Caught up with June

At last I've caught up with June and just in time it seems as July comes in tomorrow! Why I though there was still a week left I don't know but its led to a busy few days and here's the results. When we were in Tuscany last year I was fascinated by the old doors and windows so when the "PC, Paint and Stitch" swap came up in the Surface Design group I thought I could use one of my photos. I printed the photo onto tissue paper, machine stitched around the design and painted highlights on the bricks and window panes with Luminart paint and french knotted the flowers.




I actually made TWO June arches for the Textilechallenge group, the first one being ..... well I'll post that one in July as I made it for the wrong recipient. My June partner was Carole in New Zealand and she likes 'garden' themes. As my first arch was not garden themed I set to and made a new one for Carole. Again I've used one of my photos (at last I'm beginning to use them!). This time the photo is from our outing to Littlethorpe Manor. The walled garden is divided into quarters, each quarter having its own seasonal planting and statue. I believe the photo I've used is from the Winter section, a mother holding a child , but I've taken liberties and given her a flowery bower.

The fabric I used is Evolon, a close cousin of Lutradur and feels like suede and is very soft to handle. I'd painted some last month and put it away knowing it would 'come in handy'.
I printed the photo onto the painted fabric expecting it to blend in which it did. However it blended a bit too much so I machined round the outline and a few of the leaves and the stone she's sat on. I didn't think the stone stood out and I stitched a few straight stitches to indicate grain of the stone. The flowers were made by burning out flower shapes from organza and the stems are machine wrapped cords. I liked the arch when I'd finished and although its gone into the post now I really wanted to keep it.

My June CQ Journal Quilt is also finished - meet 'Purple Haze' by Jimi Hendrix!! Not a very good photo I'm afraid. It took a lot longer to make than I anticipated and stitching the beads on was quite hard on the old fingers. The background is paper fabric made from strips of purple scrapbook papers. I then squiggled fme all over in different threads. After that I placed a purple chiffon square over the whole thing and squiggled more fme after which it got the heat gun treatment. Finally after a hazy hodge podge of beads and the edges bound with ribbon its finished. Now for July's which will be .....

I knew exactly what I was going to do for my July CQ JP but then Simon came in singing an old Stones song and it brough back memories and is pulling me - guess I'll make a start on that.
I meant to upload this photo of the arch and atc I received from Jan Lewis. last time but couldn't find where I'd stored the photo. This is Jan's June arch to me and it has a background of paper with a sheer fabric over the top, burned back, beaded, fme and hand stitches. The photo doesn't do Jan's arch justice it looks much nicer in real life. I got another couple of cards this morning but I haven't had time to scan or take a photo of them yet so more of those later.

As I'm going to Warwick for a few days in July I think I'd better get a move on with my swaps etc - well I already have the arch finished so that's one down.