Wednesday, 24 October 2012
French Toast Envy
Monday, 22 October 2012
Article Written - Tick
Phew. I have finally completed an article for The Quilter magazine following my trip to Japan (one of the conditions of receiving the bursary from the Quilters' Guild). It was so difficult to sum up the Japanese Textile Study Tour into a few words and pictures but still get across the wonderful experience that it was. I hope I have managed it. Of course I can't copy the article here but I will let you know when/if it is to be published. I titled it "Studying at The Bext Exotic Indigo Hotel", I wonder whether QGBI will use my title. I did enjoy revisiting the Tour and now I am going to create a photo album for myself. It's wonderful to have hundreds of photographs on my computer or in a cloud or whatever but I don't think you can beat having an album of printed pictures that can be enjoyed easily and without electricity and cables!
Here's a picture that I haven't shared before. It's from the Amuse Museum in Asakusa and shows tattsuke, underwear for women that covers the legs. The tattsuke is made of layers of old cotton textiles and then embroidered with sashiko stitches in a design only recorded in the Nanbu district of the Aomori prefecture in Japan.
Here's a picture that I haven't shared before. It's from the Amuse Museum in Asakusa and shows tattsuke, underwear for women that covers the legs. The tattsuke is made of layers of old cotton textiles and then embroidered with sashiko stitches in a design only recorded in the Nanbu district of the Aomori prefecture in Japan.
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Spurn Point Book
I'm sure you will remember me posting about Alice Fox and her time as artist in residence at the light house at Spurn Point.
Alice has published an 80-page book based on her time at Spurn. "Textures of Spurn" is full of thoughts and observations (and not in an arty farty way, I'm sure you know what I mean), and wonderful photographs of Spurn Point and Alice's work. My copy arrived yesterday and I've read it from cover to cover and will now read it again, more slowly this time and I can't wait to get to the beach and try out some experiments with cloth. Alice has copies of the book available on Etsy so I told her I would share the link:
I would highly recommend Alice's book to anyone interested in textiles and especially in natural dyeing and experimentation.
Alice has published an 80-page book based on her time at Spurn. "Textures of Spurn" is full of thoughts and observations (and not in an arty farty way, I'm sure you know what I mean), and wonderful photographs of Spurn Point and Alice's work. My copy arrived yesterday and I've read it from cover to cover and will now read it again, more slowly this time and I can't wait to get to the beach and try out some experiments with cloth. Alice has copies of the book available on Etsy so I told her I would share the link:
I would highly recommend Alice's book to anyone interested in textiles and especially in natural dyeing and experimentation.
Sunday, 14 October 2012
More Celtic Knots
Today it is pouring with rain and a chilly 5C, but not as bad as in Australia where they are experiencing heavy snow fall :-(
I have just had a lovely lunch with DSil, DDil and DGS Wills and am now preparing more Celtic knots ready for lots of hand sewing at Country Roads Quilters on Tuesday. These will be corner blocks for David and Jessica's quilt. This time I used ready made bias tape.
I ironed the tape onto a silicon sheet first, then peeled it off and transferred it to the fabric, clever eh?
All my unders and overs are correct this time but I will need to ease some of those tight curves as I stitch the tape down. Off to find a matching reel of Aurifil!
A little "feel good" story that I forgot to post about a few weeks ago:
I was in the LQS with DD and DGS Sam and there were a couple of teenage boys there, trailing around with grandparents (it was the school holiday). Saz overheard the conversation that went like this:
Boy 1: Oh it's a quilting shop, I've got one of those.
Boy 2: Unintelligible grunt.
Boy 1: Mum made it for me, there's love in every stitch.
Aww, bless him :-)
I have just had a lovely lunch with DSil, DDil and DGS Wills and am now preparing more Celtic knots ready for lots of hand sewing at Country Roads Quilters on Tuesday. These will be corner blocks for David and Jessica's quilt. This time I used ready made bias tape.
A little "feel good" story that I forgot to post about a few weeks ago:
I was in the LQS with DD and DGS Sam and there were a couple of teenage boys there, trailing around with grandparents (it was the school holiday). Saz overheard the conversation that went like this:
Boy 1: Oh it's a quilting shop, I've got one of those.
Boy 2: Unintelligible grunt.
Boy 1: Mum made it for me, there's love in every stitch.
