WIP Wednesday…

It's been a few weeks since I linked up with Sharon at Pintangle, to show works in progress. This isn't because I've been idle, but there hasn't really been a lot to show. I seem to be at that point in several projects where you simply get on with them and wallow in the meditative process of doing repetitive actions.

But there has been progress…

I found the perfect backing for my white quilt, a creamy cotton batik, which you can see at the top of the above photo. It was love at first sight and I think the texture is far more suited to this quilt than a Liberty lawn, which was my initial preference–the batik is more pocket friendly too! Now that the layers are basted together, I can get on with the quilting (such as it is). The original plan was to hand tie this quilt, but I've changed my mind and have decided to embroider little stars instead at each junction of the patchwork. That's a lot of stars!

Meanwhile, I've been working on my log cabin cushions and the second lot of blocks are half way done. As I've said before, I love the portability of EPP, so when these blocks are complete, I'll definitely be starting on something else.

Elizabeth,
x.

PS: There'll be more to follow on the fabric bomb idea–I hadn't forgotten, just working out a few details.

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 Wednesday

Linking up with Sharon at Pintangle for WIP Wednesday. This may only be my second time linking up, but already I'm beginning to suspect this is a great motivator for progressing projects. I've already made more progress on this block in a week than I would usually achieve in two!

Procrastination does have its upside though since I much prefer to be in the middle of something rather than the beginning or end, and now that this block is finished, I'm forced to move onto the next. Bubbling away in my noodle is the thought that I should let the fabric take centre stage for a change. There will still be plenty of stitching but I think the texture should come from how I play with the fabric–that's the plan anyway!

I also need to lay everything out and see how the quilt is shaping up as a whole, rather than simply looking at it in fragments. I hope I like what I see!

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.

A little bit of stitchery

I do like to have a slow project on the go, something that seems to have no end in sight and changes as I work on it. Intentional slowness, and changing the brief as takes my fancy are the antithesis of daily life which is all about schedules, deadlines and delivering what was agreed. I'm certainly not complaining–I like structure–but sometimes it's nice just to meander through the stitches, and freestyle embroidery is the perfect opportunity for that!

A while back I posted pictures of this block for my white quilt–which is very much a slow project (almost glacially so). At the time, I thought it was virtually finished but then changed my mind and decided it needed more embellishment. So I added some fern-like shapes but used a finer, darker thread as I wanted them to look as if they are in the distance. I also added more French knots, some whipped wheels, a daisy, a few more bits of lace, then outlined everything with kantha. Now that every possible area of this block is covered, I guess I'll have to let it go, stop tinkering and say it is most definitely finished and move on to the next one. Something combining rust dyeing and drawn thread perhaps?

Elizabeth,
x

White quilt–pollen

Here's another block I'm working on for my white quilt. It reminds me of pollen and seedlings floating on the breeze–not sure if that's a good image, or if it just makes my nose itch! I've used scraps of old lace, bits of muslin and a very thin and worn piece of linen for the background. The yo-yos are stuffed to give the block more relief and texture.

The rest of the background will be made up of kantha, french knots and bullion stitches. That's a lot of stitching, so if it starts to look a bit stitch heavy, I'll add more snippets of lace.

Elizabeth,
x.

White Quilt–some progress

It's two steps forward, one step back on my white quilt. I've completed one block, nearly finished a second, and I'm happy with both. However, as much as I liked the block below when first made, I've since realised that it can't be used as it's just too heavy! It weighs as much as the EPP strip of hexagons and the other blocks combined. I imagine, that if this block did make its way into the quilt, it would create a black hole effect–it's great weight dragging everything towards its centre! So, this block will just have to go in the samples book, or be used in another project, at another time.

Here are the ones that will make it into the quilt though…

This one is a vintage handkerchief which had a very pretty lace border. I folded the border in, added a few off-cuts of lace from vintage collars, then a little bit of embroidery.

This is a work in progress and I'm having great fun with it. The larger paisley motif, is made from a child's nightdress. The central circle is stuffed from behind (trapunto) to create a mound, which I've covered in chain stitch. Then, apart from a ribbed wheel for the smaller paisley, the rest of the stitching is good old Kantha. I do love running stitch!

Elizabeth,
x.

Highs and lows of making…

High notes: my mitts are finished just as the weather has turned chilly and I've also been doing some more boro inspired sewing. So why do I feel so disappointed with my output?

