On your marks get set go!!!!!

Do you like the sewing machine, it was around when Clothkits was trading the first time!!

And here she is done.

This was great fun, and really quick to make. Its nice to have a break from hand sewing, even though I don't always get on with my machine!!

As if I did not have enough to do, I went shopping at a well known craft shop and saw this stumpwork kit that was so cheap that I had to have it!! The threads and fabric alone would cost more, I don't known if I like the design, but I many play with that a little.
I have started one of the bead work kits, and so far its all going to plan, its working out to be very easy, and is just as pretty as I hoped.
To give myself a break from leaves I have started the border on the cross work peacock, what you many not be able to see is the gold thread which works very well to lift the design. Once the border is finished in this section I can roll on to the next bit, and the border across the top.

Look I've been to Knitting and Stitches!!!!!!!

The first thing I bought came in the above bag, no prizes for guessing whats inside!

I got the funky chicken pinny, for my daughter, and the doll with a lime green dress, can't wait to get started on them, what a trip down memory lane. Long live Clothkits!!!

Also two bead work kits, one is a necklace, this kit is a beginners so I should be OK!, the other one is a advanced kit so I'm not so sure but I loved it so must that I'm prepared to give it a go.

Now the above did not come from Knitting and stitches, but our local shop, I loved the wool so much I had to find a pattern to go with it.

So that makes 6 projects and one on the go, time to make a list, and decide what to do first!!!, but I did see some lovely stump work at the show, and still really want to do something, I will just have to make it simple.

Here is the picture of the peacock cross stitch that I have been working on since year dot, I fear that its going to be a long time until I finish, I only managed 40 minutes this week, I did use up some of the time I had free trying to get a good picture of it!!!!

There is still more of the tree to do behind the peacock, and then a very decorative border.

Below is a picture of my lovely trestles, they where made by a Father of a old friend of mine. The uprights are needles and as you can see the cross supports are scissors. I don't always use them, but when you use a big slate frame you need the support.

And to finish, here we are walking over the little pebbles on the beach at Well-Next-Sea, look how sunny it is, and that's in September!

Hello, long time no blog!!! I have been busy, but not with embroidery, I've been working on a cross stitch piece that i have had for over 8 years, maybe longer. I will take a picture and post it soon, i have not done much cross stitch, but i think that this kit has to be the most unnecessarily complicated kit going!!! Not one colour is used on its own all of them are mixed, is this normal?

The picture above is my group 1 rear facing car seat, with my three year old, and has nothing to do with embroidery!!!

I have just started knitting a cardigan for my daughter, its very cute but has bobbles on it and i have never yet knitted a bobble i am happy with. How do you get them round and neat??????

The house above was our holiday cottage( holiday being another reason why there has been no more new embroidery) Its in Great Snoring North Norfolk, and we had a great time, manage to book the only good weather week this year!!!

Hope to go to Knitting and Stitches show this year and get lots of inspiration, and stunning new threads.

I have just finished my 'how to mount your work' tutorial please have a look, and let me know if you have any questions-------->>>>>>

Sorry I have gone quiet, but I have been busy, you can see the sea embroidery is well on its way to being mounted, its all pinned in place and ready to sew onto the board.

The finished piece.
I love this close up as it really shows the shape of the padding. I'm happy that its all done, and looking forward to the next project!!!, but not until this one has been mounted ready for framing.

I've Finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Photos coming soon.

As you can see things have been moving on with the shell, now you can start to see how it will look when its finished, I am really pleased with how the padding went, its given me the shaping that I wanted, and I am so pleased with how the colours are working. You can see all the ends that have to be taken though to the back and sewn in, this always takes a long time and is not a favourite job of mine! Can't wait to get on with the finishing details.

Look I've had time this week to get on with padding the shell, I got so in to it that I did not take a picture of the work half way though, so you could see the layers. Under the layer of yellow craft felt is two layers of carpet felt, yes carpet felt that old fashioned under-lay of brown fibres. You have to peel it apart and take out the plastic mesh in the centre, then make a template of the area that you are padding, round of the edges and sew it down.

You can see from the picture below just how many stitches you need to sew down the carpet felt, as it needs to be really firm to take the embroidery on top. I really enjoy doing it as its very free and easy stitching!
You can also see just how many metal thread ends I had to sew in at the back, luckily I have just the needle for the job, its a small curved needle, I only have one, so take great care of it.

I've finished the sea!!!!

Here you can see the added detail using purl pearl and bright check chips. Its great to have finished this first area, as I now know how I will work the shell, and really want to get started.
The shell will be padded with carpet felt and craft felt, to raise it above the flat sea.

I've just had some time to do a little sorting out and found some old samples of mine, This is a simple crewel work, worked in only four colours, two colours in each design, and using all my favourite stitches.

I love the laid work because its so pretty, and you can decorate within the lattice work however you wish. Looking at this makes me want to do some more crewel, but no I must finish the sea picture first, and anyway I really want to revisit as many techniques as time allows. I really want to do Blackwork again, and more silk shading, and top of the list this week is Stumpwork. So little time so many ideas!!!

Sea picture

I have had some time to work a little more of the sea, and now all the darker colours are finished. Next job is sewing all the ends in at the back, then getting on with the light blue and silver. As yet I don't know how I will work the shell, time to give my post baby brain a poke and come up with some ideas. I am looking forward to adding the final detail with the purl pearl and bright check, but that still seems a long way off.

If you really love embroidery please have a look at this website.

http://www.berlinembroidery.com

You have to be inspired by Tanja's work.

The Crewel work, using Appletons crewel wool, on a cotton twill fabric, was my first embroidery post eye operation, and post first child.

The Bird above is work on a painted background, using strandard cotton in long and short shading

The inspiration, the golds and pinks are to be used on the shell, I am half way though the sea there will be some more detail added on to this using the purl pearl and bright check.

This is the sea picture I have been working on, I will be using metal twists, passing, rococo, purl pearl and bright check.

Sew little time Jenny

Fred and India

(the reasons why I have so little time)

Sew little time

Once I get time I will start to down load some pictures of the work that I do, This includes Embroidery and Knitting.

Coming soon, Metal thread work, work in progress.