Tuesday 18 October 2016

One stitch at a time .....









Beautiful things come together
one stitch at a time.






It has been a little hard to settle in this week and also having to catch up with my mum as well.  I
know that you just have to do one stitch at a time and it soon builds up.  I am going to write myself a little schedule to be able to be a bit more effective, with the evenings drawing in and stitching at that point being harder to do I feel that I will change my routine around a bit to make the most of the day light.

It has been great to hire two lads as gardeners and they come every two weeks and oh boy do they work and cover ground.  This has helped enormously with my time.  They have a petrol mower and the grass looks incredible.  Its one thing that we do not have to do now and it keeps it looking amazing .. The do everything and they are so thorough as well with weeding and keeping the holly bush trimmed.....

So that started two weeks ago and I wish I had found them sooner, but they are here now.  My sewing project baskets are lined up and I have now got to get my head down a little. It is really lovely that I
can get on with lots of personal stitchery before the end of the year and then start again in January with magazine work.

I feel some different things being designed and have lots of ideas bouncy around in my head.  Partly this is due to going to the V & A whilst in London with our friends and looking at gorgeous old textiles and at one point getting a scrap of paper from my handbag and scribbling down ideas, it did make them laugh.  I seem to see projects in so many things ... a cloud formation, an old tile, colours and trees and wild life and of course antique textiles from around the globe.  I was very influenced with Asia when I was in London and I am going to have a design day or two just to jot and plan for next year ... I do not want it all to go from my head and forget the thread that has started.

I think when it get darker in the day I will have a little play around with strips of vintage fabrics on
the machine as a base for hand embroidery and see where it takes me.  My water colours are out on my desk up stairs too just in case so this week is a finish off and get ready for next week in earnest kind of week.

I bought so beautiful strips of fabric from a vintage fair a few weeks ago and I have since added to them from my collection in my sewing room.  I have chosen some that will blend and want to see where it takes me for a project I have in mind.  With sewing on a machine with the light from it, it does not seem to bother me about being dusk.   So I thought I would have a go next week and see what develops .... I love just creating something and it really helps with creative ideas and learning curves.   I also want to do some practise sampler embroidery stitching as well to see if I use a few different stitches how they look together ..... and some larger chain stitch flowers as well onto strips of fabric.

In my 'to do list' is some hand dyeing of some vintage French linens too.  It will be a great time doing this and then ironing them all to be able to stitch on.  I am thinking some light greens and reds so watch this space.   I want to use beetroot for the red and then depending on what green I decide on as to what I use to make the dye water with.  I will stabilise it all with salt and hang it to dry in my kitchen and see ... If you are thinking of doing this, my advice always try out on little bits of the fabric you wish to use, just to make sure of colours when dry.  You may think it is a bother but it really does not take long at all and stops any mistakes with precious larger bits of fabrics.....

Well enough of my ramblings for today and I hope you all have a great day.  I am off to start my day and hope to achieve an awful lot today.  Take care and as always Happy Stitching! XX











4 comments:

  1. I know exactly what you mean about finding inspiration everywhere in small things. Will look forward to hearing more about your Asia ideas, sounds interesting.
    Now about these two young lads doing your gardening. ...when you say young. .....lol x

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  2. Hi Dawn

    Lol they are late twenties I would say and fit as fleas so they really get so much done ....
    The Asia influence has had my head going round and round and I am going to design some things ... these will probably be stitched next year though but watch this space.

    Hope you are well.

    Sarah xx

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  3. Lovely to read your latest post. Like you, I am trying to get my head around the darkening evenings and what is possible to do. Lizzie x

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  4. You sound like me always looking for ideas and jotting down the ideas on scraps of paper.
    Julie xxxxx

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