More power to the flower

Before I start rambling I have remembered to say a big thank you to everyone who leaves a comment on here. I can't reply to a lot of them that come to me via my 'social' inbox, I don't know why I can't reply, but please be assured that each one means a lot to me and I am really grateful to know that people actually read this blog!

So this has been on here numerous times....

 as has this.

 and this in the last post.

 But I just wanted to show the collection of 6 pieces I sent to The Gallery at the Wharf in Burscough on Sunday.

The one below is inspired by a photo of a pulsatilla I saw on Facebook . Its the most figurative thing I've done but I got the number of petals wrong so its not true to life!

This one I've called 'Clematis' as thats the nearest thing I can think of. It just came out of my head ..(and there's enough wool in there to make another as my dad used to say in relation to wood)

 I like the rich blue backgtound on this and who says 'blue and green should never be seen'?)

 And finally a more typical piece which I've named after the Blue Poppy in the last post. 

 You learn something with every piece you do and I found I love the teal thread on the limey lemon in the picture below.

So there we are. Flower Power on now until the end of August at The Gallery at the Wharf Burscough.

Fishy February

Where have I been since the last post? I don't really know. The time was once when I would photograph everything I did and blog about it but I suppose after 4 years the novelty has worn off.

 Its not that I haven't been doing anything . I've been busy-ish.

After the last post I made a brooch I absolutely love.

Its in my etsy shop but I don't know how I'll cope when it goes!

I've had my hair cut. Hetty's had her hair cut.

ermm..

I've read some books.

ermm...

I've been playing internet scrabble and winning some, but losing to a lovely lady called Patricia. I keep trying.

I have also been rather shocked by a 'scrabbler' who hoped I wanted to 'chat.' 

A young woman. 

I clicked ono her fb page where it says she is training in massage, and there were lots of photos of her wearing black, and some comments saying she was looking for middle aged ladies. 

Well I'm no longer middle aged and judging by the photos, she wasn't looking to sort out my sciatica or realign my chakras!

 I'd forfeit but I'm winning.

I've run out of all my making 'ingredients' at once so have had to buy new threads from Silken strands:

and new velvet which I have to dye.(urgh! Hate dyeing)  This time I bought it from 

Beckfords mill...cheaper carriage than Whaleys so for just one metre it was a better value.

New card for my labels from The paper mill shop

(Its white card..no pic needed)

And new brooch backs from Angela at The Bobbin Patch.

I recommend all these places for quick delivery and excellent service.

So for the moment I've had a lot going out and only a little coming in. Oh dear.

I've had a little play with some ideas for work for an exhibition in Summer.

I wanted to do 'collective nouns' so I started with ideas about a shoal of fish. Years ago I was a good drawer..but now I freeze up when I want something to be right.

I started some sketches in a little 'best sketchbook' but they weren't right. Then I went up to my sewing room and did some doodles on the back of a letter and they were more like it. This is all I've come up with for now. Just to see how it worked.

  From those I did some samples .

When I went to the felt group I made a piece with vaguely fishy shapes which I intend to stitch but I'm not liking the way its going. I think all will disappear into the background once stitched but I must give it a go.

I've also at last finished the final two pieces of the six I cut from a large piece of felt ages ago.

Here are the first four I made which I've already shown.

And these are the other two with details. I made the large motif separately ages ago.

And I've done a bit of gardening  weeding.

However, judging by the look of my front flowerbed which has sunk lower every year after substantial neglect and sporadic grass removal,  and is now a low lying clay sump full of water, I think the only way to go, as with my sewing, might be fish!

Holidays-sewing-food

Reading around the bloggisphere I often come across posts about holidays and have come to understand that the sensitive souls of the textile world love nothing better than to holiday in the wilder remote places far from the madding crowd.
So when a friend of mine alerted me to the fact that she has just made her Scottish House available for holiday lets I offered to share this information.

Here it is....

..on the Isle of Lewis no less.
I can't wait to get there but unfortunately can't for a while.
So at the risk of getting the place booked up I thought I'd show you and I'm sure some people out there will be booking their slot immediately.
I mean..Lewis.
Thats HARRIS and Lewis and you know what they make there don't you?
If you would like to see more visit their lovely website.



Jools is exhausted after his contribution to the world of blog.



I have been very uninspired lately but been fiddling around with more hearts and other shapes.
What do you think?




Yesterday, for my husbands birthday, we went to a place where they have a crafty way of making three slices of bread look stupendous...

Where they have portraits of vegetables on the walls,

and the food is superb.


5 of the 6 members of our party were fulsome in their praise.

My younger son enjoyed his food but he didn't rate the board it came on and asked for a plate, and his comments about the establishments attitude to itself are unprintable.

Mug giveaway closes on Wednesday night, click on the mugs at the top right, to take you to the post where you need to leave a comment to be included the draw.

Compilation

My 'Box of Delights'* is ready for off ..actually its gone..to The Platform gallery for Mirrorball their Christmas show.
It took a while to get into the swing of creating things but I feel quite happy with the overall package.


I love piles of things, boxes of stuff, rather like folded quilts.

They are all peeping out trying to get you to look at them.


Clamouring for attention.
Allow me to introduce a few.
Its great to be re-acquainting myself with my stash of Harris Tweed. This time I've added some felt shapes. (You may have seen one of these before)

As usual I've found that Harris Tweed has hidden depths and a piece I dismissed previously, because it didn't match my idea of HT, is now the love of my life.
Just look at the colours here.

There's another colourway but I don't have much of any of it sadly.
Just enough for a little purse or two and some hearts and circle brooches.

The round brooches take longer to make than you would imagine.
I tried them with big beads.

I especially like the blue ones.


The Autumn sun provided the light for these pictures.

I was doubtful it would be bright enough but I think the glow is perfect.


There's always a bit of fluff where you don't want it though isn't there?



*Please excuse me for judging my own work to be delightful..I just like the turn of phrase

Obsession Number 2

Pattern.
Or shape.
Or, more particularly, making patterns and shapes on my sewing machine.


Sometimes, I just have

so much fun.

But then there's the boring bit.

Includes ironing.

I keep meaning to tell you about 'unplugz' . Can you see it on my iron plug?
If you are constantly plugging and unplugging iron, sewing machine, lamp, etc. or if you have difficulty pulling plugs out, these are great. You get 9 in a packet for about £5 and labels to stick on to write the item on. Then you use the strip to pull out the plug.
I don't get any commission or anything, they are made by someone with whom I used to work and I think he deserves to succeed. The website is here with a little demo video.

I now pass this award as seen here to any other blogger who reads this.
Link back to me and write your 5 current obsessions. I am spreading mine out but you can do it all at once, and pass it on to 5 more bloggers. You can copy the picture but I haven't got round to it yet. I might not even get round to the other three.