Another piece for the Blackwork Etui

After a gentle but necessary prod from Lee and the assistance of fine tutorials on the web, I succeeded in creating my first covered tape measure.   What's more it actually works.

Were I to do this again I would put a blackwork motif in the centre of each side but I consider this finished for the current etui.

Chris at work tells me he is polishing the aluminium for the floss winders,  so soon the little tin will full and this task will be completed.
Threads and pattern are chosen for my "learning piece" of crewel work.   I intend to make the preordained errors of the novice on this one before I attempt the pinball on which I have set my heart.   Besides which, a crewel work piece will make another page for my NMMSAL.   My March page will be hardanger and I hope to do a simple but different drawn thread edge for this page.

Here's a progress shot of the hardanger -  still a far way to go before I can cut and decorate!
I have been busy at the library over the last week and have managed to find 15 of the books on my To Be Read list as well as another 4 that look interesting so the pile beside the bed is very high.   Just as well the library issues for a month!  

I am particularly enjoying this one  and am challenged by the fact that so busy a man as the editor of The Guardian newspaper could find time for piano practice and master Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in a little over a year.   No wonder the book is sub-titled An Amateur Against The Impossible!   Perhaps I may dust off my piano and some of my music and attempt to imitate Alan Rusbridger -  although with something a great deal simpler than a Chopin Ballade!   I never reached the dizzy heights that Alan did and am definitely classified as amateur.
Well that's all for tonight.

Blackwork Etui Progress report

It was October last year that my boss gave me this tin which held, in a purpose built plastic moulded inner, three lip glosses.

I could immediately see in my mind's eye a small needlework etui.  Some time later I began to stitch and after several dead ends and disasters I now have...
Scissors, pincushion, lid.   What else do I need?  

Chris, at work, is making me some polished stainless steel floss winders.
I will have to invent a needle holder and a thimble holder - something small - and then this long-dreamed-of etui might be considered almost finished.   This tin is not a Pandora's box and with limited capacity it will not hold a tape measure as well as a strawberry and a tiny biscornu.

The biscornu only needs tiny gold capped tassels on its four high points.
I do like the black strawberry with its gold "seeds".   I have been saving this teeny tiny pair of scissors for this project.   I'm thinking of covering the yellow tip protector with black ultrasuede -  we shall see.   That may be too difficult and I'll need to live with the yellow.

Some investigation on the internet has given me basic mathematical instructions for lining the inside of the tin (both lid and base) and I have a fine back ultrasuede which I intend to use.  I hope it will all work out.

What have I learned from this adventure?

1. I have no passion for designing. 
2. I would not choose blackwork as my favourite stitching technique.
3. I am never satisfied unless I can scientifically prove that something is completed perfectly and there is no method of objective evaluation for a self design :-)

However (and I am trying to have a Pollyanna moment everyday) I am happy that this "tin inspired" etui is going to be completed in time to enter our Embroiderer's Guild Exhibition.  Hopefully it will look cute on the smalls table.

Black and White

Yesterday afternoon I went to the City Art Gallery.  No particular reason.   I juts happen to think this is an asset to our city and deserves patronage.   I also rather like the massive silk flower chandelier in the main atrium so wanted another look at that.   Currently the main exhibition is on rock and roll -  not my forte so I didn't even go up to level 3.  There were plenty of other beautiful paintings and sculptures in the other gallery rooms - certainly enough to keep me happy.

Then last night I "blackworked" while watching Silk and A Touch of Frost.

Obviously both were dark enough of plot to help me out and I have managed to complete the flower for the etui lid.   The twisted gold 'flower' in the centre is a bead which will become the pull to lift the lid.
I also did two small squares for a mini biscornu - for the pin cushion.  

Now my plan is to do a mini-strawberry for a scissor fob and if space permits I may try to fit in a small needle case/holder of some description.   There is only so much that the tin will hold.   Apart from the needlework tools to fill the tin, one of my challenges is to line the tin.   I have some black ultrasuede and will experiment with plain calico to see what shape I need to cut and glue in.   That may have to be next weekend's project.  A couple of weeks and this should be finished.  
My February Christmas Ornament is completed ( a picture is promised at month end), as is the February page for the NMMSAL.   I find myself wanting to start a bigger (= takes-longer-to-complete) project.  There are many such in my stash already and I will choose one from there.   All I know at the moment is that ti will definitely not be blackwork nor will it be pure cross stitch.   I am ready for a challenge!

Waitangi Day 2013

Today is a public holiday held annually to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.   With that document New Zealanders, both Maori and Pakeha (the non- Maori) became a part of the British Empire and we have lived with the consequences of that ever since.   Be that as it may, today was a gloriously warm blue-sky day and I, for one, appreciated a day off work.
The HD3QBEM and I went for a drive to a small town about an hour's drive south and had lunch at a quaint cafe called The Copper Kettle. We have had so little rain for weeks now that the usually verdant farms are all a dry brown dust bowl and we wondered how the poor animals are surviving.

On the way back we stopped at a tiny craft shop and watched two women creating beautiful ceramics.   I was particularly taken with this grey hippo planter but unfortunately he didn't come home with me.

While I did the ironing this morning I remembered to iron the Confetti of Hardanger piece so I could show it sans wrinkles!  

This HAL is great and Abi Gurden publishes excellent instructions.  

The curved fan was the homework for this issue.   I see that despite counting the wraps my tension has not been even and one "spoke" looks fatter than the others.   Only the centre motif and the edging to go.   I wonder what will come for the centre?
Last night I made a re-start on my self-designed blackwork etui and hopefully by the weekend there will be progress to report.  My original plans for this came to nothing except and unplanned mattress pincushion so I have started again.  The tin, the linen and the picture in my head remain the same. I plan to have this completed for our Embroiderers' Guild exhibition in August and as I have only just started the lid and there is still a scissor fob, needle book, pincushion and thimble holder to go I need to plod along.
Hope you have all had a great day too.
  

Unbalanced

Today I have been off work after a night with terrible earache, cough fever and general malaise.   This morning the doctor told me that I am unbalanced because of a middle ear infection!  

So I have been lying on the sofa, drinking plenty of hot drinks and reading books -  I finished

and am now part way through  

 

Both are completely different styles of books but have kept me entranced for the day.

 

I have made a new start too -  a self designed blackwork "etui".  

 

Some time ago my boss gave me this cute little tin which I can just see with an inset pincushion and a tiny pair of gold scissors.  

 

The fabric is Graziano Nuvo Ricamo 38 Count and I am stitching in DMC 310.   Later I will add some gold to spice it up.   Hopefully I can transfer my ideas into reality.  

The HD3QEM has cooked dinner so I'm off to enjoy that.  Have a good evening everyone.