Purple blackwork sample

At last Ive finished my black work sample! I based the design on an Islamic tile from the 1600s and ill be doing a larger version of this design for the upcoming exhibition in 2016 .
Except as we have a blue theme it will be in blue! Looking forward to making a start on it at the weekend  after I have painted the background fabric.
At the day job today so doubt ill get any sewing done , I am also trying to finish a crotchet blanket for my freind who is expecting a baby anytime ! So I think ill stick to doing that or the baby will be going to school before I've actually finished it!
Here's the sample - all feedback welcome as it is a sample and was to experiment with black work.

Back to day job

Good Morning everyone,
First day back to my day job after a couple of weeks. Off on leave. I've been so busy with one ting and another the last two weeks and got so much done. The clocks jumped forward an hour this weekend so it was hard to get up today !
Ill be busy this week as well so no time for stitch or creative stuff  which is a shame as I always try to do something every day but as I haven't really got a project on the go ill have to start something small . I mean I can't do nothing with my hands in the evening!
Well I suppose ill go to get myself ready for day job. I hope you get time for some stitch today.

jayne

Reflection on bag for Hillarys competion.

 Like the overall look of bag , I think will be useful as well  . Will fold flat and I light to fold in suitcase. loving the fabric with poppies on it after I'd blinged it up and added some stitching with paints as well.
I'm hoping will be ok for the competition as the rules didnt say much about what I could or couldn't make but as I like bags it seemed the natural choice for me to do one! I'm hoping will be a bit different to the other entries but who knows ?
Wish me luck!
Let you all know how I do.
going for a nap now being creative is tiring!
jayne

Hillarys Blinds Country Craft Competition entry

Here's the finished bag for the #Hillarys Blinds Country Craft Competition ,  dimensions are 14" x 10 " with 4" deep gusset. The long handle is 54" long so the bag is worn across the body . It's a good bag for days out as its so roomy.
First time I've done  style but ill be doing more like it I recon as its such a good shape, also will lie flat so good   in my suitcase for my hols.

Front of bag

Side of bag

Back of bag

Hillary's competition

Here's the next couple of stages of the bag, this was the fiddley bit. Having lunch break now. I think I earnt  it !!

Hillarys blinds country craft competition entry in progress

Here's a couple of pictures showing the last stages of me adding embellishment to the bag panel.
The first one shows the hand stitching I did ( at 6 am this morning!) need to finish it today as the competition ends tomorrow... I am a last minute LIL as my freind Sandy would say!
I think I just have so many creative ideas I run out of time!!!

This one shows the  panel 

With the blingy bit on it .. I love bling so I had to put some on it ! 

Now the panel is ready to be made up into the bag.So off I go to make the bag.

Hilary's competition

Here's next stage , I've hand painted some areas to add depth.
Leaving to dry now.

Hilary's competition

Well after much deliberation I've chosen to go with making a bag using the poppy material from Hilary's as a feature panel.
I'm going to free machine into it and embellish it then. Make into the bag .
Here's the first stage of the stitching.

I'm free machining to highlight. The pattern further the fabric is lovely to work with.
More photos to follow later.
jayne

fabric for Hilary's competition.

Here's the fabrics I chose to compliment the Hilary's fabric with poppies on it .
I decided to make a bag as its useful and I love the poppy fabric so much so ill use it in the spring and summer when I go to the fabric shows.

The beige is for the lining and the wine colour is to use to compliment the poppy fabric as it matches some of the colours in it.
Ill be finishing the bag tomorrow so ill post a few pictures tomorrow with some detail of what I'm doing as I'm quilting the poppy fabric and decorating it a bit.

Hope you'll like it.
jayne

Day at Sandys

Today Im going to Sandys who is my friend and the lady who I'm doing the next exhibition with its an exhibition about a comparison of our religions in textiles. Hers being Buddism mine being Muslim.
We've had alot of interest in it so far as its a complex and interesting theme. We're both so excited about it and were hoping to have a show of our work in 2016 .
I've done some designs and today were going to plan out a schedule to ensure its all done in time.

