tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30880810033678571352024-03-12T23:26:59.850+00:00chocolatefroginnovative textile art for people and placeschocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.comBlogger267125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-12168611813781202442018-12-31T15:49:00.002+00:002018-12-31T15:49:37.862+00:00December samples<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It's December! The last four weeks of this year's project. So I decided to make them all a bit... seasonal. A bit of a challenge for me, as I'm not mad about Christmas; I'm not about to do Santas and snowmen etc. For a bit of extra "spice", or incentive, each one had to use dissolvable fabric.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<em><strong>Each sample is free of background fabric, but shown against plain fabric or card for the photos.</strong></em></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong>2018/Week 49, Snowflake</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is a good start, everyone likes a snowflake and they're wintry, not Christmassy, right?! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I drew a design onto Solufleece with a vanishing marker and free machine embroidered it in mostly straight stitch plus a little narrow zigzag. I dissolved and pinned it out very carefully, and it seemed good... until I realised the pure white was marred by turquoise "vanishing" ink! So disappointing. I had to wet and rub it thoroughly, then pin it out all over again. Worth persisting though.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjjlslxl2b2SAUZ_pfHXWVjU_6Q8OQ-4-eM0Mll9MmJUz-8K6ctOozoSmFsB08EUVoLiKcHZMErT_9z31A1IJJEYxnyY24VbCLQfX9mJLc2G1ZiE3_Xuk1KpnTSJ13VBLjTgFYxWVVto/s1600/P1000174edblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="600" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjjlslxl2b2SAUZ_pfHXWVjU_6Q8OQ-4-eM0Mll9MmJUz-8K6ctOozoSmFsB08EUVoLiKcHZMErT_9z31A1IJJEYxnyY24VbCLQfX9mJLc2G1ZiE3_Xuk1KpnTSJ13VBLjTgFYxWVVto/s400/P1000174edblog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I can never resist the temptation to play with shadows...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PMNlEhcFSqETcIats8CTDjLxXpjFmAkXKJsGVNTtbuw2mKfXrtVGAqKPBjasupSyM1qU3Zu4iDdkDmkI8joQfrDQXfetESg3CiIMdcB5dZ6HRGLsAo-WblNTjvYW6cmPMhS84AanGqE/s1600/P1000183ed2blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="750" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PMNlEhcFSqETcIats8CTDjLxXpjFmAkXKJsGVNTtbuw2mKfXrtVGAqKPBjasupSyM1qU3Zu4iDdkDmkI8joQfrDQXfetESg3CiIMdcB5dZ6HRGLsAo-WblNTjvYW6cmPMhS84AanGqE/s400/P1000183ed2blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
It measures about 12cm point to point.<br />
<br />
<strong>2018/50, Poinsettia</strong><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
It's hard to remember that these spectacular (garish?!) plants are showing off brightly coloured leaves, not flowers. I wanted to create a simple, stylised version and stick to my rule of using soluble fabric. I didn't fancy just plain red, solid stitching... the solution was to use a sandwich of assorted thread scraps on AquaBond (sticky soluble) as the base. </div>
<br />
I free machined the leaf outlines and veins, then cut them out before dissolving. They were assembled on a small disc of felt with hand stitch and finished off with a few chunky French knots in the centre.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItAEOsPxzd3iFLmNuvQIyfzBtN25rA0yUshiLV4zfnY8Dh6QZ7Yc85zTbmCUMLFUmdHSOSphqVtoNHRsQcqCjIw7Bjat-uS0xyJ1sZEBVq23PAm_KbvGC5tFcIjKRcdRbCxEL7_BdaMU/s1600/P1000187ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="761" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItAEOsPxzd3iFLmNuvQIyfzBtN25rA0yUshiLV4zfnY8Dh6QZ7Yc85zTbmCUMLFUmdHSOSphqVtoNHRsQcqCjIw7Bjat-uS0xyJ1sZEBVq23PAm_KbvGC5tFcIjKRcdRbCxEL7_BdaMU/s400/P1000187ed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Quite pleased, but it's a bit flat - perhaps I should've wired the edges. It measures 10cm across. <br />
<br />
<strong>2018/51, Christmas Tree</strong><br />
OK, there's no avoiding Christmas this week! A decorated tree on soluble fabric seemed an interesting exercise.<br />
<br />
I thought I'd try two or three layers of branches - wired this time!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hqptdXkd5rx1en1MSHuOIlYjgJNdkubzvBvpOIsx0tICR_fvuHKYP4MvxVtQeZbtjememdMB_hNo1sv8-_Ei7kIcMF9BJmnbRAAKRzpn58lIlb9yAWBGpa0B95AlDKwWNcSWQd7CRJs/s1600/P1000185blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="619" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_hqptdXkd5rx1en1MSHuOIlYjgJNdkubzvBvpOIsx0tICR_fvuHKYP4MvxVtQeZbtjememdMB_hNo1sv8-_Ei7kIcMF9BJmnbRAAKRzpn58lIlb9yAWBGpa0B95AlDKwWNcSWQd7CRJs/s320/P1000185blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A few fancy little Indian sequins were stitched in as I went along. And in the free space I had a few goes at little red buckets and stars for the top.<br />
<br />
After dissolving I decide two layers worked best, and hand stitched them together. My favourite bucket and star were added too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0-N505Ttr7bez39wrkYUEazyhQyOKvGF1PPtYDa-vlKz2RhwmDt-k1jpzjw9C3nbKQOwTy5uGjEklBQlXhlJa8bgMGIXLCyxa72OhulmaIuA4NaqAerXebwaDiRUW5Sh8daRvIvD310/s1600/P1000192EDfb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="726" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN0-N505Ttr7bez39wrkYUEazyhQyOKvGF1PPtYDa-vlKz2RhwmDt-k1jpzjw9C3nbKQOwTy5uGjEklBQlXhlJa8bgMGIXLCyxa72OhulmaIuA4NaqAerXebwaDiRUW5Sh8daRvIvD310/s400/P1000192EDfb.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
This is about 10cm tall. And looks a lot nicer in real life than my murky day photo!<br />
<br />
<strong>2018/52, Christmas Detritus</strong><br />
The main event's over, all that's left is the mess! All that pretty wrapping paper, ribbons, cracker hats etc, crumpled up and forgotten... what can I do with it? <br />
<br />
I arranged satsuma netting, scraps of gift wrap, foil from chocolate coins, cracker hats and snaps, ribbon etc. on AquaBond and covered with thin clear dissolvable film. NO glitter mind, even my put-upon Bernina might object to that! Wide zigzag freely worked all over in red and green held it together.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXx7Q8ccn2k8RN05lAIq6_X2gvMdf55AgnsxOq5gxZZDZnX-nUiW4GQBqr9k2v194GazfJ6p36aQasVAS8Y5wcPtcTSz7FPpxz2fwAjWF_C7z0kySFHGQTlJQYfFr2ISlGV9_LIJHkvM/s1600/P1190410blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="675" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXx7Q8ccn2k8RN05lAIq6_X2gvMdf55AgnsxOq5gxZZDZnX-nUiW4GQBqr9k2v194GazfJ6p36aQasVAS8Y5wcPtcTSz7FPpxz2fwAjWF_C7z0kySFHGQTlJQYfFr2ISlGV9_LIJHkvM/s400/P1190410blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
From this I cut out rounded shapes, and stuck them onto more soluble film. I free machined spirals to fill the shapes, and linked them all.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lhnIhvMfhYVc-_dTkrl2NY3I6ITRV28F_TAYPg5ORgLvPs68Hm5ircCVn1mjrThvBQAOnHClMvrAAv4O2kbsDQlbARXEmJsloJl2P0O7Ot1eIVq0aZ8JSE8ZMcZkHTcG2pqzaQGAQZs/s1600/P1000205blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="660" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lhnIhvMfhYVc-_dTkrl2NY3I6ITRV28F_TAYPg5ORgLvPs68Hm5ircCVn1mjrThvBQAOnHClMvrAAv4O2kbsDQlbARXEmJsloJl2P0O7Ot1eIVq0aZ8JSE8ZMcZkHTcG2pqzaQGAQZs/s400/P1000205blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
There we are. About 10-11cm across. I could perhaps say it's all about waste spiralling out of control? But really it's just an abstract doodle. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeBMXcdQOQhUFkZ3k_d4koKqa-0kzC0XavvELRISBE3NmaLR5BLs-yIEX0LxqNz9l44MN5aKFd9gOJKFnU-wpn0vPpCkYjmAIqOVkswoupKiFzh21lWL-4yrZIJvQc1egT9dTKf8jA9U/s1600/P1000206blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="686" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeBMXcdQOQhUFkZ3k_d4koKqa-0kzC0XavvELRISBE3NmaLR5BLs-yIEX0LxqNz9l44MN5aKFd9gOJKFnU-wpn0vPpCkYjmAIqOVkswoupKiFzh21lWL-4yrZIJvQc1egT9dTKf8jA9U/s400/P1000206blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-27968612375281761852018-12-03T19:42:00.001+00:002018-12-05T17:12:44.188+00:00November samples<strong>2018/Week 44, Hairy Loch</strong><br />
The reeds in this loch above Leverburgh on Harris have always appealed to me. Out of context they look like fine scratch marks on metal.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNQDe5bCe3bpOiMD55pSiOxFvMA7E9mYR6BoNtxcX3yRwRi4uH3tWxeEZHa1Jem4X4_pLh_IsYUCKe03llpkV6xY6T6If53VYnMuAuC8RUgRIEAf-guKq4TKhftULkL3DNI0IL3ULWHE/s1600/P1190298blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="888" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNQDe5bCe3bpOiMD55pSiOxFvMA7E9mYR6BoNtxcX3yRwRi4uH3tWxeEZHa1Jem4X4_pLh_IsYUCKe03llpkV6xY6T6If53VYnMuAuC8RUgRIEAf-guKq4TKhftULkL3DNI0IL3ULWHE/s400/P1190298blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Thinking machine stitch would be too clumsy, I hand stitched a little section on silvery satin fabric. Not quite the effect I'd have liked but as much as I had patience for!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMc8M5V__S8pmrTHxOOWDL69v8sCP0sdfY8RI35sfIugpaFUAmz2EbRe2HxfSPwmpAj-BkSFjiUJ7kV4qFnFNRdHA6VxMXykusXpC9fae-cqYLGCBXBqMxVSho_ICRImzvA87aDpCQJM/s1600/P1000091blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMc8M5V__S8pmrTHxOOWDL69v8sCP0sdfY8RI35sfIugpaFUAmz2EbRe2HxfSPwmpAj-BkSFjiUJ7kV4qFnFNRdHA6VxMXykusXpC9fae-cqYLGCBXBqMxVSho_ICRImzvA87aDpCQJM/s200/P1000091blog.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>18/45 White Line</strong><br />
Once you start looking, there's inspiration everywhere... this was a badly eroded white line at the side of the road.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6iu87Lz35O7b9H4pHjaSPq1uGCzXFJhmnGOOuciG0aXWUOIuJsLBcQRqGKCminttIH9_VR03qdsc9B3_q2EDvyUrLOqDKcAPaMwor7NG83lwfKkapcnIEdai2XG7nWxAo7jO1iXldPOc/s1600/P1190317blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="888" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6iu87Lz35O7b9H4pHjaSPq1uGCzXFJhmnGOOuciG0aXWUOIuJsLBcQRqGKCminttIH9_VR03qdsc9B3_q2EDvyUrLOqDKcAPaMwor7NG83lwfKkapcnIEdai2XG7nWxAo7jO1iXldPOc/s320/P1190317blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I free machined a section on Lutradur 70 over black cotton fabric, using a fine white cotton thread (Madeira Tanne 50). Then I zapped it with a heat gun. The unstitched areas vanish altogether. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3s-r1NLUMtqG1JcAPGKMnjlksSXe3dUOcShaTdBfR4WuuTOa-ykMkcJZkkvu_HFn-eNtj4hyphenhyphen8sN-XwgKR6D4s_DsbEBj27HqP_c7hTW7amjWBCr5Rz3_sTfR-BtzXVUcLjy-68W7wx0/s1600/P1000086cropblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="525" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3s-r1NLUMtqG1JcAPGKMnjlksSXe3dUOcShaTdBfR4WuuTOa-ykMkcJZkkvu_HFn-eNtj4hyphenhyphen8sN-XwgKR6D4s_DsbEBj27HqP_c7hTW7amjWBCr5Rz3_sTfR-BtzXVUcLjy-68W7wx0/s320/P1000086cropblog.jpg" width="297" /></a></div>
<strong>18/46 Map Lichen</strong><br />
The last of my Harris inspirations, though this lichen grows locally on Skye too. <em>Rhizocarpon geographicum</em> is called map lichen because it looks like a map in an atlas, or an aerial view of a patchwork of fields. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DhmHITpw06WCI_JeAbGXIyld-NyewjEU8BWR9n6XBYPUDhQqUyky2B6wyeXPsjQ8CUhr-7_x56FAenZtBRpNNHmnX76Jkv0KcFqQZ71gWI4rUPO7YkXwsLz9-BpP3PKoI4x2eZ-vx_o/s1600/P1190308blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="649" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DhmHITpw06WCI_JeAbGXIyld-NyewjEU8BWR9n6XBYPUDhQqUyky2B6wyeXPsjQ8CUhr-7_x56FAenZtBRpNNHmnX76Jkv0KcFqQZ71gWI4rUPO7YkXwsLz9-BpP3PKoI4x2eZ-vx_o/s320/P1190308blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I free machined my piece on Solufleece, filling the areas with different colours and patterns without worrying about realism. Some are dense and solid, others open and lacy. The challenge as always is linking everything together so it remains whole when the Solufleece is dissolved away! Only stitched thread is left, no fabric at all in this piece.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uIYUrJnNQ0X7RgfGi7-mRyWa2ByxtY9hjlygREjYzqk9ganhz64oVv8mdmOGxL5tgphVF_Q_BNZ2_TUS0ykRp-T4OtLc-Hg5mmW0U5R8OR2fw29kfCM2Y2CNjI_XlqNkxCTO7rIjENs/s1600/P1000164edfb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="1500" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1uIYUrJnNQ0X7RgfGi7-mRyWa2ByxtY9hjlygREjYzqk9ganhz64oVv8mdmOGxL5tgphVF_Q_BNZ2_TUS0ykRp-T4OtLc-Hg5mmW0U5R8OR2fw29kfCM2Y2CNjI_XlqNkxCTO7rIjENs/s320/P1000164edfb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong>18/47 Full Moon</strong><br />
Binoculars gave a wonderful view of the scars and craters on a spectacular full moon this week. <br />
I embroidered a circle completely filled with little star patterns to resemble craters.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6xrkXbjIh8I_KufUEpAXFDhKpe7Gm8KNzJVUS91rSMDy2VgkunIdcfGwdl7QFR-5eq9Jtq8GA1PV4U5eQVXM_64MnKGAcNW-ZvipvWf_NuUxOLmq9K7MC25BD73UsiHn-2pzYrzM57Y/s1600/P1000143edblog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="629" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ6xrkXbjIh8I_KufUEpAXFDhKpe7Gm8KNzJVUS91rSMDy2VgkunIdcfGwdl7QFR-5eq9Jtq8GA1PV4U5eQVXM_64MnKGAcNW-ZvipvWf_NuUxOLmq9K7MC25BD73UsiHn-2pzYrzM57Y/s320/P1000143edblog2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The thread was shaded pale grey, though that doesn't really show up in the photo. I was disappointed that the white guideline made with a fine SewLine pencil wouldn't quite go away... lesson learned. <br />
<br />
<strong>18/48 Crocheted Blanket</strong><br />
Just had to commemorate this... I finally finished the blanket I've been crocheting on and off for 18 months or so! I never meant to make a blanket, didn't need one, I just started playing with yarn left over from a couple of cushion covers. Then I liked the hexagons so much I just kept going, and, well, we haven't got a single bed in the house so it had to fit a double to be any use at all...<br />
<br />
So here it is - 425 hexagons, each in six colours so that was 5100 yarn ends to darn in, groan. Pretty, though.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiao_EORj69iTsMt9m3J46kSZ8_hclfAAkVKLe-HufaBBGLZjOFT_kGRZk8rBe3-vMMFMH6wgyOE0hvUQVXyWkqklTfcrJcr3300fk5t6e0DLpkIU3cgbcZgAAWRmvT25XgtzCM3EAkkEM/s1600/blanket1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="864" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiao_EORj69iTsMt9m3J46kSZ8_hclfAAkVKLe-HufaBBGLZjOFT_kGRZk8rBe3-vMMFMH6wgyOE0hvUQVXyWkqklTfcrJcr3300fk5t6e0DLpkIU3cgbcZgAAWRmvT25XgtzCM3EAkkEM/s320/blanket1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSPSDPS7ksep9u8b0BOR0cMIltvVWGr2qZQ-j4_WwgKHFKgjTBJtrmJ0VnuwDzJhQW7lD4m6h2gK7CsMMpR0M3w7ElbE4vgMi4_6od8NjoRObvk3aBicL7V4DnBBq4z950IJekI8ed6k/s1600/blanket2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="864" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSPSDPS7ksep9u8b0BOR0cMIltvVWGr2qZQ-j4_WwgKHFKgjTBJtrmJ0VnuwDzJhQW7lD4m6h2gK7CsMMpR0M3w7ElbE4vgMi4_6od8NjoRObvk3aBicL7V4DnBBq4z950IJekI8ed6k/s320/blanket2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And here's my stitched sample based on the hexagonal motif.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJdYrqVYUOxbBgJNRXqNsqbx6yxsEnOIfXbXd6-6HNBcCMuH1ooNXcPqFVWtNK-9bMz9lZi0RJxsyNyTy5rz5TJAfbKNlw4jvQblmxE9hevacnFwpvd4XDuqP7GJ7OD-XT91eXMa_5zc/s1600/P1000166blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="518" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJdYrqVYUOxbBgJNRXqNsqbx6yxsEnOIfXbXd6-6HNBcCMuH1ooNXcPqFVWtNK-9bMz9lZi0RJxsyNyTy5rz5TJAfbKNlw4jvQblmxE9hevacnFwpvd4XDuqP7GJ7OD-XT91eXMa_5zc/s320/P1000166blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Free machine embroidery on Solufleece, of course. I domed the "popcorn" stitches by stitching round and round. <br />
<br />
Look, no fabric!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVnjaZtRKgkuhvHTWh7iscNskiI76yRVN4L-YGQt8RN3v-xJGri2vGg_HalIuwqPEVDqHZ2V7LbkG2OarsU5Tqvq2iDQPED4d35nB4Yq0BIvZ_XSQwaEpTRhrolwwdayJXcKYpbq-1A4/s1600/P1000169blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="864" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVnjaZtRKgkuhvHTWh7iscNskiI76yRVN4L-YGQt8RN3v-xJGri2vGg_HalIuwqPEVDqHZ2V7LbkG2OarsU5Tqvq2iDQPED4d35nB4Yq0BIvZ_XSQwaEpTRhrolwwdayJXcKYpbq-1A4/s400/P1000169blog.jpg" width="400" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Now, what to do with all those yarn ends? Of course I saved them, wouldn't you?!</div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-18725781916408578062018-11-11T17:14:00.000+00:002018-11-11T17:14:10.304+00:00October Samples<strong>2018/Week 40, Hedgerow Berries</strong><br />
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Another bit created on my Harris holiday. With no sewing machine, I challenged myself to try hedgerow berries again but this time in knitting! I'm not the greatest knitter, but I like to experiment now and then. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought felted knitting would suit this, so I searched for pure wool to felt in the washer. <span style="font-family: inherit;">I found two shades
of green Shetland 4ply for the base, and knitted these together on 4mm needles.
