A sows ear

This is some TRULY HIDEOUS felt I made last Friday at the felt group.

 I thought I'd have a go with some colours I don't usually like and when I realised it wasn't going well I added some small pre-felt shapes which didn't seem to help but I had a cunning plan...

 I used them as a basis for some stitchy fun and eradicated as much of the nasty purple background as possible.

Its always a bit of a gamble because I don't know what I'm doing till I do it. I read the term 'Stream of consciousness' knitting' today so that's what I'm  calling my technique. 

I should have known it already  since we read James Joyce at school (Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man) but I hadn't thought of applying it to stitching. It exactly fits what I do.

 This is even less purple.

Sometimes I do a bit of Stream of consciousness snipping too. 

Spot the difference between the below and the picture at the top. 

I've made it brooch sized.

Limited Edition.

 I think it might be a plan.

I'm hugging myself in my sewing room today as I was given this lovely little thread stand on saturday. Aren't I lucky? I've wanted one for aaaaaaages but they are very hard to find here in UK. I still could do with a few extra shelves but it will do for now..more than 'do. '

I can always drill some more holes along the top and add more dowels.

I now have a spare Martha Pullen thread stand which was also given to me, as I'd gone on about wanting a thread stand for ages.(Thank you Sue)

I don't need it now so  if anyone would like it please contact me. It will be yours for the cost of the postage. It is in a large box but is fairly lightweight. Click HERE to see what I mean. As it was a gift to me, I feel I should pass it on as a gift. I think I need to limit this to UK readers. Email me if you're interested.

Now on Sunday straight after Church  there was a fundraising event which I would cheerfully attend every sunday! 

'Tea At the Ritz'

Well obviously we weren't at the Ritz but in the school hall, decorated beyond recognition, and rather early in the day we had a beautiful afternoon tea. 

 We had little delicious mini cornish pasties, smoked salmon and cream cheese blinis; teeny sandwiches; scones with cream and jam; malt loaf; mini cheesecake; and a light and fluffy mini pavlova. All washed down with lashings, yes lashings, of tea. (Or coffee if you are my husband)

My friends came too.

The school Mums all dressed in black and white and served us beautifully. I think the only difference between the event and the actual ritz was the noise level!! 

Much excitement and lot of children who had their own special menu and lashing of juice instead of tea.

 

 The source of all this yumminess was THIS PLACE which I really must visit to sample their Whinberry Pie. We used to have it at school dinners when I was little and it gave you navy blue teeth, but the flavour was amazing. We called them Bilberries and they grow wild on the moors here but are terribly hard to pick.

They deserve a crown ............I made one but it looks a bit like a strange monster.

I'll stick to the brooches.

Raincloud

'Raincloud hang around' is the title of a new album by Earl Pickens and Family from Lewisburg Pennsylvania. The cover art is by yours truly.

The album isn't released yet but will be soon and I get Royalties!

Earl Pickens (not his real name) contacted me a while ago after browsing etsy for inspiration for his new album cover and liked what I did.

 He sent me a little drawing of a raincloud raining on a flower and said 'do your thing.' All he wanted was 'edges.'

 I had so much fun doing this. Its the best kind of commission. Nothing worse than someone commissioning you to do something but being too prescriptive(..or should that be pro scriptive?)thats not going to be your usual style.

He is an absolute star, lovely to deal with. 

 I made a piece of felt with areas of colour, and freely stitched the flowers and leaves as part of the edge. Then I decided it was a bit flat so I cut out the stitched bits and moved it over and attached it again. There were many edges.

I had a lovely piece of grey felt with silk fibres so I stitched a raincloud onto it and attached that.

 Believe it or not the bit that took the longest time was the rain. I had a few attempts at it before I was satisfied.

 I stitched the words separately and he said he'd superimpose them but in the end he's going to make them the cover of the actual disc.

 I had a great but sewing time embellishing the flowers with French knots and other bits.

 I scanned the artwork to send to him. Its very hard to photograph it. The light tends to bounce back so instead of the rich deep colours it looks pale and blanched.

 This is a photograph of it as the actual cover, I didn't take this so I hope he doesn't mind me downloading his photo.

Click here for more information

The back of the album is going to be a picture of the back of the embroidery. 

          There are no rainclouds hanging around here today so I think I may be outside pulling weeds out.

The winners!

The giveaway winners are for the green heart: Gill of  Dosie rosie
And for the pink its Anna from Inky Fingers.

Congratulations and commiserations to the rest.

I have had a wonderful day today visiting Elterwater, walking along the path by the river to 'Chesters by the River' for lunch and then walking back. We were loving it so much that we even thought we might book a holiday cottage in the village for later in the year but then we met 'The Obnoxious swearing local man and his family"

I've deleted the details..its sour and I'm over it now.

Ah well it takes all sorts.

Bye for now.