I'm doing another post today as I've cut out the bag for the Hilary's competion at last.
 Enjoy your day
jayne

Shopping

Good morning ,
Had a lovely day yesterday we went shopping all day......lovely retail therapy, I rarely buy clothes as I try to buy in USA as there's more choice but I did treat myself to a few items yesterday and the store lady was so helpful made such a refreshing change to find a young lady so helpful.
I bought a couple of day dresses which again I never usually wear but I'm getting to a certain age now I need to dress a bit more conservative, LOL I will still wear my colourful jewellery but the clothes need to be more classy!
Had a lovely lunch out too. The whole day was lovely with husband.

In all day today and starting the competion peice for Hilary's. Ive decided to make a bag as that's useful and the fabrics so tring. Ill post on here as soon as I make a start on it.
Enjoy your day
jayne

Creative block

Morning guys,
Today I have to think oof a project using the material that Hilary's sent me  , I have put aside the whole week to complete it and I can't honk of what to make! Total mental block.
I've done all my usual tricks to get the juices flowing like touch material look at fabric for a while a sketch and doodle . Still nothing!
Getting frustrated now so am going to walk away and have breakfast and see I  can be more productive after food!
Here's. the fabric I have about 1 metre of it my ideas so far are a messenger bag, a quilted 3 d wall hanging, and a framed bag.
I'm moving towards the wall hanging as I may then have enough material to do a matching bolster cushion so I could use in my bedroom.
Feedback welcome.

Blngy purse

I had a lovely day yesterday with my freinds and made a lovely purse with Alex Waylett a talented lady who ran the day.
We all made an individual purse and thisis mine which I shall use for my  bits and bobs.

Today I'm making a start on my competition  peice  with the fabric Hilary's sent me.
I've decided what to do now so ill put some photos on as I go along to show how its coming along .
Enjoy your day !
jayne

Work shop day

Good morning everyone.
Today I am spending the day with my freinds at a workshop making Bags!
I'm learning from another tutor how to make a professional looking purse so I am really excited to see how she does it and if its different to how I do mine. I shall post a picture tommo of the finished purse.ive heard good things from my freinds of  how good she is.
Must dash busy day!
Enjoy your Saturday
jayne

Finish off Friday

Good morning everyone,
Today I'm going to the "finish off Friday " at the Embroiderers guild. We arranged it for members to come along and socialise and stitch together. I'm taking my black work peice sample to do as I don't want  to take a big bag.
I always like to go to these things it means I can chat to my freinds!
Well ill go now and get my sewing bag ready hope you get time to stitch today!

Jayne

Romantic pink bag

I had a very productive day yesterday I managed to finish another bag which I thought I'd share with you.
Not my usual style as its a bit girly but I needed to do a variety of samples for the workshop I'm going to do at a local craft shop.
Now it's finished I rather like it though!

I prefer the black one myself but I think some people will like the pink one.
Which one do you like best?
I may make more so need feedback on colour people like best.


Enjoy your day! I will Ive started a black work project that ill share as soon as its done.

Turquoise bag

I spent a lovely day yesterday making the sample bags for my workshop in May.
Here's one of the bags I finished.

I love the colour scheme , I hope the students do too!
Today also having a sewing day and completing another bag, also need to make a start on the competition peice.
Busy busy!!
Hope you'll get time for some sewing.
Jayne

Dye day

I had a lovely day yesterday doing some dyeing using the shibori technique.
The weather was lovely and sunny so I could hang on the line to dry the fabrics out.

Husband less than impressed as the dye liquid stained the work surface in kitchen , and the microwave. ...... Oh dear! But I did have fun!

This is some fine cotton dyed with acid dyes that I did I'm going to over embroider and make into scarf for the spring.
Ill post the finished scarf once I've done it
Have a nice day . Im making some more purse bags today ready for my workshop in May.

Saturday

good morning everyone. Today is my favourite day of the month as I go to the Embroidery guild  where I meet all my freinds who are just as mad about embroidery as me!
We always have a lovely afternoon and today I'm showing the ladies how to make these sweet pin cushions ill post a picture tomorrow of a few. They are made from old plastic lids that come from  on soft. Drinks. It s all about recycling!

Well have a lovely day.
I certainly will!
Jayne

Last day

Good morning everyone,
Well this is my last day in the day job for two weeks , I have so many projects in my mind to complete while I'm off I think I shall be more busy than when I'm working!

Look out next week for some photos of projects ill be doing while I'm off.

Happy stitching.

