TAST 2 Week 22 Triple Chain Stitch

Well I have done it-in time-but not very well.
I had trouble getting the stitches even and I am not sure why except maybe I was having tension troubles.The little stitches at the side are all different-some fat-some thin--who knows what happened.
I do know that when I have to change directions with the fabric I have difficulty keeping things neat and tidy.
I will have to work on this a bit more but at a later date which probably means never :-))




We are half way through this years challenge and I often wonder where Sharon finds all these different stitches but then if you saw how many reference books on embroidery stitches that she has we could probably keep going for years and not do the same stitch twice.

ALQS 4 received

Today I received my quilt from the ALQS4 swap arranged by Kate in England.
My quilt came from Lisa who lives in Victoria in Australia and is titled "Inspired by William Morris".
We had to select which quilt we would like from all the participants and I chose this one.
I love it--the colour-the design-the construction and especially the embroidered centre panel.
This is a well made quilt and I am very pleased to now own it.
Thank you Lisa.

If you want to see the quilt that I made you can go here

TAST 2Weeks 20 and 21

Lately on the TAST 2 challenge I seem to have been posting 2 weeks of stitches at the one time not weekly as they should be.I think in future I need to do my sample on the day that it is given to us and then I may get it done on time.
Anyway here are the stitches for week 20 Buttonhole wheel cup (the top row) and week 21 Slipped Detached Chain stitch on the bottom row.
I have added a few other stitches to each sample-Running stitch-Lazy Daisy stitch and French Knots on the top row.

The bottom row is Slipped Detached Chain stitch with Buttonhole stitch-Running stitch and French Knots added to it.

Now if only I can keep up next week-----we'll see what happens.

Making Cards

Last weekend I made 30 cards because my daughters workmates wanted some -so I thought I would stock up while I was at it.
I have told you before that I own around 100 different stamps and do I use them?--not very often except for the one that I put on the back of the card that says "Handmade by Doreen Grey".
This card is made using a piece of fabric that I stitched onto some white card stock that was then attached to a piece of red cardstock and then a white card.
I have added blue brads on her ears to look like earings.




The blue background piece of paper has a words image stamped on it and I have added some white ribbon and two pansy tiles.

This is one of my lady images that I have stamped onto white cardstock which was then mounted onto red cardstock and then attached to a white card.

Her red dress was made by stamping the image onto a piece of red scrap paper and then I cut around the red dress and glued it onto the image on the card. I then embellished the dress with glitter.

I love this stamp.

This card is made using a technique that we used in our journal class with Carole

The lady image is from a sheet of images that I have had for years and I forgot about.

I stitched the image onto a piece of painted watercolour paper that I had previously stamped the words image which was left over from the journal class and this was then stitched onto another piece of w/c paper which was then attached to a card.

I love making cards -I find it very relaxing and rewarding.

Fibre Fever pages for July

Today I received my page for July from Hanna who lives in Austria.
As you all know my theme in this swap is "the country where you live"
Hanna said that where she lives the area is famous for wine and music and she has depicted this beautifully.
The stitching that she has done is fabulous--thank you Hanna.





My page for July went to Helga and her theme is flowers.
I have had this watering can button for years and never could find the right place to use it until now.
I have added silver running stitches coming from the can to look like water-I think you should see it better if you click on it to enlarge it.

So much fun receiving my pages from different countries.

It's Finished

I have finished my Journal that I made in Carole's class and have been waiting for a good day to take some photos but I ended up having to take them inside using a daylight lamp to try and get some light on the subject.
I think if you click on the photos you will be able to get a better look at them.
This is the front cover ------




and the back cover-------
The added bit on the side is because I cut the fabric a bit too small but I think it looks ok--an extra embellishment we will call it.

This is what it looks like when it is lying down-------

Here is the inside front cover ----------

and the inside back cover----------

I wanted to add some quotes about flowers so I asked a dear friend of mine to write them in for me because she has the most beautiful handwriting.When she had finished I asked her to write something from her which is what you can see here.

A wonderful class--with a wonderful teacher and I think I have ended up with a wonderful journal.

Thanks Carole

TAST 2 Weeks 18 and 19

I am late for week 18 of the TAST 2 challenge run by Sharon B over on Pin tangle.
This week it was Wave stitch.
I loved this stitch but my choice of coloured thread was not a good one--a bit too pale I think.




On the bottom row is Up and Down Feather Stitch.
I found this a bit difficult at first because I have a touch of Arthritis in my fingers and the movement from left to right and back again proved to be a bit awkward.
But as I got into it the stitch seemed to flow a bit better.
Both threads are Variegated Perle cottons.

ATC's for July

This month in the ATC Birthday swap there are three ladies having birthdays and I have sent off three of these to them.
I am not sure which ones I sent to the individual people as I have had them in the envelopes for two weeks ready to post and I swapped the other one with a local friend.

