Snow in Spring #2

Late last night I finished this and have to say I am very pleased with it.   A kind reader of my blog sent me two of these Tim Holtz fob watches so I am currently scouring my stash to see what I can put in the second one.   I love the sparkle of the DMC thread I used for the snow on this one and it will go on my tree even though Christmas is in mid summer here.

Today I took the HD3QBEM to a large local park to enjoy their Spring flowers.  

Along with ever so many of the locals we also happened upon Alice in Wonderland (complete with her flamingo croquet stick) and the White Rabbit (who was riding a unicycle).   All the little children - and me - were completely agog to see that Alice and the Rabbit were real ;-)

This avenue of 120 year old Oak trees is closed to all but foot traffic every Spring so that we can all enjoy the bluebells, snowdrops and daffodils.  But I think I exhausted the HD3QBEM as she has been dozing off since.   Dinner time now so I am off to wake her up.
Tonight I shall study the construction details for The Mermaids Chest and hopefully make a start on that although Hercule Poirot may prove a distraction too many.
Ah, it has been a great weekend -  what a pity tomorrow is Monday.

Done and part done

Spring flowers from my garden.

This morning I went to Fabric-A-Brac for the first time.   Anticipating a massive selection of fabrics to tempt me beyond endurance I gaily sallied forth, found a car park way up the top of a steep hill and eagerly bounded down.   My what a crowd!   Round and round and round I went looking at the selection of goods available.   Wallet had obviously listened well to my stern instructions and didn't even open her mouth!   So I climbed back up the steep hill, empty handed but happy to have been a part of this and who knows maybe my raffle ticket will come out tops and I will win the hand quilted bed cover??

Today we have half a happy dance;-) The Fabric Bomb bag is completed.  This is what I received and how I used (or not used them)

2 one yard pieces of Japanese Yukata fabric - the inside and outside of the bag
2 cotton fat quarters -  the kimono and part of the obi
1 small piece Japanese silk -  part of the obi
1 vintage whitework handkerchief -  the white neck of the lady
1 packet John James Twin point needles - uh uh
Petite Frosty Rays -  all of these threads were braided together for the obidome
DMC Perle cotton #3 colour 798
DMC Perle cotton #5 colour 334
Needle Necessities Spring II colour 358
Quilters Yardage Card -  uh uh 
2 Star Buttons -  the hair decoration
One yard of lace trim - uh uh
3 pieces ribbon -  the sky stripes
Mill Hill Beads colour 62034 -  the sky stripes
Embroiderers Guild of America Charm -  I'm keeping this for myself!!

Please excuse the dark photograph,  it's the best I can do this time of night.   I added the handles from stash.   What do you think?   I have done a happy dance.

Another Christmas ornament is finished and tonight I hope to construct this into a flat padded ornament tonight.   I was impressed that my LNS had the necessary small gold star.   I like this cute ornament..
And now I must go and undo the mistakes in the HD3QBEM's knitting.   She has some necessary mending out for me to do too.   Oops -  another busy night!

Snow in Spring

Just showing off tonight.
My miniature daffodils are flowering beautifully at my front gate.   Photos are deceptive - these are only about 12 cm high.

And this snow bedecked house needs a tree, a night sky and some foreground before being set in a Tim Holtz Pocket Watch.    This is on 40 count linen with DMC floss - the white snow is a sparkly floss , DMC from a give away I think.

I'm off to do that now.

Knitting needles and sewing needles

Last week I made a determined effort to finish my knitted socks.   Having now dug a deep hole in my left forefinger, I can confirm that these fair hands have completed a pair of identical socks.   There was some worry at the commencement of sock two as to whether these would be identical or fraternal twins - but all is well.

And the turned heels are not bad for a first effort either.

So I cross another item off the list, put the double pointed knitting needles away safely and proceed with..... Sewing hexagons.   Now I am digging a hole in my right hand middle finger!

I completed the machine sewing on the Fabric Bomb bag and have only the pesky hand sewing to do.
While my sewing machine was out I did a couple of mending jobs and exerted considerable self restraint in not starting one of my planned  dressmaking projects.   There are still several weeks to summer so dressmaking is not high on the list of priorities.

