A Doodle Day

Sometimes you just need a doodle day and today was mine.

 I started by playing with patterns on paper

And finished with a doodle block

The trouble with this is that more ideas keep flowing and I need more doodle days than I have time for. 

If you fancy having a go at machine embroidery doodling I am running a work shop on June 3rd at Rutland Sewing Centre, near Oakham. Please contact the shop to book a place. 

Bev 

A Box of Goodies

The Bank Holiday weekend has been lovely. A bit of gardening, a day trip to the coast, a 25th Wedding Anniversary party and a wonderful parcel in the post. All the above have been wonderful but I'm sure that it is the box of goodies in which you will be most interested.

Is is a box of 30 sewing machine feet which fit machines that use the snap on system.  Luckily all my machines use this system. There are feet here that I have not had cause to use - yet. I feel a day experimenting is called for, after I have finished my stitch samplers though. 

This wonderful box contains a walking foot, sprung darning foot, two types of 1/4" quilting feet, and an appliqué foot, along with many others ( see list at bottom of post) 

All these great feet with a retail value of over £300 for less than £60. A bargain I couldn't resist.

If you are interested in a set call Paul at sewingmachinediscount.co.uk and mention my blog ( 0800 567 7111 or 020 8236 1520 ) But please note that I'm not sure when the offer ends.

And here are a couple of pictures from historic Kings Lynn on a lovely sunny Sunday. 

The full list of feet:

Braiding foot
Fringe food
5 Hole cording foot
7 hole cording foot
Edge joining foot
1/4" Quilting foot 
Straight Stitch foot
Open toe embroidery foot
Round Bead foot
Zig zag foot
Cording foot
1.4" quilting foot with guide
9 groove pintuck foot
overcasting foot
Stitch guide foot
5 Groove pintuck foot
Satin stitch foot
Zigzag foot
Double welting foot
Invisible Zipper foot
Roller foot
Blind Stitch foot
Applique foot
Open toe foot
Darning foot
Shirring foot
1/8" round hemmer foot
Hemmer foot
Adjustable bias tape binder
Walking foot



Bev 

Butterflies and Stitch Samples

 Yesterday, one of my Machine Embroidery students, Barbara, brought in her folder of samples from the first two lessons. 

She has taken to machine embroidery so well and has given me permission to share her work here. 

From her first free motion embroidery sample, and through using colour and stitch she has made wonderful start to her machine embroidery. 

Her applique samples show good use of colour and stitch, and will be an invaluable resource for her future work.  

She also inspired me to get on and start cataloguing the stitches of my Brother Innovis sewing machine.

This is a job I have intended to do for ages and have now made a start. I encourage my students to do this but hadn't done it myself, now is the time to remedy this failing. 

I find that once I have started something there is a chance it will get done. These are the first two samplers and I haven't started on the decorative stitch setting yet. What I have learnt is that the stitches are not exactly like the diagrams. Much more variation is possible with by altering the stitch width and length and that will be yet another sampler. 

I now need to move away from the computer and get back to my machine. 

I hope you have enjoyed Barbara's work too

Bev

A Crazy Patchwork Day

Things have been slightly busy both in the studio and infront of my computer. All very exciting though, and it is great to be able to offer more courses. 

The City & Guilds Patchwork & Quilting level 2 certificate course started at Bee Crafty this month, which was very exciting. 

Level 1 courses in Machine and Hand Embroidery will be starting in the new work room at Tudor Rose in July. The next level 1 course will be starting there in September and the level 2 Patchwork & Quilting in October. Along with and additional beginners Patchwork & Quilting class things are looking busy. I love teaching and starting my students off on their creative journey's. If you would like details about any of these courses please get in touch.

Also the Quilters Guild has a great page with listings for City & Guilds courses around the country. 

The Quilters Guild - City & Guilds

Yesterday I taught a Crazy patchwork with hand quilting class at Tudor Rose. It was a busy and productive day and these are some of the lovely blocks the students produced. 

Cathy started adding beads to her seam treatments, using wonderful fabric from Harewood House, to create a very fresh and spring-like block.

Judith created this striking block, and I love the use of closed blanket stitch, fly stitch and french knots to make a row of people. A really fun block.

Pat's addition of lace and lovely stitching has created a block with a unique antique feel. Purple and green are one of my favourite colour combinations.

Many thanks to them for allowing me to share their wonderful work with my blog readers.

Bev

Back in the Studio

It's been a busy couple of weeks or should I say month. 

The level 2 Patchwork & Quilting class started at Bee Crafty and it was wonderful to welcome my students back. I started them off straight away with lots of design work. I love seeing what different interpretations are brought to the same exercises and can't wait to see what they produce over the next year.  Exciting times ahead.

I finally got into the studio and gave myself some me time. This means finishing half started/finished projects of which I seem to have lots.

I have pieced a back for a Kalaidoscope Quilt which has been hanging around for ages. It was going to be my first quilt on my Grace Frame, but I can't see it being reassembled for a little while due to decorating, so have decided just to get it finished. 

I have also been working on a new block "The Derwent Block" and this will be available as a foundation pattern this summer

 And I also added reverse appliqué 'frames' to the crazy nine patch blocks.

A good days work but there is still a little time today to do some more, so back to the studio I go.

Bev

Crazy Nine Patch

 I must learn to blinker myself when walking to the workrooms for day schools. 

 But Moda's "Vin de Jour" layer cake caught my eye. In fact it jumped off the shelf and said buy me!!!
It is a lovely fabric range with mulberry, mustard yellow, muted rose and olive green. Really scrumptious.

I have cut it simply to make some mismatched nine patch blocks. I intend to inset these when I have a moment. It is an experimental work in progress, but my deadline is Christmas so I feel as if I have loads of time. When I get to November and realise that it is no further on I may have a panic. 

Mid Year resolution - Finish some projects

Bev

Finally back in the Studio

I seem to have had a few days playing with transfer paints, which has been wonderful as I have been away from being creative for far too long. As you will have noticed from the lack of blogging.

It started on Saturday when I ran a mini workshop for my branch of the Embroiderers' Guild using transfer paints and appliqué. 

Now to finish the appliqué and add some embroidery for a fun cushion workshop. I auditioned the shapes againt different backgrounds and photogtraphed them to help me choose between them. I find that If I take photographs and distance myself from the work helps me. 

Tuesdays meeting of Calico was more ways with transfer paints.
I decided to experiment with using items as a resist. Some were slightly problematical as I melted the nylon lace onto the fabric. Luckily it peeled off but something I must take more care with in the future.

Bev