Back to earth

Earth colours have been used in this piece of felt. It was inspired by some gorgeous wool which was shared at the felt group , but when I'd made it I couldn't help being reminded of an awful swirly 80s carpet in a friend's house a long time ago.
However, once the stitches were added (and I must remark how much I enjoyed this part) I think the carpet memory faded.
I hope it gives a foresty feeling. Leafy foresty earthy....

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!

Inspired by Charleston

 This felt has appeared before.

 Its mellow palette was inspired by the interior of Charleston Farmhouse Sussex which we visited just before this time last year. 

I had been thinking about what to do with it and recently I got down to it and produced a whole pile of little pieces as is my wont....which I then stitched to a background.

 Near to it was ok, but from a distance....

 too confusing.

So I made a nice neutral piece of felt, got out my un-picker and re-positioned the pieces.

 I am really quite delighted with the outcome.

 Thought I'd share.

 It looks sort of Heraldic

 Well....anyway..there it is.

 This exact time last year we were in Symi...ahh Symi...Blue...hot....delicious..sea swimmy Symi.

However funds this year did not stretch to that bit of heaven so as I felt the need to be on an Island we went last Sunday to Anglesey in order to walk to Llanddwyn Island. Bu all accounts a very special place. However when we arrived after a 2 and a half hour drive we found there was a dog ban between 1st May and 30th September,  so we were confined to this beach..which was very nice but not Llanddwyn. 

(See the kite surfers? It was windy.)

And definitely not Symi.

I liked this though.

Summer Brooches..

and..

some.......

....are not.

I have other plans for these little squares.

But don't you think they look a bit like these..


with their tentacles tucked in?

Product

Well they didn't make it to a big piece.
Thanks for all your suggestions.
I tried but I must say that I really do like them as individual little gems.
This one has been added to a duck egg cuff and is now in my ETSY shop.


The one below which goes quite well with the cuff is now a brooch and is also listed.

See, they look nice together I think.
Ooh must go back and edit the listing. I forgot to mention the fragments of silk fibres on the mustard.


This little oddment will be joining them but I am just having a break from listing..its a bind.

I had a deviation from the blue green and will be listing this ....


Now, the larger pieces would not go together without arguing so I gave them each their very own naughty step.*

I still call them one piece though.



I think the green growing out of the black is reminiscent of the Season.
New shoots and all that?

And there's even a bit of white for the snow blanket that covered them and kept them warm

I just need a title.
'Unfurling trio' ?
'Three bursts of Growth'?
'Spring thoughts'

Or sometimes I think they are like all the little things that came out of Pandoras box, but they were bad things weren't they?
Oh!
Someone on TV has just said 'Hope'.
Thats the last thing that came out of the box and thats what I'll call them.
'Hope'
I must find a better way of phrasing that to include a reference to the three.

EDIT: They just won first in the Coats Anchor Award at the NW regional day.

These are easy..


'Brooches'.


Handwriting post on Wednesday?
will you?

I really have a strange story about this.
Arlee did hers last week and when I read it I discovered that Cynjon, a blogger I had never seen, had suggested it a few weeks ago.
I hadn't seen it.
Isn't it strange?




*Not really steps..they are little 6x4 inch box canvases.