I have visited Craft Arena again this weekend, because I was using a copper metallic thread on my book cover which kept breaking, so,I just had to get the Hemingworth copper thread!

As you can see by the photo, the salt falls off as you F.M.S.(free machine stitching) and it gets a lovely distressed metal look.

The cover is completed now, for the time being. When I have put all my samples and bits in it, I will bind it properly on my Zutter Bind-It machine. I printed an image of the

mask onto shrink plastic to make the

button and it is tied with machine

wrapped cords.

I have also been busy getting ready for the topic in class next
week- Gingerbread man. I have made gingerbread scented

play dough, gingerbread biscuit dough so the children can make

and decorate gingerbread men tomorrow, a gingerbread house

that the children will decorate with sweets on Wednesday and

a counting game that I can also use at number time with a rhyme.

I haven't done much stitching at work on my 'Wild Woman,'

as yet again we have had staff shortages and one of our three year old's who is now going to be staying at school full-time is a diabetic, so every lunch hour the diabetic nurse has been in to give us training, so that we can administer her insulin.

Also, it is that time of year when I have to start my Christmas shopping ( I would rather have been at home stitching!) and I spent hours trudging round Basildon TRYING to find the right present for friends and family. I am NOT going out next Sunday, I going to stay at home and stitch!!!!!!

Reports finished!!!!!

At last I can go back to playing with paints, fabric and thread, though I must admit I have been slipping into my room for about half an hour each evening just to have some ' me' time.

I managed to make another medalion for the dangly thing for FEST, I am pleased with this one, at last!

This WAS the book covers I was making, (ala Maggie Grey) but after stitching Sutton Hoo in bands across the front in copper, I realised it didn't show up enough. I attacked it with copper spray paint and then, using the mask as my idea source I sliced the covers up and stitched onto net using F.M.S. Cut out voids with my soldering iron. I have now coloured some craft vilene with black paint. Even though a lot of salt fell off with the F.M.S. it still has the look of something rusting away, especially as the ink underneath stops the copper from being a flat colour. I shall be adding more stitching and maybe some beads. I am going to work on this idea to make a vessel over my Christmas holidays.

Stitching

Just had to pop to Craft Arena again today, as I wanted some pewter thread ( I bought the silver last week) , I love the Hemingworth metalic threads as they stitch well and do not break when stitching. I was hoping the pewter would show up better on my fabric motifs.






Another 'Wild Women' being stitched in my teabreaks at work, I have not had as much time this week on it, (staff shortages) hopefully I shall finsh it next week.








I have had some time for stitching today as I find it easier to sew in natural light, the reports can wait! I have taken the design from the silver bowls found at Sutton Hoo. The colours look like gold when it is in fact silver!
The flower on this one sample, is stitched in lame and cut out with a soldering iron. the textured circle is made from metal which I have embossed the pattern and stitched in place. Stitched with silver Maderia, the air was a bit blue as the thread kept breaking.



On this sample, I embossed the flower motif and stitched in place, drew the circle border onto stitch 'n' tear, put a silver sheer under and stitched before removing excess fabric with the soldering iron again. I feel happier with this one.








This sample was made by drawing the flower motif onto the solusheet I had bought this morning, f.m.s. The border was a stitch pattern on my Bernina machine and I used the drawing pin and masking tape method to keep it circular. Beads stitched at the base of each scallop. Stitched in pewter Hemingworth thread. I like this one too!

School reports

Sorry no stitching so far this week as I am writing my school reports, I can't wait to get back to my play room!

Terry Fox

Terry Fox was our speaker at our Embroiderer's Guild meeting tonight, what a talented lady! We had a very entertaining and informative talk on the construction of haute couture corsets, the embellishments on these garments can take up to a week, using vintage jewellery and crystals. Terry trained with Zandra Rhodes and the Emmanuel's and now has a shop in Bury making one off corsets, wedding dresses, glamorous dresses, bags and other beautiful items. At the end of the talk we were able to handle the corsets and ask yet more questions. Next month our talk is by Sue Cranwell a member of Fibrefusion

I popped to Craft Arena today to get the latest Cloth paper scissors, I also needed some silver beads, fabric and a reel of Hemingworth thread also in silver. This is to do some more experimenting for the 'dangly bits' I have GOT to make by 6th December the next FEST day. I must pull my finger out and produce something worthwhile, as I have not been happy with my efforts so far, hence- no photo's YET!!

We have to produce an A5 sketchbook as well, so I have also coloured some pages (managed to knock the jar of spent dye over in the process, and flooded my extension lead!) and I am using the Maggie Grey technique for the covers-I just love the texture and colours you get. I can't wait to see what they will look like when they are dry.

Dyeing workshop

Today has been spent at North Fambridge being 'Gofer' for Margaret and Debbie who were running the workshop. Our ladies learnt how to do plastic bag dyeing on calico, linen etc.

Debbie demonstrating how to use the dye powders safely!

While that was maturing they then went onto transfer dyeing so that in the afternoon they could start to make a book. Craft vilene was used for the cover and the pages were coloured with Brusho.

Folded and tie dyeing either with buttons or thread with a different range of colours was the next lesson after lunch, then onto stitching the book cover.

Nickie who was also a 'Gofer', made rock cakes for our afternoon cup of tea.
There were a lot of oohs as the dyed fabrics were washed out and they were able to see their unique fabrics. The spent dyes were decanted into jam jars so that it can be used by them at a later date for colouring papers or sketchbooks.

Schoolhouse Arts workshop

Tomorrow we are holding a dyeing workshop at Schoolhouse Arts, Fambridge. Deb popped round in the week to collect all the large bottles I had managed to save for her to make up the salt and soda solutions to save time in the morning.

Last night I didn't get any stitching done as I was in charge of making the mulled wine for the Little Stars baby and toddler group that my daughter and her friend run. I made 5 large pans!!!!!

There is a really lovely atmosphere at this event and they raised a nice sum of money to buy more equipment for the group. I donated 'Daisy' a sock monkey and she sold very quickly, so I will have to make some more in the school holiday for their next fund raiser. (I would have given 'Freckles' if I had realised how popular they were)

Next week I have to start writing my school reports ughhh!!!! more time not being creative!

Wild Woman and Travel Log

I have been busy the last couple of night's partying! Friday night was an early Christmas Do for work, had a great time, but not in until one a.m., and last night my friend held a Pink Night Disco for breast cancer, she raised nearly £700. Today, I have been feeling quite sluggish (not helped by having to get up at 3.15 Friday morning, as my daughter had to be at school for 4.30 a.m. for a school trip to Belgium) I had intended to get on with trying to do some design work for my Sutton Hoo project once I had completed my work for school, instead I finished tweaking the Travel Log for the Schoolhouse Arts workshop and put the last few beads on my Wild Woman. I think that I shall be making some more of these, as they are easy to stitch in my tea breaks. This one is going to be a raffle prize in a Christmas shopping night on Thursday in our village. My daughter and her friend set this group up 3 years ago and do it voluntarily, they both work very hard to make the group a success .This also means that I not be stitching on Thursday, as I shall be making Mulled Wine instead for the shoppers.

W.I.P.'s

I have to show you the photo's of my pieces a la Maggie Grey. The colours and texture are wonderful, it could be lichen! The photo's don't so it justice. It was just like using Brusho for the first time- that WOW! factor. Thank you Maggie. I can't do anything on this tonight as it is still drying.

I have managed to get a few more beads sewn on to my Wild Women at work today, I wish that I had made her in pink, as on Saturday I am going to a Pink Party in aid of Breast Cancer and I need something pink to wear.

In a rush

Just a few lines tonight as I am in a rush to get back to playing. I have started Maggie's lessons and I am now ready to get out the gesso. I have also sewn a few more beads on my Wild Women and drawn ready a motif for stitching in sheers on the machine. Photos soon I hope!

On Friday my daughter number 2 got her costume ready for Halloween, we bought a cheap pair of wings that she painted black, we found some spooky tights in the factory shop, and a cheap dress from Primark that to distress with my soldering iron. She wouldn't wear a coat to go Trick or Treating as it would have spoilt her outfit. Why don't the youngsters feel the cold?

Grandson number 1 came T and T to our house, so I had to do the doting Nany bit and take a photo.

Yesterday I had to do some babysitting for my daughter number 1, so she could take Grandson number 1 to the fireworks, so after finishing some schoolwork(ready for Monday) I started my Wild Woman, it was lovely to sit in front of the television(a very rare thing to do) and sew beads randomly onto vilene. I shall be doing some more on this in my tea breaks at work.
Today we went to Sutton Hoo to do some more research in readiness to start making something???? for F.E.S.T. We met up with Nickie and her man.My head is buzzing with ideas but, will they work? When will I get time to be able to start playing? Which idea first?

My daughter caught Nickie on camera eating AGAIN!!!!!