Sky

This is a small part of a landscape that I am currently working on. The challenge at Sleaford Embroiderers this year is 'on the waterfront'. Each member is to make a piece the same size, same title but we can interpret in any way. Use any techniques. I got out my embellisher and had a play. These waterfront pieces will be on display at the exhibition in September.

David Drummond

David Drummond of Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, 0131 539 7766 has been supplying machinery to me for years. They never let me down, if they say it will be delivered tomorrow, then it is. If they don't have it in stock, they say so. They are fantastic and if you don't have a local sewing machine dealer, then keep David in mind.

So Bernina clonked. I do abuse it and I know it should be serviced more often. But I always need it. Anyway DD have a system where they will send a courier to collect the machines, repair it and then deliver it back. No charge, it is covered in the cost of the service. So Bernie has gone for a little holiday and I have a new baby to play with. This time I bought the good old workhorse, the 1008. With any luck it won't clonk for a long time. I have already managed to break a needle. sigh.

I walked my legs off

I learned how to do needle weaving. You can't see the feet, but they are there, attached to the legs with their 'varicose veins'. You can see a better pic of the legs here http://tinyurl.com/6ac7e9

The fabric is my usual hand-dyed, I stencilled some leaves using Markal (Shiva) paintstick, then free machined a couple of leaves, the rest are woven. I would have fme'd more but my machine clonked and had to go to be serviced/repaired.

If you would like to see this piece in real life along with other stuff I have done and loads of fab embroideries, you can. Sleaford Embroiderers will be exhibiting in the roof gallery at The Hub in Sleaford http://www.thehubcentre.info/ from the 4th to the 14th September.

Lutradur landscape

Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend a one day workshop with Pam Watts, using Lutradur. We made landscapes but mine was absolute rubbish - I wasn't feeling brilliant but didn't want to miss the day. I threw it in the bin as soon as I got home.

I had another go using Pams idea, and made this piece. A little tweaking and I think it will do.

I transfer printed the lutradur, green on one side and blue on the other. Free machine stitched using the gorgeous Oliver Twist cotton threads. Where the lutradur has been distressed, a little of the blue shows through. I can recomend transfer printing, works very well on this cloth.

If you click on the photo you will get a closer look at the texture.

Grilon

I have been playing with Grilon thread this week ready for a workshop tomorrow in Lincoln. This was supposed to be a piece of bark but it looks more like a squashed spider in this pic.

The second one has a light coloured chain stitch running through the middle, didn't notice that when I was laying out the fibres.

This was going to be a mythical creature but it kinda reminds me of a road runner, so I will give it some nice long legs and call it "beep beep". I actually saw a road runner recently whilst driving through New Mexico, so this one can be a nice reminder of my fab holiday.

Weed 'n Feed

Proof that weed and feed works. He has been told to get another box and finish the job :)

Sheep hearts and angelina

Two sheep atc. The sheep parts were cut from lutradur using a soldering iron. There is a little texture too, but I covered most of that with the fme. The eyes are French knots (I can do those so gottta use them). Legs are tiny beads. My own hand dyed fabric and yes it is green!

Whilst I had the soldering iron out, I cut these little lime and purple pieces from some sheets of Angelina I made ages ago. The little heart beads are bronze, I have had them a while and occasionally admire and fondle them. Thought it was time to use some of my precious stash :) I have loads of scraps of my hand dyed fabric so used some to make the background, bit of bondaweb and some zig-zag stitch. I call this one 'hearts and angelina', because I love angels and the heart symbol and it amuses me to give grand names to tiny atcs.

Rachel finds the most incredible stuff and she gave me a very nice piece of crochet. Unfortunately I left it in the back of her car and Nicki texturised it. I salvaged some of these crocheted motifs and thought this one looked fine on another hand dyed scraps background, with a few beads (because it isn't done until it has beads on it)