Aww, bless him :-)
Saturday, 13 October 2012
Making Bias Tape
I've had great fun today making bias tape with a little quilting gadget that really works. I've got the Fusible Bias Tape Maker from Clover, it folds the tape and lines up the fusible tape and I just had to iron it as I pulled it out of the little maker thingy. Very impressive.
I then set out the tape into the Celtic Lovers' Knot that will be in the central medallion of the quilt I am making for David and Jessica. It will need a little checking before I iron and then stitch it down as some of my overs should be unders and vice versa. I'm glad to have made a start on the wedding quilt and to know approximately where I'm going with it.
Today is a very chilly day, I have the fire burning and have been enjoying lots of lovely mugs of hot chocolate while I've been working, it's most definitely Autumn here in Lincolnshire. Have a good weekend whatever you are doing :-)
Today is a very chilly day, I have the fire burning and have been enjoying lots of lovely mugs of hot chocolate while I've been working, it's most definitely Autumn here in Lincolnshire. Have a good weekend whatever you are doing :-)
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
Saturday, 6 October 2012
Bias Tape on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLAloH2Q5jc&feature=colike
Trish kindly sent me a link to this good video on creating and using bias tape - just what I need for the True Lovers' Knot on the wedding quilt. I'm sharing the link here as I'm sure other people will be interested and also because it will be easier for me to find it again! Thanks Trish.
Trish kindly sent me a link to this good video on creating and using bias tape - just what I need for the True Lovers' Knot on the wedding quilt. I'm sharing the link here as I'm sure other people will be interested and also because it will be easier for me to find it again! Thanks Trish.
Thursday, 4 October 2012
A Surprise Day Out
I know my daughter is wonderful but today she exceeded herself.
I was planning to go and see her for the day and this would usually mean a shopping jolly and probably lunch out. I received a text message to wear "sensibleish shoes" as she thought it would be nice to get a bit of fresh air - it was a gorgeous Autumn day (even though it was only 7C first thing this morning). Anyway, after a nice cup of tea we headed off in an unusual direction, towards Newark. She said she hoped she could find where she was taking me, if not we'd just enjoy the drive.
In a tiny village she found what she was looking for - and nearly had me in floods of tears - a Japanese garden. I was overwhelmed, a Japanese garden in rural Nottinghamshire? She wouldn't tell me how she discovered it, I don't suppose she just Googled "Japanese gardens near my house".
What a treat it was. We had the garden to ourselves for a while and enjoyed the peace and quiet, the sound of the water, the birdsong. The Autumn colours in the garden were magical and we spent a long time sitting and chatting in one of the viewing points, bliss. And I just happened to be wearing one of my Fujino indigo scarves.
I didn't have my camera with me but took a few pictures on my phone, as did Saz, and so here they are, and here's the Pure Land website in case you are ever fortunate enough to find yourself in the area. We will certainly be returning, we fancy a "lantern lit" evening walk.
I was planning to go and see her for the day and this would usually mean a shopping jolly and probably lunch out. I received a text message to wear "sensibleish shoes" as she thought it would be nice to get a bit of fresh air - it was a gorgeous Autumn day (even though it was only 7C first thing this morning). Anyway, after a nice cup of tea we headed off in an unusual direction, towards Newark. She said she hoped she could find where she was taking me, if not we'd just enjoy the drive.
In a tiny village she found what she was looking for - and nearly had me in floods of tears - a Japanese garden. I was overwhelmed, a Japanese garden in rural Nottinghamshire? She wouldn't tell me how she discovered it, I don't suppose she just Googled "Japanese gardens near my house".
What a treat it was. We had the garden to ourselves for a while and enjoyed the peace and quiet, the sound of the water, the birdsong. The Autumn colours in the garden were magical and we spent a long time sitting and chatting in one of the viewing points, bliss. And I just happened to be wearing one of my Fujino indigo scarves.
I didn't have my camera with me but took a few pictures on my phone, as did Saz, and so here they are, and here's the Pure Land website in case you are ever fortunate enough to find yourself in the area. We will certainly be returning, we fancy a "lantern lit" evening walk.
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
Wedding Quilt Fabrics
After a lot of indecision and moving around of fabric bolts at Doughty's Roadshow in Horncastle on Saturday and a little dalliance with batiks, I came away with these fabrics for THE quilt. Now to work on the design.
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