Craft fair and first Crazy quilting project prep

Last week I went to the Hamilton Craft and Quilt fair for two days.  I went to a lot of workshops and took a couple of make and take classes.  The make and take were silk ribbon embroidery with Helen Dafter and English piecework making a Christmas bell.  The silk ribbon and piecework are shown below.  There wasn't time to finish them in the class.  I have finished them but haven't got round to taking a photo yet.

 

I also made lots of purchases.

 

Kits and patterns:  Chatelaine bag and Pyramid Chatelaine by Helen Dafter.  Bag pattern, I liked this as you can make different bag covers, penguin soft toy.  Book on making small projects from hexagons.

 

Lots of fabrics, charms and fibres.

I've made the bag up with 2 different covers.  No photos yet.

I've been admiring crazy quilting on the internet and wanting to try it.  After making the bag I had left over material and thought it would be good to make something that would go in the bag as the fabrics will be co-ordinating.  At first I thought of making a purse, but decided that may be a bit ambitious for my first project, so I'm going with a phone pouch.  I first laid my fabric out in what  thought would be the layout.

I then sewed it together.  Then I double checked it against my phone to see how it fit.  Only to find out it was way too long, seems I somehow doubled the width when I measured my phone the first time.  Anyway better too big than too small.  So I chopped off the extra length, then sewed an extra piece of calico to the chopped end so I can still put fabric in a frame and stitch to the end.  So this is what it looks like now.

Before I do any embroidery on this I need to finish some of the other projects I have on the go.  Currently working on a stumpwork nasturtium so I need to get that finished.

 

 

So lets see, what am I working on now?  Victorian five sided box.  3 sides will have threadpainted flowers, which are done, two sides and the top will have stumpwork.  Also doing the goldwork piece below, and of course 3 cross stitch pictures.  Oh, nearly forgot, I'm wanting to get into hexagon quilts, have the paper pieces and fabric that was in charm packs that I got at the fair.  Plenty to keep me busy!

 

July progress - Hussif completed

My hussif is finished.  This is what it looks like when it is rolled up.  Its secured with two pieces of  gauzy ribbon.  Unfortunately the photo makes it look purple, its actually a burgundy colour and is the same colour as the inner fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

This is the inside.

 

 



 

 

 

I tried to get a clearer photo of the silk ribbon embroidered pincushion.  It still hasn't come out very clearly though.

Photos showing embroidery on the two left hand pockets.  The left pocket is a hidden pocket - a pocket at the top, and a second pocket opening on the right hand side.

 

An attempt to show the embroidery on the needlebook, not showing very well.

And finally, I've completed a row of Mini Moonlight, HAED design.

 

 

 

July wip update

A bit more done on Extravaganza. This uses Rajmahal art silk and gold work

June Update

Time to post what I've been working on for the last month.

Completed page 14 of Spirit of Winter

 

 

 

Did a little bit more on this, not much done since last update:

 

This is my most creative project ever attempted.  My own design of a hussif.  Below shows what the inside will look like.  From left to right, first pocket is a double pocket, very proud I managed to figure how to do this.  I have crochet hooks in the part of the pocket that opens at the top and a pinwheel in the part that opens at the side.
 Next to it is a pocket for pens/pencils for transferring patterns.  I've also just taught myself to crochet, so have made a crocheted thimble holder.  I've not yet attached this, but this will be attached above the pen pocket.
 Next to this is a pincushion with Silk Ribbon embroidery on it, below the pincushion is a felted needlebook.  Both the pincushion and needlebook are attached to the hussif with Velcro so I can remove these and use them separately when required.
 At the far right is a pocket for scissors and below that a pocket for a pencil sharpener (for transferring pencils) or Thread Heaven.

 

 

Close up of the pincushion

 

 

 

This will be the front of the hussif, still have a couple more leaves and remainder of stems to embroider.



 



New Hardanger finish and other past finishes

I've just finished this Hardanger doily.

These are older Hardanger pieces.  This pincushion was my first Hardanger piece, learnt at a class.

Hardanger coaster

Hardanger table runner, in cream and pink

Hardanger runner in pinks

 

Here are some older embroidery finishes.  This is a thimblepip.  It opens up so you can store something small like a thimble.

 

My first stumpwork piece, an Anchor kit.

Sideview of stumpwork

 My first goldwork piece.

Finally a progress pic on cross stitch piece Mini Intermission.  Page 5 completed

 

 

 

April update

Im hoping to have  more time for other embroidery projects and to learn new techniques.

This is a project I started years ago and have just picked up again.  It is a raised gold stumpwork kit  called Extravaganza. The goldwork won't be worked until the silk embroidery is completed.

This is a Hardanger cloth.  I started this last year when working away from home, was easy to pack into a case to do in the hotel in the evenings.

This is the latest update on Spirit of Winter.  page 13 now completed

Mini Moonlight

Mini Moonlight.  Page 6 completed