Been having a lazy time

Haven't done a great deal over the past week, lots of Kindle reading, catching up with friends etc but as for sewing this is all I've done:

My owl family.   I found the pattern in this months Popular Patchwork and made one (the large one).  Then I decided to reduce the pattern by an inch and baby was born.  There was such a disparity between the two sizes that I reduced the original by half an inch and mummy owl appeared.   I now have my own little owl famil of bean bags.  

Flynn update and Metal and Stitch Day

First an update on Flynn's progress, he's now five weeks old and beginning to 'talk' to you.

He's saying don't blame me for the silly suit, grandpa Sy bought it  and daddy made me wear it.....

Thank goodness the Metal and Stitch workshop went well and most people made at least one chunky book page.

We had a full house for the workshop and I believe everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves, which was a great relief to me.   I took along my Big Shot and alcohol inks and we all played well together.  There were one or two dyed fingers by the end of the day but as you can see from the photos lots of stitching too. Some great pieces of work were produced and I was asked if I was going to take this metal and stitch theme a bit further.  I agreed to do so but need to think and play a bit more and will come up with an advanced workshop later.  Watch this space.

Workshop with Gillian Travis

Last Saturday I spent the day with the ladies of Richmond and Leyburn EG group doing a 'Applique Houses' workshop led by Gillian Travis.  I arrived there with everything I needed except the one essential - my source photos!!  Luckily I had taken my camera and having been in Whitby the day before used one of the photos on my camera.  Has anyone tried drawing from a photo on their camera that repeatedly goes into standby mode due to inactivity?  Well its not easy but it can be done.

This was the photo I used, or rather the 8 houses on the cliff path before you head out to sea.  And this is what I ended up with after the weekend, still lot

Sorry but Blogger has turned the photo and I've tried several times to put it the right way up.   If you are wondering where the Abby is - I left it out.  The colours, well Gillian's requirement list said 'fabrics of similar colours'  Mine were yellows.   I still have a lot of stitching to do on it.  

This is what the others did, all have work to finish on them, you never get a project finished do you.

This house is taken from a drawing done by Judy's granddaughter.

Blogger has, once again,  turned several of the above the boat photo was taken portrait orientation.  You can see that there is a lot of variety in the houses.   I have several more photos of the day but I'm going to give up for the day, maybe tomorrow Blogger will behave better.

Some metal and stitch samples

I've been spending quite a lot of time recently trying to prepare for the Metal and Stitch workshop I'd doing for our local EG group.   I've decided to use only recycled metal, old lager and soft drink cans to me and you.  Here are a couple of the latest batch.




Backgrounds are hand dyed or transfer painted paper ironed onto fabric.  Recycled metal has been both hand and die cut and embellished with machine stitches, embroidery stitches and beads.

I've become quite addicted to these little pieces.  I love Angie Lewins work and have used her  idea of simplified shapes in my work.