Sublime Stitching - Flamingoes

I have this fab little transfer embroidery book, Sublime Stitching craft pad by Jenny Hart which I used to o make a little something  last summer. The images transfer onto the fabric, so it was a case of repeating the image and then I stitched some curly waves underneath the 'lingos. I think it’s a cushion cover in waiting….

The palest one on the right has slipped on some sea weed!

We were on holiday, hence the flamingo theme. I deliberately stitched the flamingoes in lighter shades of pink, as the flamingo colouring naturally lightens.

 

Cornish Cove - a stitched piece

Who can fail to be inspired by a view like this?

Sennen Cove - Cornwall

Having holidayed with so many beautiful views of the Cornish sea and sky I wanted to make something to remind me of the holiday.

As a family, we collect shells and beach debris from most visits to the sea, and our 'collection' lives in our front garden. I love this collection.

I was tickled by the shells I saw used in art work on the wall of Alison Deegan's studio, in a feature in Mollie Makes. Shells stitched on felt.

I had a rough idea of what I wanted to make & planned out the piece using some favourite shells. I used applique, free-machine embroidery and hand sewing, enjoying using my Sylko threads and other metallic threads.

Not sure how to display it yet, but I really felt myself get lost in making this. Here are some closeups.

Ho hum, for Cornish Coves!

Here's to your hols and big skys!

Alli x

3D bunny!

This little bunny was made a few years ago in a workshop I ran with my daughter and her friends. 

The maker, Mollie, is obsessed with rabbits, so I made this into a 3D bunny for Mollie as a get well gift. 

Let's hope s/he gives Mollie a little cheer when she sees him/her!

The carrot was stitched on to the gift tag.

I made a pattern using the picture, used applique and stuffed the bunny with super soft stuffing.

Hoppity hop...x

Sparkly seed bead gift

What is 'Sparkle Friday'? It's one of those things that you do with a friend and it sticks. Picture Paula and myself in the infant school playground (many years ago), every Friday wearing sparkly eye-liner, for no reason what so ever than to be sparkly. So when Paula had a special birthday recently I got to work on this gift.

I got the frame from IKEA and made the message fit the gap! I stitched the words using a free-machine technique, having transferred the image in reverse on the back of the fabric. A tiny needle, tiny seed beads and some simple embroidery stitches and here you have it!

Here's to Sparkle Friday & a smashing birthday to Paula xxx

Courses 2013 - keep learning

There are still lots of exciting things to learn about in the craft world and I like nothing better than to receive a course as a gift.

I went to Heart Space Studios to do a fab free-machine embroidery course with textile artist Suzi Bancroft. She's a great teacher and her work really interests me. I love the way the threads are left on her work, as if the story is unfinished.

Copyright: Suzi Bancroft

I experimented with some scraps of fabric - one piece with raised pattern, which I cut into a heart shape, and stitched with various threads to connect and echo the pattern.

Here it is - still unfinished:

She introduced us to variegated threads - you get a more textured feel to the images, bit like highlights rather than one flat colour.

I had a play with them with this piece I made for a display. 

Keep stitching! Keep learning!

Love Alli x