Wow, I'm featured!!!!

My Craft group that I attend each week (we try to anyway), is featuring it's members, and I'm this week.

Fibers and Fabrics is a wonderful craft group I discovered when i got home from the UK.  I knew they were in Townsville when I left to go, but thought they weren't allowing new members and were not flexible with their work, boy oh boy was I surprised.

They do all sorts of wonderful stuff and promote members work and support the community, what a fastastic group.  Here is there website to see the post featuring me, and all the other wonderful ladies that have been featured before me.  http://fibresandfabrics.blogspot.com/

Rosey's finished too, wow what an achievement, I am so releaved it's done. Not sure if I want to put the final piece up yet for public display, as I want to enter her in the show.  What do you think???

Arlene

Could be a colder winter for us

Our first cool morning in North Queensland, only down to 12, but cold for us. Our dog Rosey, didn't want to get out of her bed, so she missed her walk this morning. TTFN
Arlene

English Garden DYO Block, back home down under

First of all, thank you to the five wonderful ladies who worked on these blocks. Meg, Mayra, Kathy, Maureen and Ingrid. Here is their work.

This first block is Maureen's. Maureen choose one of the traditional blocks, where the rest choose the fans. I was so excited when I found out that Maureen was in this round robin, as I'm a big fan of her stunning silk ribbon embroidery, I just love it.
A stunning piece of dyed laces surrounded by gorgeous silk ribbon roses and flowers and lovely seam treatments. To finish of a beautiful butterfly charm. Thanks Maureen.

Next come the fans, first one is Ingrid's

This stunning fan was embellished with some silk ribbon embroidery, and a lovely little charmed bird house. These photo's certainly don't do these blocks justice, they are all so beautiful.

Thanks Ingrid.

Fan 2 is Meg's

The gold lace looks very old, and is stunning. A lovely big ribbon bow at the top of the fan, with loads of ribbon embroidery throughout.

Thanks Meg

Next is Kathy's fan, I was a real joy to have Kathy in this RR, your work is absolutely stunning.

Again the photo doesn't do her work justice, but believe me when I say the how thing is just stunning. The silk ribbon flower in the corner is gorgeous and so are the seem treatments. The added butterflies were a lovely touch.

Thanks Kathy.

Last fan is Mayra's.

Her two hanging flowers are just amazing, and the circle of flowers at the base is so delicate. The Fuchsia at the top is just stunning too.

Thanks Mayra.

This post has got to be the worst one I have had to write, as blogger is playing up, and I had to revert to the old editor, and the hickups that I have had, I was so ready to throw the laptop out the window. (if there are errors, sorry, blame blogger) But I really wanted to show off these stunning blocks. Thanks again to the five wonderful ladies who worked on these block.

TTFN

Arlene

Happy Mothers Day

To all my fellow bloggers (and readers) Happy Mothers Day.

I wish mine was still with us.

This photo is of me aged 15 months, with my Mum - Doris Frances Matthews (nee Klein).
26-1-1935 -- 13-9-1998. Photo was taken around her birthday 1963.

TTFN
Arlene

Stumpwork assessment piece, progress so far

I've had a busy week and weekend so far.  Now that Rosey is done and mounted on the background, I needed to get on with the other elements.  Here I am doing the tree and the kookaburra and adding the gum nuts that I have already made. I've been concentrating on getting this finished as I need to put it into the Townsville Show and the Townsville Craft Show, both in July, but need to also send it to England and back for final assessment before then. 

So starting with the tree:

I added felt as to give it the raised look.

Then added a ladder type stitch, as I am going to be using raised chain band stitch.

 I then proceed to stitch the whole length and width of the tree, and added some wrapped wire components and some more fly and chain stitch along the length as well.

Not so sure of the colours, so got out my dyes and proceeded to make it a darker brown, to match the gum nuts and the wrapped wire.

Here is the result.  My second dilemma was that the dye ran a bit, so I added more stitches along the side to hide the runs.

Next,
Making the Kookaburra.

The photo above is my inspiration. First to make his wing, I cut out the wing portion of the photograph, and having the photo close, I buttonhole stitch over the wire, and long and short stitch inside, along with some chain stitch for the colour contrast for his wing.

 

Using two different coloured 6 strand floss in tan and brown, I wove the tail feathers, and one in white.  Needle laced his body, and padded it with felt. The steps for making up the bird was to place the tail feathers on top of the branch, and added the padding for the body.

I then added the needle laced body on top of my two layers of felt, and using a bit of the dye that I had for the tree, I painted the lower parts of the body, so that the transition from body to tail was not so noticeable.

Then using the photo as a guide, straight stitched his head and beak.  I also added some larger straight stitches under the back of his wing, to look like his other wing is still folded beside his body.

 

And this is where I am now...... just got to finish the background, add a spider and a dragon fly.

TTFN

Arlene

Stumpwork Assessment Peice - Element - Rosey (sub part 4)

I know I'm out of sequence with my elements for this project, but I have only just finished adding this element to my background and as she has to go on first, I thought I'd share her with you.

Introducing 'Rosey'

To refresh your memory, Rosey is the subject of my second assessment piece, which I am way behind on, and thought I had best get cracking on it.  So I've painted the path, which still needs added enhancements which will come shortly.

