tags for Tag Tuesday....

'Riverbank' for June 26 2012

I know the theme was for Easter Eggs this week but I'd prefer a quiet little peek into a birds nest,

of course from a distance and being very careful not to be intrusive......

the eggs were made from plasticine painted with acrylic, they measure approx 1cm.
The nest was made by crocheting a wire 'frame' directly onto the tag and then weaving threads through it

I wanted to give the impression of branches and the tangled nature of a the hedge

just the usual sized luggage tag

the 'hedge was created with ink and a little hidden stamping, adding to the tangled feel

a bit of fun with calico......

I love working with calico and these are some little clutch bags I made a while ago. 

First I dyed raw calico with good old Dylon, some black and some turquoise, in the washing machine.

Second  I created a very basic floral surface pattern which was then heat transfer printed onto the blue dyed calico, using it for both lining and appliqued embellishment along with a few black beads for the flowers centers. These bags measure 28 x 16 cm.

Black bag with appliqued flowers. The fastening cord is strips of claico rolled and machined stitched.

Another particular favourite of mine is contrasting lining.

Floral Turquoise lining of black bag

Blue Bag with crocheted cord and button fastener

black lining in the Blue Bag

original floral drawings for the heat transfer print

some of my sample records showing a little of the  transfer printed cloth laid over the original transfer print

more buttons

had a lovely visit to the Manchester Antique Textile Fair on Sunday, can hardly wait for next years!
One of my favourite stalls there is the Button Society's stand, this year as well as joining the Society I made a few more purchases for my collection... I know I have so much to learn about the different manufacturing process, materials etc so if anyone can further advise me please do!

glass beads trimmed in gilt, showing the back of one

I thought this bug was sat on a maple leaf but now I realise it is a vine leaf. It seems to be painted glass set in an enamel back with a brass loop for sewing on

glass shells

this is amazing, I was advised that this is made from rennet mixed with milk solids

another glass button, hand painted

a metal cast victorian button

I thought I would add the five pence to show the scale of them all

another fun piece - Burlesque Quilt Square #2 completed

Smiling is ok, it is meant to be the stage that the performers strut theirselves on, I'm hoping that when its shown in context with all the other squares of the Burleque Quilt it will be prehaps a little more obvious! I'm still not sure whether to add stage footlights or not..........any thoughts?

Burlesque Quilt Square #2, ready to go, with some photos of my ongoing projects sketchbook

heres everything ready for my next square for the quilt, & if I'm lucky the centre square...

my sketchbook page for square #2 where you might be able to make out that I'll be amking a stage and banner for the group

the orignal sketches and samples when considering the first square

I really enjoy the freedom of a sketchbook, anything goes!

I liked this basic idea but preferred the stockings more in the end

this shows my original drawing and the 'patterns' for the undies and stocking tops, which is stapled in over the first 2 pages, I like to keep related work together no mattered how clutterd it gets

I enjoy the sample making process, quite often very small ones, this one is only 6 x 5.5 cm

Hearts ~ for Tag Tuesday

Sorry its been a while since I posted last! I have been busy with some 'serious stuff ' in organising my fledgling business, the taxman, supplies and products. Still so much to do on my website so its good to have a bit of lightweight fun so here is my offering for this weeks subject of Hearts for Tag Tuesday.

found this old newspaper photo and somehow felt there was much more to the couple than met the eye! 

the reverse of my Heart tag, printed with my wonderful antique printing set (originally a jewellers for his pricing up) along my own carved blocks. creating my own blocks is a passion of mine

this tag was from the White week of Tag Tuesday, just another regular luggage tag which I decided to 'weave' into, leaving long trailing threads

and its reverse

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.

'How to' crochet a neck warmer without a pattern

Another easier than it looks crochet piece, I had a wooly hat, made & given to me by the lovely Gemma and although it had stretched and was a bit too big to wear I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it, the wool is lovely. So I carefully pulled it down back to a ball of wool. To begin I just chain stitched about 15 chain, with another three for turning, to create the narrow width and used treble stitch on from there, just turning the work as it goes until it resembled a short scarf. The scallops come from a couple of trebles into one stitch alternating with slip stitches. I sewed the toggle on fairly loosely so that it would be easy to push through anywhere required for a snug fit. Guess who is getting it for a Christmas pressie!