In a background of stocking stitch I randomly placed bobbles using a red/pink/orange Twilleys
Freedom. (Bobble = k in front, back and
front again of 1 st, turn, p3, turn, k3, turn, p3, turn, sl 1 k2tog, psso.)</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MBVFrcTT5d5mZEkLefO3Nw0clU4gfDwIQzFqlPIBf3NYEV6KJSkUOyATNQLCQd3jFRbMCLHoYaKlaX4wcA-OR-wbhLqj3mV8r7RItz5rO_qgu7msthXbUWlmDl_fNtWZwqL8BNIv2jg/s1600/P1190335blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7MBVFrcTT5d5mZEkLefO3Nw0clU4gfDwIQzFqlPIBf3NYEV6KJSkUOyATNQLCQd3jFRbMCLHoYaKlaX4wcA-OR-wbhLqj3mV8r7RItz5rO_qgu7msthXbUWlmDl_fNtWZwqL8BNIv2jg/s320/P1190335blog.jpg" width="302" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once home again I washed it at 60C and it felted pretty well!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WTrZUYMqaxauOADUmffyQuw2w4p3yuhIYlw6gAgEFOAJNgVuUl8rMK4Af0dJK2HnkQhEBM7vPXs8BQcsVMCUgUUqZFGMbR34gcCmnz6FNzJNA3PrRyoDzxST-mVKp4wNrQVXEKfsoEM/s1600/berry+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="486" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5WTrZUYMqaxauOADUmffyQuw2w4p3yuhIYlw6gAgEFOAJNgVuUl8rMK4Af0dJK2HnkQhEBM7vPXs8BQcsVMCUgUUqZFGMbR34gcCmnz6FNzJNA3PrRyoDzxST-mVKp4wNrQVXEKfsoEM/s320/berry+FB.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<strong>18/41 Car park</strong><br />
My Harris/Lewis holiday photos are full of inspiration for textiles. One of my favourites was this car park, with that metal mesh that's supposed to reinforce and protect the grass. There wasn't much grass left, but the plants looked wonderful in their hexagonal cells.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvlQnGeEKsif3hKYHq2gw4mL-g_WFe38w1OcQgfXDIA2IV47yYLXqj9DdGZS-sQRlPXsfSSf_u3GZmrecJXgTlUv8fle4mGVgjoy-O-nkvdgTTLbxnIfi6b63OlTSQvnf4JjY8Idvdd0/s1600/P1190300edfb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="888" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvlQnGeEKsif3hKYHq2gw4mL-g_WFe38w1OcQgfXDIA2IV47yYLXqj9DdGZS-sQRlPXsfSSf_u3GZmrecJXgTlUv8fle4mGVgjoy-O-nkvdgTTLbxnIfi6b63OlTSQvnf4JjY8Idvdd0/s320/P1190300edfb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Back home I hand stitched the wire, used the embellisher to create a mossy effect, and free-machined stylised plants.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0xCgwrYj1xzI_4GV2pYEnZbDi1eaclwEzgbPxIPt16N1_2n-l4nIvOqA7rE2-wEozaWssMRXhCeydofFhY2VAFWvmG_kS0MlCTuSncNnR_0DIBBB7J5H_4bR201HeUM1UHwFNLHz6lI/s1600/P1190360fb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1000" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0xCgwrYj1xzI_4GV2pYEnZbDi1eaclwEzgbPxIPt16N1_2n-l4nIvOqA7rE2-wEozaWssMRXhCeydofFhY2VAFWvmG_kS0MlCTuSncNnR_0DIBBB7J5H_4bR201HeUM1UHwFNLHz6lI/s320/P1190360fb2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<strong>18/42 Lewisian gneiss</strong><br />
The ancient bedrock of Lewis is gneiss, banded with pink feldspar. The standing stones of Callanish include some beautiful examples. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQmdf-qiafSj2Fr3iJpYE0QBcj0FKV1XKpBTd0VrXikvunLZIU2J-L1-iEDEcg8ox62drU6g1O33s9mOwcDDH_KAlBu9uUCX3zT0FWSVt4yzrC2Gb_gebKffA8UUs6gyl6EWFnmOdd7g/s1600/P1190250edBWfb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="810" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQmdf-qiafSj2Fr3iJpYE0QBcj0FKV1XKpBTd0VrXikvunLZIU2J-L1-iEDEcg8ox62drU6g1O33s9mOwcDDH_KAlBu9uUCX3zT0FWSVt4yzrC2Gb_gebKffA8UUs6gyl6EWFnmOdd7g/s400/P1190250edBWfb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Monochrome shows the drama of the stones... but getting in close shows the subtle patterns and colours of the rocks.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_w8MElq8xKPgQZUiBXjeJQOCcuOkqVrGI9h6uCNhIhmqy6N1wllF_KpetyDuWj1SSR9lhbTHPnfqmc-c5-oMLkSYVHjBz1GuW23BKW0QjnzYK6gvnwykeBSDw8epywkUszW-izqxYI0/s1600/P1190262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_w8MElq8xKPgQZUiBXjeJQOCcuOkqVrGI9h6uCNhIhmqy6N1wllF_KpetyDuWj1SSR9lhbTHPnfqmc-c5-oMLkSYVHjBz1GuW23BKW0QjnzYK6gvnwykeBSDw8epywkUszW-izqxYI0/s320/P1190262.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
This inspired a delicate lacy sample, free-machined on Solufleece. There's no fabric in this, just stitched thread - mostly Rayon 40 with just a little pinky metallic (which hardly shows in the photo).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIh-E-rpYVwxtHzoAvqQvSpkFqUum9BLytW6uAyvUsOGqMMiGEP6iGAU4NoQG1E-3idjvx9llOyL8GwWiMHAq5N-jERyzwOrcYvpNdLKzAt28b2yFpCr2QAmqL9UDDx0_3t0JYyLqCqOw/s1600/P1000074cropfb3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="716" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIh-E-rpYVwxtHzoAvqQvSpkFqUum9BLytW6uAyvUsOGqMMiGEP6iGAU4NoQG1E-3idjvx9llOyL8GwWiMHAq5N-jERyzwOrcYvpNdLKzAt28b2yFpCr2QAmqL9UDDx0_3t0JYyLqCqOw/s320/P1000074cropfb3.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong>18/43 Carloway broch</strong> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I've seen a few of these Iron Age towers around the highlands and islands, some in better repair than others. The stonework always seems to follow the same pattern: the gaps between large blocks are filled with stacks and bands of small ones. Now I think about it, our garden wall is just the same! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjESdFSKz6NegZYmRWQPTd6NARFZl3uU8AzXYm3ftgRs_p8hPsEmjuJw2HIuz5KoEUReu2gXX7Z1cKEY90OG4IqAHvgeyl09ylVlp1q_YKtBlgdjsk3IJikHNCB37mBYVZTZncaIWZWG8/s1600/P1190271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjESdFSKz6NegZYmRWQPTd6NARFZl3uU8AzXYm3ftgRs_p8hPsEmjuJw2HIuz5KoEUReu2gXX7Z1cKEY90OG4IqAHvgeyl09ylVlp1q_YKtBlgdjsk3IJikHNCB37mBYVZTZncaIWZWG8/s400/P1190271.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjZfsOrkZttxd_vfuDrRCW6lafKhz4T-t0E2uNzGmML7uO7axeBVSmPEdrbAFS9Ui73PIrudmOK83F1GNwprvWpx-0mBqcaH4iqaz6obe16Kg4DuzT1fhik_yP0TW2ddbNIWu9MXZeok/s1600/P1190268cropblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="631" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjZfsOrkZttxd_vfuDrRCW6lafKhz4T-t0E2uNzGmML7uO7axeBVSmPEdrbAFS9Ui73PIrudmOK83F1GNwprvWpx-0mBqcaH4iqaz6obe16Kg4DuzT1fhik_yP0TW2ddbNIWu9MXZeok/s320/P1190268cropblog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I used this as an excuse for a bit of wet felting. I'm trying to cure myself of the idea that felting is a messy, time-consuming business that needs a whole day set aside and plastic sheets everywhere. My felt jewellery course in August showed me I can dabble quite spontaneously at my desk. So I made a light grey merino base and decorated the top with bits of darker grey, recycled pink Cheviot, and white bamboo fibres.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I backed it with thin wadding, and my design on Solufleece, then free machined the block outlines with charcoal thread. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibs77dkRyF3HV-HmCkRbf8vwc5DTpjYmfXPm8GbWRGRC2cx6u67uIFej8z6MJxY0HdahaVPR9dgIyVfbnJz6AakMdeux8Hiwpea4Izho2dHZV3C0G5eXVp38KVXeuPHhmaVd2SlAzqIjU/s1600/P1000084fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="560" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibs77dkRyF3HV-HmCkRbf8vwc5DTpjYmfXPm8GbWRGRC2cx6u67uIFej8z6MJxY0HdahaVPR9dgIyVfbnJz6AakMdeux8Hiwpea4Izho2dHZV3C0G5eXVp38KVXeuPHhmaVd2SlAzqIjU/s320/P1000084fb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That's it for October, but I haven't finished with my holiday snaps yet!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-40202588963846349762018-10-10T20:22:00.001+01:002018-10-10T20:22:43.531+01:00September samples
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/36 Purple flowers</strong> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxsspE2y_ei8kZ8dnw56q5Td5e0axzSYbAoeTKXlEiUtxPdQa19QtMpIN0EM0qv6lfrSZZ0v9oQ4F4DXIyKxWGQibmcSzzYaItm8pJYuCEGaIimnbZ3t_WpbJQhL7HVUnK95fCBT6Jpo/s1600/P1190147edBlog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="498" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxsspE2y_ei8kZ8dnw56q5Td5e0axzSYbAoeTKXlEiUtxPdQa19QtMpIN0EM0qv6lfrSZZ0v9oQ4F4DXIyKxWGQibmcSzzYaItm8pJYuCEGaIimnbZ3t_WpbJQhL7HVUnK95fCBT6Jpo/s400/P1190147edBlog.jpg" width="376" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Three purple-shaded flowers together
caught my eye recently – devil’s bit scabious with knapweed and ling heather. Shying
away from precision and detail (for once!) I got out the Embellisher and
needled hand dyed green and lilac scrims through green felt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tiny clumps and tufts of wool fibres were
added with a hand held felting needle. Without even injuring myself!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/37 Seaweed</strong> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you ever really looked at seaweeds? They're fascinating, the range of shapes and colours! So I did a few little seaweed experiments using free machine stitching
on Solufleece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKaDxTllkKKc-xSzxlPSDsi4hLJZrl2GlLDnDA1VcYPtmNiILk5ryiD5C6haFZmCvYjjtIOvHUa98M7gqwfLt-rpmsRow_Bt3wzcUhTRvIwP87Aa4qhKrBV3lfr7FNqGQjI3zG_g2hTQ/s1600/P1190169fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="644" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKaDxTllkKKc-xSzxlPSDsi4hLJZrl2GlLDnDA1VcYPtmNiILk5ryiD5C6haFZmCvYjjtIOvHUa98M7gqwfLt-rpmsRow_Bt3wzcUhTRvIwP87Aa4qhKrBV3lfr7FNqGQjI3zG_g2hTQ/s400/P1190169fb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The feathery ones are easy enough... bladder wrack, not so much. </span>For the air sacs I stitched round and round (and round), distorting the fabric to make little
raised bubbles. These aren’t solid, they’re hollow. You can get more height
working without a hoop, but I only wanted tiny ones. The end results are a little messy, but they look alright as a group; I might take these further.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/38 Hedgerow berries</strong> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This little piece started with a
mix of yarns arranged on sticky soluble film (AquaBond). I free machined all
over this base with green to link everything and fill it in a bit, and added a
few blocks of satin stitch in shaded green for a leafy effect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the berries, I had in mind rowan, rose hips and blackberries.
I machined clusters and individual dots using straight stitch in those colours.
Then to make the berries stand out more I added a little hand stitching, mostly
French knots (there always has to be French knots!). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU9O9crXepdb0ECegTivD8znYt4IQMosTAQ0fltH09lWcepXJeBcS-eI1BGdD03XCilSVoPbU7eFAa528vqx74-Kz75-wGpHvae2D54VteKCmOLQsRpFF-XBYe1lrfBRzlKrXO2g375c/s1600/P1190195edFB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="596" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCU9O9crXepdb0ECegTivD8znYt4IQMosTAQ0fltH09lWcepXJeBcS-eI1BGdD03XCilSVoPbU7eFAa528vqx74-Kz75-wGpHvae2D54VteKCmOLQsRpFF-XBYe1lrfBRzlKrXO2g375c/s400/P1190195edFB.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was quite pleased with this one after dissolving, maybe
I’ll do more! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/39 Seed heads</strong> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On holiday (Harris, since you ask - very
nice thank you!) without my trusty Bernina, I had to resort to hand stitching. But
nothing as normal as fabric – I used Somerset paper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktdVpGls_2e1qBmfUEZP14MfBRGPqxIkM7weSM6Fa3fvOuit2DtXY4dlY5czm9p0yHnY7hcmKH0InmCC4a0_2fe73Qd1xF77PDHTdlH9PndvkYobLylyClLPbFLV-lWxmhgI9_M2lPKo/s1600/P1190337seeds2FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="612" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktdVpGls_2e1qBmfUEZP14MfBRGPqxIkM7weSM6Fa3fvOuit2DtXY4dlY5czm9p0yHnY7hcmKH0InmCC4a0_2fe73Qd1xF77PDHTdlH9PndvkYobLylyClLPbFLV-lWxmhgI9_M2lPKo/s400/P1190337seeds2FB.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For each seed head I embroidered “long tailed detached
chain stitch” (phew!) into and around a small punched hole. The thread was a
lovely space dyed fine cotton from Oliver Twists. <span style="font-family: inherit;">And yes, I did take my
Japanese screw punch and a cutting mat on holiday… wouldn't you?! Well, you have to have some rainy day
entertainments in the Outer Hebrides! </span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love the crisp effect of stitch on paper,
the embroidery really stands out.</span></span></span><br /></div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-49825409197635098932018-09-09T16:44:00.000+01:002018-09-09T16:44:31.125+01:00August Samples<strong>18/31 Chain stitch on soluble fabric </strong><em> (that's 2018, week 31 by the way!)</em><br />
A technique geek one this time. Not many people seem to play with hand embroidery on dissolvable film, but I can't resist. It's quite challenging... try it and you'll see!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I worked rows of chain stitch in grey, blue and turquoise pearl cotton, adjacent but not linked. Then to hold them together I threaded pink-mauve through the straight stitches that appear on the back of the fabric when you stitch chains. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF6-3Qf5Gw1z1s8VoOQUMrmygPlrHS54XeaqybVJ2kbmU4yxhQ0-vlHYZAfrLJWLaxfUFAmDbrPX1197nQMqhtpYwKr9GkxCw_w7EKnL-PIQ4CQNbsxS_UJc3aq0FzeU-hQSCsiMdIMI/s1600/ch+front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="630" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRF6-3Qf5Gw1z1s8VoOQUMrmygPlrHS54XeaqybVJ2kbmU4yxhQ0-vlHYZAfrLJWLaxfUFAmDbrPX1197nQMqhtpYwKr9GkxCw_w7EKnL-PIQ4CQNbsxS_UJc3aq0FzeU-hQSCsiMdIMI/s320/ch+front.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Carefully dissolved, and voila! A fabric made of chain stitch embroidery. So what if it'd be quicker to knit, this is something different. But which side is best? The back looks like this:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJ0kY452JDI5hGvRvarMZOZw0nHQ8TjQutpgzZr9PaY8-vKwC9n-zcAb14faaEzKhcdl25B8qnWOsX69v0CwfDOIKpt-03kOGeGKIOnsmANoQCXNXGv_IYC1dIWGq_vi2SN-gtx3oWeg/s1600/ch+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="613" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJ0kY452JDI5hGvRvarMZOZw0nHQ8TjQutpgzZr9PaY8-vKwC9n-zcAb14faaEzKhcdl25B8qnWOsX69v0CwfDOIKpt-03kOGeGKIOnsmANoQCXNXGv_IYC1dIWGq_vi2SN-gtx3oWeg/s320/ch+back.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong>18/32 Pattern Stitch fabric</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Still in the mood for creating "fabric" from just stitches on dissolvable film, this time I went with machine embroidery. But built-in, automatic embroidery patterns, not free machining.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thinking of the sea (it's right in front of my desk!) I chose a curled, wavy pattern:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41UkPnq85ex8nxmEWEkkQ7nnt542tePfKR5RJQqGx8IILC7gL5uGzaLvBDphzfBLvy0V-Ey-6iiYaN38U6hxGEHeQfgX2hDeKQ4YpfvFFXxgHd6RqLNQ42i3cLmfxJxBIUquduWMiHbM/s1600/autopatt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41UkPnq85ex8nxmEWEkkQ7nnt542tePfKR5RJQqGx8IILC7gL5uGzaLvBDphzfBLvy0V-Ey-6iiYaN38U6hxGEHeQfgX2hDeKQ4YpfvFFXxgHd6RqLNQ42i3cLmfxJxBIUquduWMiHbM/s1600/autopatt.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I stitched three layers of this pattern on Romeo, working from dark at the bottom to light at the top. By the third layer, the Bernina had sussed that I wasn't using its pretty patterns as intended and started protesting by breaking the thread, but I pushed it on - I am very cruel to that machine. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7vjwrTzb62kZ8p2t2bqSCKs0-Er9xSfcchLu0VFXFcR6uy2aYjIIC78fPTa3-FDGvZECRvEVtWO6LLFcL4HFf85X-xd509nXZaosOus286Ca2nQCWmfZ9_IVRiLvQfc6hp8LVd49_wA/s1600/autolayers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="483" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht7vjwrTzb62kZ8p2t2bqSCKs0-Er9xSfcchLu0VFXFcR6uy2aYjIIC78fPTa3-FDGvZECRvEVtWO6LLFcL4HFf85X-xd509nXZaosOus286Ca2nQCWmfZ9_IVRiLvQfc6hp8LVd49_wA/s320/autolayers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In the end it was quite successful. I deliberately (honest) didn't align the stitches of each row, but it's all stayed together well and the curly pattern shows in places.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5GLF1KF_ix5aTZDwCBnYox2Pmu2TOYahTyhJC1eHJ25FOxjpDzGj_HrzbYiBu4GWP9OcpSuojKBKy15c1xJ1xN8xhIF17QDS78dxILNKdgyd6R47Km6zQJMZwjbQANGvOjl9gW6LxFs/s1600/P1180953blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="766" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5GLF1KF_ix5aTZDwCBnYox2Pmu2TOYahTyhJC1eHJ25FOxjpDzGj_HrzbYiBu4GWP9OcpSuojKBKy15c1xJ1xN8xhIF17QDS78dxILNKdgyd6R47Km6zQJMZwjbQANGvOjl9gW6LxFs/s320/P1180953blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong>18/33 Gannet eye</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I love watching gannets diving for fish in the bay - they're so spectacular! They look amazing close up too...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeDdG_j5x3FtYwPDy9LvbwJPODVzgo6VhRzzm5vlKD_BaZxuNocXOEnfOLyY2JcJdXRm6mnQPeFBJbe1XqMW_kNViMomPJT64SXK5P9sQkgob5DDxc6AxQOrKWgLx2MMlsmv_E7k0p0g/s1600/P1190006ed+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="651" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeDdG_j5x3FtYwPDy9LvbwJPODVzgo6VhRzzm5vlKD_BaZxuNocXOEnfOLyY2JcJdXRm6mnQPeFBJbe1XqMW_kNViMomPJT64SXK5P9sQkgob5DDxc6AxQOrKWgLx2MMlsmv_E7k0p0g/s320/P1190006ed+FB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Solid free machining (sometimes called thread painting) on calico.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong>18/34 Hand embroidery in air</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There's such a craze for "hoop art" at the moment - embroidery displayed in the hoop used to make it. So of course I have to try it with dissolvable fabric! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I decided I'd need a solid fabric edge, as tying a lacy confection onto the hoop would be messy at best. So I hooped up some felt with my dissolvable film and made sure all the stitching was attached to that. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lAYEEuMMmHZU0yG-jbCGuxjzmIfQyg_IvqQnsLgKVQDpFU5sbGsTseCKnQU0JuX27Hbv932c3kmUNOyAmZCSe4sC4jxD1pqrZRDi24sQk8Q68ZRjWP6XNQ32Dq33Rf27yJXhVN6wdDc/s1600/P1190120ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1586" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lAYEEuMMmHZU0yG-jbCGuxjzmIfQyg_IvqQnsLgKVQDpFU5sbGsTseCKnQU0JuX27Hbv932c3kmUNOyAmZCSe4sC4jxD1pqrZRDi24sQk8Q68ZRjWP6XNQ32Dq33Rf27yJXhVN6wdDc/s400/P1190120ed.jpg" width="396" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I used tiny circles of felt for the flower centres - you do need somewhere to fasten threads on and off! They're linked with green running stitch, knotted at the junctions. Then simple straight stitch for the flower petals and French knots for the centres. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgSODL5yLVNJ-HI8PzEWUNntIgvJZvx60de6dZpIcLTTYOUIruUVG2KevD9srchhuifc1m7rw8c9kWTfhArfVM6Hqtg8kEQm_JEpJuAlhIRcs0qC5pmoBkf07timqHMds7gd85dxqYFc/s1600/P1190117ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="795" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgSODL5yLVNJ-HI8PzEWUNntIgvJZvx60de6dZpIcLTTYOUIruUVG2KevD9srchhuifc1m7rw8c9kWTfhArfVM6Hqtg8kEQm_JEpJuAlhIRcs0qC5pmoBkf07timqHMds7gd85dxqYFc/s320/P1190117ed.jpg" width="299" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong>18/35 Felt jewellery</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For a change, I followed an online course in Wool Felt Jewellery throughout August. It was great fun, I can highly recommend <a href="https://www.fionaduthie.com/workshops/online-felting-workshops/" target="_blank">Fiona Duthie's courses</a>! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We learned all sorts of techniques to make wet felted beads, cords and lace. I especially loved the cords, and made several bangles. I haven't done a lot of felting, so there was a lot to learn; I made sure I tried everything while there was someone to consult - Fiona and other students were very helpful. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My final experiment was this brooch idea, combining the felt I'd made with a bit of free machining on dissolvable fabric. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7B97g__feuWvl86soOi1IsWraSN8lKJ6X-QSODxsZ33LmIi31ddkUOOJwK0l0_25qCk_qTIvKGtF90GLK_1jg0evbM1O6ONi0hUkWA8_MH-J2C-wLhezeCYqK_OHFEDM6BgW3yDdqkM/s1600/brooch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="454" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7B97g__feuWvl86soOi1IsWraSN8lKJ6X-QSODxsZ33LmIi31ddkUOOJwK0l0_25qCk_qTIvKGtF90GLK_1jg0evbM1O6ONi0hUkWA8_MH-J2C-wLhezeCYqK_OHFEDM6BgW3yDdqkM/s320/brooch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It's a felt bead trapped in flat felt as it was made, then revealed as an "inclusion". I cut out the circle, then stitched it onto a larger circle of felt that I'd edged with cable stitch worked on Solufleece.<br />