Pink shisha

Good morning everyone, I'm sharing this manipulated fabric and shisha mirror peice with you today.
I made this specifically for a workshop recently and it shows how one can pull and tug at fabrics to achieve some interesting effects.
I used shisha mirrors with knitted wired surround to add some interest .
today at a day job meeting all day so no stitching for me !
Hope you get time for some stitching today,
jayne

Day off

well it's my day off today and I have so much to do!
I will manage to some sewing though I hope! I have done some designs for the upcoming exhibition with my friend, it's quite exciting to have an exhibition and we have decided to do it in 2 years which gives us time to do all our work.
Ill post some designs once I've done a few more.

So must get on as its a busy busy day !
Happy stitching.

Owl bag

Yesterday I managed to finish my owl bag,my freind gave me. A small peice of her off cut fabric and. I loved it so I decided to make a little bag from it.
It's also a sample for the workshop I am doing at Craft Arena  in Barleylands Esseex UK.
I've had alot of compliments on some of my bags which is nice,

Im at the day job today but off tomorrow and the weather is lovely so Im hoping that it stays nice for tomorrow.
I may have a dyeing day I think tomorrow. If can get into garden and weather holds out.
have a lovely day and happy stitching!

Poppies

Ive Recieved the lovely material from Hilary's,  I've sent away for it to enter a competition which entails me using this fabric in a project of my choice . Not sure yet what to make but I'm so excited to have the challenge of using it as its lovely fabric and I love the colours.
Once I start the project ill be posting on here at the various stages of construction so you can see how I use it . It s a lovely heavy cotton so it will lend itself to anything I choose to make.

Owls

I just had to share this with you all , my freind gave me a peice of the fabric and I love owls so I thought ill glam it up and makea bag from it. Here is the project so far, it will have some more stitch on it and some bling too!

I'm off today and having hair done so I'm taking this to the hairdressers to do. I may have it finished today!so ill post it tomorrow.

Enjoy your day!
Jayne

Ottoman 18th century

Good morning everyone, I thought I'd share this picture of the antique embroidery I bought a while ago. I was told at the time it is from the 18 th  century and it was Turkish origin.
I've since researched it and yes it is from the Ottoman Empire and I have also dated it about 17-18 th century.
It is very delicate but the colours have stayed quite well , the detail in it is amazing . The background is brown fine cotton and the threads used are silk.
I do love old embroidery and I use in my work alot to give it a new leas of life , however this peice which is about 14x 16 " I'm going to get framed and keep as it is it would be a crime to chop it up!

Well it's my day job today so no sewing today for me unless I can get some done tonight after work.
Hope you get some time to be creative today!
Jayne

Me

I thought id put a face to the blog so you know what I look like ! I am dressed up here so I don't always look so glam!
I'm off today and I recieved my bag frames I ordered so am really excited as I can make up some of my bespoke purses. I got some lovely ribbons and trims to use so ill be busy for sure. I suppose ill do some house work first!
Well have a lovely day hope you get time to stitch.

Bracelets

Good morning everyone, got the day job today ....off tomorrow and I can't wait as I've started a new designs which ill share later on.
I thought I'd show you these bracelets I made at Christmas time they were popular at craft fairs. I might do a few more as I'm trying to get some stock ready for a fair coming up inthe summer.
Anyways have a nice day today I'm going to try and do some sewing today after work.
Although today is Pancake. Day ( shrove. Tuesday) so hubby will expect pancakes!
Wonder what I should give up for 40 days ...not sewing that's for sure!
Ill think about it and let you k ow tomorrow.
Have a good day
Jayne

Bunny quilt

Here's another quilt I made yesterday for the premature baby unit. I love Peter rabbit from Beatrix Potter and my freind gave me this fabric to use . I ope the baby likes it.

I'm at the day job today so no stitching for me Unfortunatly......I like my day job as well but I love to stitch!
Hope you get time to stitch today?
Jayne

Quilts

Hello everyone , well I had a lovely day yesterday with my sewing freinds at the Embroidery guild.

we all made small baby quilts for the premature baby unit at the local hospital.

It was a day led by Pamela and Jill whom are great at quilting and patchwork.

It was nice to chat to freinds as well. we managed to make about 20 and some of us took fabric home to make another one. Here's a selection of them.