Crafty magazine

Oh look, it's one of my penny mats, this time making an appearance in issue 5 of Crafty magazine.

I made this one especially for them, using recycled Winter woolies that had shrunk in the wash. I seem to have a lot of things that shrink in the wash, which doesn't say much for my skills as a domestic goddess. My most annoying laundry accident has to be a beautiful pair of cashmere trousers that ended up being the backing for this mat. Before the fatal wash, I would lounge about in them, feeling utterly sophisticated and glamorous as they reminded me of something Lauren Bacall or Katherine Hepburn might have worn – long, fluid and totally elegant. However, one overly hot wash and abusive spin cycle later, and images of the Artful Dodger came to mind as the hems flapped around my calves.

Although I love (intentionally) making felt, it was fun to make a penny mat with ready made felt as it left more time for the embroidery. For this mat I wanted the embroidery to suggest barnacle covered pebbles found at the beach as the colours of the felt reminded me of stones.

I'm over the moon, to be included in Crafty, after all it's a seriously cool magazine, and best of all, my penny mats get another outing. If you haven't yet seen Crafty, it's worth checking out: not only does it feel fresh and modern, and includes great photography, but it's about crafting with a conscience and recycling as much as possible. Issue 5 will be on sale on Thursday 18th July!

Elizabeth,
x.

Hooked on Penny Mats.

I have become so addicted to making penny mats, that I think I might have to join Felters Anonymous in order to wean me off my felty fixation. But it might be too great a wrench - making felt feels so therapeutic, and sewing into it is such stitching bliss, that one mat is never enough! Nevertheless, it's high time I got on with making something else, so this one is definitely (I promise) the last I'll be making…for a little while, at least.

In terms of materials used, my pink penny mat bears scant resemblance to its nineteenth century ancestors. It is not made from old hats, military blankets, or bits of worn suiting, although I did use a two penny piece as a template for the inner circle. Backing my penny mat with expensive silk organza (rather than burlap or canvas) that I've nuno felted, probably doesn't qualify it as a thrifty, make do and mend utilitarian object either! But I don't care, my penny mats aren't meant to be walked on, or thrashed mercilessly with carpet beaters, all I want is something pleasing and decorous to look at!

And if that makes me shallow, so be it!

Elizabeth,
x.

PS: And I just couldn't resist making this one too!

In the Pink

This blog is about to turn blue. Not in the pornographic sense, no, it's just that I've been doing a lot of indigo dyeing recently, so expect to see a few moody blue posts in the coming weeks.

Perhaps that's why my sewing bag is currently over flowing with pink threads and felt. Somehow, they seem to offer a frivolous counterpoint to all that seriously cool blue. The fruity colours are cheery and warming, reminding me that despite the freezing temperatures and March snowfall, Spring, then Summer are not so very far away.

I'm hoping to complete my pink penny mat before Easter but I've got a few more disks to embroider yet. I'll back this mat with some nuno felt I've made recently and find a way to retain the crinkly edge of the silk chiffon–it's my absolute favourite part of the fabric!

Elizabeth,
x.

Penny mats-part two!

One finished penny mat.

Such fun to do: I feel there'll be plenty more of these in the coming weeks–perhaps using tweeds as well as felt.

Wouldn't life be great if it was as much fun to generate real pennies?

Elizabeth,
x.