FNWFs April

 A new month means a new RSC colour and that means yellow. So my first hour on Friday afternoon was spent on my Stitch Journal. Circles this month and Fridays circle is the one top right.

I will show you some close ups from last month later in this post.

While stitching I was watching a tutorial about making a zig zag sketchbook from one sheet of paper, easy peasy! So of course I had to have a go. I didn't take any pictures of work in progress but basically what you do is make lots of folds in the large sheet of paper then add some random paint and or script. I went for spirals. Then once dry you make 3 cuts and then fold to make your zig zig book. At three points you get some awkward folds but we were shown how to turn these into pockets and windows before adding the outer covers. So if you are still with me, here is my finished book. I rummaged around and found some spiral printed paper in my stash which was appropriate.

A pocket

and a window

The idea is that you have eliminated 'white page syndrome' and can work into the pages with sketches or collage over anything you don't like. Those splotches were not what I had intended - one side of my paper is very absorbent and instead of being able to swirl that paint around it just soaked in!

Anyway, once I get a larger sheet of paper I shall be repeating this and it was quick, easy and fun.

Next up was my second RSC project and I started on the little embroidery from Jennifer. I got the log cabin strips cut earlier in the week so am all set to go once I finish the embroidery.

And that was my Friday - many thanks to Cheryll for hosting us. Pop over to her blog to see who else took part.

Also this week, a new pair of socks on my needles

and I do love this West Yorkshire Spinners Rum Paradise sock yarn.

Also, as promised some closeups of my March Stitch Journal page now that it has been pressed.

It has been a lovely sunny, if very windy, day here as storm Kathleen passed us by - lets hope she has not done too much damage in the rest of the country.

Have a good week everyone.

Friday Night with Friends, June

 June already and summer is here. Well at least it feels like summer as the sun has been shining and it has been several weeks since we had any rain.

Good to join in with Cheryll and friends again for FNwFs - pop over to Cheryll's blog here to see who else took part. Thank you Cheryll.

I spent an hour in the afternoon working on my Boro panel which I have started embroidering onto. I finished adding the twigs to my tree and started adding in some blossom.

There will be leaves added and possibly more twigs as I go along. The plan is to fill the rest of the panel with lots of flowers but I can see that I could be some time working on this tree!

Earlier in the week I needed something simple to work on during a zoom chat and wanted to start on my RSC hearts. However, Angela's suggestion of dark and bright blues I have already made this year so I decided to go for red. In the end she suggested adding in some green for teal but I will do that when the red month comes along! Anyway Friday evening saw me watching T20 cricket - Somerset are doing brilliantly so far this year - and sewing down the second heart. So here they both are.

Nice to have these done early on in the month and I can press on with a few other projects - I may just have been led down the garden path to another new project!! More next time.

Have a great weekend.

What have I been doing?

 It is good to get to the end of the week and have several projects to share with you now that Red Manor House is out of the way.

First up my swap hexies for the month.

It seems that I am seriously short of red fabrics so I shall have to do a bit of shopping before red comes around for RSC.

My quilt group are making Linus quilts at the moment and I remembered some blocks that I made from a jelly roll some years ago and hadn't used. Some were squares and some had been cut into triangles ready to machine back into squares so that was my first job.

Two nice post trimming piles are always very satisfying!

Here are all the blocks after machining together.

I need to source some suitable backing fabric now.

In the evenings it has been good to get back to some Field Journal embroidery. These were completed this week - already for making up into hexagons.

I have a large stash of knitting wool lurking under the bed so I thought a new jumper for next winter would be in order. I like knitting for mindless handwork whilst watching TV. Here is my start.

It is my first time using a circular needle - treated myself to some of those lovely Symphony ones - and am finding them easy to use. Also my first attempt at a knitted folded hem and I am very pleased with how that has turned out. Now to add in some more colours.

Very changeable weather here but we have been able to get some garden time this week despite the horrendous deluge we had earlier in the week.

Heres hoping for a nice weekend - for me and for you.

FNSI December

 

Our last Friday Night get together for 2020, many thanks to Wendy for organising us and I understand there are changes afoot for 2021! Pop over to Wendy's blog here to see who else took part and links to their blogs.

So, what should I work on? Which of my WIP's shall I pull out for the evening? Hmmm, I know! I'll start something new! Well, when in doubt......

As it happens a new Hatched and Patched newsletter dropped into my inbox this week including this delightful freebie by Anni Downs.

How appropriate. I soon had it traced out and after basting a few more leaves for my tablecloth (pennance! but they should be the last ones) I got out my thread boxes and started stitching.

Not a huge amount done but I am blaming that on distracting TV!

No idea what I shall do with it yet but I shall enjoy getting it stitched up.