<br />
I focussed so much on learning all the new techniques that I ran out of time for making finished pieces. But I still want to make myself a cord necklace, with slider beads and inclusions.<br />
<br />
It was wonderful to find I could make small felt pieces at my desk without getting water everywhere. Now I know that I'll definitely do more wet felting to combine with my stitching.<br />
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-57135990414387315512018-08-07T17:28:00.000+01:002018-08-07T17:28:14.099+01:00July Samples<strong>18/27 Cyanotype</strong><br />
Typically, the long sunny spell was almost over when I remembered my cyanotype fabric. Well it's been put aside for along time, as I never seemed to get the right conditions for sun printing at my last house. <br />
<br />
So on a still, sunny day with just an hour to spare I got to work (or rather, play!). First snag - the fabric was one large, very creased piece. Have you tried ironing and cutting up fabric in the dark?! I didn't want to risk activating the chemicals until I was ready to print. <br />
<br />
I rushed around the garden grabbing plants to act as resists. Then I arranged them on the fabric, covered with a piece of glass, and let the sun loose on it. This is what happened:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGXFh00tNVplFfwZwy7fklepPb9Zy91go7Fq1euf5pglN8QjUAiNBUxf3MkYEoOLBgVSao-2bK9_JLS6cV3IwbdfE-4DPVlvZuUtYocdhR5KYD18ZxgT73fy9UOum7-69Byf5Stbzj-E/s1600/prt1fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="573" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGXFh00tNVplFfwZwy7fklepPb9Zy91go7Fq1euf5pglN8QjUAiNBUxf3MkYEoOLBgVSao-2bK9_JLS6cV3IwbdfE-4DPVlvZuUtYocdhR5KYD18ZxgT73fy9UOum7-69Byf5Stbzj-E/s400/prt1fb.jpg" width="330" /></a></div>
Magic! I couldn't wait to try again.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
As well as more plants, I made some negative transparencies from digital photos. My photos mostly didn't have enough contrast, but I liked this one of Talisker Bay:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgwFQi5Kq9E24Aaud9tB1n2qQVbVbx-r5HFL-rK01K4DglmrPhixctW7_XZdiMMeaWilCCmFGMFOb4O6uq1JLuJoJsiY5izRmPmxhyphenhyphenI4h9k-LH38VYMqBJXZDZ2R-0vx5R-3z9rbcOkE/s1600/prt4fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="692" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgwFQi5Kq9E24Aaud9tB1n2qQVbVbx-r5HFL-rK01K4DglmrPhixctW7_XZdiMMeaWilCCmFGMFOb4O6uq1JLuJoJsiY5izRmPmxhyphenhyphenI4h9k-LH38VYMqBJXZDZ2R-0vx5R-3z9rbcOkE/s400/prt4fb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
What do you mean, you can do this in Photoshop - where's the fun in that?!<br />
But what to do with these prints? So far I've made a couple of pocket mirrors and a tiny accordion book.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WJLOjrWTVp_0Ut9LDxAC3fOUk2S-X-BTjy-8vtpdayeTCs659x_d6s1ffnMR04PK2A9Uq1WcL3iMUpUz6Ial2JCZdsT3fV-myZblKiNwXs3TZa41GFKzZ5cBpVTDxez6I9ZarrG8vKg/s1600/mirrors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="691" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WJLOjrWTVp_0Ut9LDxAC3fOUk2S-X-BTjy-8vtpdayeTCs659x_d6s1ffnMR04PK2A9Uq1WcL3iMUpUz6Ial2JCZdsT3fV-myZblKiNwXs3TZa41GFKzZ5cBpVTDxez6I9ZarrG8vKg/s320/mirrors.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTG69yKbHBYUHqz0ogehexZ8HO__fobw4VOlqcMnjg0AcdK_fMBSD4ur5hCrW5T6cg6dh098Cd-_nZJdST8MgOWsxGqcngERqZ7WamYG7kql8FMybAGWdVH-jnCbcobFg4zTFMo4xfogU/s1600/book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="612" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTG69yKbHBYUHqz0ogehexZ8HO__fobw4VOlqcMnjg0AcdK_fMBSD4ur5hCrW5T6cg6dh098Cd-_nZJdST8MgOWsxGqcngERqZ7WamYG7kql8FMybAGWdVH-jnCbcobFg4zTFMo4xfogU/s320/book.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>18/28 Simmer Dim</strong><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This far north it never gets totally dark around
midsummer. It’s very confusing, we keep losing track of the time and going to
bed far too late! In Shetland this long summer twilight is called the Simmer
Dim. This is what midnight looks like from our window onto the bay on a
cloudless night: </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCMzMUdwF-BYI90rG3a3FQHvp-NYcAuxSKGAppfWLXz3PYdkaVYL3sFxa2i5hXIg_Faitygx9z5HbDdUwFmOkThYMJLyEm7G9FGR2LqOtZmaosUb55dl9fYhyphenhyphenhb0yoGZehDUZMRcpvWE/s1600/simmerdim2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1041" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCMzMUdwF-BYI90rG3a3FQHvp-NYcAuxSKGAppfWLXz3PYdkaVYL3sFxa2i5hXIg_Faitygx9z5HbDdUwFmOkThYMJLyEm7G9FGR2LqOtZmaosUb55dl9fYhyphenhyphenhb0yoGZehDUZMRcpvWE/s400/simmerdim2.jpg" width="357" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Those colours! I decided to knit them, maybe it was the
Shetland association suggesting that? For little bits of lots of colours I chose
tapestry wools – my stash is HUGE from bargain lots snapped up over the years. I still didn't have the right shades, buy hey it's only meant to be "inspired by", not a faithful copy. I
knitted a strip in garter stitch with colour changes on the “wrong” side to
help the colours shift more gradually. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXz-myQ67d-_hNa1A1ofQAMTrOqgOVkdG1tBZSSRloopgQ5lC0VXrdo-OFN2M9vAH44ojRukQdCZWm81oE7L0SXHEHIAuBR_WIztaG4PqkGfpqbKVkw_oxLCI464f8Q4CmvXVdamRS1mA/s1600/P1180846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="319" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXz-myQ67d-_hNa1A1ofQAMTrOqgOVkdG1tBZSSRloopgQ5lC0VXrdo-OFN2M9vAH44ojRukQdCZWm81oE7L0SXHEHIAuBR_WIztaG4PqkGfpqbKVkw_oxLCI464f8Q4CmvXVdamRS1mA/s320/P1180846.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But knitting alone’s not enough for me, I
needed a twist… so I used the embellisher to attach the knitting to felt,
flattening and stabilising it too. Then a bit of hand stitching to soften some
colour shifts and highlight others. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXprIVUGVaHdkgGQ4wwB-Dt4ZFE9tMQyzF406MtONRhJLmtTuoKXvITyFk6V3b_Mkpl5OQHOYEzK-Whtasc6QLnolVef7fMywU8zW1Nz5ukJyKryHIfsQ_fiMNOSaSl76eDB9Q9kCy-kY/s1600/simmerdimsample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXprIVUGVaHdkgGQ4wwB-Dt4ZFE9tMQyzF406MtONRhJLmtTuoKXvITyFk6V3b_Mkpl5OQHOYEzK-Whtasc6QLnolVef7fMywU8zW1Nz5ukJyKryHIfsQ_fiMNOSaSl76eDB9Q9kCy-kY/s320/simmerdimsample.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eCh6AG-rIYPHYxIEi1N2R9ToPU05tFtYCiwregWlHsxAqaN_xSDAIowBl4prQDqpEkmlTlfGnhWZotWwu3foNf6_-7ukE5K8HR-dEgvOngDbpmfy1qzWpn3ziDOjttngrL1eV5ayZ3o/s1600/simmerdimfb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="542" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eCh6AG-rIYPHYxIEi1N2R9ToPU05tFtYCiwregWlHsxAqaN_xSDAIowBl4prQDqpEkmlTlfGnhWZotWwu3foNf6_-7ukE5K8HR-dEgvOngDbpmfy1qzWpn3ziDOjttngrL1eV5ayZ3o/s320/simmerdimfb2.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not one of my favourite samples, but
knitting needled onto felt certainly has potential? It makes a lovely firm
fabric, ready lined for a little purse, cuff, or… all sorts of
possibilities!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><strong>18/29 Cotton Grass</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Drifts of cotton grass or bog cotton on damp areas always make me smile - it's a weird but lovely plant, unlike anything else.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZsnlAR_p7ybNYbcMAaBVZtONZ3GpyDV10ofS48bGo_BrAxj0wP0Gq_eDKFKkBUVOR8z-4ELJYHQpDeXBIPkABTBCNomh25AXdtDfUw7lCXLffTXfeK8Cf6DZXPZxCDYg5ymNScdtiuI/s1600/P1180875fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="562" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSZsnlAR_p7ybNYbcMAaBVZtONZ3GpyDV10ofS48bGo_BrAxj0wP0Gq_eDKFKkBUVOR8z-4ELJYHQpDeXBIPkABTBCNomh25AXdtDfUw7lCXLffTXfeK8Cf6DZXPZxCDYg5ymNScdtiuI/s400/P1180875fb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I backed a little scrap of Harris tweed with pelmet
Vilene to allow free machining, then stitched lots of stalks in Gutermann
variegated green/brown cotton. The “cotton” heads were then created by needle
felting tiny clumps of bamboo fibres on. I did this by hand with a single
needle. Of all the fibres in my stash the bamboo seemed the best match, though
really it should be whiter.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><strong>18/30 Rosebay Willowherb</strong> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">In July and August the drifts of this wildflower, aka fireweed make a spectacular splash of colour.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I didn't mind whether my rosebay sample was machine or hand embroidered, so I had a look at all kinds of threads.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtFMxv-g9edEfk4hwX-7xtesFWNON69tB7YP60ntE_cp2bpAGw7TV2Yc1X2cXP-1oWaS2C-q0QU7R3wItS_ydMl_fNARTtrO0hgQ7fAWhABZ-edYnNt3kgxkNfeSQWkN720hCDMgYjxY/s1600/rosebay1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="676" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtFMxv-g9edEfk4hwX-7xtesFWNON69tB7YP60ntE_cp2bpAGw7TV2Yc1X2cXP-1oWaS2C-q0QU7R3wItS_ydMl_fNARTtrO0hgQ7fAWhABZ-edYnNt3kgxkNfeSQWkN720hCDMgYjxY/s320/rosebay1.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Nothing seemed quite the right colour - even on my massive Madeira shade card! Ah well, may as well use the machine then.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHgfg7WLX1P78mFokvL4HQwGQPGTJ54HC3nfr4PJEQEdhsxgRfoDZK5buFWqzxFPMXZ_dejKs_f1OAvp_0TdxUNErWY_ceEZVIQagHO3cy719ddxCmc597kwpjLa-9EdGieJVYWwqaR0/s1600/P1180915fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="590" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHgfg7WLX1P78mFokvL4HQwGQPGTJ54HC3nfr4PJEQEdhsxgRfoDZK5buFWqzxFPMXZ_dejKs_f1OAvp_0TdxUNErWY_ceEZVIQagHO3cy719ddxCmc597kwpjLa-9EdGieJVYWwqaR0/s400/P1180915fb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Back to my favourite technique - doodling with the Bernina on dissolvable fabric. I used different colours on the bobbin and spool to get closer to the actual pink/mauve. And added some bright yellow ragwort for contrast, as the two plants are often together round here. <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-43109659075544710112018-07-12T21:31:00.002+01:002018-07-12T21:31:51.872+01:00June Samples<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>18/23 Dragonfly wing</b><br />At RSPB Ham Wall (Somerset!) the other week I was astonished by the clouds of thousands upon thousands of dragonflies and damselflies, rising from the plants on either side of the broad path we walked. Mostly Four-spotted Chasers and Common Blue damselflies, I think.</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKwIQfiOkDEVQe_7y5svqev9eH6U6xksT2gWyy92qj1c0f1Af67miIWNQD2lbYePWuO8hbNlr1ClIPjPFRA_AH-1oV95WOhKMzY76_6lbotefj27olwoefi6DoWIJUj36P37-C6oM_Hg/s1600/four+spotted+chaser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="728" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKwIQfiOkDEVQe_7y5svqev9eH6U6xksT2gWyy92qj1c0f1Af67miIWNQD2lbYePWuO8hbNlr1ClIPjPFRA_AH-1oV95WOhKMzY76_6lbotefj27olwoefi6DoWIJUj36P37-C6oM_Hg/s320/four+spotted+chaser.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Inspiring! But having done a dragonfly piece a few years ago, this one:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0K0VCZ9OayVTN-qdf-6VDc_NytliP5Py7N8Vbdiw-M5SFbOsqv0KcrCj_rnunTiH8vvfvQ06BP29wzy_NWYxcP_WjheVyfw1n3Rtdpxp61Ix5ZJTotCfaCuazVavVZZd-2mzZkFVqqs/s1600/DD3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="445" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0K0VCZ9OayVTN-qdf-6VDc_NytliP5Py7N8Vbdiw-M5SFbOsqv0KcrCj_rnunTiH8vvfvQ06BP29wzy_NWYxcP_WjheVyfw1n3Rtdpxp61Ix5ZJTotCfaCuazVavVZZd-2mzZkFVqqs/s320/DD3.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">...I didn’t want to do anything too similar. So for variety, I based my sample on the detail of a dragonfly wing.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2TZb4kxzFW4eN19756gxUU8eoSqiKudd242GJCzGElHfVLJ2QYFYkZbjFXEWnfsvj9x9k0hIDxzqratKS6I19-utDSomOJbH6YB6I_3TJ4Jx6BzLoR-IjdPXv57OHFcwCclLoIsCwfQ/s1600/755crop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="727" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-2TZb4kxzFW4eN19756gxUU8eoSqiKudd242GJCzGElHfVLJ2QYFYkZbjFXEWnfsvj9x9k0hIDxzqratKS6I19-utDSomOJbH6YB6I_3TJ4Jx6BzLoR-IjdPXv57OHFcwCclLoIsCwfQ/s320/755crop1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I used Solufleece reinforced with a bit of Aquabond on the back. Dark turquoise for the bolder lines, light turquoise with a multicoloured metallic thread on the bobbin for the fine network, giving just a hint of sparkle. A wired edge holds the shape and allows 3D shaping to create shadows. <br /><br /><b>18/24 Dragonfly pattern </b><br />Dragonflies again, but this time a pared down, stylised design. Hand stitching with fine machine embroidery thread, on a background of turquoise mulberry silk paper glued to thin white card. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7edXVeQtNKR5yezDLU2Of9S1XqXyeeezyXaIyR195ga2cOiqvuYHawYIe7brY8f_1OvAkDiZGXvGvHRQseos1Fch5iwLaukurb8_ZxgMl81hyIQwf_T3N1tTcnXsFE4iFVv5faC17yJU/s1600/P1180796-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="537" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7edXVeQtNKR5yezDLU2Of9S1XqXyeeezyXaIyR195ga2cOiqvuYHawYIe7brY8f_1OvAkDiZGXvGvHRQseos1Fch5iwLaukurb8_ZxgMl81hyIQwf_T3N1tTcnXsFE4iFVv5faC17yJU/s320/P1180796-a.jpg" width="304" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I wish I could stitch something like this on a floaty, sheer fabric! But there’d be no hiding place for thread ends and travelling stitches.<br /><br /><b>18/25 Wild flower verge </b><br />My walk from Harrapool to Broadford was ruined when the verges were mowed flat just as the wild flowers were at their peak. Masses of ox eye daisies, orchids, clovers and buttercups, all cut off in their prime before they had chance to set seed.</span><div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I made this little piece in memory of them. It’s three layers of free machine embroidery on dissolvable fabric.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYDwfntWXsHIqAxqQnUw-7KJ_wFRbjvZ6pdQxuP0TupipuunlvV_beq5GNtICwRbyO-4EV9FBKO4nY7kFW-nBNOzaFCPhy-pjLcCGUOFUzjlsmRqd2FrYUIxSKYUhXF3tMhttW_OY52w/s1600/SkyeVerge.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYDwfntWXsHIqAxqQnUw-7KJ_wFRbjvZ6pdQxuP0TupipuunlvV_beq5GNtICwRbyO-4EV9FBKO4nY7kFW-nBNOzaFCPhy-pjLcCGUOFUzjlsmRqd2FrYUIxSKYUhXF3tMhttW_OY52w/s400/SkyeVerge.jpg" /></a></div>
And then I sent a photo of it to the council, who were getting the blame. They claimed Transport Scotland was responsible so I sent it to them. They said it was about road safety, but didn’t reply again when I pointed out that the flowers were beyond a wide pavement so that was nonsense. At least the picture got my messages noticed, giving me a chance to suggest they look at Plantlife’s guidance and delay the mowing in future. <br /><br /><b>18/26 Ripples </b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m lucky enough to have my desk looking straight out onto a wonderful sea view - Broadford Bay. The ever-changing colours and moods of the water are mesmerising.<br /><br />For this sample I decided to use one simple hand embroidery stitch in a range of sea colours. Partly because I wanted some simple, slow hand stitching to take on a trip. I decided on twisted chain stitch, which I thought looked suitably ripple-y. <br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFYIUPhmVwW_0azUQqD6FyeUNnsAlqs1KXdIArmBa_ug7DtUYH3qxLbY2GDVeUPfHgJcDKDrnN-oQ4_TfVrxwm9LAWO-DD_ehT_31fYYZmjrdiz4wWuE4gQAOxL_wvyWEouO9azeYCuY/s1600/P1180774fb.jpg" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFYIUPhmVwW_0azUQqD6FyeUNnsAlqs1KXdIArmBa_ug7DtUYH3qxLbY2GDVeUPfHgJcDKDrnN-oQ4_TfVrxwm9LAWO-DD_ehT_31fYYZmjrdiz4wWuE4gQAOxL_wvyWEouO9azeYCuY/s320/P1180774fb.jpg" /></a></div>
The fabric is indigo-dyed open weave cotton, backed with navy felt. Embroidered with all sorts of space dyed, blended and plain threads, some mixed with metallic blending filament. <br /><br /> Of course I didn’t do a single stitch while I was away, and it took me ages to finish this once I got home! It wasn’t easy getting the twisted chains to lie nicely, but I quite like the effect in the end.</span></div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-84099814764672267112018-06-24T14:51:00.003+01:002018-06-24T17:10:30.770+01:00May Samples<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>18/18 Pizza</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every week I
think, what’s caught my eye? What have I seen recently that’s a bit different?
It doesn’t (quite!) always have to be nature… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A trip to the
city, a rare meal out – pizza! Pizza Express Vegan Giardiniera to be precise.
