Challenges

This was the ATC which I received from Zoe. It was part of a hand stitched lottery challenge in the Textile Challenge Group. Her challenge stitch was cross stitch


July Arch for Kate
The base is black felt. I embellished a layer of velvet and then a layer of chiffon. I put the heat gun on it for a while. The picture is of my grandmother or my Aunty Nell. They were identical twins. The picture is framed with embossed metal. I have added tea dyed paper, shells,a skeletal leaf, a lace motif and gemstone. Finally I added some foil.

Lapstock 2008

This week has been busy. Not much time (not any) time for sewing. I have had rehearsals in the evenings and during the day making cards and ear rings to build up my stock.
It was Lapstock Music Festival yesterday and the weather was really kind. Th atmosphere was fantastic with around 20 bands playing from 11 to 11. The music was a good cross section and the audience covered several generations. It was so nice to see families all enjoying being together. These are a few pictures of the day.

Darmoor Quilt

The original encaustic picture used for the design on the quilt

This is a quilt made by Upcott Valley Quilters. We wanted to reflect the colours and textures of Dartmoor. It was hung at the Festival of Quilts here in England in 2006 but didn't win any prizes. We each did small samples of colour and texture which in the end we cut up and pieced to make the Moor. The towns are Stannery Towns, these were towns where the weighing, stamping and distributing of tin went on. The symbol in the corner is of the three rabbits/hares which is the symbol of the Tinners Guild in Devon and Cornwall. There are more pictures of the symbols found in Devon on this site look for hares in the index. http://www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk

Hand Stiched ATC

I have just finished a hand stitched A.T.C. for the Textile Challenge group. My challenge was to use Chevron stitch which as I am not an embroiderer I had never heard of. I managed to fined a picture with in instructions and this is the result. For the background I had some half made samples which I chopped up and painted with fabric paint. The Chevron was done in variegated man made thread. As it was a hand stitched challenge I blanket stitched around the edge.

Arch for Arlee

Close up of detail

This is a better colour likeness

I am really getting ahead now. This is my June arch, made and already sent. I bought an embellisher at Christmas and thought I would use it on this arch. I embellished bits of thread and fabric to felt until I thought I had the right look. (It took a while) I then added some paper which had been heated with the hot air gun the paper was then foiled. The leaves were cur out of sheet metal and free machines on to the felt. I added the metal charm ladybirds. Copper paint was used to paint the foil,ladybirds. The edging was thread waste which I ordered from India. It was difficult to photograph.

Arch for Pam

Arch next to original picture

This is the arch I have just finished for Pam. She is interested in architecture and ancient relics. I chose the work of Antoni Gaudi as my inspiration. ( Although not strictly ancient) The Cathedral in Barcelona (The Segrada Familia) was started over 100 years ago and is still being built.
I started with a photo bonded to fabric and covered with sheer fabric. I then free machined it to felt and finished by highlighting with gold paint.

April arch for Mags

This is the arch I made for Mags. Her chosen theme is Egyptian. I used sheer fabrics on felt which has paper and paint added. The picture is a limestone relief of King Amenophis IV carved about 1370 BC It is now housed in the Berlin museum. King Amenophis was a heretic. For him only one God was supreme, Aton,whom he worshipped and whom he had represented in the shape of the sun. He called himself Akhnaton, after his god, and moved his court out of reach of the priests of the other gods, to a place now called El-Amarna. (Extracted from the Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich)