Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Another Bookmark



I've been playing with my bobbin lace again. This is another bookmark to give away at our display later this year. This one is made up of a variety of threads and three different colours, not that that shows very clearly here. I have then threaded some ribbon through at the end. If anything, I have practiced some stitches, and emptied some bobbins, and I think someone somewhere will appreciate it. I might even keep it myself yet.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Counted Thread Experimentation


I have been slowly working on a band for the Counted Thread Band Sampler Round Robin that I am in. This is Mandy's sampler & before this sampler first arrived, I had ideas as to what I was going to do, then when it arrived I felt that what I had planned would not fit in well. It took me a while to get started & I am just letting the sampler tell me what it needs. The first thing was colour, somehow I needed to bring all the colours together. So I searched my threads and pulled out all the colours that were already in the sampler, then made a decision as to which ones I would use. I settled on a yellow, a hand dyed orange, and some greens. I felt these colours whould not only work together in a band, but help to reflect the colours already present elsewhere in the sampler. I haven't finished yet, I still need to work more eyelets, and then I think the band will tell me it still needs something else. Time will tell. I'll post a pic of the whole thing when my section is finished.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

A Lace Leaf Bookmark


I've been playing with some more bobbin lace. My local lace group are having a display at the library where we meet later this year and our fearless leader wants to give away bookmarks to all the children who show an interest. Nothing fancy mind you, all to be simple. E.... gave us this pattern for a gum leaf to work. I am soooooooooooo out of practice. I thought I would have a go anyway & see what I could do. Mmm............. still more practice obviously required. And before anyone comments, the large holes were meant to be there! I have never added in pairs before, and I had to think by myself how to start. The next one will definately be better.

Sewing Again


After making a wedding dress & three bridesmaids dresses last year, I have hardly turned my sewing machine on since. I've done some mending & added some fabric strips to embroidery pieces so they will fit in a hoop for hand stitching, but that is all. My sewing machine has been sitting under it's cover waiting patiently for me to feel in the mood again.
Yesterday morning I remembered that I had promised to make a little bag for the sewing group I belong to. Needless to say the meeting was on yesterday as well. Nothing like getting things done just in time. So just as the sun was comming up & before breakfast, I sat bleary eyed at my machine to produce this little bag. Nothing special, (it didn't have to be), but in under an hour I had something usefull for the group. The good thing is that it has got me on my machine again, hopefully the next item will be a little more creative than this