Catch up

Not sure what happens to time these days but I thought I'd let you know what I've been doing recently.  On Saturday there was a workshop by Joanna O'Neill put on by my local Embroiderers' Guild called "No Scissors Needed".   Using freezer paper stencils, an old toothbrush and Markal sticks we spent the morning playing

Both fabrics look alike but the top is black and the bottom pale lilac.

The holly leaves were silver and look more like silver in the photo than they do on the fabric.  Apparently the best thing to do when putting metallic Markel on a black fabric is to put white on first, I didn't know about this until it was too late.

Although I used this technique when doing my C&G Joanna has refined the process and some of her works are absolutely stunning.

Joanne gave us all a 'Blue Peter' one (for those who don't know about Blue Peter its one done earlier).  Markel takes at least 24 hours to cure before you can do anything with it.  

Monday saw me printing on fabric again, this time with the Plus4 group.  A friend had given me a dozen or more Indian printing blocks so I took them along for us all to play with.  The challenge was to print on calico and make a tote back from the results.   This is mine.

I haven't made my mind up whether to overdye or not.

Yesterday I got a request from my son to make him a pencil case with a roll out pencil roll.  He'd seen one on the net he'd like but thought it a tad expensive. He thought it would be useful when he went out on site.  Any colour he said would do other than pink, cos the big boys would laugh at him. This is where Mum comes in.   It was also his wife's birthday last week and she wanted a set of coloured fountain pens that are erasable.  I ordered them and when the arrived I was disappointed to find they were loose and not in a box or case.  So naturally I had to make one from some of my left over quilt block scraps.

After I'd made it I thought it would have been a good idea to try making one that Marc wanted.   All I have to do now is find some suitable fabric for Marc's and refine the pattern.

Just hope she like it.