What I've been up to...

So - here's a bit of a surprise for you - a mid-week post - just to prove I do eventually get around to some stuff.

Here are 4 cards I've made. I thought it would be a good use of some fabric I'd made rather than it just sitting in a box. So I'll be signing, dating a numbering them.

One of the things I'm going to try this year (note I'm NOT calling them New Year's Resolutions) is to pick a book each month to focus on and try out some ideas from. So this month it's a relatively new book called 'Drawn to Stitch' by Gwen Hedley. A great Christmas present from my mother and father in law.

So I've started in my sketchbook - the idea is that I'll use the one sketchbook for the year of the 12 books. Lets see how it goes.

Above and below are my attempts at making 'fabric paper'. I met a very nice lady on the course at Bramble Patch last year, she's much more a mixed media artist. She very generously provided instructions of how to make fabric paper and she provided a sample too. I'm not sure how successful my attempt will be. I'm going to persevere.

So I've started with a muslin base - pasted with PVA watered down, the next layer is paper (or chocolate wrappers from Christmas) again with a coat of watered down PVA finally covered with a final layer of white tissue paper - with - yes you guessed it another layer of watered down PVA. Once it was dry I applied a thin coat of gesso. The idea now is to stitch it and add stamping or more watered down acrylic paint. I promise to show the results - whether good or bad.

So now I'm going to get the sewing machine out and see what I can do.

Hope you're all enjoying the New Year.

Comments

Jacqui Chimes said…

Hope it turns out Ok Sarah ... like almost all 'fabrics' it always improves when stitched.

6 January 2011 at 19:14

Selina said…

Some interesting looking projects. Look forward to hearing about them all when I see you.

7 January 2011 at 17:25

Cut and Come Again - sort of

Hello all. Are you managing to avoid the downpours? Crikey when it rains - it really rains. So here is my attempt at Edwina MacKinnon's 'Cut and Come Again' technique that she taught to our group - but I was unable to attend the class. I was a bit annoyed this week and this is a great technique when you're annoyed. If you look at the link to Edwina's blog you'll see hers is much better (as you would expect). But I think if I have another look at her blog photos perhaps I can adapt it. I'll be putting these blocks together to make a cushion cover for the show in Market Bosworth in June. I promise to show you the results when I have it finished. Have a good weekend - and keep dry.

At long last ......

At long last it's finished. My first large (96 x 78 inches) quilt. I'm really pleased with the pieced binding. It took a while to finish off - but I really like it. I've still got a bit of tidying up and I need to add a label - but the hard slog is finished. So I feel a bit lost now without a huge quilt to sit and stitch when I fancy. You can see from below I've already got the fabric for my next project from Strawberry Fayre. And yet again it was great service - really fast. I've washed the fabric and now it needs a good press. I also need to make sure I think about how the cut the fabric so I don't end up with lots of bits. The larger pieces I'll piece to make the back.

A new experience

Hello, After reading and looking at so many inspiring blogs I thought I'd dip my toe in the water. I hope you'll stick with me whilst I master this new thing..... I've only been quilting for a few years but have always been involved in crafts. My first experience of quilting was with my great aunt - the old fashioned paper hexagons with material from cut up purchases from jumble sales. I have advanced from this but I'm not the world's greatest quilter - although I am enthusiastic. The photo above is my quilt entered to Quilts in the Garden at Trentham last weekend. Although I didn't win a prize one of our group came third in the Bed Quilt category - we had a glass of bubbly to celebrate. I also have a bit of a thing for making bags - this comes in usful when we need things for our sales table at the village Festival (I can assure you they'll be lots more about this as we get nearer to the event). Hope you've enjoyed my first attempt...... I hope this pos...

A Village Quilter

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