Well, it's all down to the Plain & Simple Slouchy Fly-Front Skirt. Rather perversely, all the bits that were supposed to be difficult, such as the covered zip, were a breeze to do, but the waistband looks awful! I'm in two minds about whether it's worth trying to salvage: and, as the front on silhouette quite frankly makes me look more like a cartoonish version of Cecil B DeMille than the geekish Annie Hall chic style I was after, I'm tempted to sweep this one under the carpet. I mean, who wants a skirt that makes their thighs look bigger than they actually are?

Not a good look

To be honest, my disappointment with this pattern began before I'd even cut into the fabric. It contains several typos, and when I googled finished versions of the skirt, I didn't see one that made me think I MUST HAVE THAT! So, what have I learnt from this? Basically, never buy a pattern that doesn't show an actual example of the finished item–fashion drawings don't count!.

Determined to end the weekend on a high however, I did a little work on my white quilt. It wasn't much–a bit of patchwork and some hand sewing–but at least it turned out as expected.

Elizabeth,
x.

Rust dyeing

During a break from quilting to order, I've played around with something a little more personal instead. I've been meaning to do some rust dyeing for ages, after all, it doesn't require much in the way of equipment, it's easy and safe, and can be done on any scale*. Simply fold, wrap, sew or twist your fabric around bits of metal (old keys, paper clips, screws–virtually everything works), put them in a bowl filled 50/50 with water and vinegar–and wait…

A solution of water and red wine vinegar,
plus a bundle of cloth and screws.

After several hours, I removed the bundle, then left it in the air to dry for the oxidization process to take place. Much to my delight, and Patrick's consternation (he told me the screws wouldn't rust as they were stainless steel) my piece of plain white linen was transformed in to a patterned fabric.

Stainless steel will rust!

I like the almost Shibori effect, which was achieved by wrapping wire and string around the screws. And since I don't really have the facilities, or space at home, to do indigo dyeing, rust dyeing may well satisfy my need to personalise cloth before it is sewn into, until I find another local indigo dyeing workshop. I'm going to play around with other acidic solutions, maybe by using white vinegar or lemon juice instead of red wine vinegar, it would also be interesting to see how the technique works on different fabrics such as silk or netting. Substituting steel or iron for copper could also be interesting–perhaps the result would be a verdigris effect?

A little bit of shisha work
to brighten the fabric. 

I love this impression left by a screw head.

I've added a few shisha mirrors, for a bit of sparkle. I hope that by embroidering around them with white threads, this piece might just find its way into my white quilt, if not, I'm sure I'll find a use for it elsewhere.

Elizabeth,
x.

* I think this would be a perfect way to keep kids entertained during the holidays, there are no dangerous chemicals, it's fun, and best of all they see science taking place before their very eyes!

Lucky me!

Apart from crawling from one shady spot to the next, the last week has been spent, slowly working on my white quilt. All the hexagons are sewn together, and I've almost finished the 'barnacle' block which I'm outlining with strips of folded fabric to form ruffles around the main cluster of barnacles.

The ruffles make this barnacle
look almost rose like.

The EPP is complete.

I've made a start on another block: this one features kantha embroidery, and the tiniest bit of mola reverse applique – just a central velvet circle, surrounded by a larger silk circle, which sits on a raw edge linen circle (it's quite gauzy, so conveys the translucence I'm after). The subject is a couple of dandelion seed heads. So far, I've partially completed the first seed head, and I'm really trying to resist the urge to include some pale green for the stem – this is after all, meant to be a white quilt! I couldn't resist adding a halo of tiny gold beads however, so perhaps that's enough deviation from the main colour theme?

A nearly dandelion, and, patches
ready for sewing together.

Cutting the squares and rectangles that will form the main patchwork is taking much longer than I thought it would – there are so many of them – next time, I'll make bigger patches! But a totally unexpected, and very generous gift, from Kate, has got me itching to put my rotary cutter to work. Kate gave me a super pile of unwanted antique linens, including this gorgeous baby dress. Part of me thinks it's a crime to cut them up, but if the alternative, is for them to never see the light of day, then surely it's better they are used, rather than hidden in a stash box?

So pretty!

Look at the detail,
all done by hand too!

As if all this beautiful linen wasn't enough, Kate also gave me this fabulous indigo dyed fabric! I'm not yet absolutely sure what to do with it, but there's certainly enough to make a very striking pair of ceiling to floor curtains.

Now my friend may have a fabric stash to rival that of Liberty's, but this really is quite generous, don't you think? In fact, if it wasn't for the weather, I could almost believe it's Christmas.

Elizabeth,
x.