Vintage - Tag Tuesday

here we are then another tag for Tag Tuesday although I have to say that I did make this one a while ago but its one of my favourites, (I've even named her Flora) and so wanted her to have an airing!

I don't know about you but I sometimes the feeling of history and age in even the smallest found item can give me a real buzz, unfortunately I find it very hard to get rid of anything with a personlaity, the roof rafters are groaning!.

Flora is only 9cm (3 inches) long and almost 5cm (2 inches) wide. She is made with a found photograph, vintage fabric from an old sample book (not mine) and has a couple of wrens feathers (found in my garden) for embellishment. I wish I could make out what her brooch/corasage is.....

Flora may have been Scottish I felt and so added this scrap of old tartan tothe back but nodded to Wales with a tiny daffodil pendant, another found item, a tad rusty but it adds to its charm some how. The other two pieces are from an old earring and an even older bracelet, both bootsale purchases.

and for a little bit of burlesque quilting fun....

Another week has flown by plenty of projects on going but here is one I've done for fun.
The North West Burlesque Society http://www.northwestburlesquesociety.com/ (they're also on Facebook and Twitter) requested donations of burlesque themed 12" squares (+half an inch allowance for stitching them together) for a charity quilt and I thought I would join in with a small contribution.

I decided to make a square based around the saucy lingerie that is so pivotal to burlesque.
As I love the 50's style I took my inspiration from the lingerie so beautifully made by
'What Katie Did ';   http://www.whatkatiedid.com/src/about_us.php

I have been advised that true Burlesque is a celebration of the female at her most tantilising and despite misconceptions and confusion with stripping never reveals all. Also that every good act is based on a planned out storyline, often with humour.

I also felt that every true Burlesque artiste is a star in their own right and so it seemed natural to use a star stitch as a decorative filler.

I drew the image and then replicated it by machine appliqued taffeta, silk and nylon stocking onto calico and sandwiched in some wadding with another layer of calico

the reverse of the the first piece of applique,
I don't know why but I'm always fascinated by the back of hand or machine stitched work

all done, I love red shoes but wanted the impact from the silk stocking tops so had to subdue the shoes, sorry shoes

I embroidered the stars which seemed to decide where they wanted to go all by themselves
and I decided to back it with a third layer of calico to protect the reverse of the stitching

the reverse of the stars, which have mysteriously developed a slightly Oriental allure

new doesn't necessarily mean better........my vintage sewing machine

Sorry I've been away for so long but its business as usual now.

My current projects are many but the one I'm having fun at the moment is designing and stitching a square for a charity quilt, there'll be more on that when I next post, although you can see a peek of it in this picture of my wonderful old sewing machine, specially made for the department store Owen Owens (by New Home) that was once situated in one of the oldest buildings in Shrewsbury.

I'd be lost without it, My only other machine is a Janome Embellisher. I would love to treat myself to either a Bernina or a Janome sewing machine (not sure which, advice would be good if you have a view on which?) However not having an all singing and dancing machine does not prevent me from being creative.