Anyway they are now on their way.

Fabric for the Journal Covers

I spent the afternoon aging the fabrics that I want to use for my journal covers.
One will be on the outside of the cover and the other will be on the inside.
Now I will choose from these pieces which two I will use.
I have scanned a piece of the fabric as to how it looked before and after for you to see.
This one looks great in real life but I am not sure whether the flowers are too big or not.




This one at this point is my favourite----

And this one is good as well----

And I do like this also------

The bottom two were cream homespun before I played with them--good also----

I think one of these will be the inside cover.

The first one has a slight pinkish tone to it.

I have to make a choice but I will have to leave it until tomorrow--maybe a good nights sleep will help.

We are on the home stretch now.

Gifts in the Mail

I received a wonderful surprise this week from my dear friend Dot.
In the parcel was this postcard size piece of her art and it is absolutely beautiful.
I love the colours and the crystal beads just shimmer in the sunlight.

Dot also included an ATC for Ebony in the same colours which happen to be her favourite colours at this time in her life.

Also in the package was this beautiful hand knitted scarf in a glorious sparkly jade green colour which suits my colouring so well.

Thank you Dot for your gifts which will be treasured forever--especially the scarf which has come in very handy over these last few cold days

.

The last Signature

This is the third signature and here is the front cover page--scrapbook paper background covered with a lace doiley.





And the back cover page is the other section of the lace doiley which was wrapped around from the front.
There is a strip of fabric down the edge and a small piece of paper serviette .






Pages 1 and 2 ----on the left page is a piece of antique lace -some silk fabric and an old cloth picture from inside an old small pewter picture frame.
On the right hand page is a small page with some sheet music that came off yet another serviette.





Page 3 -is actually the reverse side of the small card and when it is opened out it reveals the small piece of paper tag on page 4 which is stitched down on top of a piece of cinimay (sp?) I think that is what it is called-it is used on hats.

Page 5 and 6 is the centrefold and has a stamped image inside the stitched square which is from where I had stitched on the previous page and the small picture is from a paper collage sheet.

Small bits of lace and fabric are held down with a button.

The page on the right has a pocket with a tag inside which is supposed to look like a packet of seeds.

Here we have a serviette which has herb flowers and the right side is the small page with a piece of torn up doiley stitched onto it.

When you lift the small page it reveals a tiny hand dyed flower on it and on the right side a tag with a torn up piece of doiley which had been stitched onto the tag before being glued to the page.

That's it --all 3 signatures done and I rather like how they look.

I think altogether I have used 10 different paper serviettes in these 3 signatures.

Now the challenge will be to make the cover for the journal.

Waiting with trepidation for the instructions :-(

Another signature

This is another signature front cover page--------------

And the back cover page-------

Page 1 and 2----left is a hand made card from Maureen and right is a card that I got years ago.

Pages 3 and 4----left is the inside of the card with a small doiley glued on.

Right side is a beautiful serviette which has been glued over a piece of sheet music and a strip of silk lace that has been glued down the edge.

I took it off a very old silk christening dress that was full of moth holes.

Pages 5 and 6--the reverse side of the sheet music and another serviette with some lace and fabric stitched to it.

Pages 7 and 8---the other side of the pansy serviette plus the other inside of the card which has a lady transfered on fabric---this was from a sheet of fabric transfers that I purchased at a craft show about 5 years ago.
I wish I was allowed to cut those threads off but if I do Carole might expel me from the class.

Pages 9 and 10---the back of of the small card with another fabric transfer.

I had trouble getting these transfers to come out properly--they were very green so I took to it with some very fine grit sandpaper and distressed it up a bit.

I rather like it now--better than it was before anyway.





Back tomorrow with the other signature.

Journal signatures

Here is the front cover page of one of the signatures for my journal that I am doing with Kiwi Carole.
Sorry about the photos but it came over very dismal outside while I was taking the photos and this is the best that I could do.



And the back cover-----part of a serviette

The first two pages -the rose is from a serviette and the words are the title of the book that I am using to form the outside cover.

The next two pages---some words from the book and a card that was given to me.

Next shows the inside of the card where the writing has been covered up with fabric and lace.

Next--the back of the card where I have added another serviette.

On the right a tag covered with yet another serviette plus more words from the original book.

Here on the left is a piece of torn up doiley and on the right the rose and wine glasses are from still another serviette plus a print on fabric that MA gave me several years ago.

I have left spaces to do the hand written stuff --maybe.

The pages aren't sewn together yet--we still haven't been shown that.

There are two other signatures and I will show you later if I ever warm up that is.

It is so cold here in Canberra today--- I am sure it will snow overnight which would be a surprise because we don't get snow very often.
I wish the colours were better because they really do look a lot better than this.