Thursday 30 April 2015

Heart Applique Cushion - OPAM April -Update

I did not realsie just how much blue fabric bits I have.  I really need to change direction with my choice of colours.
This is a heart applique block left over from making my blue and white quilt back in.........not sure will have to look it up.  2009 perhaps?
Anyway....... now that I am back with my sewing group after a 2 year sabbatical with my evening classes, I have been pulloing out some WIP's and bits and peices that ned sorting out.

I really enjoy applique and my beloved Husquvarna  has always made an excellent applique stitch.
The block on its own was not a size suitable for a  cushion pad so I added a couple of rows of blue and gingham fabric.  By adding a thin layer of wadding behind it I then quilted the pnale a little to give it some strength when the cushion pad is inside it.
I bought some blue and whote gingham  while back which is 100% cotton and comes from France.  Lovely fabric and wears well too.  This was to be the back panels.  No zips on this cushions just a deep and generus flap opening at the back.
Yesterday I attended my sewing group ( I did not realise just how much I have missed those meetings until last week)and managed to fully complete it.  I have decided to give it to my friend for her birthday in June and she loves blue and white and this is pretty darn close.
I like a good bit of satin stitch on those applique shapes.
I do not have a cushion pad as yet, there seems to be a bit of shortage of 14" cushion pads at the moment.
Another WIP sorted and completed.
I then start another block for my quilt.  I will try and take some photos over the weekend, weather permitting.
Take care all
xx
UPDATE:
Finally found the ideal cushion pad sonow completly finished.


Tuesday 28 April 2015

Retirement Gift - OPAM April

Had fun on Sunday making this retirement cushion to go in my friend's new shed!  Hs is a golfing fan and I found this fabric on Ebay.
Very brightly coloured and I picked out the red to make the backing but then thought that some piping might be nice.
I have not made any piping for years so I am really pleased with how it turned out as it went in first time!  Used green binding and piping cord with a zipper foot.
Just hope he likes it.
Have a good week.
xx

Saturday 25 April 2015

A Vintage Sewing Box Story

This story shows what a big thoughtful softie my Hubby is and that men do listen and remember even if they do not appear to be doing so!
April 2014 Hubby and I went away for a few days to Burford  in Cotswold's.  We have been there before to stay over night when I used to travel up country to attend meetings to mark GCSE Textiles papers.
There are several antiques shops there and after years of looking for a Vintage sewing box I finally found one.
I had just been given an Outstanding by Ofsted and was looking for a "Well done me" treat but felt that this was too much so I walked away and never thought about it again.
Then  my birthday came along 8 months later and guess what?...............
On one of Hubby's many trips to Grimsby as part of his job he had made a detour to Burford and bought the above sewing box, hidden it in the house ( and there are not many places that I do not go due to cleaning etc).  Everyone knew about it apart from me and they all kept it a secret!
I already had a few items that I had been collecting over the years in the hope that I would find one but a few bits came with it.
The items above I already had except the scissors.  They are not all of the same period and even the date of the box is questionable but I do not care, I love it.
There is a little fold down pocket in the lid.
It came with its own key which still works.
The padded sections reveal compartments underneath.
These two items came with the box, a pair of scissors and I think an awl.

There is a tray which lifts out and there is space to store other sewing items.
This is a tape measure (which still works) that I have had for years.  Now some of these items do have bone parts which s people find unacceptable and I do as well, these are old and at their time of being made it was acceptable.  There are things we do now that the future will not like such as landfill. Sewing  is a part of History that I find interesting and the small size of some of these sewing tools must have made using them quite fiddly.  

I doubt these are of the same era but I have had these for years and they are now stored in the bottom compartment.