In other news, quilting of the Irish Chain on my Red Manor House continues. The weather has been up and down - wet again today. We are allowed out again without completeing a form to say why we are out - but this has been replaced by an 8pm -6am curfew. Doesnt affect us as we rarely go out at night. Pubs and restaurants remain closed.

Well, on that gloomy note, I hope you all have a good week!

Friday Night with Friends

Many thanks Cheryll for inviting us to share the evening with you again - to find the links to everyone who took part go here

After a couple of grey, damp days we had a lovely sunny afternoon so spent some time in the garden cutting back and tidying - there is always something to do!

So in the evening I got down to some serious stitching and worked on this small piece of embroidery using hand dyed threads and shibori fabric.

The design comes from this lovely little book which is full of useful motifs and ideas for small gift projects.

Cheryll made a very smart heat pad for her kitchen - I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else was working on,

Have a great weekend.

FNSI May

Yesterday was Friday Night Sew In - many thanks to Wendy for hosting us. You can see what everyone got up to here

A few weeks ago I came across Jennifer Clouston's Boro Inspired Sewing Caddy and I immediately thought of my solar dyed fabrics from a couple of years ago.

I pulled out my box of fabrics and had lots of fun choosing the fabrics for the outside of the caddy, working the little embroideries and then 'boroing' it all together. Sorry - no work in progress pics! On Friday afternoon I was able to sew the drawstring bag into position and add the ribbons. So here it is.

The yellow side - fabrics dyed with rosemary, walnut husks and onion skins.

The blue side - fabrics dyed with black bean soaking water, morning glory flowers and elderberries.

The inside

I still need to find a suitable cord to cover and then attach around the outer edge of the bag - it also makes the loop for a button closure. So far everything was from stash but I think I am going to have to go out and buy some suitable cord. I love this little bag and - it goes beautifully with the log cabin pincushion I made last year which sits very neatly inside the drawstring bag.

I have also recently acquired a copy of Anni Downs 'A Gardeners Journal' and have been looking forward to starting on one of the embroideries. I am not planning on making the quilt but the designs will make super minis for gifts - and me! I decided to start with the Dovecote and here is how much progress I made yesterday.

The sun has been shining here for the last few days which has made a pleasant change - last weekend was awful! So I am off outside with my embroidery - hope you have a great weekend.

A small finish

This lovely Liberty tissue case has lived in my handbag for more years than I care to remember!

And, as you can see, the corners are now very much the worse for wear! So I decided that it was time for me to make a new one. If you follow me on IG you will have seen work in progress on this piece of embroidery.

I thought you might be interested to see where the design comes from and how I transfered it to my piece of fabric.
I have a few of these 'rubbing blocks' which I bought some years ago from Art Van Go. Some of the designs are not to my taste but this particular block has been well worth the purchase.

 Tricky to photograph as it reflects but you should get the idea. It is about 6" square.

I stuck the block to my work surface with some blu tack and then sellotaped my fabric over it.

I then used one of my Markal oil sticks to make a rubbing.

I chose a pretty pearly pink which would glint through my stitching and anywhere else it happened to catch.

The fabric needs to be left for 24 hours and then is ironed, covered with a piece of baking parchment, with a hot iron. The oil is now set and you can get on with your embroidery. I used mainly chain stitch variations with some fly and feather stitches too.

And here is my finished tissue case.

I worked this piece of embroidery for a small bag some years ago using the same method.

Linking up with Super Mom No Cape and her Stitchery Link Party.

Now what are these doing flowering so early - they should not be in flower until May!

Have a great week everyone.

Christmas Through the Year update

Linking up with Anthea at Hibiscus Stitches for CTTY again

I am pleased to say that my Gardener Girl is complete and has been put away safely until Christmas. Here she is.

A close up of the embroidery.

I enjoyed working on this design which came from Lilipopo

Also linking up with Super Mom no Cape Stitchery Link Party.

Back tomorrow with some EPP - see you soon

Also linking up with Needlework Tuesday at Books and Quilts - thank you Heather. 

FNwF August!

August! Already!
Well, here we are again and it was the first Friday of the month so it was Friday Night with Friends - linking up with Cheryll and all those lovely people who joined in last night.

Thank you Cheryll for getting us altogether again.

Most of my Friday was spent painting the walls in my kitchen - good to have it looking fresh and clean again. So I was very happy to spend Friday evening turning this pretty Jenny of Elefantz embroidery

into this mini quilt top

The buttons are not stitched down yet - they will form part of the quilting. So next job is to put a line of quilting around the inside of the frame and to stitch down the buttons.

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It has been good to join in with another postcard swap - thank you very much Sheila for organising this swap.

Here is the super card that I received from Mary

I love the colour combination, beautiful turquoise.

This is the card I sent to Mary.

It's warming up again here after a couple of cooler days - which we needed.

Happy Sunday.