Now for the Pansy Vest

Last work has been finished on the Dragon Vest. I needed to knock back the green satin - Melody suggested seaweed for her Water Dragon, but that didn't work as I liked the way the dragon was swimming along the seam, using it as the surface. So clouds it had to be.

Now, all I need is a large flat surface, a pattern, lining fabric and a sewing machine, all in the one place. It might be a loooong time. In the meantime, there is a humungously large version of the whole vest HERE. The final one of Clementina is HERE.

So now, I am getting out the silks. I have been working with cottons for a long time, and am going to enjoy working on the Pansy Vest. You can watch it HERE. It is scary - it is not in my Journal, which started in October 2004, so it is from before then. It is from a vest round robin - I know Bear was in it, and I think I can see the work of Catherine. Other than that - I need access to m RR books.

In the meantime, here it is:

Clementina finished

Clementina now has stash to guard, and a key for which to reach. Clementina likes keys, they could lead to more treasure/stash.

Both pieces of tatting have now been beaded - only two more major bits to go.

The full story is HERE. And a later photo of Clementina, which may be better, is HERE.

Dragon Vest rapidly advancing!

The Dragon Vest moves on rapidly - especially as I am talking to Melody on facebook and M3 on flickr - life is confusing. And Chris by e-mail. Now if only DD Cath would send home M3's, we could have a virtual reunion!

This dragon above, is the work of Chris - I outlined it and she filled it in. I haven't worked on it recently, but thought Chris might like to see how it ended up - I was fairly worried about putting anything too busy near to it.

I still have to bead the tatting above and below it, and will then declare that side finished.

You can see all photographs currently posted HERE.

Back at the Dragon Vest

This vest is now getting very close to finished - except how do you decide when you HAVE finished? Here I was wanting to quieten down the satin around that lovely little cross-stitch dragon (must check who did it). I used the Cottage Garden Threads, one strand at a time, and it came out of the needle very well. I like it.

You can see what it was like before HERE.

I also did a bit of work on the Rock-Rack seam above it. It came back with a zig-zag of thin metallic thread to hold it in place, and beads, but I decided to experiment with adding the Fly Stitch and Detached chain on the edges - and I quite like the result. Might even make me use Rick Rack a bit more.

The trouble is - now I want to knock back the green satin around the head of the other dragon, above it. I think this was Melody's Water Dragon. Trouble is - the little green dragon needed some company, like the stylised smoke around it. And at this stage, I think that is the last thing the Water Dragon needs.

Time for more thought.

Back Again

I've been a little bit quiet for a while - but have been stitching again over the next few days as I am sitting after a bit of a knee operation. So look out Dragon Vest, here I come.

But I have been meaning to put this post out there for a while. I was out at Mirboo North, and spied Nanna's Cupboard - lovely little shop, full of interesting things. Because I have been out of circulation for a while, I didn't realise there is also a new local thread supplier there - from Mirboo North too. Cottage Garden Threads has a range of hand-dyed cottons - I could only pick up one at the time, but the blog linked abovehas some interesting local stockists - looks like good reason for a shop-crawl.

It was a bit of pleasant serendipity that Mirboo North had just finished holding a Recycling Festival, so there were a few "re-use" items in the window at Nanna's. Including the beautiful tea cosy above.

And I was really taken with the quilt by Rebecca Bale (her first), of recycled shirts:

Not quite Crazy Patch, but beautiful. And could be very easily adapted to CQ - wonderful way to get a similar/matching palette. Maybe I'll have a go when I get a few UFOs out of the way.

In the meantime, one of those Cottage Garden Threads is working up quite well on my dragon vest. Back soon.

(Did I mention - Nanna's Cupboard also serves coffee, cake and lunch, and has some rather nice notions. I really liked the baked spud for lunch - which is appropriate, given that spuds are the main export from Mirboo North)

Help!!!!

Help!!!! Can anyone name this form of lacemaking/handcraft for me??? Is it weaving? is it a form of macrame? or does it have a name of its own.

I have struck it a few times, but am really having trouble working out how to catalogue and classify it. I am really hoping someone out there in the assembled and impressive knowledge out there can set me right. Please.