I love wooden cotton reels and the labels that are attached.  So much more attractive than the ones we have now.
I found this in February.  Any ideas as to what it is?
I thought it was a compact to start with.
A vintage mini sewing kit with pins and needle which opens up when the catch is undone and folds flat and shut when you shut it again.
Very clever.  I found this in Lostwithiel for any Cornish readers.
I hope to gradually add to this over time, it links to my interests and job plus the enjoyment that Sophie and I get out of talking about this box.
So many thanks plus hugs and kisses for a Hubby who really did go out of his way by hundred of miles to surprise me with a gift like this.
I was quite speechless on my birthday and this is probably the most thoughtful gift I have ever had.
So, some men do listen and remember.....................
xx

Thursday 23 April 2015

Toffy is 5 Today!!

Toffy is our crazy cat and is technically Sophie's cat.  However Dad and I tend to but the food, feed him etc but Sophie is very good at spending time with him and he follows her around the house.
Long time readers will know the story I think but just in case..............Toffy is a rescue cat and was the only one in his litter to have these distinctive markings.  Just like his Mum.
He was a tiny scrap of a thing when we brought him home.
Everything was just so big.....including those ears which were Toffy coloured then.
He just sleeps any where and yo have to be really careful if yo walk around the house at night and he has chosen to stay in doors!
He loves his Cat Dreamies treats, tuna, his woolly pom pom toy and and stretching out on the tarpaulin covering a boat.
He will chase anything that moves such as ping pong balls, bits of string, and if you are a bug then watch out!
We did think the bee on one occasions was not a good idea and we picked him up and carried him indoors!
Toffy has been a good source of amusement over the last 5 years and is a part of the family.
Happy Birthday Toff!
xx

Tuesday 21 April 2015

New Beginnings - My Creative Workshop/classes

My Facebook Banner
After many years of being asked if I ran evening classes or workshops I have decided to organise and run some in my local area.  I have taken the step (I hope I will not regret it) to set up a Facebook page to advertise and promote these classes.
I am not asking you to sign up (date not arranged yet anyway) just your support.
If you have a Facebook page and you are willing to,  pop over and just "like" my little business page to get it off the ground a little. Hubby has popped over, without being asked - bless him-  and my Print evening class friend.
I can be found at
Indigo-Blue Designs -Textiles 

You will see my blue flower logo and the top picture in this post.  I am not going to put my face on that page as I am a teacher and I  want to try my best to keep it a little separate from my day job.  If you sign up then you get to see me in person anyway!
I am also going to add details on my Website as well.
Where this will go I have no idea, I want  it will be fun as I have always enjoyed attending workshops, classes and evening courses myself.  I would like to be able to use my many years teaching experience in a different way and with a different age range.  I in turn will learn lots as well.

I have been asked to run a beginners class in the use of the sewing machine.  Might seem a bit basic but this is how I started in terms if being taught how to use one as the instruction books are ok and have some diagrams but it is knowing what to do if something goes wrong.  Bit like learning how to use a computer or set up a blog etc.
I have it all planned............I even have a date in mind...............just waiting on someone else.
I hope to offer other classes as well and to start things off I have enquired about renting my own classroom at a reasonable price.
When I know what is happening I will post it here and set up a spot in my side bar for those you do not have a Facebook page.

I understand it will take time and that there are likely to be issues along the way but at the same time it is quite exciting.

If you could have any class what would you like to learn or have help with.
Pop your suggestions in the comment box as your opinion is very useful as I have already found out whilst talking to my friends and family.
Have a good week and lets hope the sun keeps shining for a little longer.
xx
Thank you Peg for the above image.

Sunday 19 April 2015

Mixed Media Relief Block with Textile details.