Artichokes, olives, mushrooms, red onion, vegan “mozzarella”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So here’s a
little piece inspired by (not meant to look too much like!) a pizza. It could
possibly be a brooch?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhau8R6rFVqHZl7eEUVwn1baZokBjAqqekeqVUoMMd7csJBuVO49kEgIYa3P2Z2FUpLmOsHnZdV6k6xeLYUC5Ip42Rdu_q_sDokPg2T9m8SGR8RK3EPJ09yRcTNW69SlIEYsscPenqCjv4/s1600/P1180503fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="710" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhau8R6rFVqHZl7eEUVwn1baZokBjAqqekeqVUoMMd7csJBuVO49kEgIYa3P2Z2FUpLmOsHnZdV6k6xeLYUC5Ip42Rdu_q_sDokPg2T9m8SGR8RK3EPJ09yRcTNW69SlIEYsscPenqCjv4/s400/P1180503fb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>18/19 Primrose
lace</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">OK, so I’ve done
several versions of primroses before… but they’re everywhere right now, I just
have to play with them again!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For something a
bit different, I tried an open, lacy piece – entirely in free machining on
soluble fabric. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRscYq3Uf1lW1Hm2J-BwZqy8UlMK7nUwxx1LqIB1fprfyiQFRApiEOkcf7CJsLru34aq2tvbwubkErcexN_KpKN5B0a5Q1hwmeKffVh6yTQfl1pgfklMRHpzN9l5nIU_MwBDRhJmry7s/s1600/P1180546edfb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="602" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimRscYq3Uf1lW1Hm2J-BwZqy8UlMK7nUwxx1LqIB1fprfyiQFRApiEOkcf7CJsLru34aq2tvbwubkErcexN_KpKN5B0a5Q1hwmeKffVh6yTQfl1pgfklMRHpzN9l5nIU_MwBDRhJmry7s/s320/P1180546edfb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>18/20 Whelk shell</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This spiral
design came from an unusually colourful whelk shell I found on the beach –
looking down the whorls from the apex.</span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAenA27LpGDVkPAS12OLswUR4ru7Pa8LSc_qMTejlF-03IYKMMitRbzsyIxb8Nzhx3CW_1ykciF0_TuxapqodeGCa5qkygfV3dfpcf-wSZJPy0MHPvdClxmw1aSPh5NL6m7CfXdv2aBVo/s1600/P1180582blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="494" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAenA27LpGDVkPAS12OLswUR4ru7Pa8LSc_qMTejlF-03IYKMMitRbzsyIxb8Nzhx3CW_1ykciF0_TuxapqodeGCa5qkygfV3dfpcf-wSZJPy0MHPvdClxmw1aSPh5NL6m7CfXdv2aBVo/s320/P1180582blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I used the
Embellisher to make a background, first meshing together loose weave cotton and
scrim then adding a rough spiral of white and purple wool fibres.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then I just had
fun with hand embroidery in various purple, yellow and cream threads – running,
stem and chain stitches and some French knots.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qZvjZ0TAKytfIOXRhy5QaDMPaYbDNbQUUkbynjLX-HDsl9U4ygm89Fn-7NUXch_BWhfubvJ0sQhAnhSJxr1zLcy1j4-WT-uTb0IYfU0kbT-GuagKDVzPqUNdRcPqsTgnBXCn8FkEEdc/s1600/P1180643FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="621" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qZvjZ0TAKytfIOXRhy5QaDMPaYbDNbQUUkbynjLX-HDsl9U4ygm89Fn-7NUXch_BWhfubvJ0sQhAnhSJxr1zLcy1j4-WT-uTb0IYfU0kbT-GuagKDVzPqUNdRcPqsTgnBXCn8FkEEdc/s320/P1180643FB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>18/21 Bluebells </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think bluebells
are my favourite wildflowers... though I might waver when foxgloves and primroses
are about. It’s not the individual plants but the effect of hundreds, thousands
of them - that fabulous blue-purple carpet. One of the special treats of a UK
spring!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So it was the
density of flowers I wanted to capture with this little sample, and I decided
the only way to get that was to overlay several layers of embroidery.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5W0SKRAePWwu7sfLfwVw7VOsOGMFxA-vK1csO_z_ZhPRL0m85tWJs_DD5OEwirBdAhVzGU4Re9gD6byvjir9gITkElqSdwI0bxDPJFkMBOnqB-nSR9SMNXjphhbxB0heQMbVljibgEQ/s1600/blubell2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="937" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg5W0SKRAePWwu7sfLfwVw7VOsOGMFxA-vK1csO_z_ZhPRL0m85tWJs_DD5OEwirBdAhVzGU4Re9gD6byvjir9gITkElqSdwI0bxDPJFkMBOnqB-nSR9SMNXjphhbxB0heQMbVljibgEQ/s400/blubell2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I free machined
three strips of stems/leaves and flowers on Aquasol, using Madeira Rayon 40,
ranging from 3cm to 4.cm tall. After dissolving and drying I overcast the
layers together at the base.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>18/22 Cape Daisy</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love to photograph flowers really close up, the centres are often fascinating. This one is a Cape Daisy.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaxOUnkC0u4QNG_pnNVueAnttmx3INWGqYgcdCHvlB-FfDS1VKtoLHDrKki9VGrnuCEh5zooSZW8gR6A40bsL1kQaHHNbOGasmFKc_w5wz_6xdemuVOO30fEeGGLOjSbFFNCLqJ6XpWk/s1600/cent9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="425" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaxOUnkC0u4QNG_pnNVueAnttmx3INWGqYgcdCHvlB-FfDS1VKtoLHDrKki9VGrnuCEh5zooSZW8gR6A40bsL1kQaHHNbOGasmFKc_w5wz_6xdemuVOO30fEeGGLOjSbFFNCLqJ6XpWk/s320/cent9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It led to a little sample combining machine and hand embroidery. I pencilled the outline on white cotton fabric, and coloured the centre yellow with fabric crayons. Then I free machined the petals using </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">grey-purple for their outlines and variegated lilac filling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the centre I stitched French knots in </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">dark purple perle 8 and golden yellow stranded
cotton, with a </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">few
purple straight stitches added to fill gaps.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltoZCP78Tk5_-70mSkg_D-UWEB4EEJZGNAaScTcnFXuRRwMjpPrqN_AFvBqrl748HxdxlVTKzb5orBvFWflmBAv08yR1hB2YFhKVGYiQa_4sdnB0KAvcAOIAsf9ifJqyOi5IsfuzUcXQ/s1600/osteo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="597" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltoZCP78Tk5_-70mSkg_D-UWEB4EEJZGNAaScTcnFXuRRwMjpPrqN_AFvBqrl748HxdxlVTKzb5orBvFWflmBAv08yR1hB2YFhKVGYiQa_4sdnB0KAvcAOIAsf9ifJqyOi5IsfuzUcXQ/s320/osteo1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoPlainText">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</span></div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-65864105500079705012018-05-06T21:06:00.000+01:002018-05-06T21:06:41.669+01:00April samples<strong>18/14 Lichen</strong><br />
I've been studying the lichens on our shore - the more you look, the more you find, and the closer you get the more beautiful the colours and textures.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cx5YEoxbgzAnAyRZzJOPlaezLnvXWQS8VbsTNKAJftZK9TMygxhxS8Zj6PYCOnvJaPfzizRUcerKjVYKRzWfsJjBsvYJghi9MShWs_IRzw3Q1K0Nv7FxtCKvL3A8ph14Sty8Myj6LaM/s1600/P1180473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cx5YEoxbgzAnAyRZzJOPlaezLnvXWQS8VbsTNKAJftZK9TMygxhxS8Zj6PYCOnvJaPfzizRUcerKjVYKRzWfsJjBsvYJghi9MShWs_IRzw3Q1K0Nv7FxtCKvL3A8ph14Sty8Myj6LaM/s400/P1180473.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For my lichen sample I coloured a piece of Tyvek yellow quickly with Neocolour II, then sandwiched it in baking parchment and bubbled it with an iron. I free machined it onto a mustardy felt , just scribbling round the bubbles and craters to attach and define areas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then some crusty cable stitch, working from the back with
variegated Anchor pearl cotton (1304) on the bobbin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was going to add some hand embroidery but in the end I
decided it didn’t need any more.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnur_sRr2ja-kLlYbFLzDx5UQcjkEOyjxjoRd8MBubWD5i-hXytzwUkh1WFRXHumQbazkbr5KHDXy8Nkme0jmHwzS_Rif-qowYwczgBQ85Xf3OfI0mmYeDBg4Ay_UYypB8zU-MLGd-UM/s1600/14+Lichen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="775" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnur_sRr2ja-kLlYbFLzDx5UQcjkEOyjxjoRd8MBubWD5i-hXytzwUkh1WFRXHumQbazkbr5KHDXy8Nkme0jmHwzS_Rif-qowYwczgBQ85Xf3OfI0mmYeDBg4Ay_UYypB8zU-MLGd-UM/s400/14+Lichen.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></strong></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">18/15 Coltsfoot</span></strong></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This time of year is all about yellow – daffodils,
celandines, primroses, gorse, coltsfoot. And it’s so welcome and sunny after
the winter, even if yellow is actually one of my least favourite colours.<o:p></o:p></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On a walk just along the coast at Ashaig, the dead
grasses underfoot were studded with bright yellow flowers a bit like
dandelions. Coltsfoot produces its flowers before its leaves, so they really
stand out.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoE8E3Dn1hx54u7r3XyObwbRO8kTG6P-RWAiSxI8_ncyy6P1af6ewYi5mCCK5khJVBQyjmGGMLswPK0q8zywi6ouE7H4w6FVYu1-P2zNI0nKyHjhGSoIu74X12SYyXfDoMf1qPvFDLtZY/s1600/P1180430edprt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="945" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoE8E3Dn1hx54u7r3XyObwbRO8kTG6P-RWAiSxI8_ncyy6P1af6ewYi5mCCK5khJVBQyjmGGMLswPK0q8zywi6ouE7H4w6FVYu1-P2zNI0nKyHjhGSoIu74X12SYyXfDoMf1qPvFDLtZY/s400/P1180430edprt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p>I made the flowers by free machine embroidery on soluble fabric, plus French knots for the centres. The background is assorted yarns free machined in a sandwich of soluble film.</o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<o:p><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/16 Wind turbines</strong>
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Wind turbine blades play a big part in life on south Skye
at the moment. It’s not about where we get our electricity, it’s the hold ups
and lack of parking caused by transport of the huge blades from the dock at
Kyle, via Broadford airfield, to the wind farm project miles away on the
mainland. It’s actually pretty amazing to watch these extreme loads being
manoeuvred round the narrow roads and bridges – as long as you’re not in a rush
to get anywhere! This week two ships full have been sitting just outside Kyle,
in sight from our house, waiting to dock since the weekend.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPkgWsMPUGcrloNh1itt2iYmyvcEFbAJiLCJ-zHGfV0rZrbE6zBf45a9vcWTh7IkeTf0TgzHgQXdiB3yStlUAXPEjkIBLfD6ZDVC-AQ_lIzVXXmQCEeZeqwsloux1uEtOhW2gn4ffs-g/s1600/P1180440fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPkgWsMPUGcrloNh1itt2iYmyvcEFbAJiLCJ-zHGfV0rZrbE6zBf45a9vcWTh7IkeTf0TgzHgQXdiB3yStlUAXPEjkIBLfD6ZDVC-AQ_lIzVXXmQCEeZeqwsloux1uEtOhW2gn4ffs-g/s320/P1180440fb.jpg" width="309" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
I wanted clean, simple motifs so I decided to hand stitch my turbines on paper using fine machine embroidery thread. The centres are silver cup sequins. I do love the crispness of stitch on paper, and the visible perforations.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<strong>18/17 Great Northern Diver</strong></div>
Great Northern Divers (aka loons!) have been coming in close to the shore here recently. Beautiful birds, amazing patterns. Sample using FME on velvet.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp1g_zuG3aCSTl4zTh5qnFoxLg5DEsg5V2YjZWoytJ9WeNxaAXWGj-q3692dxPwVyNZO8c9o2VAxa2roXUHOi56V9rmwM1x2eQYnFfP2m-aHjIF4cnr3_VtDjrYgBv8FywQ756ahbnyY/s1600/P1180478fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="553" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp1g_zuG3aCSTl4zTh5qnFoxLg5DEsg5V2YjZWoytJ9WeNxaAXWGj-q3692dxPwVyNZO8c9o2VAxa2roXUHOi56V9rmwM1x2eQYnFfP2m-aHjIF4cnr3_VtDjrYgBv8FywQ756ahbnyY/s320/P1180478fb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
</div>
</span></div>
</o:p><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-7401568907841306722018-04-08T16:23:00.001+01:002018-04-08T16:23:22.757+01:00March samples part 3<strong>18/12 T<span data-dobid="hdw">ête-à-tête</span></strong><br />
<span data-dobid="hdw">Flower of the month - a real favourite, the miniature daffodils that make a wonderful splash before much else is out.</span><br />
<span data-dobid="hdw">Trying not to be too precise for a change, I used the embellisher to needle felt bits of green tapestry wools onto a Harris tweed scrap. Then I used thin strips of a very fray-ey (that's what I wanted!) yellow satin fabric to work free cross stitches for the flowers.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gpzxr49kpDcxqf5gtDEzjZwNCvaIFGrUaH4hm44HXVk3rVNOgelrOjqZsUOOWYnHF450UGZD0IoGEHc-5xIfVWUjuq453s1nMVB7qxKmgHjfcwEecBLDabX-8JYlbKG-chGAc_BOWBg/s1600/P1180221edcropFB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="602" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gpzxr49kpDcxqf5gtDEzjZwNCvaIFGrUaH4hm44HXVk3rVNOgelrOjqZsUOOWYnHF450UGZD0IoGEHc-5xIfVWUjuq453s1nMVB7qxKmgHjfcwEecBLDabX-8JYlbKG-chGAc_BOWBg/s320/P1180221edcropFB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span data-dobid="hdw"><strong>18/13 Orts</strong></span><br />
<span data-dobid="hdw">Have you heard of orts? They're leftovers. For textile people, the short lengths of yarn or thread leftover from any needlecraft or fibre art. I can't throw them out... but what to do with them?</span><br />
<span data-dobid="hdw"></span><br />
<span data-dobid="hdw">Last year I bought yarn for two cushion covers for the sofa in our window, and crocheted them in a wavy pattern to reflect the sea view.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqecYKZp6omvmlc61VrdHuzAiWbpstBdqOoVNdv3FUezbVJVzZfJSEl6vtVKmiqtq1E30byiUdP5v2KhpgdNTARYtHbJSA72pfN7xRzqBBGdgoFC1kD347uHR0fiqojqWlf63RkB2vMQ/s1600/P1180395blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="710" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqecYKZp6omvmlc61VrdHuzAiWbpstBdqOoVNdv3FUezbVJVzZfJSEl6vtVKmiqtq1E30byiUdP5v2KhpgdNTARYtHbJSA72pfN7xRzqBBGdgoFC1kD347uHR0fiqojqWlf63RkB2vMQ/s320/P1180395blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span data-dobid="hdw">There was lots of spare yarn, so I started crocheting hexagons. Still ongoing, but I like them so much I've now bought more yarn and am heading for a double bed throw! So much for using it up, ha.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlKyDqaYSR0ZTGElKCFVCntNCJdM5IM6MkOtFTrnFW2VhATgP-OZVO8yzU7r5nyxggWiYlffzNYCcWxwn-rNjtvSDrfxu1_hxOU48CG-LjDfSy0zioZ4SG3nwkgcyg8LAbSeBd-y940w/s1600/P1180396blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="888" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghlKyDqaYSR0ZTGElKCFVCntNCJdM5IM6MkOtFTrnFW2VhATgP-OZVO8yzU7r5nyxggWiYlffzNYCcWxwn-rNjtvSDrfxu1_hxOU48CG-LjDfSy0zioZ4SG3nwkgcyg8LAbSeBd-y940w/s320/P1180396blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span data-dobid="hdw">Each motif has six colours, so that's 12 ends to darn in and snip off...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejj2dwkvsgC0WhFDhkHkeD4ecj8MEu2UMq0_bB__7Nx_7B3mDf_sL9-6c1s2qV5fjr2Ubx2SoQS5Soh9ohRETVoZnNowInlfTkn_vsAL_Yu0uLbfkHha9CfESQ5bEDS7hChgaeSYQ1Vk/s1600/P1180398blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="710" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhejj2dwkvsgC0WhFDhkHkeD4ecj8MEu2UMq0_bB__7Nx_7B3mDf_sL9-6c1s2qV5fjr2Ubx2SoQS5Soh9ohRETVoZnNowInlfTkn_vsAL_Yu0uLbfkHha9CfESQ5bEDS7hChgaeSYQ1Vk/s320/P1180398blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span data-dobid="hdw">And so, at last, we get to this week's textile play time. Using the embellisher again, I covered wool-viscose felt with a layer of yarn snippets. From that I made myself a book cover, a pin cushion and a mini travel needle book.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNDBnxEnNHbpXEES55rW4Lxv44c6W6alB0z7sMtlnr6EKAn0Y9EwqeUWnePF6tpgapwVM8KKNk4HSqiusXip-ZFb_fKCt8-oaX03Pues234IebjDcCNxX6RMujTclhfIDj6lQknLUio8/s1600/P1180399blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="685" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNDBnxEnNHbpXEES55rW4Lxv44c6W6alB0z7sMtlnr6EKAn0Y9EwqeUWnePF6tpgapwVM8KKNk4HSqiusXip-ZFb_fKCt8-oaX03Pues234IebjDcCNxX6RMujTclhfIDj6lQknLUio8/s320/P1180399blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span data-dobid="hdw"> <span data-dobid="hdw"> </span></span><br />
<br />
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-17141564996329633882018-03-23T20:12:00.000+00:002018-03-23T20:12:06.298+00:00March samples part 2: Yorkshire buttons
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bit of a
departure here, but no apologies – my only brief for this year’s samples is to
respond to anything that interests me. Preferably different to my other, “work”
stitching.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I firs came across Yorkshire buttons just the other week on
Gina Ferrari’s blog <a href="http://ginaferrari.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/a-new-coat.html" target="_blank">Fan my Flame</a>, where she’d finished a beautiful handmade
coat with some. <span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Being a
Yorkshire lass though and through, I was ashamed I’d never heard of them. And
obviously had to try making my own! <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDp2lKJWFmAKT1hzUYJXtrgy0q8HeMX0ZFNwICI2kvyJN0YaTUzlYAByCzoShxBmRbGeh9jo7Ztg_TK3sbbhvE9_6U0IDSIm2EWWMPGTUN-UBOi048Nd_Aytr1AefFlN9YMt3oHEm_0k/s1600/P1180165ed1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="688" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDp2lKJWFmAKT1hzUYJXtrgy0q8HeMX0ZFNwICI2kvyJN0YaTUzlYAByCzoShxBmRbGeh9jo7Ztg_TK3sbbhvE9_6U0IDSIm2EWWMPGTUN-UBOi048Nd_Aytr1AefFlN9YMt3oHEm_0k/s320/P1180165ed1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pretty, aren’t they? But more decorative than practical, I think. Little seems to be known about the origin of these buttons but I can’t believe they ever made a worthwhile industry.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They’re
basically ribbed spider’s web stitch, freed from any fabric. A stitch I love
anyway – see my <a href="http://chocfrog.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/limpets-part-4-two-dimensions.html" target="_blank">Limpets</a> post for example. <span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are