But my problem was how to make Rosey.  I had thought of kid leather, but couldn't find the right colour, so I thought I'd try my hand at needle lace again, not a big fan of it, as I'm not that good at getting my stitches even, but got to work and tried it. 

I first placed a photograph of Rosey (the one above) under some plastic adhesive, and sewed that to some backing fabric.

With a black pen I outlined Rosey and then couched a double strand of no 12 Perle cotton to the outline through the plastic and the background fabric.

I then proceeded from the nose to tail, detached buttonhole all of Rosey's body.  When I was finished, I made up Rosey's tan colour using some dyes, and when I was happy with the colour, and while it was still on the plastic I painted Rosey's tan bits.

Allowed it to dry overnight, and clipped her away from the plastic backing. I cut out her padding, and placed it in layers just on the path.  Do you think I got my colour right, I recon I got it spot on......

Rosey the subject and Rosey the piece.

I then sewed the layers into place. Using the photograph as a guide I added the nose and eye. Added her ear, and now all I just have to add is her collar and lead and Rosey's ready for another walk.

TTFN

Arlene

Luscious Lace RR - Nicki's block

I love birds, but when it came to this block boy did I have a mental block, literally.  I found a lace motif that suited the block, but what else to add was my dilemma.  So I emailed Nicki to see if it was alright to add a stump work beetle to her block (I had to make sure it wasn't going to be washed you see).
So here is the full block, and more eye candy as you scroll down, with explanations.

Here is a close up of the Butterfly, silk ribbon and a double whipped chain body.

The beetle which is made of beads, his body is padded with felt, and then I satin stitched it, and then half way down I added buttonhole needle lace. Enhanced with a few more beads on his body.  Added a beaded head and detached chain for his legs.

And the back of him....

The next element was the lace motif, enhanced with beads and a spider in his web.

A blue feather, not from the birds of course, but to keep with the same colourings as the lace. Nylon thread, pain in the butt to work with.

now onto my next project....

Hearts for Sendi block.....

TTFN

Arlene

Blog Guidebook

Thanks to my friend Kathy Shaw, who found this for us to share and learn. Check out the Blog Guidebook if you have a blog and want to share it! They also have other helps and even a new Club for bloggers! I'm so happy to have found them as I want to improve my blog and learn more about blogging!

 

Arlene

Stitchmap Mentor challenge

As you all might know I am a member of StitchMap, and part of the mentor program.  We too have some challenges that we get to participate in, and one of them was the Mug Rug swap, here is the one I sent to Ruby in the US,

and below, is the one I received from Michelle in the US, along with some yummy assortment of tea's.

The second challenge was to make something from a gift that Shari had sent us.  It was an embroidered peacock feather.  To give you a peek and not to give to much away to it's recipient, here are some teasing eye candy shots.

and one more closeup,

I truly love the colours of this piece and have reservations of sending it on, but it is for a very special lady and I know she will love it.  I am using some of the techniques I love best, beading, surface embroidery and gold work.  There may even be a bit of stump work in there too.... watch this space.....

TTFN

Arlene

Another Round Robin - Floral#1- Traditional Round Robin - Debbie's block

The other round robin I'm doing is the floral one.  I love doing flowers and the colours of this block are just me. I loved working on this one, just a little more than some others, it was just a joy to work on.

All the work here is my work, except for the crochet doily at the bottom, that was already there. I have left it for someone else to enhance.
My work consisted of the lace flower motif at the top, followed by the cream and gold button trail and beads. The cream braid cutting across the centre.  A butterfly charm and a seam of detached buttonhole flowers and beads.  The flower beaded seam and leaves, and my favourite part of the block the Fuchsias.

Here are the closeups of my work. The flower motif.

The butterfly charm, seam and part of the button trail.

The Button and bead trail

Beaded flower and leaf seam, with the Fuchsia's below.

Side on view of the fuchsia's.

Debbie I really enjoyed working on this block, I could have done far more, I will just have to make one up with these colours.

TTFN

Arlene

Lucurious Lace DYOB - Peggies

My latest two round robins are in full swing. This is the Lucurious lace Do Your Own block.  I received Peggie's just the other day and though I had best get down now, or I could get behind.  I was sick last week, so this was a good chance to just sit, relax and stitch.

I added a white flower lace motif, little lace flowers in the centre, and a crotchet flower that I got in a squishy.  I gathered some lace for the flower in the corner, detached buttonhole flowers with beads and a vein of flower beads.  Added a chevron and detached buttonhole flowers and then above it is beaded lace braid.  I added and gathered some lace to meandering along the area above, added a seam of herringbone and another lace flower.  Here are some close ups.

This is the flower bead vein.

Gathered meandering lace, pearl and lace braid and little lace flower.

Little Lace flowers and the white motif in the background.
TTFN
Arlene

English Garden Round Robin - last block

Well we've come to the last of this round robin, can't wait to see my blocks home, but in the mean time, I have finished my work on Ingrid's block.

close ups of my work

First a block is not complete without a lucky spider

And a Silk Ribbon butterfly

Bead enhanced middles for the flowers in the centre of the block and a dragonfly charm.

A silk ribbon rose vein

And daisy's in a row. 

A lovely hand dyed motif supplied by Kathy Shaw, a gift I received from her.

TTFN

Arlene