New Needlebook Post

I have been slow! A while ago I asked for anyone with an interest to post their pictures of needlebooks.

A thousand apologies to Cathy, who has posted some stunning needlebooks at hazelruthes. A week or so ago.

Do pop over and have a look - it is hard to work out which is my favourite.

Thanks Cathy!

Old Gippstown Craft Days

I will be there both days, working in the slab kitchen. We will be demonstrating crazy patch, and using antique sewing machines. And I will be selling off my Mum's stash from the 1970s and 1980s.

The Slab Kitchen

If anyone is nearby - do feel free to drop in and stitch along with us.

Comfort Doll finished

My Comfort Doll is finished. Sharon H confirmed for me that she needed ear rings - they don't show up well in this, but it is what was needed.

I have only to write a card to go with her, having decided not to put a word on her - I find single words difficult, without the ability to qualify them, as a word that means one thing to me may mean something totally different to another. Especially to a woman who is fragile. So I need at least three sentences.

So she is off to the USA tomorrow, for the Comfort Doll project. I have learned a lot making her, and am heading off soon to work on a smaller one for me. This little lady is just on six inches - I want one slightly smaller for me.

And I definitely enjoy working on them slowly, and thinking through each stage.

Comfort Doll progress III

She sure is moving slowly, this doll. I have given her a garland, based on other beads sewn onto a trim of purple beads.

I am still trying to work out how to finish her head.

And have decided against tassels hanging down from her hands - I think it would be overkill. I think.

Comfort Doll progress II

There is slow progress on my Comfort Doll - life has been a little busy.

Comfort Doll progress

My Comfort Doll is progressing slowly. Life has been a little too busy after the floods to get much done.

But I am returning to a routine, and hope to be back soon. I'd like to make another after this, as I really like the shape of the second one in Jo's group.

Album Pages

I've just posted the other three album pages from my old photograph album over on Flickr.

You can pick up the large copies via my Flickr page.

What a Difference a Day Makes

What a difference a day makes.

I woke up this morning, and we were flooded again. With only 16 mm of rain overnight. So the flood was not as high, but enough to make the house uninhabitable. So Mum and I have evacuated to the other house.

My stash is safe - I have packed it in plastic boxes before leaving - which, knowing my luck, are bright orange. Those who know me know I hate orange. But these boxes were cheap, available, and waterproof. My other boxes were cardboard.

And the water did not rise high enough this time to get into the Stash Shed.

So I made everything safe, and evacuated.

Taking my comfort doll with me:

This one is an experiment. And I did find beads last night, in an old box of stuff I had put aside for swaps. So this is how far I got.

I'm not happy with the face on this on, size-wise. I will see how it looks finished, but I think the face needs to be proportionally larger. Like the size of a large bottle top, not a $1 coin.

So, since I evacuated Mum with me, I will get her to draw some more faces tomorrow.

And my beloved has found my missing photograph files - they were hiding in My Music. Obviously I dragged them there by mistake at some point.

So it is a day of mixed news.

Just wish the boxes hadn't been orange.

And yes - Council has said they will reinstate their street works to the original levels, which means I should stop flooding at the slightest rain.

Hope they do it soon (forlorn hope). There is more rain forecast.

This is going to be a long few months.

But at least I am at the house where the threads are stored.

Comfort Doll

Well, here I am. Inspired by the Comfort Dolls. It is raining, the waters are rising again, and somehow I have lost my entire photo archive from my computer. But I am sure DH will be able to find it in the backups when I finally get back there. Even if not, a lot of them are on Flickr.

So I am avoiding real work, and stuck at the house with almost no resources (apart from a stash shed out the back, but I am not going there, it is raining).

So, what resources do I have? I am sure making a Comfort Doll is no great rocket science.

I have:

Calico for backing and faces.

Nail scissors

Miracle of miracles - two hoops!

And a Mother who was doing a commercial art course by correspondence stuck up in the bush in 1950. And still doodles by drawing fashion model faces. She made the most wonderful paper dolls for me when I was young.

A fine point Laundry Marker

A $1 coin.

Suddenly, I have access to an unlimited number of faces:

Next, a shape. Well, I am on dialup, so I am not going off looking at websites. I will wing it, and freehand one.

Fabric?

Did I mention is was raining? But I have an ice-cream container full of offcuts in the house.

Guess what colours???

Not worth getting the sewing machine out – here I go!

Thread? Quick raid on Mum’s quilting threads (three drawers full)

Not game to think ahead about what I will do for embellishing threads. They are all at the other house, and I have two nights more at this house yet.

But there is ribbon out in the stash shed. And there was that wool that was going to the op shop ……

But I would kill for some beads and my camera.

Wonder what I can pull apart in my old jewellery box......

Ultimate Sewing Box

Susan has posted pictures of the ultimate in Needlework Boxes at Buda in Castlemaine, Victoria.

I can't work out how to link to the actual post - but keep scrolling down until you get to it - it is worth the trip.

It is enough to make me want to visit Buda again - haven't been there for about ten to fifteen years. I seem to remember a stunning firescreen there.

What would you call this Technique?

Back at work, and trying for some sanity in a Crazy World.

This piece of work came past me today, and I need some help. Because I don't quite know how to describe it. I am not sure if it is doiley, a decoration for costume or an unfinished tea cosy. That is fine. I shall just call it a piece of "Fancywork"

There is a largeish picture HERE, and a huge one HERE.

Where I have problems, is how to describe the technique/s involved. The centre reminds me of Candlewicking. Or maybe I should just call the whole piece "Whitework". But it seems a little more complex than that.

Is the infill Netting?

It is certainly a nice piece - on the larger pictures you may be able to see the quite complex Chain Stitch (any names?) immediately on either side of the netting.

Any clues or pointers at all welcome. It seems to me quite early and complex.

Of Fires and Floods

Some of you may remember a few months ago I was defending my stash shed from fires.

Well, unfortunately, when it flooded recently, there were more pressing matters, and I was unable to be there to defend it. Luckily all my stash has survived, but I have lost a lot of other stuff.

In cleaning out boxes, I found an antique photo album I have had for years, which survived unscathed. This is one of the four "special" pages - I will post the other three as the opportunity arises - things are a bit busy at the minute.

The large view is HERE.

Just imagine the beautiful ways this could be used now, with the magic of digital imagery.

(And yes, I have checked with a friend who knows these things - we are definitely not in an earthquake area, but she will not guarantee my safety from meteorites)