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Tuesday 26 April 2011

Easter birds, not eggs

Using the backstitch technique , learned from Jacqui Harvey, these birds, courtesy of Urban threads, are appearing on a quilt.

Birds quilting 006   

Transferred with a pencil and a light box, before sandwiching together.

Birds quilting 005

In the same quilt, some of the designs from Leah Day’s Free Motion Quilting Project

 Birds quilting 001Birds quilting 003

Monday 25 April 2011

Virtual wedding invitation, so fantasy can rule…..

I have been invited by a friend in Australia, to a virtual reality party to celebrate the Royal Wedding. So, in that spirit, I had to find a virtual reality outfit. Here it is , courtesy of Polyvore. What a way to waste lots of time!

Kate and Wills wedding

Thursday 21 April 2011

Jacqui Harvey stitching update

Balmy evenings, and new garden lights have allowed time to get my Jacqui Harvey cushion almost completed.  All stitching done, piping on and just waiting for filling and a backing.

I have really enjoyed this and am on the lookout for good line drawings to adapt for future designs.

Jacqui Harvey piece 003  Jacqui Harvey piece 002

Jacqui Harvey piece 001

Fractals of family life….. can we go and see the Evil Bunny?

Younger son: Can we go and see the evil bunny today?

Mother: Aren’t you a bit old for the Easter bunny?

Younger son: Not the EASTER bunny, the EVIL bunny!

Mother: Oh, you mean THAT bunny,………..no problem.

  Evil bunny 003 Evil bunny 004 Evil bunny 005 Evil bunny 006Evil bunny 002

Happy Easter, all.

Thursday 14 April 2011

5 life-enhancing days

Started with a workshop on Saturday with award-winning quilter Jacquie Harvey on “Colourful Hand Quilting”. Jacquie is a warm and funny person with a very encouraging teaching style. Her tips and hints on how to use watercolour pencils ( do you have a box lurking?) to enhance whole cloth quilting were straightforward and easy to follow. Her saying of the day was “ just try it …..”

Jacqui Harvey workshop 1

She had designed the cushion cover above for our group of 16 workshop attendees, and then very generously raffled off the cushion during the workshop – I was the lucky winner , so I have it to compare my stitching to at any time. Jacquie doesn’t use a hoop or a thimble which was refreshing to know, as I struggle with both.

My piece, after continuing to stitch after the workshop is at this stage:

Jacqui Harvey workshop 4Jacqui Harvey workshop 3

A gratifying result for someone who can’t paint or draw.

Then on to the National Theatre to see Benedict Cumberbatch in Frankenstein, directed by Danny Boyle. This was an incredible production and I’m glad I took my 13 yr old son to see it – despite the guidance that the performance was not suitable for children under 15.

And the next day off to the Gower peninsula to stay at The Kings Head in Llangennith. I love the Gower as it is unspoiled, but it does mean that when it rains, you need to make your own entertainment indoors, with reading, stitching or board games. Still we had two days of glorious sunshine,

so only a bit of stitching got done, but there was much inspirational imagery for future stitching.