several articles online with instructions, but I found <a href="https://maryhickmott.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/yorkshire-buttons-set-of-6-pages.pdf" target="_blank">Mary Hickmott's</a> was the best. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You create the spokes on a notched circle of card, then sort of back stitch round and round them, going under two spokes forwards and over one back. You need an even number of spokes, say 12 to 18. This was my first attempt - I ran out of thread! The loops shouldn't be so big.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFfg_VnD98Fcpok2WZvXBZWogiVhUzBTwKzxRfAZGMTJrtlsgUcRJYgcAVo3a7wiz-Tbl_vtj7Z4DrTD6W4VEbnKF7Ai_fWqfa_17hgXHzGupD6RFVysHgnY-fAPlHJwLTdyt2yPTrQ0/s1600/first.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="375" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFfg_VnD98Fcpok2WZvXBZWogiVhUzBTwKzxRfAZGMTJrtlsgUcRJYgcAVo3a7wiz-Tbl_vtj7Z4DrTD6W4VEbnKF7Ai_fWqfa_17hgXHzGupD6RFVysHgnY-fAPlHJwLTdyt2yPTrQ0/s200/first.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's tricky to estimate the right length of thread to complete without a join. It depends on the diameter of the template, the number of notches, and the thickness of the thread. A nightmare for me, with my waste phobia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And I didn't enjoy pulling vast lengths of thread through for every stitch - perhaps not something to do sitting round a table with other people either, you could take an eye out! 😉</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">This is how they look when you pop them off their cards:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZtZYgtO-2Qu3IPFFKSHrCcSskQbHsysz9u_bBIlZqgFOxIB-PpCbEfcgDXVT51L1LeJUpxt35BQ5Wb_n8XDGicNrF8riW9OFtbsYDcqVvOQHiQgHaq0DD8X2uCnVRUIzSt0cX_reqqg/s1600/pre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="602" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZtZYgtO-2Qu3IPFFKSHrCcSskQbHsysz9u_bBIlZqgFOxIB-PpCbEfcgDXVT51L1LeJUpxt35BQ5Wb_n8XDGicNrF8riW9OFtbsYDcqVvOQHiQgHaq0DD8X2uCnVRUIzSt0cX_reqqg/s320/pre.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love these! The free-standing spider’s webs <span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">might be good for cards or hanging decorations, even jewellery? Slightly gathered into little domes or dishes, you could possibly use them in an art composition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But for buttons you thread the remaining yarn through the loops and gather up over a disc of card (or maybe recycled plastic) for a flattish finish, or a bit of toy stuffing or wadding for a domed shape. Unfortunately a lot of the <span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">pretty stitching is wasted on the back with a flat button; maybe that’s a reason to make them spherical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Thicker threads are quicker to stitch and variegated ones look fantastic, But the centres can be a bit ugly and bulky:</span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7huqJpaE9PS6bCdHiiYTAdWAkY9MUzVv5NoNa6XHyyUdgR0IO0VptS099ZE8GwCX_wVsSrrKRxwfQBYWf4Pa77qi-p0agvyKBolO3IrkqSlxB5A3ZXPr9juatgiyO-K1RDAMlBN6E0Y4/s1600/pink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="370" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7huqJpaE9PS6bCdHiiYTAdWAkY9MUzVv5NoNa6XHyyUdgR0IO0VptS099ZE8GwCX_wVsSrrKRxwfQBYWf4Pa77qi-p0agvyKBolO3IrkqSlxB5A3ZXPr9juatgiyO-K1RDAMlBN6E0Y4/s200/pink.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">So using a thinner thread for the spokes is sometimes a good idea:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkE1ypUkt_upm65uKOyGOqT1cfPDk22fAdEvxFQUqCGpnAfQYDh5Ra88piDjm0T4zjHjbokLpaf4NzFH_CJhfjg1uXWPRtnYFyEOCL4D6qP8Aov_77USJh6ayWNMJG1inUFOb-YvuOPk/s1600/yell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="319" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkE1ypUkt_upm65uKOyGOqT1cfPDk22fAdEvxFQUqCGpnAfQYDh5Ra88piDjm0T4zjHjbokLpaf4NzFH_CJhfjg1uXWPRtnYFyEOCL4D6qP8Aov_77USJh6ayWNMJG1inUFOb-YvuOPk/s200/yell.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And if you have 14 or 18 spokes you can do a bit of weaving for variety - just weave under and over two spokes at a time.<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_-6o0G7S7Nwa43hcOEt3wMXweZCSnTsm6s9noRq1dXVmmh23c5WJey5PIJ3oYW2yLEMJNQhAZh6fpfxHUDVG-T6VifeJv0k2XPxX6Pn93Zgz9Nyi0evp13SNaWZukF4gN0iNoEe3t3Y/s1600/turq1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="409" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_-6o0G7S7Nwa43hcOEt3wMXweZCSnTsm6s9noRq1dXVmmh23c5WJey5PIJ3oYW2yLEMJNQhAZh6fpfxHUDVG-T6VifeJv0k2XPxX6Pn93Zgz9Nyi0evp13SNaWZukF4gN0iNoEe3t3Y/s200/turq1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Each button I made suggested other variations to try<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">… but I’ll stop now before I get addicted!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
</span> </span> </span> </span> </span> </span> </span> </span> </span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-28037343370332174902018-03-21T20:00:00.000+00:002018-03-21T20:00:33.967+00:00March samples, part 1: ICE! Here on Skye we escaped the snow that other parts of the UK suffered, but it was bitterly cold and windy. And, there was a fantastic bonus - natural ice sculptures!<br />
<br />
Waterfalls froze solid. This is Eas a Bhadrain, just beside the main road between Broadford and Portree:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg495KGojT3rEZA_QS9MA_w7xkbbWQhBZTQO_x40ShuhPcxnrv3B_fyB03eKoqK7fhe0CDB8bPZED6IV_mSAPNSgAhnPIPvsPLpcLMHq8x2glgXVSXbilOJhgxiK6iFuAEo6chwfHirDwA/s1600/P1180076blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="710" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg495KGojT3rEZA_QS9MA_w7xkbbWQhBZTQO_x40ShuhPcxnrv3B_fyB03eKoqK7fhe0CDB8bPZED6IV_mSAPNSgAhnPIPvsPLpcLMHq8x2glgXVSXbilOJhgxiK6iFuAEo6chwfHirDwA/s400/P1180076blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
But best of all was Mealt Falls, up on the Trotternish peninsula. The water that normally drops straight off a steep cliff was blown back by the freezing wind, and coated the plants and fences with ice. A magical sight!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp4QRVkV5bhbGdcGxegrdSa3ob7iqiZPK3gqJ43n9pBn8MI6PYKwkhyphenhyphenwGgitFx7CMk72wJI0haGrBomYOUp3y50tP1ttxR71udqDOaBwYTCC2o0JV7HyH1SG1QaRC9UyTGECJabUvWcY/s1600/FB1-P1180081ed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="462" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp4QRVkV5bhbGdcGxegrdSa3ob7iqiZPK3gqJ43n9pBn8MI6PYKwkhyphenhyphenwGgitFx7CMk72wJI0haGrBomYOUp3y50tP1ttxR71udqDOaBwYTCC2o0JV7HyH1SG1QaRC9UyTGECJabUvWcY/s400/FB1-P1180081ed.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrfaQbRTj3Fk0T0du_lxqPDm_BiGvZhlRdjcB4A7wc1ChcMxLArrt6oHUVpjLYvHPCkvHImfc_fZtAG8lsIpGL5RNXGnlebXExzCJgEdhoAm0-INTmAZvLNSAn9oHr5Ssbt7zIWVhxhA/s1600/fb2-P1180091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="888" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrfaQbRTj3Fk0T0du_lxqPDm_BiGvZhlRdjcB4A7wc1ChcMxLArrt6oHUVpjLYvHPCkvHImfc_fZtAG8lsIpGL5RNXGnlebXExzCJgEdhoAm0-INTmAZvLNSAn9oHr5Ssbt7zIWVhxhA/s400/fb2-P1180091.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0rYnXutAgN2EuSAaxO5mONiMh-48wVPZ2asx_matzwNcNr7wurwAU4MztjHhR4zthvM2yW3iw_YPAgl4h5UA9exEBdl2m2nwd0D41zfYZzNhDu9p2mqrzFQRBNlHYJGKprQXLZi7MEY/s1600/FB7-P1180104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="888" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0rYnXutAgN2EuSAaxO5mONiMh-48wVPZ2asx_matzwNcNr7wurwAU4MztjHhR4zthvM2yW3iw_YPAgl4h5UA9exEBdl2m2nwd0D41zfYZzNhDu9p2mqrzFQRBNlHYJGKprQXLZi7MEY/s400/FB7-P1180104.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not an easy subject to tackle in machine embroidery, but I did do a couple of little samples.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">First grasses coated in ice, I loved how you could see the stem through the ice. I machine embroidered the stems on Lutradur 70 then cut round them by hand. Overlaying two layers gave depth.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3mydovCf4SDZPn6BpBflToQh6b2v79DQlLMD8oOd5v_ypT08w4Saxg_PdfHs9Ig-HWa1saO3q1us4caKrs10am7uB2rduNUb70jJ2a7dUzUewJ5Qo2ldV8dzykRs5oP0DNGJUbaZjoo/s1600/grass+combo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="976" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3mydovCf4SDZPn6BpBflToQh6b2v79DQlLMD8oOd5v_ypT08w4Saxg_PdfHs9Ig-HWa1saO3q1us4caKrs10am7uB2rduNUb70jJ2a7dUzUewJ5Qo2ldV8dzykRs5oP0DNGJUbaZjoo/s400/grass+combo.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
I also had a go at a fence with ice covering every wire and dripping with icicles: FME on Aquasol with silver on the bobbin and shaded turquoise on top. I'm not trying to be realistic, I wanted a colour to contrast with a white background so I could also get shadows. Plus a bit of twinkle! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWJbebpaxU5mis7RyKkyRbHhE03f0jebdvzCzQ7tAo0TYPZ9ivfm7c11TisvrgtIKejGw1wxp8e62UJdYt7n7xChnKmX4gu17ni2hPtwvAJ8aeLAYMaYn1Ps2gaWKBMwv8SVcd3x23TU/s1600/fence+combo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1109" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWJbebpaxU5mis7RyKkyRbHhE03f0jebdvzCzQ7tAo0TYPZ9ivfm7c11TisvrgtIKejGw1wxp8e62UJdYt7n7xChnKmX4gu17ni2hPtwvAJ8aeLAYMaYn1Ps2gaWKBMwv8SVcd3x23TU/s400/fence+combo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I'm still wondering how to interpret some of the other phenomena... but I can't improve on nature, so maybe I'll just be happy with memories of a rare and beautiful sight.<br />
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-16121788705979518842018-03-10T17:17:00.000+00:002018-03-10T17:17:03.333+00:00February samplesMy latest weekly whatnots: stitching just for fun.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/05 Hand embroidery on soluble<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> fabric</span></strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Experimenting with some bright, lustrous (but also very
slippery and springy) threads I was given. On a network of green FME and felt
dots I hand stitched simple flowers using straight stitch, French knots and
buttonhole. It was hard work! No hiding places for all the ends, and tough
getting the thick thread through the centre repeatedly. Shows potential
though?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiE3KATmYwPr0igIuuQwXegcN95DXokCJpE1IQGXWMtT-Zbg56lZOB5lb5MDNRsQ0xnTHMHBcpLExtRIcYcJU2jOolgOQ-QNO2RHz6FUdLkhYcbZtWt39Q4BpVblpMdtajQC1QGqnJTHg/s1600/05+flowerhoop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="581" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiE3KATmYwPr0igIuuQwXegcN95DXokCJpE1IQGXWMtT-Zbg56lZOB5lb5MDNRsQ0xnTHMHBcpLExtRIcYcJU2jOolgOQ-QNO2RHz6FUdLkhYcbZtWt39Q4BpVblpMdtajQC1QGqnJTHg/s400/05+flowerhoop.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/06 Heart</strong> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well it was mid February... what else could I do? <span style="font-family: inherit;">Bright yarns, trapped in a sandwich of soluble fabrics, machine embroidered freely and with some built-in patterns. Finished with a few French knots in shaded pearl cotton thread before dissolving.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn8t_B0q-bqtJWfzVPQ9uIRSOE5F9SORafBfrjXZr8o9T69Ha6rkMJmi_goWZrDs-sySbqiOY9jOtS6o9R7mMDooGq4ayhmNuhe4PUO0uLjkY-lXxRykBaPyNWwuPZUkIARv4J2uQIlo/s1600/06+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="715" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIn8t_B0q-bqtJWfzVPQ9uIRSOE5F9SORafBfrjXZr8o9T69Ha6rkMJmi_goWZrDs-sySbqiOY9jOtS6o9R7mMDooGq4ayhmNuhe4PUO0uLjkY-lXxRykBaPyNWwuPZUkIARv4J2uQIlo/s320/06+heart.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/07 Log pile</strong> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A pile of logs sits drying in our garden, and I love the pattern they make. But I didn't fancy stitching in woody colours. So, I created s<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">pirals of space dyed wool yarn (Colinette, I think)
embellished onto a base of indigo dyed wool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The wool was actually an old blanket - I hot-washed it to shrink/felt it
then dyed in an indigo vat (not specially for this sample, I hasten to add). <span style="font-family: inherit;">Then free machined lines in indigo rayon 30 Alcazar
thread.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTrmSCptXW3mcKqO2QbPz6DNFiD-UxxjY0-opVtupp6za6nd4_aoLMMH_SX3Ye9HkBthHDcMb3RRrVDfqbULpmCwc2uzdj-okGMXZLB7nr0C-ai-bNiqs1nujcYJBUqKIKGAzNkzesLY/s1600/P1170995fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="603" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTrmSCptXW3mcKqO2QbPz6DNFiD-UxxjY0-opVtupp6za6nd4_aoLMMH_SX3Ye9HkBthHDcMb3RRrVDfqbULpmCwc2uzdj-okGMXZLB7nr0C-ai-bNiqs1nujcYJBUqKIKGAzNkzesLY/s400/P1170995fb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/08 Snowdrops</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Flower of the month. I've embroidered snowdrops before, and wanted to do something a bit different. So I focused on a close up view of open flowers, so you can see the beautiful centres. I made a lacy design of linked motifs, ending up with no visible fabric.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7YerAMuU-zw85dvurbeMGHaryaVtbOyK_m2oIEZT1GlYA_XNXXS1R79A-Y61D5IErJmshAlEOgKbmAnaYM-VDHoe3xMaKxs_aF5LOopLXrm6n85gUzPMfnULPOPf5HlvwhHh6MZOVXM/s1600/P1180124fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="515" data-original-width="536" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7YerAMuU-zw85dvurbeMGHaryaVtbOyK_m2oIEZT1GlYA_XNXXS1R79A-Y61D5IErJmshAlEOgKbmAnaYM-VDHoe3xMaKxs_aF5LOopLXrm6n85gUzPMfnULPOPf5HlvwhHh6MZOVXM/s320/P1180124fb.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
The flowers were f<span style="font-family: inherit;">ree machined on
Lutradur 30 then burned out with a soldering iron. Finally I hand stitched bullion knot stamens with a single strand of yellow cotton. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></span></div>
</div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-62692613016085143442018-02-03T15:43:00.000+00:002018-02-03T15:43:17.924+00:00January stitch bits<span style="font-family: inherit;">In between my "work" stitching, I have to have a play too... just quick stitch sketches or samples that may or may not lead anywhere. For ten years I made weekly samples to strict themes and formats; this year I'm keeping it loose. Anything goes! So here are the first four.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuINDALoEUTABUYFqZQraHKyMsfn0xDMfZrZ0cDXt-c1_gSbVgDcvidM13A2Cxiz9EVXWDSnblqEF-iQKe2AYAj7Zr1C-teATlYQvai6eiVyhxjhYNpxcp4q5_wd2Djr7dKeSF_EBUOc/s1600/01+magpie+feather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="820" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuuINDALoEUTABUYFqZQraHKyMsfn0xDMfZrZ0cDXt-c1_gSbVgDcvidM13A2Cxiz9EVXWDSnblqEF-iQKe2AYAj7Zr1C-teATlYQvai6eiVyhxjhYNpxcp4q5_wd2Djr7dKeSF_EBUOc/s400/01+magpie+feather.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/01 One for sorrow
– magpie feather. </strong>Inspired by an article in the Skye and Lochalsh Echo about the only magpie on Skye, resident in north Skye
since May 2012. Poor bird - five years on Skye and still looking for a mate. I used free machine embroidery on dissolvable fabric. (13cm long)</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYlA8KqyNN8Xjp27GZwwXgfW3_8SyBSSckb9sjZUhFzDM0pE9BAY9y9YrMSjihujAwmliu_h_f2Bd_DHPk-i5WHezACzclr_QuQCw9L0KdfknP-Pbu1Np-gW3aDHage8pg9xoMiE8R14/s1600/02+birches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="443" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYlA8KqyNN8Xjp27GZwwXgfW3_8SyBSSckb9sjZUhFzDM0pE9BAY9y9YrMSjihujAwmliu_h_f2Bd_DHPk-i5WHezACzclr_QuQCw9L0KdfknP-Pbu1Np-gW3aDHage8pg9xoMiE8R14/s400/02+birches.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/02 </strong><strong>Winter birch trees. </strong>I
love how winter birch trees, bare of leaves, seem to have a purple haze (!)
around them which must be the waiting buds. So I wanted a little textile sketch
to remind me. Starting with a scrap of black wool from an ancient skirt, I
machine embroidered some simple lines for trunks and branches. Then I used the
embellisher to add a fuzz of purple wool fibres and a strip of green along the
bottom. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(about 9cm square)</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4aEJDDMZuOHkv3235Z-UJGgSY3gEa3Y8X1Lxt1GsW1DIZpOaMjQqXC_Q8c0wWlgH-KNALDWH0GkcByoXVb7kiX10zm2-b5jXMWo1TzqL-W7V9_Hs8fUu54OX2kF9gJC325QGp8lVKWI/s1600/03+icicles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="379" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv4aEJDDMZuOHkv3235Z-UJGgSY3gEa3Y8X1Lxt1GsW1DIZpOaMjQqXC_Q8c0wWlgH-KNALDWH0GkcByoXVb7kiX10zm2-b5jXMWo1TzqL-W7V9_Hs8fUu54OX2kF9gJC325QGp8lVKWI/s200/03+icicles.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong></strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>18/03 Icicles. </strong>Thrilled to see sparkling fringes of icicles last week, where water seeping out of peat edges has frozen. Not an easy thing to capture realistically in embroidery, being transparent and glassy smooth. But who needs realism? After a couple of false starts, I went with free satin stitch on hastily coloured Lutradur. With a slightly tight tension, aluminium coloured metallic thread on top pulled the white rayon bobbin thread up a bit, so the icicles aren’t solidly silver or white – an effect I liked. They all ended up leaning towards the left though… usually a good thing IMO but not for icicles! (The sample is only 5.5cm across and looks best no bigger than that.) </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv_ed9tjMTUw0yUjcqeG8kEo9B1zotKV_gP69u8V29ODI22DJTLeMSYHrWLqHZERJPcE2qgrta70ozTAWFk-oP_MMGU1N3di-6lkVlaLY_6DFk00RkQs5ydSmoaPGzgakTmih1H2OsZY/s1600/P1170918crop+ed+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="613" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidv_ed9tjMTUw0yUjcqeG8kEo9B1zotKV_gP69u8V29ODI22DJTLeMSYHrWLqHZERJPcE2qgrta70ozTAWFk-oP_MMGU1N3di-6lkVlaLY_6DFk00RkQs5ydSmoaPGzgakTmih1H2OsZY/s320/P1170918crop+ed+FB.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">18/04 Flower
of the month: gorse. </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Is
there a month when gorse <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">isn’t</i> in flower?!