I am doing some clay lessons at work, I am no expert in this area at all but I did a training session where I made the following.  However, what shall I do with it as I really like how it turned out.
Firstly we made a clay tray and created marks using a variety of different objects.  My favourite was carefully pushing string into the surface and then pulling it back out again.  The next stage was to fill the tray with about 3cm of pottery plaster and let it fully set.
Once fully set the clay is carefully peeled away and you are left with a block with which you can use to create further patterns in clay objects.
Now due to one thing and another I never got to use this but I really like how it looks so I decided to get my little round paints out and add some colour.
There little paints really are very versatile and I was not really sure how they would work on the plaster surface.  They did not soak in as much as I thought it would.  I decided to go for a blended range of sea colours with a little sand thrown in
The paint is now fully dry and I think it has about three really good coats which just enhanced the blending of the colours more.
The paint also highlights the decorative relief of the block.
I am not stopping here as an idea began to surface as I painted the plaster.
I found some handmade paper and tissue paper with which to add some background.
On to this I added some further textures.
It does look a little plain so I want to add a textiles element to the overall effect.  I hope that this may be an idea that I can take further with other materials.
These are silk cords which have been hand painted using silk paints in a range of colours.
I want to extend the curves left in the plaster by the string on to the hand made paper and tissue paper.
this adds to the background.
Shall I trim the ends a little?
Attaching it all together was really tricky in terms of the method to use but I think it is secure.  It has not moved all afternoon!
This has been hung up all afternoon and nothing has fallen off and it seems to be really secure and I am quite pleased with.  Must think about doing some more ideas along this theme.  I really like the tones of the colours that have appeared by mixing water and allowing the colours to merge which I did not think would happen as I wondered if the paint would sink in to the surface.

I did promise something that was not blue as well!
xx


Saturday 18 April 2015

FNSI - Applique cushion cover.

This is my first sign up, and thank you to Wendy for helping when I could not get my own link to load up.  My struggle with technology continues.
I may not have made quite as much progress as I thought I would as I was quite worn out on friday evening.
Anyway, this is a half made applique panel which is left over from a quilt that I made quite some time ago, and has been lying around waiting for something to happen to it.  So the applique was completed with satin stitch on the sewing machine.
It is not currently big enough to do much with so I had a search through my scrap fabric and managed to find a few strips which I think are left over from the same quilt.
I did not have enough of any one colour so I picked two blue gingham and two plain blue strips to widen the overall panel.
I think this will look ok and the plain blue picks out the blue of the heart applique as well..  Not sure if it will be big enough for the cushion I have so I might need another row.  Coming along though.
In fact there is rubbish on the television at the moment so I think I might pop off and finish it.
Let you know how it looks another time.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
xNext time I willmake something that is NOT blue........promise.
xx
  

Joined FNSI

Last week with the help of Wendy, I have signed up for this months Friday Night Sew In but due to life in general I have only just posted it.
If you have heard of this and are interested then click HERE to find out more.
I will be back to post what I did.
Oh and I have started work on setting up some local Sewing and Textile workshops too which has taken up most of my spare time in the evenings this week.
Take care
xx

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Cross Stitch in Blue - Opam April

I sometimes wonder how I found the time to keep making all these bits of work that I  am finding and spent time completing over the past months.  For example, the above must have taken ages to create and it would have been in the evenings......now I can bearing focus much after 8pm on something as delicate as the above.
Anyway, I digress.  The above is a cross stitch piece on 14 HPI fabric which I am pretty sure was made before Sophie was born!  Last weekend I looked at it and thought "you know what.... it is time you became something better".
I am planning my first organised workshop (more on that later) and I was thinking about little items that could be made to learn how to use their sewing machine.
I also had some home grown lavender so I decided that by sewing some cotton fabric on the back and adding the lavender a lovely sachet could be made.
I added a loop of ribbon to one of the corners and it is now hung up in the back of my car.  I do not like shop bought car fresheners but this has been in the car for about a week and it is lovely.  Again,  out of the box and into the wide world for this piece of sewing.
Blue again as well....must work on something with a different colour palette!
Hope you enjoyed the good weather today.  It got to 24 degrees which is a little bit too warm for a classroom but it was good to see it in April.
Hope it lasts a little while and comes back in the summer months.
xx
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