Next.......... Beading.

So this is my beading-without-a loom attempt.

The little legs are not actually attached here, just popped on for effect.

Yesterday I stitched the back and front together, much as we do a cross stitch ornament, but much messier and more out of control (eeeek!) and now I will need to fill him with lead shot and stitch on his legs permanently. When he is finally finished he will be .........

A mantle ornament. Yeeah!!!!!

But that's all right, because I have mantles, so he can ornament them as soon as I hear the first 'O Come..' being played in my local supermarket - so that would be any time now.

He is from a chart in Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch and Beading magazine and is made with Delica beads - in case you want to rush out and have a go.

Managing to keep up with more frequent postings - phew!

Love to all

Irene xxx

A patch to be proud of?

Or grammatically speaking - 'of which to be proud'!

Well no, not really. In fact I think in real life it is slightly better than it looks here, some of the patches seem a different colour, but they're not really, and I think, I believe, the seams are straighter than they look here.

Oh, OK!

It is exactly how it looks here, but it is my first try and I learned a lot.

I hope that when I embark on a full size quilt , it will be better. I have decided this block will not be part of my future masterpiece, which will be awesome, so I have finished it with a binding and will use it as a place mat. A single place mat - ooooh how stylish!

I think this pattern is called 'Butter churn' and I 'ditch' quilted with the machine.

Good grief! So much to learn and I am just getting to grips with WIPs and UFO's and RR's and stuff.

I am making an effort to post more regularly and have already stored pictures of my beading and some stash I acquired recently. So watch this space.

Love to all

Irene xxx

Happy Returns!

People are so kind aren't they?

I'll tell you the story.

Angela, who doesn't have a blog, is a friend of Patti, who does. I sent Patti a little needle case I had made for her, and Angela saw it. She asked via my blog about the fabric I had used inside the needle case and about the tag I had used on the bow. I had a little of the fabric left, so I sent her it to try, along with a few tags.

And look what she sent in return! How lucky am I? She has repaid me thricefold ( is thricefold a word?). A newsy letter inside a pretty card from Cyprus, five lots of fabric, some different tags and beautiful ribbon.

This is especially nice as I know Angela is particularly busy at the moment with a poorly close relative and her daughter starting college. I know Rula will do well, Angela, and just go on being as supportive to your husband and family as you have been.

The fabric is particularly welcome at this time as I have begun a couple of new crafts - yeah, like I didn't have enough to do!

Both if them involve the acquirement of more stash. I know, I know, but somebody needs to sort out this economy and I've taken it upon my shoulders!

Firstly, patchwork - see how useful Angela's gift will be?

My LNS is running a series of classes and so far I have made one block.
OK, so one block does not a quilt make, but it is a start. I have a photo and will post it tomorrow.

Then bead weaving. Again classes run by my LNS.

Well, as a stitcher, I have a fair quantity of beads, only about 10 of those bead boxes with 18 compartments all full, which I toted gleefully to the class. The teacher looked, shook her head sadly and directed me to the bead displays.

Aw shucks!!!

I have made a 3D Father Christmas (well 2D at the moment as I haven't joined or stuffed him) and a sort of topiary tree hanging-to-go-on-a-bauble-Christmas-ornament thing. Again not finished. The work is quite interesting, maybe because it is new, but repetitious. The repetitious aspect gives me false confidence and has resulted in a lot of tedious pulling back.
I have learned two stitches (who would have thought there was more than one?), straight stitch and peyote or brick stitch. This is bead weaving without a loom. Huh, who needs a loom I cry?
Again I have a couple of pictures which I will let you see if you don't look too closely.

That's all for now, sorry it's been so long. Hope you find me again.

Irene
xxx