FQR 2013 It's almost here!

It's nearly time to head down to the Big Smoke for Fat Quarterly Retreat 2013.  I'm feeling a good balance of excitement with a pinch of nerves.

I've finally got round to writing a post to join in with the linky party right here.

I'm Jill and I'll be travelling and co-habiting with my partners in crime Sarah and Anna. You will find us swanning around at Millennium Baileys - courtesy of a really good offer a few months ago.

I've always enjoyed artistic pursuits but I didn't pick up a needle for anything more than a forced button repair until January 2011 when I was searching for a new addiction. I go through phases where I sew all the time, followed by weeks where I barely glance in the direction of my piles of fabric, baskets and books that are gradually taking over the so called dining room. My main problem is cutting into my favourtie fabrics and not just hanging on to them for the elusive perfect project. Use the good stuff everyone!!

This blog was born in February this year. I'd been thinking about it for a while and liked the idea of having a shared record of my "makes". The final push was realising how many people attending the retreat were already part of the blogging world.
After a very keen start, my posting frequency has slowed down to a more manageable rate. I quickly discovered the more I posted the less time I had to actually make things to post about!
But, I'm really enjoying being more integrated in the crafty community and I get super excited whenever someone comments on one of my posts, (hint, hint).

My workshops at the retreat are:

Crochet with Laura Taylor
Improv with Lu Summers
Trapunto with Ruth Singer
Precision Piecing with Lynne Goldsworthy (I need all the help I can get!)


Here are my workshop goodies ready to pack. I'd love to claim the lovely pouch at the back is one of mine but it's purchased from the very lovely and talented Ali over at Very Berry Handmade - I couldn't resist.

 

Here's a close up!

I'm also taking part in the name tag swap. This is my first swap and it seemed like a ideal way to "dip my toe in".  My creation was somewhat amateur but Katy @ The Littlest Thistle has been very kind.


My name tag isn't here yet but that just adds to the building anticipation..........

As well as learning new skills and improving existing, I'm looking forward to putting faces to names and generally having a good ole time!

Come and say hi and I'll give you one of these (to use for a coaster!!)

We're all mad here....

The birthday girl has deemed that Mummy should be "The Mad Hatter" next weekend because I'm "already mad".

Can't really argue with the that!

My outfit is pretty much sorted but I needed a little something round the neck.

So rummage, rummage in the sewing drawers.............








I rediscovered some lace I bought a while back in a upholstery "job-lot" off ebay.

A left over cream pendant from a previous bunting make.

A packet of "Dress it up" novelty button with a sewing room theme that have been waiting for the right project.

A few other assorted buttons including a giant orange one.

Plus, a couple of cute teapot charms.

Ta-Dah!!

 

 A bit of a close up.

 

Should tie in nicely with my Johnny Depp-esque orange wig and hat.

Finally, a few co-ordinating buttons sewn onto the waistcoat I'm wearing.

Job done!

I'm T-shirt culling. Stand by your drawers!!

I'm still doing my "Alice in Wonderland" prop making in economy mode.

The Playing Cards are key characters in the novel. They are playing cards with a human head, arms and legs. They are loyal servants as well as guards for the Queen of Hearts.

I did a bit of library and internet research to explore the various interpretations of this character in books and film and took it from there.

My aim was not to buy anything new and I managed it!

The two giant playing cards were left over from the pack purchased to make invitations and various other props so I'm counting them as free - OK?

The T-shirts were pinched from my husbands drawers while he was out!! Like most of us, he has an assortment of white T-shirt in various states of shrinkage and heading towards grey so I just swiped the worst two which I class as a side perk of this little project. Wink*

Materials:

Old white T-shirt

 Wooden coat hanger

 Giant playing card (A3 size)

Bamboo cane

Red foam sheets (raided from my daughters crafting supplies)

Plain paper

Red and black fabric pens

Glue (regular and fabric)

Hung on a metal garden lantern stake

1. Make a heart template and cut two hearts from the red foam sheets and one smaller one from the plain paper.

 2. Glue the smaller paper heart upside down onto one of the larger foam hearts. Turn this foam heart upside down draw a small red heart for the nose and a smaller one for the mouth. Still the wrong way up in this pic.

3. Back the other foam heart with cardboard to reinforce and glue to the top of a bamboo cane.

4. Glue the giant playing card to the front of the T-shirt.

5. Draw on some basic feet onto the T shirt at the bottom of the playing card using a fabric pen.

6. Hang the T-shirt on the wooden coat hanger

7. Glue the "face" onto the wooden coat hanger - positioning in the neck of the T shirt so as to hide the coat hanger.

Repeat as required!!! 

 

 

 

 

I hung my guards on metal garden lantern stakes that we already had in the garden. I found planting the "spear" in  front of the "shoulder" area it helped stops them spinning if it's windy.

Overall I'm happy with the result as they only need to stand up to a two hour party.

I'd like a few more but my husband is closely guarding his T-shirt drawer and I've only got two lantern stakes, so I'll stick with a pair.

Next: The Mad Hatter...........

Look what's growing in my garden!

Following on with the "Wonderland" theme I've been making magical toadstools for the garden party.

There are plenty of amazing large scale toadstools to purchase, or even rent as props for the day, but they would all blow the budget.

On-line there's a myriad cool making ideas, but again, most are either too expensive and/or time consuming to make.

I have a huge mental list of ideas I'd like to bring to life, so cheap and easy is the tag line for this venture. But "thrifty" is my middle name so I'm well up for the challenge.

