Portrait Class

I am enjoying this portrait class with Suzie Vikery.  The idea is not to over think the process, just look for the essence not the detail.

This is my progress to day 3.

The diary cover is finished

I do a cover for my diary every year and have quite a collection.  This year I decided to just use scraps.  All those old 'tryouts' from my Kogin stitching are hanging around.  I was going to use these for covers for the diaries I bought for my friends but just wrapped up the diaries instead.

But I did make one for myself.

I left the year off this one in case I am unable to stitch much in 2025. ( I didn't get away from that cancer treatment scott free I'm afraid.  It has really effected my right wrist.). But, I did have fun going through those scraps.  I found lots of treasure there.

 

WIPW

So we are 4 days into advent and although I thought  I was organised I am deep in stitching my Xmas presents and challenge pieces for the three stitching groups to which I belong.

Each group has a system where instead of making presents for everyone, which I still sometimes do, you go into a draw and just make one present.  That is still 3 items to be completed and there are those other presents to do as well.

For my cottage quilting group the challenge was to use spots, stripes and I think checks.  The person who's name we pulled out of the hat was to tell us what they wanted.  My person said "just make anything you would like".  (Very helpful!!). As I bought a bundle of diaries for 2025 I decided on a book cover.   (There are 6 or 7 under construction.)

I did have a false start because I forgot to look at list of favourite fabrics each person liked.  I started with brights when in fact she likes pastels.  (The bright one will be for someone else.)

I was going to embroider her name on the cover but decided to stitch a small portrait instead. 

I like this book cover and if she doesn't like it the printed cover of the dairy is very pretty anyway.

Back to work.

New Bag

I am almost finished my new knitting bag.  I started it some time ago but sat down and got it done.  There have been some major set backs.  My 720 machine is still in for service, (they say I am progressing up the list but it will still be a few weeks before it is finished), so I am sewing on the old 1260.  This doesn't allow the same level of control, and the arthritis in my right wrist means I make mistakes more often.

But I am keeping at it.  I am questioning just what to do about this mistake.  I don't have any cotton of the same colour left so I thought I might just put a charm over it to cover it up. But which one?

I think the Easter bunny will win.

The cat button I bought in France a number of years ago and I think this will cover the closing cord nicely.

After getting carried away with the embroidery stitching the square into a bag my wrist gave out all together for a while.

I started with the deep green to join the edges, which looked bland so I added up and down feather stitch to make flowers, which then needed buds, then shading and finally beads.  I stopped here as my wrist said "that's it, no more!"

I really don't care if it hurts, I love stitching.  I just shouldn't sit for extended amounts of time,  short bursts would be better.  So just the closing cord to go.. 

 

 

WIPW

The next embroidery is all ready to go.  This is a traditional style of stitching from Norway.  It is very like Japanese Kogin but stitched with wool on linen.  I have stitched a sample bookmark using the Japanese technique, i.e. starting in the middle of the fabric and thread.  This time I am going to trial the Norwegian method, starting at the top left hand corner and the end of the thread.  It is on 40 count linen so I think I will need to use a a magnifier.

I am also using up 'orphan blocks' for CQ 4.  I have another row of 5" blocks to go around the edge and perhaps another red border or perhaps just red binding.

I have 'fudged' some of the measurements to fit the blocks together but I think once it is quilted this will not be too noticeable.

 

Cornish Coast Embroidery

This piece of embroidery is about so much more than the actual embroidery. 

It was sent to me in friendship from the other side of the world and arrived when I wasn't sure if I would live or die at the time of my cancer treatment.  The cancer has awaken my auto immune system complaint and a number of those illnesses have been inflamed.  The worst is Rheumatoid arthritis, which has severely impacted my ability to stitch.  I thought I might never stitch again.  But this gift has  brought hope, moral support and the recognition that there are angels here on earth.  What is that old saying?  "Friends are angels who hold us up when we have forgotten how the fly" or something like that.

