Applique picture

Here is the applique sample that I started at the Embroiderers' Guild meeting last weekend.

Hilary had washed all the fabrics in tea to give them a worn, vintage look. I think it's rather sweet, especially the shaysho (hedgehog) button.

No idea what I will do with it at the moment though!

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Images of Japan - Some embroidery

At the Knitting and Stitching Show last year I saw a beautiful quilt called Images of Japan. It is a block-a-month programme run by Village Fabrics.

After umming and aahing for a while I signed up in February and have now received the first four packs, all complete with fabrics and instructions.

Last week I decided I had better make a start on this project, so out came all the bits for block number one. It features a geisha, wave and flowers, and was a rather tricky one to start off with!

The images are all built up using applique, so out came the iron and the Bondaweb. It was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together and rather frustrating at times but I have all the pieces in place now. I finished the wave off first, adding in some embroidery and sparkly threads.




The geisha and flowers are at the just bonded stage and ready to be embroidered and embellished.

 




I am very pleased with this project so far as it allows me to explore hand embroidery, something I have been neglecting in favour of patchwork recently. However, as I am blanket stitching round each applique piece I may soon tire of that part!

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Christmas stocking

As well as teaching at our Buns & Roses WI Christmas Crafts workshop last week I also managed to get started on one of the other projects - a Christmas stocking.



The sewing machine came out over the weekend to finish i off and it's now ready to hang on my dad's fireplace when I get home for Christmas.



Lots of hand applique here, and it has my usual level of wonkiness as nothing was properly pinned or measured.

Hope Santa comes and leaves a few gifts in it for me!

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