After a ponder I came up with the following:

1. On a trip to Lidl (our local "no frills" supermarket) I picked up a half sphere hanging basket liner.

2. First I painted it red. This was easier said than done because the porous nature of the"egg-box"  material "drinks" paint. I decided I could either use my own body weight in paint or be happy with the mottled effect that gave the appearance of a mossy toadstool. The latter idea won.

3. I was quite pleased with the result.  So off I scooted back down to Lidl to buy a couple more liners, in different sizes, to mix it up a bit. Followed by LOTS more red paint.

4. A scattering of spots made by glueing on round, flat, cotton wool pads.

5. The next conundrum was stalks for toadstool caps. Most of the ideas I came up with weren't going to be sturdy enough to allow each toadstool to be self supporting especially if it's gusty out.

However, a friend had recently felled an overly happy tree in her garden and was selling off the logs. She patiently indulged me while I tried my "caps" on different logs to see which ones stood nicely, thus avoiding further sawing, whilst still giving a pleasing organic effect.

 6. All that remains to do is a quick couple of tacking nails through the top once in position on the day. Plus, the addition of one blue spiky rubber caterpillar courtesy of the pocket money section of our local toy store.

Job done!! What's the verdict?

Cost:
Hanging basket liners 99p each
Logs £1 each
Red paint pinched from my daughters painting box
Cotton wool pads laying around the house
Total: £5.97 for three giant toadstools.


P.S I do have a "Hubbly Bubbly Pipe", a souvenir  from past travels,  for the caterpillar to smoke - or is that taking it bit too far?

All things Alice

It been a crazy few weeks with the Easter school holidays, trips away, various stubborn viruses and last but not least a distinctly absent "mojo".

Hence blogging, both following and posting, has been neglected.

Family day out in Suffolk

Easter at Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgshire

But spring has sprung and I'm back!

However, most stitching projects have been put on the back burner while my urge to create goes "free-range".

Next month, my daughter is having a Alice in Wonderland Birthday Party in our back garden and since then I've become obsessed with "everything Alice".

This was meant to be a small scale party on a limited budget. But, having impulsively blown most the budget on  the "entertainment" I'm reigning it back in by creating thrifty makes based on this theme.

There's so much scope for quirky and wild interpretation. There's a wealth of images and ideas to be found in the original texts, movies and of course on-line. I've become somewhat obsessed.

I love, love, love it!!!

Invitations have gone out on giant A3 playing cards which make quite a scale statement and the playground is buzzing with costume ideas. I have to say it's hard to work out who is more excited, the children or the parents!









The text layout does look a bit "off balance" in these pictures as I've edited out our address and phone number so avoid hoards of gatecrahsers!

 Meanwhile watch this Wonderland space.

Getting my kicks from Free Machining

Today I had my first true dabble into Free Machining. 

I think we can safely say I'm not a natural! However, I predict all other WIP's are going to be heartlessly cast aside while I indulge in a new addiction.

Kirsty Allsop (of Homemade Home fame) infamously tweeted: “Machine embroidery is the crack cocaine of the craft world, and I am addicted.” I get it Kirsty!

I attended a morning workshop entitled "Introduction to free machine work" taught by Yvonne Brown at Sew Much To Do.

Yvonne Brown is a hugely talented Textile Artist with a background in Art and Art History. Yvonne teaches and exhibits all over the world. Check out the galleries on her website if you want to be truly amazed.





















 Looking through some of the pieces Yvonne brought with her I felt seriously not worthy of a class under her guidance!













Today's workshop was an introduction aimed at getting to grips with the basics of free machining.

Firstly, we practised on paper working in pairs; one person holding the pen still while the other moved the paper.

Machines at the ready, we moved onto our pre-prepared 15' quilt sandwiches. Initially, just getting used to the movement and creating swirling patterns while keeping our fabric pointing "north". It was so hard to resist rotating the fabric to make the curves!









We then progressed onto vermicelli, feathering and basic shapes. All of which Yvonne made look easy.


Yes, this one is Yvonne's work not mine.


















But, LOOK you can hardly spot the difference!!!!

NOT!

Some of my fellow classmates were already producing beautiful work by the end of the session.
Me? Not quite so proficient. My shoulders tightened as the workshop went on, and towards the end my technique got worse rather then better. But, even as I write this, I'm itching get practising again once my shoulders resume their natural position!

Before leaving today I signed up for the next instalment.
Part II: Stitch Dictionary, will focus on building our repertoire of free machining skills whilst creating a sampler piece.

I have five weeks to practice the basics so that I'm ready to move on. What's the betting I'm "cramming" the day before?


Before I sign off, here's a relaxing scene to soothe you after that shocking apple photo.
I snapped it at afternoon tea on Tuesday in The Drawing Rooms at The Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington. It was my little daughter's first proper posh tea experience. But, the bubbles were all mine!

Kaffe Fassett is coming to Ely

I'm super excited! Kaffe Fassett is coming to little ole Ely.

We are incredibly lucky in Ely to have a fantastic independent book shop called Topping & Company. Its one of a pair; the other one being in Bath.

As well as it being a proper old-fashioned book shop it also hosts author events and readings, some of which are held in the majestic setting of Ely Cathedral. In the last couple of years I've attended events featuring Terry Pratchett, Dawn French and Nigella Lawson all in strolling distance of my own home.

I spotted a few weeks ago that Kaffe Fassett is descending on the Bath branch of Topping on 18th April in association with "Bath In Fashion 2013". But, disappointingly there was no mention of a corresponding event on the Ely list. Sniff.

I expressed my disappointment and yesterday I received a message from Topping and Company kindly letting me know Kaffe will be visiting Ely on 25th June to give a lecture on "Glorious Colour" at St Peter's Church, and talking about his new book Shots and Stripes.

How happy am I?