It gave me the motivation to keep stitching, and this has been the one great love of my life from childhood.  When the parcel arrived I knew I had to stitch it no matter the pain.  It has taken more time than I would normally take before this and I do not have the same fine motor skills I used to have but I have accepted that and kept stitching.   Now the piece it is finished and there are some stitches that are not as perfect as they would have been but I can't actually see them.  (Maybe my eyes are going as well!)

I laced a mounting board with a wool batting and then pinned the embroidery over this.

I left this to "settle" over night and then laced the embroidery onto the board.  I then mounted this in a shadow frame.  (The sun is so bright I can't stop the reflections.)

It is ready to hang on the wall.  And everyday I will look at it know I am blessed.

Thank you Marion. xxx

(Postscript:  I went to mount the lovely card she sent me on the back and found an Email address.  Boy am I unobservant!!)

Still Struggling with Technology and a Surprise Gift

I am determined to get to grips with this technology issue.  (Says she gritting her teeth and pulling out her hair!)

I was all set to buy a new desktop but then Mr Apple wouldn't let me into my Email account and on top of that said I had security issues because I was trying too many ways to get in.  So I have put my $3,000 back in my bank account and am going to learn how to use this laptop properly.

I have had some wins, but I am still behind.  I managed to link this machine to the printer, download a new browser and attach an external hard drive, air drop a photo, (which I can't open), they were big wins.  Next I have to transfer everything over from the old desk top.  Hope I survive that!

And then in the midst of all this chaos a parcel arrived in the post from my friend Marion in the UK.  It was a lovely embroidery kit .

 

I already have it set up in my hoop ready to start stitching.  I find stabbing easier than scooping when stitching these days, hence the hoop.  This isn't something that I would have bought myself but I just love it.  Thank you Marion.  (This will now be part of my WIPW.)

I spent the morning with the scrap material and and thinking, "should I continue with this, or should I put it all in the bin?" The constant cutting is aggravating my wrist problem but then again it is starting to take some shape. Maybe just a bit each day.

The mess is getting to me but I don't want to waste the fabric.  Then again if I put it into the bin I can concentrate on other things?

Decisions, decisions.

Some more on those "Envelope Bags"

As I embark on the third of my envelope bags I thought I would do a bit of research about them.  I first saw them in India when I travelling but also remembered I had seen them years ago in Afganistan, (back before the wars when you could catch a bus in Rome that took you to India.  The young men who ran the bus then started Flightcentre.) And I seem to remember seeing some on display at the V&A.

I found this article in Piecework Magazine  about dowry bags.  There are some interesting stitches used and I love the tassels.

And then there was a "Dowry Purse".

And there are any number on the auction sites.

All these images come from the Indian region and I could find nothing much from Western culture but perhaps the "clutch purse" is a descendant of this original design?

Then to top it off I found some examples from Japan.  (They look rather modern to me.)

Computer problems

I am having trouble switching over from my old desk-top computer to my new Laptop.  In fact I'm trying to work between the two at the moment and my google Email account is giving me grief, as is my Apple Email and nearly every other thing on the computers.  Added to this is the fact that I am not thinking straight or logically which is just complicating everything.

I'm sorry if I haven't replied to your comments.  I know the comments are there but I just can't find them.  I will work this out, eventually!!

WIPW

I find that my cancer treatment has had lots of unwanted side effects.  My slow brain and the pain in my hands and feet being the worst.  So, I just do what I can do.  I'm not happy with it but I can't change things.  Mr Doctor says it may improve with times, I can only hope.

So I doggardly keep sewing, just a bit everyday and I have now finished my second roll.

I could have choosen something easier than gold thread but I wouldn't have got the same effect.

Sewing with that thread on the machine was even worse than sewing with a needle, so I settled for a rayon thread for the edge.

I did however manage a neat ladder stitch when I  joined the sides.

I want to make a smaller version in floral fabric to hold my sewing kit.