But it’s got no competition in January. I free machined zigzags randomly on
hand dyed grey calico (one day I’ll run out of my C&G stash). Then I backed
it with felt and hand embroidered detached chain stitches for gorse flowers,
using a horribly bright yellow tapestry wool. Just wanted an impression of the
shouty yellow and the spikiness. (About 9cm square)</span> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-39844191465076746482018-01-10T17:27:00.001+00:002018-02-03T12:24:38.664+00:00Limpets part 4: two dimensions<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m looking at limpet shells as flat shapes now – from
above or from the side, simple and stylised. NOT realistic portraits!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrfXtdGZg7_ThAXCy1kg6wkTsDvr-NwgES2tbTi6LqRlesVPZCvijyLp9vwOKyShgvw2mu3dsWNVprk4P7JBSE8J6z-m7-jWC65a4NB4VIAi-jRb1gq7WmfTy0exUgn8KN23ZY7CiXdo/s1600/L0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="638" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrfXtdGZg7_ThAXCy1kg6wkTsDvr-NwgES2tbTi6LqRlesVPZCvijyLp9vwOKyShgvw2mu3dsWNVprk4P7JBSE8J6z-m7-jWC65a4NB4VIAi-jRb1gq7WmfTy0exUgn8KN23ZY7CiXdo/s400/L0.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">From the side, they’re rounded triangles. From above, you
see round-ish shapes sometimes patterned with spokes that don’t quite go to the
centre. Strongly ribbed shells appear to stick out beyond the “circle” and make
it seem more polygonal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So it’s circles, triangles and spokes/ribs as starting
points– and no need to make anything resembling actual shells!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Straight stitch on Somerset paper –</b> punched a few holes as centres, Oliver Twists space dyed fine cotton.</span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRkgDcPPWMDxpy1hwW9Y5yB5-eE9OMWCcd8bCzTyQvNYmdS1_myfft-EBYsztaWkhsJC1KdT-usdgkDQLYp1OHncvaXlFJQOUD5hLBjgITY0QJCksULuyE7GQeJvhewyi_SQ_03XCO_Y/s1600/L1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="1155" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRkgDcPPWMDxpy1hwW9Y5yB5-eE9OMWCcd8bCzTyQvNYmdS1_myfft-EBYsztaWkhsJC1KdT-usdgkDQLYp1OHncvaXlFJQOUD5hLBjgITY0QJCksULuyE7GQeJvhewyi_SQ_03XCO_Y/s400/L1.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">Buttonhole wheels</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">
– space dyed linen thread on a scrap of Harris tweed.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfV68RHcdLEmnLUhn_q5W5CWyjwe9971V2idTiu6Bo69MDK7lNzgKTSyCYgzNjsC9MKhCH4_DPRZKsQvQOvo3eLhK7QJNoRngnZYBHNsjpb5zbMfd4ns-csPoleYbsZVswV7VgzMsGw0/s1600/L4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="735" data-original-width="1194" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJfV68RHcdLEmnLUhn_q5W5CWyjwe9971V2idTiu6Bo69MDK7lNzgKTSyCYgzNjsC9MKhCH4_DPRZKsQvQOvo3eLhK7QJNoRngnZYBHNsjpb5zbMfd4ns-csPoleYbsZVswV7VgzMsGw0/s320/L4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ribbed spiders web
– </b>pearl cotton 8 on denim. Love the effect of gently shaded thread here;
note to self – worth drawing a circle on the back to get spokes evenly sized, or
else odd ones will be left sticking out of the weaving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyNdd-dfumAtGwemJ6LWDiqg1EZcxMcTMGoCbgDTcNDa3TyAbww5bQMyZYGyUPNHwWG_Mtughy_esI3NQeseKZUz_B6seS36cs4uXj7KWNYGDj9aVfjBk3_6Dsl7Mbbrh_uBNTti0GdU/s1600/L3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="473" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyNdd-dfumAtGwemJ6LWDiqg1EZcxMcTMGoCbgDTcNDa3TyAbww5bQMyZYGyUPNHwWG_Mtughy_esI3NQeseKZUz_B6seS36cs4uXj7KWNYGDj9aVfjBk3_6Dsl7Mbbrh_uBNTti0GdU/s320/L3a.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Straight stitch</b>
on hand dyed muslin (backed with felt). Seemed to need French knot centres;
never mind whether they look more like flowers than limpets, the shells are just
a starting point. Space dyed machine embroidery cotton from Oliver Twists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0xgGGJYcpY6T-_FF9SAidChiUhXYoic_d1z9hSnEAJHQ6u_rsgCVh3d31rnCwtXTDwMopnzSYqScY7vVdrvXNoXI5WlZgsupG4VhRWi3ypt0HMRaEnNluoOltHjBME9L04nCgToYq5g/s1600/L2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="373" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI0xgGGJYcpY6T-_FF9SAidChiUhXYoic_d1z9hSnEAJHQ6u_rsgCVh3d31rnCwtXTDwMopnzSYqScY7vVdrvXNoXI5WlZgsupG4VhRWi3ypt0HMRaEnNluoOltHjBME9L04nCgToYq5g/s200/L2a.jpg" width="167" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Machine embroidery
with Flower Stitch attachment.</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlodcFMH5HD9D19f5EJDaLbDGtZhxR3SSKQSFHP5KyvH3gD8WQBMxJBgpaAA_URXc-qFBKAbBlN2MNvxncI5KDvGHXXPkdn3Oe6jXYihTBRFL6CyiaiWymaqzpMGQU5s8D7Dpp0TB1Cs/s1600/L6b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="628" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlodcFMH5HD9D19f5EJDaLbDGtZhxR3SSKQSFHP5KyvH3gD8WQBMxJBgpaAA_URXc-qFBKAbBlN2MNvxncI5KDvGHXXPkdn3Oe6jXYihTBRFL6CyiaiWymaqzpMGQU5s8D7Dpp0TB1Cs/s320/L6b.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Using a built-in pattern like a blanket stitch
effect (720 on my Artista), with width reduced to 1. Photo shows the stitch
worked straight, and then one round with the Flower Stitcher. Then I did lots of
rounds reducing the diameter slightly each time, ending up by moving the needle
across 2 or 3 steps to get as closer to the centre as possible. The first
sample used purple top and bottom. Then I went for a subtler effect using yellow
bobbin thread to match fabric – the top tension is a little high so it gets
pulled up and makes the purple stitching appear less solid. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijA6ppOyzu23gEmar84RfbvpMUX9qLJ7-PRIA5N_i9tEDZ4nLEDpEM5wxleU7z-0uJ9YwcxQYc8gAxUznaQ51mmfe6VLxpIpS9r2znPpt8h1jERCfEiHJ5t_4drqejZpBKuttTeNx6eyk/s1600/L6c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="609" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijA6ppOyzu23gEmar84RfbvpMUX9qLJ7-PRIA5N_i9tEDZ4nLEDpEM5wxleU7z-0uJ9YwcxQYc8gAxUznaQ51mmfe6VLxpIpS9r2znPpt8h1jERCfEiHJ5t_4drqejZpBKuttTeNx6eyk/s200/L6c.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That inspired me to
try metallic thread on the bobbin… with turquoise thread on navy felt, I got
just a hint of sparkle coming through.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Sorry, these are only 2cm across and I haven't managed to photograph them very well. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Free machine
embroidery cone patterns.</b> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIOflv133knVjBlAehmei8nVNOz0Ne40607J1Nua_a9fllMUG27r6PIRiqQXNeU6-_5B4vuuKlwT7aKOHDaY8btXx3oPj64q2atAWZkK5uHEyox8XH2d8Q2mkfBJwAcnLq-ok8wfhrrQ/s1600/L5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="971" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIOflv133knVjBlAehmei8nVNOz0Ne40607J1Nua_a9fllMUG27r6PIRiqQXNeU6-_5B4vuuKlwT7aKOHDaY8btXx3oPj64q2atAWZkK5uHEyox8XH2d8Q2mkfBJwAcnLq-ok8wfhrrQ/s320/L5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is me doodling freehand on hand dyed cotton
backed with pelmet Vilene. I tried using ribbed cone shapes to make patterns,
always aiming to cut the thread as little as possible - which with these shapes
means stitching forward and back along the same lines, so it’s not as delicate
as you could be with hand embroidery. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My favourites above were the open, base-less ones, so I
did a few more with shaded blue thread on navy felt. OK, they look more like floating
seeds than shells, but they’re stylised, right?!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYV7DylTHpmZY1QbaU6ZCQBKIYDfaLzFbi9i7mtju4kXZGFDT95ZAZeUYUnSKChQ1Yj1b7RAtY19-7NBM4nVqV_exALbhsmCIgiHT-6phgucWJt7qOP44noXr9BvZIFHkaIiFu_0kZPaE/s1600/L10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="1060" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYV7DylTHpmZY1QbaU6ZCQBKIYDfaLzFbi9i7mtju4kXZGFDT95ZAZeUYUnSKChQ1Yj1b7RAtY19-7NBM4nVqV_exALbhsmCIgiHT-6phgucWJt7qOP44noXr9BvZIFHkaIiFu_0kZPaE/s200/L10.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The “plan view”, limpets seen from above, still has more
potential for 2D patterns I think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This next one’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">machine stitched</b><b> freehand</b> (no
guidelines, eek!) on hand dyed cotton. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijK7IxtEnsbr5Eo5WJBP_qk8GMov78qXOTxETTVJHSqLAWFiRJRw6RWr4VSgb7acidU_yoeF6Kk9y18nm_8jiX2DPVV0unf26l2aOKWzZLwILUZuyq2hyuMpZ2neHjTsZTYyis1eF5o8w/s1600/L9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1469" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijK7IxtEnsbr5Eo5WJBP_qk8GMov78qXOTxETTVJHSqLAWFiRJRw6RWr4VSgb7acidU_yoeF6Kk9y18nm_8jiX2DPVV0unf26l2aOKWzZLwILUZuyq2hyuMpZ2neHjTsZTYyis1eF5o8w/s400/L9.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With no backing (I used a hoop), the
bobbin thread comes through and shows as tiny dots. What makes it interesting
is using a shaded thread on both spool and bobbin, so the colour comes and goes
giving a less solid effect.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A bit of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Embellisher
</b>play next. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJIT5thQoNGrD-6toOG1pFUymkVaL6-rIOGIbhICzNlIOyKpMx9piuzE6a-Wg5Me0tFkhyphenhyphen4RgEeuayVEdMFsV4XMX9PAtZW8QVdW2vK6Ppdl7GmHyU6sjlCQba_q69nCVod38K5wDza4/s1600/L11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1187" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJIT5thQoNGrD-6toOG1pFUymkVaL6-rIOGIbhICzNlIOyKpMx9piuzE6a-Wg5Me0tFkhyphenhyphen4RgEeuayVEdMFsV4XMX9PAtZW8QVdW2vK6Ppdl7GmHyU6sjlCQba_q69nCVod38K5wDza4/s320/L11.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not much resemblance to limpet shells perhaps, but they’re still
the inspiration. I embellished rings of wool yarn onto the back of hand dyed
linen, then free machined on top with light grey and a darker bobbin thread to break up the stitched lines a bit.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And at last, my
real fave – <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">soluble fabric</b>. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Overlapping limpet circles in three colours to start with. A bit of zigzag round the edge, plus careful pinning out to dry, helps them stay vaguely circular.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgaMQh66fIqiVXo0AhGhQCK8kDqg0uRoTMl2ZLZLFmsp52wrLnAXBySWjJsgGiBrWzsfMFCtWk2uEoVbgYMBgIaU5q5ta16WVgW88cVDck8wwh3y8weKlOxv3243Is3vlfeIeTkbKIlg/s1600/L12a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="630" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgaMQh66fIqiVXo0AhGhQCK8kDqg0uRoTMl2ZLZLFmsp52wrLnAXBySWjJsgGiBrWzsfMFCtWk2uEoVbgYMBgIaU5q5ta16WVgW88cVDck8wwh3y8weKlOxv3243Is3vlfeIeTkbKIlg/s320/L12a.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And these just touch rather than overlapping. I worked the outlines and ribs
in very pale gold coloured (not metallic) thread first, then filled in <span style="font-family: inherit;">and edged with off-white. Might’ve
been better left more open and lacy?</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Fqw8Qvh9hfdXoHr60H_VuhmLu5RApK3DPq44WKLdiWqv6tT4tVIcCBxl-d08e5oOMi8FmogL10UmXVF4mpt9Rtsfbl8h2yvvHiDNw9RXsypOJCCzRx1dZnke906NtwQdpWTaaic9Bys/s1600/L12b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="820" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Fqw8Qvh9hfdXoHr60H_VuhmLu5RApK3DPq44WKLdiWqv6tT4tVIcCBxl-d08e5oOMi8FmogL10UmXVF4mpt9Rtsfbl8h2yvvHiDNw9RXsypOJCCzRx1dZnke906NtwQdpWTaaic9Bys/s400/L12b.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And that’s where I’m going to leave the limpet theme for
now. There’s a few things I haven’t tried, like burning synthetics, layering,
scaling up… but I’ve got other things I want to do now.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</span></span><br />chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-63586465360452449182017-12-24T17:57:00.002+00:002017-12-26T17:17:55.772+00:00Season's Greetings!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMNy1O8cd6WQb2wB6ragbtXXS2t82F-RSUUDHYwQDWcW0y1qJb6BB2yziKfVasPiUwrlVIx4IkuovIKtuNg-LESRRrwrhiIuHUdn3q8aEDo46zMjpAhtoaJAhZT-gx_rRMLr_K9QTCLA/s1600/tree2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1499" data-original-width="1090" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMNy1O8cd6WQb2wB6ragbtXXS2t82F-RSUUDHYwQDWcW0y1qJb6BB2yziKfVasPiUwrlVIx4IkuovIKtuNg-LESRRrwrhiIuHUdn3q8aEDo46zMjpAhtoaJAhZT-gx_rRMLr_K9QTCLA/s640/tree2.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
<br />chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-31914357864930391772017-12-23T14:52:00.000+00:002017-12-23T14:52:30.703+00:00Limpets part 3 - more 3D forms<span style="font-family: inherit;">As promised, I’ve gone on to make limpet-inspired 3D…
objects… made in the round instead of flat then seamed. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So it’s straight into <strong>free machining</strong>. If you machine
stitch madly, round and round in a not-quite circular pattern, a flexible
fabric should distort into a 3D cone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcYLZOwHrksJvs7kIQW6IkhVxAi9igY72XzpMwmCVnU3EYjWDMuErHJFtLeya7sbWoVzRArwuTudUbx0wvN7iUYQ3FyPAZc5b31-LaMNTZEcBJfF9sWebwj3zjbh5IWASl3mHWI-LkV4U/s1600/ed-P1170713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1000" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcYLZOwHrksJvs7kIQW6IkhVxAi9igY72XzpMwmCVnU3EYjWDMuErHJFtLeya7sbWoVzRArwuTudUbx0wvN7iUYQ3FyPAZc5b31-LaMNTZEcBJfF9sWebwj3zjbh5IWASl3mHWI-LkV4U/s320/ed-P1170713.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yes! Well, not too bad… this first one’s rust felt,
just free machined round and round from the centre in shaded rayon 30 Alcazar
thread, then cut out.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And here’s a colony of them, domed FME on creamy felt. I like the extra colour-mixing of the coloured bobbin thread coming through, the bands would be too solid otherwise. Hmm, this is one to come back to… </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90MlNRcALJETX-h1PVfQ4DzZC66HBNk6EAfauAaDzVD5hyphenhyphen7iQHxWarBvV05VoBg737L11lasL-Kd-xOL5quPzsrlxUHU0cKFYg_0ipPLUi4J8UCmIEWkspdulSO2w8syVl_FNAyryVJs/s1600/ed-P1170715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="1000" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90MlNRcALJETX-h1PVfQ4DzZC66HBNk6EAfauAaDzVD5hyphenhyphen7iQHxWarBvV05VoBg737L11lasL-Kd-xOL5quPzsrlxUHU0cKFYg_0ipPLUi4J8UCmIEWkspdulSO2w8syVl_FNAyryVJs/s400/ed-P1170715.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, how about the same method on <strong>dissolvable fabric</strong>?
I give you – limpets made entirely of thread! It’s domed FME (as above) worked
on Solufleece. I tried it first in a hoop, but couldn’t get a steep cone –
that’s the big shallow one. Holding the fabric without a hoop worked better,
but ouch, it’s tough on the fingers holding so tight. I used shiny off-white
rayon 30 threads. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPQfFpFmmz2Sv8IHCtTkYeiv8_N7OiTxO7e8IratOPI2OCq1LKP_OtP18371EBxa29pgnDAT3kKLMgYof9Lj31JiBAfDMl9s_jO5YCcL7KJD3NOy3TB9WT0xAzix46QFUgcLgO-Lkd-0/s1600/ed-P1170722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1000" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPQfFpFmmz2Sv8IHCtTkYeiv8_N7OiTxO7e8IratOPI2OCq1LKP_OtP18371EBxa29pgnDAT3kKLMgYof9Lj31JiBAfDMl9s_jO5YCcL7KJD3NOy3TB9WT0xAzix46QFUgcLgO-Lkd-0/s400/ed-P1170722.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I really like these limpets, but they’re quite hard work
- the stitching needs to be dense, to get the doming effect and to link the
stitches without any structural support, so they turn out very stiff and
difficult to decorate.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHxSn5OLmFhxSRNL6P2Bltqnj0YivXHlYBbNL4QmAYxLtz_ZfPqhtYb7RGfsRnf4AlviRT-v1YMbffhW95lN3SsdxGsM9awq3i9vGDRzuyxcyHHmvfOoNWQd1zPRveZ08E4XP1uG9uFA/s1600/ed-P1170723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1000" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgHxSn5OLmFhxSRNL6P2Bltqnj0YivXHlYBbNL4QmAYxLtz_ZfPqhtYb7RGfsRnf4AlviRT-v1YMbffhW95lN3SsdxGsM9awq3i9vGDRzuyxcyHHmvfOoNWQd1zPRveZ08E4XP1uG9uFA/s320/ed-P1170723.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I also had a quick go at<strong> hand stitching</strong> 3D limpet
cones – by partially gathering circles as you would for shibori. Trickier than
it looks, and not a lot of fun.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoIV2r332-CgDRs_OAsveSQRdxg4UccCHds-HsV6uENqqkjqaZSt3x1PYR-6bfoUSP7LmINOdARif9m5sSQCWWHcrlQQGrVfGhzLXHnP_ltvwAHC4_-oPeCEVPYyH56mc3VJcLVVCtqQ/s1600/ed-P1170718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="1000" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBoIV2r332-CgDRs_OAsveSQRdxg4UccCHds-HsV6uENqqkjqaZSt3x1PYR-6bfoUSP7LmINOdARif9m5sSQCWWHcrlQQGrVfGhzLXHnP_ltvwAHC4_-oPeCEVPYyH56mc3VJcLVVCtqQ/s320/ed-P1170718.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2QHA9s4G3y4wxFsqvzCqMbk5_XRqnRgEZ_1coGh1HZmcJwsBxyQynk4xxhVH5aksyTgN6M98wOppMa5-sl3q67K_VRgXWND9-4Bx7N7LxAdIp7HGIXvxv9nDmFKHZhKZAYW39XfxY7s/s1600/ed-P1170719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1000" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2QHA9s4G3y4wxFsqvzCqMbk5_XRqnRgEZ_1coGh1HZmcJwsBxyQynk4xxhVH5aksyTgN6M98wOppMa5-sl3q67K_VRgXWND9-4Bx7N7LxAdIp7HGIXvxv9nDmFKHZhKZAYW39XfxY7s/s320/ed-P1170719.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, I thought I’d try a couple of techniques from
Jean Draper’s book, “Stitch and Structure”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Coiling</strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> H</span>ere
I tried wrapping and coiling a cord to form<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>a shell shape. It’s sort of like making a coiled clay pot – only slower
and trickier, IMHO. I used thick nylon cord and Coats Anchor multicolour pearl
cotton thread. Quite tough on the fingers, and difficult to deal with the cord
ends at the start and finish even after I melted/sealed them with a soldering
iron. But the result’s quite cute… as long as you don’t look inside <span style="font-family: "segoe ui emoji" , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😉</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30R_UY726QQUI8CRlaBL2SjzJ03uDNdYk1Df-qM85vOTkVEJBOJfJXL8UzF0WaCbswuHk1RIq3C-XndirUui-b6RU2yNp83uw11ZZkWbfYlZ1fq4LL08sD_tCKi2cRtUgQ5ovv6Eo4vQ/s1600/ed-P1170729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1000" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30R_UY726QQUI8CRlaBL2SjzJ03uDNdYk1Df-qM85vOTkVEJBOJfJXL8UzF0WaCbswuHk1RIq3C-XndirUui-b6RU2yNp83uw11ZZkWbfYlZ1fq4LL08sD_tCKi2cRtUgQ5ovv6Eo4vQ/s320/ed-P1170729.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Buttonhole stitch</strong> - worked round and round a real
limpet shell, starting at the top and increasing to match its shape (so why did it end up so steep?), in Crofter
DK knitting yarn. A stiffer yarn might give a better result, but would be
harder to stitch.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZK3XO4E2WqXFUceEKArFUc5cnRnf99yL1gtBNxhn7hVVgcYNoIYYLRT9TJKbrkp1IbhDYLUXglvzjQabO4q7eY1nFBoFxiQov_kSYH9Lndk2YFPCdpd052IXOMXcKMmto5QgzfPbOb_c/s1600/ed-P1170725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZK3XO4E2WqXFUceEKArFUc5cnRnf99yL1gtBNxhn7hVVgcYNoIYYLRT9TJKbrkp1IbhDYLUXglvzjQabO4q7eY1nFBoFxiQov_kSYH9Lndk2YFPCdpd052IXOMXcKMmto5QgzfPbOb_c/s320/ed-P1170725.jpg" width="305" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What else could I do? Well it’d be easy to crochet a
cone, but not very interesting… knitting likewise. Felting might work,
especially at a large scale… bigger forms generally might be worth exploring,
as vessels perhaps. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But for now I’m moving on. Next time – surface designs or
patterns inspired by multiple limpet shells.</span></div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-67181595373986813002017-12-22T11:05:00.001+00:002017-12-22T11:05:39.650+00:00Humbug!Christmas... a time to brighten up the darkest days of winter with twinkly lights and thoughtful gifts, sumptuous feasts and cards to old friends. <br />
<br />
But sometimes it all gets a bit too much... commercialisation, pressure, hard work, waste... Around now I tend to have a "bah, humbug!" phase.<br />
<br />
So here's a little seasonal offering - my own design for a crocheted humbug. Make alternative (tongue in cheek?) decorations, or something to fling at grumpy people. Perhaps taking a break to create a silly humbug will bring back the simple childish pleasure, help you keep sane... or make a point to those around you.<br />
<br />
Most importantly - have fun!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgjRU5Tm33nF_rL0kR1x0A0cPK2Rbokn__0Ger8FS2s33GjB-gUMMMBU47VXjAjXxluQjSuabsqT-UoTz4y7uwWfVAqPx-hgLwkORiOVYwsYVPbHvMNJVIoLtnKhVnJPiSac7Pn4Tetc/s1600/hum2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgjRU5Tm33nF_rL0kR1x0A0cPK2Rbokn__0Ger8FS2s33GjB-gUMMMBU47VXjAjXxluQjSuabsqT-UoTz4y7uwWfVAqPx-hgLwkORiOVYwsYVPbHvMNJVIoLtnKhVnJPiSac7Pn4Tetc/s1600/hum2.jpg" /></a></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Crochet Humbug</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>designed by Anne Honeyman, aka chocolatefrog, www.annehoneyman.co.uk<o:p></o:p></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong><br /></strong></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Alternative Christmas decoration!</strong><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">hang on the tree<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">free standing ornament<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">or make a whole garland<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong>Other ideas:<o:p></o:p></strong></span></div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">bean bags (for catch or juggling)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">keyring or bag charm</span></div>
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Earrings<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">You will need</span></strong></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Small quantities of white and black yarn, thickness
depending on size of humbug, and a crochet hook to match:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong><em>Mini, e.g. for garlands or keyrings (about 4cm):</em></strong> no. 10
crochet cotton, 1.5 hook<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong><em>Medium, e.g. for tree decoration (about 5-6cm):</em></strong> 4ply
cotton, 2.5 hook<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><strong><em>Large, e.g. for free standing ornament or bean bag (about
9cm):</em></strong> D.K. or Aran wool, 4.0 hook<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You will also need a little toy stuffing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Abbreviations</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">ch = chain</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ss =
slip st</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">dc = double crochet</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;"><b>To make</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Using white, work 15 ch</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b><i>Round 1</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Skip 1st ch, 1 dc in next 13 ch, 3 dc in last ch. Now
work back along the bottom loops of the foundation ch: 1 dc in next 12 ch, 2 dc
in final ch (30 dc). Ss in 1st dc to join.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b><i>Round 2</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">1ch, 1dc in each dc, ss in 1st dc to join.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b><i>Rounds 3 and 4</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As Round 2</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b><i>Rounds 5 and 6</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Change to black, work as round 2</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b><i>Rounds 7 to 10</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">White, as round 2</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Repeat rounds 5 to 10 once more, so you have 3 wide white
bands separated by two narrow black bands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Fasten off leaving<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>long tail for sewing up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>To complete</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You will now have a little square pouch. Put a pin in the
top edge at each side/fold. Bring the pins together to make the humbug shape.
