look around the Scottish museum where i was thrilled to learn they had a travelling exhibition called "Fascinating Mummies" I was in my element as i love all things Egyptian. Yes okay i hear you yell, that i only do flowers and natural things. That is true but there has to be an exception to the rule and mummies and Egypt are it.
I

Love the patterning on this head piece

Wow fantastic beading

Beading with a scarab

Embroiderers Guild Olympic Post cards

Yesterday at Meadow Banks Art complex Edinburgh I was fortunate to be able to see all 3000 plus Olympic postcards. They were amazing, stunning and showed so much talent. Well done to every embroiderer who took part. If your in Edinburgh they are well worth a look.
Also while you are there you really need to check out the embroiderers guild exhibition hung in the same building with some stunning examples of embroidery. I came away very inspired by the work on show

All the postcards have been hung against white walls

Middle row are my guilds post cards. well done Bedford ladies

Scottish regional day lecture

Today I gave the Madeira lecture at the Scottish Regional Day. Boy it was nerve racking but I managed to get through it without falling off the podium or dropping my notes. The talk was EXTRAV-ORGANZA and I was relieved when the presentation I had prepared opened on the venues laptop. At the end of the day I was fortunate to be able to visit the Arts complex where I viewed the 3000plus post cards made by Embroider's Guild from all over the country. They were awesome all hung together in one room. It didn't take me long to find Bedford's post cards based on Germany.

Esssence of Black Work by Machine

Yesterday I spent a very enjoyable day at Patchwork Corner Hemel Hempstead teaching a lovely group of eager ladies how to achieve this lovely dramatic collaged panel of black and white flowers.

The technique appears to be very simple but it needs to be executed with a fair amount of control to get the neat and clean effect that suggests black work. All of the ladies worked very hard and many realised it wasn't as easy as it first appeared to be but they all went home with loads of ideas and eager to get to grips with it. I like working at patchwork corner as it has very good amenities and is very well stocked both with fabrics and inspirational ideas and up to date projects.

An essence of black work worked on pelmet vilene bonded with white cotton and stitched with satin stitch in black rayon thread. Flowers cut out once stitched and beaded and sequined to help give the depth and tones that appear in hand stitched black work. The panel is made up of three blocks which have been collaged together on to white mounting board with narrow black ribbons forming a grid behind them bringing the whole piece together as one

Close up showing the added detail of free motion stitching to infill and give texture to inner shapes

Close up showing the beads and sequins worked on to the cut out flowers

Crochet Flowers

Oh I have been having fun. I came back from teaching at Alston Hall up in the Pennines and felt that I needed a complete change from working with Organza fabrics and the soldering iron SO i have been re-skilling myself in the art of Crochet.

There is nothing better to get the creative juices working again than doing something completely out of the norm and this certainly is not the norm for me as many of you will know as you view the pictures.

This little bag took one ball of variegated double knit acrylic wool
The handle is from Stef francis

This bag is a sackule type casual bag to be worn across the body and low on the hip
This bag took one ball of pale pink and one ball of cerise double knit wool .
handles made from left over wool and made using a cording gadget

Close up of crochet flowers with centres decorated with stamens and french knots worked in left over wool