My Rambles Part 2

I came back from my rambles to find my first flush of pink on one of my tumbling toms. Hurrah, they are small but I'm so pleased that all the efforts are starting to show.

As you know from my earlier post we went away to North Yorkshire for a few days. On Friday we did a rather wet walk near Leyburn, not all that interesting as the mist(low cloud) obscured much of the scenery.

On Saturday I did a workshop making some free form beaded elements, small bell/flower shapes using some different beading stitches. The main piece I'm now working on was the start of a small beaded vessel. The inspiration for it is the log in my garden which seems to be influencing much of my work at the moment. The finished piece is NOT mine but the tutor's, Sandra Wallace, and I just had to make one. The small scraps on the brown velvet are the pieces I made on Saturday, not much for a whole day's work but I learned a lot and I have gone on to make more. see the red velvet samples which is a better close up of the small elements along with the extra flower I made on Saturday night.

My little vessel is growing and I am pleased with it. Still quite a bit more to do though and lots of threads to tie in yet. The next photo shows the two free form dangles I made before I went down on the course and I really didn't know what I was doing. However from these two came two that are now on my log vessel.




The final photo today shows the flowers that will adorn the top of my 'log' however after carrying them around in a carry pouch over the weekend the flowers need a bit more work and I've put them back onto dissolvable and am putting some hand stitches onto them. I'm going to see my tutor on Friday when I'll show her all the pieces that will make up my 'log'. After that it will just be a matter of stitching all the pieces together and doing my backup work

TUSAL June

Well just started a new SAL thanks Yoyo and also those other Blogs where I saw this started at the beginning of the year. I've only just got round to joining. So what is TUSAL - a Totally Useless Stitch A Long. Here are my first ORTs Old Raggy Threads taken from my work table after working on my vessel. There are also some threads pulled off some new patchwork fabric that has just gone through the washing machine.

Off Rambling

Yes literally. We are having a long weekend in Middleham, North Yorkshire (Nr Layburn). 1 days of walking and one of beading for me and 3 days walking for DH. Then off to see my sister and BiL on Sunday evening - Happy Birthday F. Tell you all about it when I get back.

Warm day

Don't know what the weather's been like where you are but it's been HOT in the North East. Very sticky this afternoon until we had a short rain storm and then it was beautiful again. Did some work in the garden before going for swim - not much swimming done but the Jacuzzi and steam room were bliss! We do a systems managemnt course on a Monday, I'm filling in lots of gaps in my ICT knowledge. A visit to B&Q on the way home for more compost and some chippings. I picked up a new plant, I wonder how long it will last? I'm not sure about the quality from there. A quick food shopping trip where I got 4 more plants, must get them potted on tomorrow. A tidy up session in my dinning room where most of my stitching has been going on over the last month or so and a short clear up of my 'puter. What a busy day!

These flowers are on my old log and are the inspiration for the flowers on my vessel.

Productive Day

Well week really. I finished my patchwork bag after fighting my machine with the Indian metallic thread. Got to say I won in the end.

I've also done some more to my vessel, the lining is in loose and flowers are now sprouting from the top and butterflies and bugs are dangling.





Got to say that all these components are not fixed yet and I'm still playing with the look. It probably won't go much further now until I see Karen (my tutor). They are all just pinned on and I have a few more machine stitched pieces that may - or may not - be put on.

Feeling much better

Much to my surprise I woke up this morning (sorry yesterday morning) feeling much better. My throat while still slightly sore wasn't as bad as it had been over the last couple of days. I had much more energy and wanted to get things done.

I'm completing a patchwork bag which just has the finishing touches to be done, a few buttons. My vessel has all it's components done. I don't want to put them together until my tutor sees them This won't be until September so it will be put on the back burner for a while. It means I have time to do some playing and reminding myself what I have in my crafting stash. FUN.

I can also get back to the academic side - my country studies - shame as this is the part I find the most difficult.

Bugs

Think I have a virus - the medical kind. Started with a sore throat on Tuesday, by Wednesday it was very sore and my head hurt. Today my ribs and limbs were aching. Doc says just keep taking the tablets. Slept for 2 hours this afternoon and think I'm ready to go back again now.

Shed now in use more photos

Yes I am now fully into the shed! I still have to sort all the boxes that are in the garage. There needs to be more shelves on the back wall with lots of hooks for the tools and Then the outside needs painting and the little finishing touches to the corners and joins need to be put up. Don't think much will get done tomorrow as DH is into doing a deep clean of his 'puter and then is out on his Philosophy course in the afternoon. We have visitors coming round in the evening. So not much will get done. I'll try and get out to do a bit of box sorting and deciding where I want all the tools tomorrow.

My back is giving me a lot of pain again and I've finally got an appointment to see the physio at the hospital I don't expect to get much joy from them but at least they now know I have an existing problem. The appointment isn't until 2nd July! Do you think I have much faith in the NHS? I've waited soooooo long for this.

Lining for my vessel and other stitching

I've made the fabric using the techniques I learned on the Jan Beaney course. I am now hand stitching the edging so that it is strong enough to be stitched together to go into my log vessel. I used flax thread which is quite harsh and slubby and quite difficult to stitch through the fabric, small pieces with long tails add to the fringing which I'm leaving to trail out of the top (I think, however I might change my mind when I see what it looks like.) I'm still blanket stitching the edges which is why the needle is still in the work.

I'm also making a small crochet bag with some freebie wool that came with a magazine. It looks a very strange shape as I'm not very good at shaping. I need to practice a bit more. Photos will follow when it's complete.

Thought you might like to see the yellow squares our Embroiderers' Guild Branch have made as our contribution to the Region Rainbow Square project. They will eventually be in two long panels that will be hung from a small curtain ring at the top. I love the variety of techniques that have been used. We are now starting on a green panel and 4 squares were handed in at our meeting on Saturday afternoon.

Shed progress

The shed now has some shelves and the first plants have taken up home. I'm so pleased as the tomato plants were starting to take over my kitchen and they really weren't that happy outside during the day. I've left the tumbling toms, which are already fruiting, in the garage as they seem to like it there.

Had to smile at this photo of DH putting in one of the shelves underneath the staging. He has some lovely bumps on his head!

Hampton Court

Day 1 with inspiration
I had a lovely two days at Hampton Court. The Embroiderers' Guild are now using the 'new' Clore Learning Centre for their courses. We were working in a lovely bright room with plenty of space. The only dissadvantage is the noise from the school children who tended to meet just outside and we had to close the windows while the tutor was talking. The course was called Stitch explorations where we used sticky dissolvable to create beautiful fabrics out of ribbons, wools, threads and beads.
The tutor, Jan Beaney was lovely and kept us working hard even to giving us work to complete during the evening! Well I did get up early and got my first piece beaded and dissolved, just!
Day 2 sample for the lining of my tree trunk vessel before dissolving and after with extra stitching

London

well I'm back in London at DD's. I'm off to Hampton Court tomorrow on a two day course with Jan Beaney. Looking forward to it.