Stitch closed in this shape, stuffing carefully before closing the gap
completely. Add a hanging loop if you want, perhaps a length of crochet chain. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-20953983262282202902017-12-06T17:24:00.000+00:002017-12-07T12:02:51.160+00:00Limpets part 2<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4BapEQBx4wHj-Xkrl5EAM2oDP1QILueeSCjaWLZW-T-LKmjy3Zpw2mRoM_dpyNxC3606WuUUuFtdBeL6RihmmX89vU-snJ94ibtxoAOIyw5o1H3fwDKako3PjZzRnSMqgW4e0CB3lyU/s1600/L11+whole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="710" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4BapEQBx4wHj-Xkrl5EAM2oDP1QILueeSCjaWLZW-T-LKmjy3Zpw2mRoM_dpyNxC3606WuUUuFtdBeL6RihmmX89vU-snJ94ibtxoAOIyw5o1H3fwDKako3PjZzRnSMqgW4e0CB3lyU/s400/L11+whole.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, I’ve had a good play with broken limpets but what
can I do with whole shells?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought about adding decorative bands or toppings, but…
well, they wouldn’t be integrated in any way, just superficial. And there’s so
little space, not much scope anyway. So, no. Even I draw the line at making
limpet party hats!</span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfxWk5hjdhJTi_2N_8DPSF2INifj7nqN9a96p1pdKRlyP1klOg9SvzekqotV2s_Bp4CeiMUgljBRe3p9AVc2Fe87qvfeT64DhFIT89u0OmPw3RBw6158I3MoqvUO_H8bhiSRI5rqMypc/s1600/L12+party+limpets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="823" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfxWk5hjdhJTi_2N_8DPSF2INifj7nqN9a96p1pdKRlyP1klOg9SvzekqotV2s_Bp4CeiMUgljBRe3p9AVc2Fe87qvfeT64DhFIT89u0OmPw3RBw6158I3MoqvUO_H8bhiSRI5rqMypc/s400/L12+party+limpets.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</span></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Starting by exploring the surface texture, I covered a
shell with aluminium foil, smoothing it well into the ridged pattern. Black
acrylic paint was worked into all the texture and then rubbed off so it just
remained in the crevices. Not textile, but quite effective.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqba8iA-7LDYWNWZ7KJNPFvK84Tadg0Xm2s41jstJwknhwAkCMPFS9XNWwq_TPgwW0pnFFzYq0HZmqeWKKJ2PEsvbXnbZQMGoZ0cZjQczf2InWLvNPJNwhUFlIMRH_1JonSp9x85D2FcU/s1600/P1170421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqba8iA-7LDYWNWZ7KJNPFvK84Tadg0Xm2s41jstJwknhwAkCMPFS9XNWwq_TPgwW0pnFFzYq0HZmqeWKKJ2PEsvbXnbZQMGoZ0cZjQczf2InWLvNPJNwhUFlIMRH_1JonSp9x85D2FcU/s320/P1170421.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next, to investigate the shape, I covered a limpet with
soluble paper, wetting it to make a pulp I could press into the texture. When
dry I cut and peeled it off, and turned it inside out to see the textured side.
A rubbing of Goldfinger paste brought out the pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEzM-eH9VGIm5k26qHQS8O88Uh5ov86DVmwtB3RorC4UReP_ROhuN1DzWrJbHnPEWeUGePyMbr3tJikSMBjpIW1lXEfx_kh-CTybtXPnR7zyl9t0SjQX54CHU4O1sDcBQy5RY3VJhp4A/s1600/P1170639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1000" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEzM-eH9VGIm5k26qHQS8O88Uh5ov86DVmwtB3RorC4UReP_ROhuN1DzWrJbHnPEWeUGePyMbr3tJikSMBjpIW1lXEfx_kh-CTybtXPnR7zyl9t0SjQX54CHU4O1sDcBQy5RY3VJhp4A/s320/P1170639.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Limpet shells aren’t round – they’re wonky cones. Now
I’ve got a useful template, so let’s move on from using actual shells to
recreating them. Well, not necessarily ones that’d blend in on the sea shore –
I want to have fun with the basic cone shape in different colours and patterns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
Sticking with paper for a while… simple hand embroidery plus needle perforations on Somerset paper.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaZokDr2t73_NOPRxcsh4jbtKvdobr1eoAGgtvo3e6etBAbj3XpG_X95yv-GpWoYTC70-Qil0ZlbTkHDh-Jxto-cM8gkBu1FEwl0VPfbn3oET50i7USf5mj6RqBmRwKuDHIiJ841G3Wo/s1600/P1170642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="1000" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaZokDr2t73_NOPRxcsh4jbtKvdobr1eoAGgtvo3e6etBAbj3XpG_X95yv-GpWoYTC70-Qil0ZlbTkHDh-Jxto-cM8gkBu1FEwl0VPfbn3oET50i7USf5mj6RqBmRwKuDHIiJ841G3Wo/s320/P1170642.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">… and then I liked the perforation effect so much I
did some more on dyed and waxed paper (the things you hoard from City &
Guild days!). I ran the unthreaded Bernina around it, scratched lines with a
needle, and used a Japanese screw punch. The waxing emphasises the marks, going
pale around holes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOLabr4sSsxsMVoSNGtI-wWyZn7ciPmuOc_J9gAeRgTIzRTS0NNmbcvo8jqmUpzFBkAV1Byh4XpWEUv6GkT1N5UUfLie2Y6D1UCEeNRsOoo3Cb9ETTuNqf6liUgyinMj1d0Hb_9VZcMg/s1600/P1170644.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1000" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOLabr4sSsxsMVoSNGtI-wWyZn7ciPmuOc_J9gAeRgTIzRTS0NNmbcvo8jqmUpzFBkAV1Byh4XpWEUv6GkT1N5UUfLie2Y6D1UCEeNRsOoo3Cb9ETTuNqf6liUgyinMj1d0Hb_9VZcMg/s320/P1170644.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">On to fabric, still worked flat then joined to
form a cone, some gentle hand embroidery on felt (stabilised with Vilene) The
purple one is detached chain, French knots and straight stitches in stranded
cotton. The blue one is free cross stitch in a fine, shaded pearl cotton. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOvVtR7ObuUrprmi8zN19NiQf01eSRbD-vMYHczJuJfNxm2H_kKGMH7pgtazGewe93-dSqhWtfemQr9ObmMOoqV_gHRiaA_2ThhcsbAGnaCoZxl8DAnBCNognZcyY7PWUsTqyNdJ2898/s1600/P1170646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="1000" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOvVtR7ObuUrprmi8zN19NiQf01eSRbD-vMYHczJuJfNxm2H_kKGMH7pgtazGewe93-dSqhWtfemQr9ObmMOoqV_gHRiaA_2ThhcsbAGnaCoZxl8DAnBCNognZcyY7PWUsTqyNdJ2898/s400/P1170646.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">OK, bring on the Bernina! At last… back to free
machining. Fine Lutradur (30) in a hoop, embroidered with subtle bands of
off-white straight and zigzag/satin stitch. I used a soldering iron to burn out
the shapes and seal the edges before hand stitching the seams to make them 3D.
I love that the fabric is almost invisible, and the shells are so
delicate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwVbdgNgbw9hLt19q_X1HwcUPOxUPpDQdh4LsH-UrpET1k_sFwbrk1FGU6OHlNjOLMPG8eS59bY_xCwI383hf9pHhHE64zhRcL8cnoTaMgiHNUGDehpPLqztvfvMEpMhN679CungwY3o/s1600/P1170652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="1000" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcwVbdgNgbw9hLt19q_X1HwcUPOxUPpDQdh4LsH-UrpET1k_sFwbrk1FGU6OHlNjOLMPG8eS59bY_xCwI383hf9pHhHE64zhRcL8cnoTaMgiHNUGDehpPLqztvfvMEpMhN679CungwY3o/s400/P1170652.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JjWYnxo8nlWlwgq89mj7UX_O36zGPBl3ZOQAeu6Y-Stz8ThuJboOh0iPt41eg0AI2ADaUZObHeK7klswrpOeyZzRswHlhyphenhyphenND-EEwKw0-W6e8iHhLWG3d5chTTtt0mVkV6aOHnFRgEJE/s1600/P1170656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="1000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4JjWYnxo8nlWlwgq89mj7UX_O36zGPBl3ZOQAeu6Y-Stz8ThuJboOh0iPt41eg0AI2ADaUZObHeK7klswrpOeyZzRswHlhyphenhyphenND-EEwKw0-W6e8iHhLWG3d5chTTtt0mVkV6aOHnFRgEJE/s400/P1170656.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A couple of jazzier ones next, hard to believe
there’s still white Lutradur under the colourful free machine embroidery. I
could zap it away with a heat gun, but then I’d have to make sure the stitching
interlinked; this way it can be more delicate and free. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5I2TvKBgO9Lo916e3cvA4FaJ5onUyryytijySPOsH7Oz6_cbTAsx1C38ya101L88d8WBtaiCwldm_lXkSEaxywQUGGoG3OYAeoFhqOYplqO47O88bHaQQ4SeJS8i9QTaIfWlLA2bvXk/s1600/P1170658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="1000" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5I2TvKBgO9Lo916e3cvA4FaJ5onUyryytijySPOsH7Oz6_cbTAsx1C38ya101L88d8WBtaiCwldm_lXkSEaxywQUGGoG3OYAeoFhqOYplqO47O88bHaQQ4SeJS8i9QTaIfWlLA2bvXk/s400/P1170658.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But now I’ve thought of the heat gun… A quick one
with random green and orange FME on green Kunin felt, zapped to make it lacy
then seamed to make a cone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UiCbVvsOC4pTmdnVOho801mEuoYO5q7-K6Sp976YMB8uCl0ggeRy2_Wwv5AIGp1NBEcxWXYb6K91zYP0nKxZtKNcT32pE8NSiLjzVhUUAd5ecXv9pXacljSS17wT9bv3Ked9TtswaLk/s1600/P1170662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1000" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UiCbVvsOC4pTmdnVOho801mEuoYO5q7-K6Sp976YMB8uCl0ggeRy2_Wwv5AIGp1NBEcxWXYb6K91zYP0nKxZtKNcT32pE8NSiLjzVhUUAd5ecXv9pXacljSS17wT9bv3Ked9TtswaLk/s320/P1170662.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Right, enough construction – for my next trick, it’s 3D
limpet (-ish things!) without seams. Hopefully…</span></div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-35239255738511686472017-10-14T16:58:00.000+01:002017-10-14T16:58:04.651+01:00Limpets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaA1zazYYmmCxLLhFqeUS8oFAmzOTRkFj85LhtJKIDppdisl2OgfLVkXjDCzjIXyPj9-iHiYi0xHffhIxr_DuR6CKo_homWZIOkWeYJlQK52QoDkGrp1gsweB9j4Aahah1BdAem_bpsc/s1600/L01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="888" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqaA1zazYYmmCxLLhFqeUS8oFAmzOTRkFj85LhtJKIDppdisl2OgfLVkXjDCzjIXyPj9-iHiYi0xHffhIxr_DuR6CKo_homWZIOkWeYJlQK52QoDkGrp1gsweB9j4Aahah1BdAem_bpsc/s400/L01a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Right in front of my studio there’s a ready supply of
limpet shells, and I’m always wondering what I could do with them.</span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpuwPdt25IU7wIlMTVysHpOOoKtoGbF5fmzTSNMi9UY2rQZdlGTLZ9Iu8GBmdy2mUmGMjh_wuUdrz2VC4t_TYghtbUg44SWabJaf1r3LuXObDOC4Y2vjUrV0t7cFe7_voZ8XyMdFGUCc/s1600/L01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="851" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpuwPdt25IU7wIlMTVysHpOOoKtoGbF5fmzTSNMi9UY2rQZdlGTLZ9Iu8GBmdy2mUmGMjh_wuUdrz2VC4t_TYghtbUg44SWabJaf1r3LuXObDOC4Y2vjUrV0t7cFe7_voZ8XyMdFGUCc/s400/L01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’d seen </span><a href="http://www.alicefox.co.uk/?p=2343"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alice
Fox’s stitched limpets</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>– she takes ones
with the top of the cone broken off, drills holes around the aperture, and “patches”
the gap with flat needle weaving in off-white thread.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Intriguing… so I drilled one of my own and had a go. To
make it different I added colour and texture - shaded indigo linen thread (from
Stef Francis) and ribbed spider’s web stitch. If you’re going to try it,
remember you’ll need an odd number of spokes for simple weaving, but an even
number for ribbed spider’s web. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG4eKYu9Am1gDzvEtO9BlekMAvElM0CQrz_CqipJy-nNPBbkaJ7SKoHFH5X19uKFSthjjdVSeUOKeb_KsUSIzFho82CAi5UcgnliADoFiXQuxIBY3DDQ9LkzxR3DQM5qJIACG2LIbeNo/s1600/L02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="559" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAG4eKYu9Am1gDzvEtO9BlekMAvElM0CQrz_CqipJy-nNPBbkaJ7SKoHFH5X19uKFSthjjdVSeUOKeb_KsUSIzFho82CAi5UcgnliADoFiXQuxIBY3DDQ9LkzxR3DQM5qJIACG2LIbeNo/s320/L02.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
I wasn’t all that keen on drilling though… it seems, I
don’t know, unnatural? A strange thing to say when I’m adding stitch to limpet
shells, but that’s how it feels to me. Also it’s not a technique you could just
play with spontaneously on holiday, say. So what could I do with these holey
shells without the need to damage them further? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They could be completely wrapped with thread, ribbon or
fabric. But I’d rather see some of the original shell. So let’s try just enough
to make a base to decorate.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3nKdZTt4P8SSVZ2L3HBbicqfCw4vFAB7UQj-VKxelZLexoOV5uFYQ578Zmkj5ZT1CMq_KeVKX8-9fPZW3k9ZGaP5Tr9cVCIxMmDUz7REbw1fkDaw2jVOKKQ_UAHiAsV4E2bLMHjFr8Q/s1600/L03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="559" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3nKdZTt4P8SSVZ2L3HBbicqfCw4vFAB7UQj-VKxelZLexoOV5uFYQ578Zmkj5ZT1CMq_KeVKX8-9fPZW3k9ZGaP5Tr9cVCIxMmDUz7REbw1fkDaw2jVOKKQ_UAHiAsV4E2bLMHjFr8Q/s400/L03.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28lOSarZGajkT2t42S5b4S8MGsVVvmU3B91zgyu_nmn8PF9WXggflBmgF476QOJiotmzCg6V_y-5X5uaWbPosDmHgCHq8KwirApU58M1yrLuDDGh37XkDbRCQ-vzCowYiOjQmJ0HBReM/s1600/L03a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="630" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28lOSarZGajkT2t42S5b4S8MGsVVvmU3B91zgyu_nmn8PF9WXggflBmgF476QOJiotmzCg6V_y-5X5uaWbPosDmHgCHq8KwirApU58M1yrLuDDGh37XkDbRCQ-vzCowYiOjQmJ0HBReM/s400/L03a.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I used red shaded cotton from Oliver Twists, wrapped at intervals through the hole then woven over that “warp”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a few times. A bit clumsy perhaps, maybe a finer thread would look better, but I didn’t doing enjoy it so I’ll leave it there.</span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOebGEMEu0ImsqBDmwxa5pbJFfztM6lgIvyil-NbFYmRVLdDOTK-leVH5rha-22NpLrxwMznY9RCxaNSoaR8IHPbEdyyFWK0iycWb4pDHxeoYtzC6P_-x1CGeOO9XWUBG2F7X2scO4Suw/s1600/L04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="743" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOebGEMEu0ImsqBDmwxa5pbJFfztM6lgIvyil-NbFYmRVLdDOTK-leVH5rha-22NpLrxwMznY9RCxaNSoaR8IHPbEdyyFWK0iycWb4pDHxeoYtzC6P_-x1CGeOO9XWUBG2F7X2scO4Suw/s400/L04.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This next one was wrapped through the hole as before, but with a natural
pearl cotton to tone in with the shell. Then I stitched raised chain band on these bars, using no. 8 pearl cotton (Hellebore, House of Embroidery).
There’s nowhere to get rid of the ends on this one so I made a “feature” of
them – i.e. just tied them in a knot on the front! I suppose if this was going
to hang as a pendant or something these ends could form the loop. I just love raised
chain band, any excuse. I might try this again with more bars, more rows of
stitching – if I can find just the right shell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuK19RdJHaHHZ0MOOiirozrRcCHoqbsUxv9LSRqLPByegocRlmJuAhBCGFdO6eRoy2iJ1UfMll8D70WwUJliYgXXecjeP59PahG-QzTLVROGP8nZnEhR2H_tWlvw5rlsnpjdDOr9pGOs/s1600/L05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="670" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsuK19RdJHaHHZ0MOOiirozrRcCHoqbsUxv9LSRqLPByegocRlmJuAhBCGFdO6eRoy2iJ1UfMll8D70WwUJliYgXXecjeP59PahG-QzTLVROGP8nZnEhR2H_tWlvw5rlsnpjdDOr9pGOs/s400/L05.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These could make hanging ornaments, maybe a few strung
together vertically or along a string as a garland? I can imagine trying that
on a wet day by the seaside…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
The tricky bit is fastening the thread on and off. I
knotted the ends inside and threaded the ends through a few of the “stitches”,
but tacky glue or masking tape would do – I won’t tell if you don’t. <span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol-ext; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji";">😉</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Best to allow plenty of thread to minimise
the problem, no extra fastening on and off and hiding thread ends. Or make a
feature of knots/tails on the front, or use as a loop for hanging.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another approach is to fill the hole, with texture or
protrusions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqG2xRBA8DRilng4NyhIPeyu6Me_iH3WiRUv6s8Mmma3MTm3Of21sbUcGzyX6LKqq-JW-b5tJ1ktESvVEL191AQoI2T7ldl30W8EsJvgd8-G5k2FIzByZj5L48cbC8hjJ0RhN6xIgTLE/s1600/L07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="763" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqG2xRBA8DRilng4NyhIPeyu6Me_iH3WiRUv6s8Mmma3MTm3Of21sbUcGzyX6LKqq-JW-b5tJ1ktESvVEL191AQoI2T7ldl30W8EsJvgd8-G5k2FIzByZj5L48cbC8hjJ0RhN6xIgTLE/s400/L07.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">French knots embroidered on felt
with variegated pearl cotton, made to fill the shell’s hole. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIar7PhFleZgta7R6k3MnHVN6uF9HlDbk0c8WvmC-ACPjtkE01lhSF1lFyJX4LqbxS8UPLz8Yvkp35XCDecnQNfv5Lg9yykJrLLGHyK6I1EgarI4urSu9XtnlnJi-VadqVzf98j1aiZX8/s1600/L06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="744" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIar7PhFleZgta7R6k3MnHVN6uF9HlDbk0c8WvmC-ACPjtkE01lhSF1lFyJX4LqbxS8UPLz8Yvkp35XCDecnQNfv5Lg9yykJrLLGHyK6I1EgarI4urSu9XtnlnJi-VadqVzf98j1aiZX8/s400/L06.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Loops of pearl cotton 8 (Hellebore
again), on purple hand dyed felt, glued inside the holey shell with Tacky Glue.