Over the weekend I purchased the hardware for The Mermaids Chest and also a couple of small silver fish to hang inside it.   But I have promised myself a holiday from The Chest for a week and so found some fine linen in my stash to make another Christmas ornament.   If my mathematics is correct this one will fit inside a Tim Holtz pocket watch and find a place on my own tree.   Fingers crossed that calculations are correct.
I think this linen is fine enough to try out a biscornu from Yvette Stanton's Sardinian Knotted Embroidery book.
These plans should see this week filled and then it will be back to building chests for mermaids.  With all the materials to hand there is no real excuse for not completing this by the end of the month.  Watch this space.

Flat Pack Mermaid's Chest

We have the beginnings of a Happy Dance.   Stitching on The Mermaid's Chest is now complete and it is now in the "flat pack" stage.  

Next, I need to read the instructions very carefully, visit my LNS to purchase the necessary hardware and then construction can begin.   Meanwhile all pieces are folded carefully in a box and I am continuing on with another WIP.   I did change the verse spacing and I changed the U to look more rounded than pointed - although the floss is called Stormy Skies it certainly looks like the deep blue of the sea. Fiona found the source of the quotation for me
The quote is taken from a letter written by Elizabethan explorer James Lancaster to The East India Company...Right Worshipful, what hath passed in this voyage, and what trades I have settled for this company, and what other events have befallen us, you shall understand by the bearers hereof, to whom (as occasion hath fallen) I must refer you. I will strive with all diligence to save my ship, and her goods, as you may perceive, by the course I take in venturing my own life, and those that are with me. I cannot tell where you should look for me, if you send any pinnace to seek me, because I live at the devotion of the wind and the seas. And thus fare you well, desiring God to send us a merry meeting in this world, if it be his good will and pleasure.
Thanks Fiona.   I am thinking of printing off the explanation on a small card and tucking it into one of the pockets in the hope that when I am gone or gaga, my relations will not think I had a less than adequate grasp of poetry!

Now, I am back with the hexagons and making flowers.  Nothing too exciting here but the precise geometry gladdens my heart.

Tonight I plan on starting Sock Number 2.   Our winter is almost over but I need this project out of the way so onward and upward...  There will always be another winter and global warming will never have sufficient impact in my lifetime for me to say goodbye to woolly socks.
And all the while I dream of what I will do next -  Christmas Ornaments ???   Whitework Biscornu ???  or Something Else From Stash ???  
Enjoy your evening as I will mine

The Fabric Bomb has morphed!

You might remember that Pamela's husband drew my name for the fabric bomb and she kindly sent me a package of several Japanese fabrics.   I scratched my head and sprouted a few more grey hairs before settling on....

Many years ago when living in Japan I used to make little kimono ladies out of Japanese paper.  So why not a slightly bigger kimono lady out of Japanese fabric?   I ironed interfacing onto the kimono fabric and proceeded to fold and press.   The obi isn't authentic but is made from two more of the fabrics Pamela sent. The obi cord is made of the threads and the hair decoration is the ribbon and button.  
I plan on making this up into a tote bag to hang from wooden handles I bought while in Japan 10 years ago.   But there is more work yet to get this lady fastened to the bag fabric.
She reminds me of summer nights at festivals in Japan - hence I used the yellow ribbon as a reminder to me of the strings of lights over the food stalls at those festivals.
I am not an aficionado of applique or quilting but she's looking good and I have been taken out of my comfort zone a little.   Thanks Pamela.

Fabric Bomb

Thank you to all who left a comment wanting to participate in the Fabric Bomb.
Today the HD3QBEM chose at random from the comments and she chose

juliehallfeldhaus2 August 2014 02:12

I have never heard of this, but think it would be fun and Lord knows I have enough fabric and notions to bomb:)
Thanks for a chance at a great prize!!

So Julie if you will send me your postal address my Fabric Bomb will be on its way to you.  
There is nothing to report on the stitching front from this end -  my weekend has been too busy to stitch but hopefully tonight I will be able to make progress on The Mermaids Chest

Have a good week.