WIP Wednesday…

It's Wednesday, so I'm linking up with Sharon at Pintangle to show some progress on my white quilt. If you haven't already seen Sharon's blog, do take a look, her latest quilt block is a stunner!

After laying out the bits and pieces I've done so far, I decided it was all looking a bit fragmented and that I was in danger of losing the overall scheme. So, for now I'm concentrating on the patchwork which will make up around 3/4 of the quilt. The remainder will be a panel of EPP hexagons (see below), and another of  individual blocks, each with a different theme.

I've also been doodling on stones again, first felting over them, then embroidering and adding beads to them. Felting and embroidering on stones has become my favourite form of procrastination, which I seem to do it whenever, I run into dead ends on other projects. I picked this stone up in Whitstable, along with a piece of tumbled glass, which I prefer to think of as a beach emerald rather than a broken beer bottle. When finished, I suspect this one is going to look a bit like a big green carbuncle!

What have you been up to?

Elizabeth,

x.

WIP or WIGSP…

For the first time, I'm linking up to Sharon at Pintangle, and her Work in Progress Wednesdays (although Work in Glacially Slow Progress would be more apt for my white quilt).

It's a great way to celebrate even the tiniest amount of progress, and can motivate us to pick up unfinished projects that have been languishing at the back of cupboards and bottom of sewing bags. I've decided to join in as it might help me inch along my white quilt, which is often pushed to one side, in favour of quicker fabric fixes.

However, this block has progressed somewhat since I last showed it; now 15 of the 24 squares in the grid have been worked. More of the rust dyed backing fabric has been revealed where I've snipped away some of the scrim, but I think I should be bolder and cut away even more–what do you think?

Sharon's blog includes some fantastic tutorials, while her dictionary of stitches is mind-bogglingly extensive–so well worth a visit!

Elizabeth,
x.

PS: Apologies for the gloomy photographs, it's very grey outside!

Threaditation…

Galvanised by all your lovely comments I got cracking on the next block for my white quilt. Again, this will be another slow burn, something I've no intention of rushing–a kind of 'thread meditation' as Queenie so aptly puts it–or threaditation as it could also be shortened to. Queenie's phrase perfectly describes how I feel about hand sewing, for me, freestyle embroidery is the ideal combination of quietness, thoughtfulness and creativity, while at the same time producing something I'll hopefully treasure.

I have to admit that I'm hopeless when it comes to attracting feedback (and leaving comments for that matter: alas well intended efforts have occasionally resulted in the wrong comment ending up on the wrong blog–doh). So instead I've come to see this blog as more of an online journal filled with makes and musings and not concern myself with stats–it's much safer that way! I accepted long ago that I'll never be an internet sensation, so any feedback (as long as it's not from online casinos and the like) is always gratefully appreciated.

Anyhow, back to the block. Over Christmas I did a little more rust dyeing. I experimented with various combinations of vinegar (white and red) lime juice, lemon juice and even apple, hoping for different effects. On some fabrics I used copper wire, on others steel wire as well as screws and paper clips. And the results…well, all pretty much the same although the white vinegar and copper wire did produce a very subtle greenish tinge, which was totally lost when I rinsed the fabric through. How come that never happens when I try to remove unwanted stains, why do they stay stubbornly in place?

I'm using one of the stronger pieces as a backing to some drawn and cut thread embroidery. My first challenge has been trying to photograph it in such a way that both the backing fabric and the scrim-like fabric are visible and don't merge into a muddy oneness.

It's a WIP, there's still
lots of
tidying up to do. 

Groovy baby! A 70s style
effect produced by placing the
embroidery hoop over a
table lamp.

The second, will be knowing when to stop, when to stop drawing the threads together and cutting away bits of fabric before the entire thing falls to pieces!

Elizabeth,

x.