I left them uncut but a denser cut pile is another option.</span></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-buIdmeM_Od8-2Y79lxVnKO5uyGIIxwN4elKIG48EE3XYgtlg_yTO_i6Fy6A-CkSfvvqsn3Ux2ZYQ7rbm2Anc0-E15M8fgfK33Q1CBIhCMkR-bLU2xaorxD_4adt9iIlTfjCJnycINQ/s1600/L09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="660" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-buIdmeM_Od8-2Y79lxVnKO5uyGIIxwN4elKIG48EE3XYgtlg_yTO_i6Fy6A-CkSfvvqsn3Ux2ZYQ7rbm2Anc0-E15M8fgfK33Q1CBIhCMkR-bLU2xaorxD_4adt9iIlTfjCJnycINQ/s400/L09.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A fringe free machined on soluble fabric with variegated
pastel thread. I worked it round a small circle of white felt and after
dissolving I stuffed it in the limpet ring and held it in place with glue
inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxgS7FVGWh5swdVOEXo1xgDrCHXkP2wGc_-U-Wwaxrdlg6ZDrR7X9qpNFbTDxgvBI5KKkm_TOZJQhCgjlJYnhvPFLzZAAPoVREnU3vTRj0NdUFZgE4_hG1g48kxzG7XsLu7PX71WPPq8/s1600/L08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="604" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxgS7FVGWh5swdVOEXo1xgDrCHXkP2wGc_-U-Wwaxrdlg6ZDrR7X9qpNFbTDxgvBI5KKkm_TOZJQhCgjlJYnhvPFLzZAAPoVREnU3vTRj0NdUFZgE4_hG1g48kxzG7XsLu7PX71WPPq8/s400/L08.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beaded tentacles or stalks made entirely
by free machine embroidery on soluble fabric with a deep red velvet centre.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Finally I moved on to stitching limpet rings onto fabric.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6iOxiPxexY3bv69LCM776rBflAqUmPRxJ64kD7XucRm4grQhLWIw8t35cbyidu4yReb3P4QGerizetGd5Ay1XeL0Vosy1KXGV7WKpkGanHaiVuVKRnrMOD17J3kUyDWUTiE0sld_arQ/s1600/L10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="677" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6iOxiPxexY3bv69LCM776rBflAqUmPRxJ64kD7XucRm4grQhLWIw8t35cbyidu4yReb3P4QGerizetGd5Ay1XeL0Vosy1KXGV7WKpkGanHaiVuVKRnrMOD17J3kUyDWUTiE0sld_arQ/s400/L10.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It
was soon apparent that I needed a firm base or it would distort. So I used
thick wool (an old blanket I felted and indigo dyed) backed with pelmet Vilene.
I stitched three rings down, just big “spokes” all round from the outside to
the inside. Then I covered them by weaving round and round in ribbed spiders
web (as A) using subtly variegated linen threads (from a long defunct
supplier). To integrate these into the background I added a couple of lines of
running stitch with light indigo pearl cotton.</span> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
I’m
pleased with these, the embroidery seems to suit them, it’s quite natural and
shell-like.</span></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, that was fun, and maybe some of the ideas can be
taken forward… but it’s all broken shells, surely I can do something with
intact ones? Without resorting to drilling holes, or gluing things to the
surface. Watch this space…</span></div>
</span></span></span></span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-82258197308312887182017-06-02T13:30:00.000+01:002017-06-02T13:30:18.280+01:00StarfishI live on the sea shore now! After 10 months that's still so novel and exciting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSu2cD9aQshmTDjJHa6U4P4OnvadtPWT71JSfNer17sCABNe7-b5cCnEEDxchzkjIzo3ROapQ35xNsbAA5o0D9gw_j5sfS_-cGHeEg5a9_0u1U4VMh24wCmGjy1A6o8VgpqL2Ny0Q4yc/s1600/P1150544blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="710" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRSu2cD9aQshmTDjJHa6U4P4OnvadtPWT71JSfNer17sCABNe7-b5cCnEEDxchzkjIzo3ROapQ35xNsbAA5o0D9gw_j5sfS_-cGHeEg5a9_0u1U4VMh24wCmGjy1A6o8VgpqL2Ny0Q4yc/s400/P1150544blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
One of the marine themes I've been exploring, on and off, is starfish. Such a variety of shapes, colours and patterns, who could resist? <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFgCcv7lw7IpItpn_Y-sCOo6AeTLX5wL7n483_QWdjjrZnx_UhhpSs1jrqC4XWlns20mqxxD8_1zJe4C5qRZTE7Upa40s0F5cZAKbS5D0ynHr5uOC9ZvWzaYInXgyAUewdKtR7zrZGbU/s1600/pic3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFgCcv7lw7IpItpn_Y-sCOo6AeTLX5wL7n483_QWdjjrZnx_UhhpSs1jrqC4XWlns20mqxxD8_1zJe4C5qRZTE7Upa40s0F5cZAKbS5D0ynHr5uOC9ZvWzaYInXgyAUewdKtR7zrZGbU/s320/pic3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I started with a favourite technique - FME on soluble to make lacy shapes. These cast pretty shadows if they're mounted on pins and lit at an angle.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4q4h5FGK7S9mfVwCnfzWUupY_QpvAbx37EPlYldDatJOHTcGUIOEmQc4N9-CMMHpKxhVIUHi0RsXlT2R2C75HJS8Ks83Mt_fXj6Oz8_SKBrpBuYBDrmmMea9lXIWcHG96hGLWD2w7BE/s1600/P1160811blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="662" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4q4h5FGK7S9mfVwCnfzWUupY_QpvAbx37EPlYldDatJOHTcGUIOEmQc4N9-CMMHpKxhVIUHi0RsXlT2R2C75HJS8Ks83Mt_fXj6Oz8_SKBrpBuYBDrmmMea9lXIWcHG96hGLWD2w7BE/s320/P1160811blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I was a bit disappointed with these tbh. Not sure why... too far from the original inspiration, and not interesting enough in ordinary daylight? And, I remembered I meant to give up creating fragile wall pieces that need box frames and are impossible to photograph! So I didn't take them any further. They're just pinned randomly on polystyrene here.<br />
<br />
So, going off at a tangent, I tried felted crochet next. A nice loosely spun pure wool, in pink-orange-red. I tried raised, textural crochet stitches, and plain crochet with chunky French knots. After felting in the washer they looked like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21mQNdpqWcF9uD_P0jxuOMroAk4nyFHvGQH6w5ubcaekBEk8s0tSAI6LjlD2AF-6DQWPN3cAxbUvXOUl6xdtmLOd8KuVbDbVsGPhPyg_AgfUygCGgOmPIecJyhQJkE7SkrvxeuWH5Km0/s1600/felted+crochet+blog1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="819" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21mQNdpqWcF9uD_P0jxuOMroAk4nyFHvGQH6w5ubcaekBEk8s0tSAI6LjlD2AF-6DQWPN3cAxbUvXOUl6xdtmLOd8KuVbDbVsGPhPyg_AgfUygCGgOmPIecJyhQJkE7SkrvxeuWH5Km0/s320/felted+crochet+blog1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
The really knobbly one, using popcorn stitch, is fun - it's very 3D. And the French knots worked well too. Now what? These are quite big (9-12cm), but perhaps smaller ones, made with finer wool, would make brooches?<br />
<br />
Back to the Bernina, and soluble fabric (I never stay away long!). But not lacy embroidery this time - the soluble fabric allowed me to decorate a cut out felt sunstar. Embroidering felt this way means you can go over the edges, and end up with a slightly stiffened shape without the usual fluffy edges. It's only about 6cm, so don't zoom in. More brooch potential, I thought...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliQRPS1ekIB6ip0pG638V_IQZ1R0rK2HeaTjvHPDVeg81RhogEmG_HD8EygS6d3X3Nbr0z-3g2pyvSZ9x_jviez5TlAYZYPaKqn_B7Paf0mAfyG3SUkmCqXJnsV0YoIUJ_OwG3DiWFXE/s1600/P1160429blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="425" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliQRPS1ekIB6ip0pG638V_IQZ1R0rK2HeaTjvHPDVeg81RhogEmG_HD8EygS6d3X3Nbr0z-3g2pyvSZ9x_jviez5TlAYZYPaKqn_B7Paf0mAfyG3SUkmCqXJnsV0YoIUJ_OwG3DiWFXE/s320/P1160429blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A wildlife trust walk at an exceptionally low tide provided my first glimpse of living maerl beds. Maerl is coralline red algae, a sort of seaweed with a hard chalky skeleton that grows unattached on the sea bed. It provides shelter for a wide range of marine creatures, including brittle stars.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxI12qq2tI-fQhqPt67EKWz_xb3ZACFf6m0cjf9l1xX_7NeFUpeZplG_qrPKDfw0qynqemPdWRYdcJpPFTnRgocuqda0DCSEVy7s_UZsEGTXyWV3TuELfivOYKn0LV87djJyGlcQO_kQ/s1600/living+maerl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="1063" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUxI12qq2tI-fQhqPt67EKWz_xb3ZACFf6m0cjf9l1xX_7NeFUpeZplG_qrPKDfw0qynqemPdWRYdcJpPFTnRgocuqda0DCSEVy7s_UZsEGTXyWV3TuELfivOYKn0LV87djJyGlcQO_kQ/s320/living+maerl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I used the embellisher to create my maerl bed, needle felting lengths of pink-purple textural yarns to white felt. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDoPVcGr6p8O7bV0vETqcRJcsU8hUowrd2MpZJVoZsFNke3F7zG7m3GMB6ShRZUKA2VnDwi3b07X0MYKrSb5U0NfpN90v6La0LR4QktIVoTG6jJM7cqbTTx60YLZkYzKx7AKBvfQNYMyU/s1600/maerlfb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="532" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDoPVcGr6p8O7bV0vETqcRJcsU8hUowrd2MpZJVoZsFNke3F7zG7m3GMB6ShRZUKA2VnDwi3b07X0MYKrSb5U0NfpN90v6La0LR4QktIVoTG6jJM7cqbTTx60YLZkYzKx7AKBvfQNYMyU/s320/maerlfb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Then I machine embroidered brittle stars on soluble fabric.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtR5gM5ibS0S4QbxNiQmJUQBMw01XmwyuqaC7bI5NdV1pvOLUhdmy2WJCaHTKJOcA00Bm3Iekv3b4cc7bacxvfFGFBYqa7-x4_deUQgj5N6-hlgK67ziQoFVULhstCm0BxskS1p_URFE/s1600/P1160390FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="638" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXtR5gM5ibS0S4QbxNiQmJUQBMw01XmwyuqaC7bI5NdV1pvOLUhdmy2WJCaHTKJOcA00Bm3Iekv3b4cc7bacxvfFGFBYqa7-x4_deUQgj5N6-hlgK67ziQoFVULhstCm0BxskS1p_URFE/s400/P1160390FB.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>
<br />
The brittle stars were fun, so I made a whole tangle of them for another little framed piece:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJdJfcG1rvzmg4BSBMpOjCwderwjKi_MArQm9cfmMtzZcrOi1OZquF0RidBUsqa59Q1258_IUFyZDuB1QHOyrlEgI21NB8EWm96TFKl7ZavCUSFkfnNoTOVzei6G9LnAhNlID2xLKI6w/s1600/brittle+stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="616" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJdJfcG1rvzmg4BSBMpOjCwderwjKi_MArQm9cfmMtzZcrOi1OZquF0RidBUsqa59Q1258_IUFyZDuB1QHOyrlEgI21NB8EWm96TFKl7ZavCUSFkfnNoTOVzei6G9LnAhNlID2xLKI6w/s320/brittle+stars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
That led to the idea of a lacy structure of finer brittle stars held together by crossed legs!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZESWut5d017nXqluR6S0VN4DkOtTOoJLals7hEASytNcNoBs9mJn5TKGGGQp00CqW1glzYcyOqsxVkV7lXTRGWywBiCvf_ShzjxD7NHj-5QWWZkaCeVhJgqUYV3SJ6QZ2Z1PyGaj8Vc/s1600/P1160435edFB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="500" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZESWut5d017nXqluR6S0VN4DkOtTOoJLals7hEASytNcNoBs9mJn5TKGGGQp00CqW1glzYcyOqsxVkV7lXTRGWywBiCvf_ShzjxD7NHj-5QWWZkaCeVhJgqUYV3SJ6QZ2Z1PyGaj8Vc/s320/P1160435edFB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Instead of mounting in a frame, maybe something like this could hang in a window?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0gAMUVFKs2SQJZFDm-bqBG1-fuSd3qhd2Nk5bbOKPvw7lzdCGr4vzDtEgP7fzSQq0h1csjodNU9Gf0xeemLgri-VcNKYjpynOMVl2eI36lqJj04_MKiXKzYaDT6FMZ5xhKV808adJn4/s1600/P1160444fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="537" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0gAMUVFKs2SQJZFDm-bqBG1-fuSd3qhd2Nk5bbOKPvw7lzdCGr4vzDtEgP7fzSQq0h1csjodNU9Gf0xeemLgri-VcNKYjpynOMVl2eI36lqJj04_MKiXKzYaDT6FMZ5xhKV808adJn4/s320/P1160444fb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Aargh, there I go again, creating things that are impossible to photograph nicely! (for me, anyway)<br />
<br />
And finally (for now), I tried a brittle star bowl. Just a little one, 7cm diameter. The most open bowl I've ever made, and a very different technique to my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/chocolatefrog?ref=top_trail&section_id=5650647" target="_blank">Botanic, Ice and Metamorphic</a> designs. Amazingly, it worked! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsSyADiOGQdU7z6teEgJdmr7jCLJ5Pp-HhnAA1tpyLr8PvMVQZ5MZ2NgpyI9-adBuie0nVzuLfdHiyIstihELLzbR9nnfS-HcXOk_7aKLc0Z80jV0Z3FkcXxqsgvqd4JrqRS54dpWpcI/s1600/02+P1160742edblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="641" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsSyADiOGQdU7z6teEgJdmr7jCLJ5Pp-HhnAA1tpyLr8PvMVQZ5MZ2NgpyI9-adBuie0nVzuLfdHiyIstihELLzbR9nnfS-HcXOk_7aKLc0Z80jV0Z3FkcXxqsgvqd4JrqRS54dpWpcI/s320/02+P1160742edblog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The idea needs some refining, and I didn't like the brittle star centres, but it's opened up a world of new possibilities... watch this space! chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-26720627221372023612017-01-01T17:22:00.000+00:002017-01-01T17:22:49.791+00:00Samples 2016: 52, Grid/Sunset<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQe3YvsWYK_prquEiDMlLPagtkk5sh5DbcK9x6pV62LC9ldujG0wYQe_nQXGL0fHb4DYu7IMeU8v8vBKSKS4khXiYb48InvVIM6SP32-Xmk4a47LkvulRl-7Fav2CQBOG7mlxHdnamQ4/s1600/52+Grid-sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQe3YvsWYK_prquEiDMlLPagtkk5sh5DbcK9x6pV62LC9ldujG0wYQe_nQXGL0fHb4DYu7IMeU8v8vBKSKS4khXiYb48InvVIM6SP32-Xmk4a47LkvulRl-7Fav2CQBOG7mlxHdnamQ4/s400/52+Grid-sunset.jpg" width="383" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last sample of the year – I just<em> have</em> to play with
soluble fabric again! I machined a grid of shaded orange on Solufleece. Then I
filled it with raised chain band and running stitch/weaving using stranded
cottons in shades of orange, yellow, pink and mauve. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love how the raised chain band looks like little hearts
when the fabric’s disappeared. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So that’s it – <strong>TEN YEARS of weekly samples</strong> completed,
with a different theme each year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think it’s time I gave it a rest. I’ve tried before, but soon missed the
project too much. I’m going to try harder this time, but who knows...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Just as everyone else seems to be getting involved in weekly exercises, I'm stopping - ahead of my time, or just plain awkward?!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
<br />chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-18290374251746202052016-12-28T17:06:00.000+00:002016-12-28T17:06:42.168+00:00Samples 2016: 51, Concentric/Sorbet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYAhoLsCU8gx00CuRonvG_AisR_XaDUGCYIwgif4D_O_RQEI7cGIZcVimIPIsICJsNJCTbRjZK6eUREU71kji6oqMLinXfOZvKpcBGroNI1mgn22r4_yiZnXuLxr79N1h5W0OG24BhPw/s1600/51+Concentric-sorbet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYAhoLsCU8gx00CuRonvG_AisR_XaDUGCYIwgif4D_O_RQEI7cGIZcVimIPIsICJsNJCTbRjZK6eUREU71kji6oqMLinXfOZvKpcBGroNI1mgn22r4_yiZnXuLxr79N1h5W0OG24BhPw/s400/51+Concentric-sorbet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Soft pastel shades of raspberry, lemon and lime - my least favourite colours, but the random sample generator demands sorbet shades. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Starting with a base of white cotton bonded to pelmet Vilene, I machine stitched yellow silk paper in a large ring then tore away the excess along the stitch perforations. Pink silk paper and green handmade paper went the same way. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Then it was time to have fun with hand stitching for more concentric circles. I couched green chenille and yellow boucle yarns, and stitched a pink sequin in the centre. Chain stitch rings took longer but I think they were worth it. Plus a few tiny French knots and a little running stitch.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Only one more to go...</div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-34697631634748275222016-12-20T19:38:00.000+00:002016-12-20T19:38:19.328+00:00Samples 2016: Week 50, Angular/Wine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9eSMnKJW4wQr1ieMr2wM1_yKvWuWBkhWl5wQ0-zd8VNb5-XqjZArci40a1MA03Jfpt73Jknf6yYWmNbVupvln9BwNLpZWGSKOKDZchB_oMldaLQcVboprSLXx5FkXYUhLUGbMznChII/s1600/50+Angular-wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9eSMnKJW4wQr1ieMr2wM1_yKvWuWBkhWl5wQ0-zd8VNb5-XqjZArci40a1MA03Jfpt73Jknf6yYWmNbVupvln9BwNLpZWGSKOKDZchB_oMldaLQcVboprSLXx5FkXYUhLUGbMznChII/s400/50+Angular-wine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Burgundy organza, free machined in a pattern of overlapping triangles. I stitched the outer edges of the triangles in Burgundy thread and the inner ones in more of a Sauvignon!<br />
<br />
Then I burned out the design close to the stitching using a fine soldering iron. Another lacy piece, so it's compulsory to take its photo with shadows ;-)<br />
chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3088081003367857135.post-41846828756050789102016-12-13T17:14:00.000+00:002016-12-13T17:14:22.819+00:00Samples 2016: Week 49, Jagged/Citrus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEbDmRwpRYk6ovpMDO9z1Q8D7WBHMkLeBelvUHq-VgQybiGrUbael9YS8k2y_9bMKp6jgw4ZZQMUpFbG6wAS5eQP1XH6k_fHkVL2IVpFP9nTVOxxMyeXl_KVDie-i5Hd2QsLn-w_JUK0/s1600/49+Jagged-citrus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEbDmRwpRYk6ovpMDO9z1Q8D7WBHMkLeBelvUHq-VgQybiGrUbael9YS8k2y_9bMKp6jgw4ZZQMUpFbG6wAS5eQP1XH6k_fHkVL2IVpFP9nTVOxxMyeXl_KVDie-i5Hd2QsLn-w_JUK0/s400/49+Jagged-citrus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
An easy tick, but this sample will be a useful reminder that stitches piled up in layers can be effective.<br />
<br />
I used a built-in pattern, a sort of zigzag that varies "randomly", and stitched it in overlapping rows using zingy orange, lemon and lime threads on black fabric.chocolatefroghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08108566408546991673noreply@blogger.com2