shabby chic

The Royal Palace at Ghanero is a great place to have a rummage!

last year I took a photo of an old cushion, faded and almost thread bear,

just for the record   - it's 'disappeared'   

then I found four applique cushions

all show signs of wear and tear

fine cotton applique on a faded linen base

with excellent patch

some raggy and grubby bits

faded glory and interesting

additional stitching

wear and tear

typical applique from Rajasthan

in style, stitching and colour

I love the freedom and spontaneity in the cutting and stitching; the little

padded circles and the simple embellishment of the shisha

may be a little applique piece might be stitched over Christmas!

postcard

On Thursday it is 'last day of term' with my friends at the Mill.    We all contribute something for lunch and it is a foodie fest - delicious.

A new challenge this year was a fabric postcard swap.    A little out of my comfort zone, which maybe is a good thing?    Remembered yesterday, and, with a chill wind outside this afternoon, I got stitching.

with apologies to Matisse

and a note to self book tickets for the exhibition

fabric backed with Bondaweb is not as easy as cutting paper!

keeping warm

we are experiencing real winter weather, even here on the sunny south

coast of England.   We had a goodly covering of snow and with temperatures

hovering around freezing it's still hanging around.   I should have taken a shibori

workshop on Sunday, which was cancelled due to the weather.   Actually, I was

quite glad.   My prepared Procion dyes really don't like the cold!   It's been

rearranged for the end of June, when we will probably have monsoon rain!

However, a good time for stitching.   The kurta quilt is progressing.   Sashing

stitched to the squares, so now I have 5 x 6 rows.    Horizonal sashing strips

prepared, and then there are the joining squares

a little pile is gathering  I am hoping to put the quilt together by the

end of the week

whilst rummaging through fabric baskets a little sampler of

Indian embroidery and mirror work.   I added a few more

stitches before filing so as not to loose it again

a blast from the past

seven appliqued stars on indigo dyed linen background

and I see I had started filling in the star with Kantha

stitching - the needle and thread are still there

goodness me,   this one deserves finishing

and finally, a dish of winter vegetables ready for roasting

warm wishes to you all

a blue sky day

gorgeous, though cold

we took a walk along the beach this morning, well wrapped up

home for a hot bowl of soup

this afternoon I will be listening to the play on Radio 4, stitching

a tin of tacked squares for some more of these

sashing strips for my 'old kurta' quilt, only twenty more to go

a pleasant way to pass a winter's afternoon

a colouful week

First there were two workshops on Procion dyeing.  Oh the colours, and 
I have to imagine the results as the interesting wrapped packages were 
taken home by students.    I have heard from Joyce who is so excited 
with her dyed cloth, she can't possibly use it!

my summer 'very' slow cloth finished

   

It started off during a hectic period of disruption.   The small blocks stitched

in quiet times.   As the little pile grew, the blocks were joined and quilted.

flowers detail

the elephant

I thought I might turn it into a cushion with outrageous tassells, I am still 

undecided on that option.  For now it will be a tucked into my Indian 

Applique workshop box.  A very colourful sample for inspiration.

I can feel ideas for my winter slow cloth quilt emerging.

First, there is a great deal of cleaning and sorting to do.   Yucky dye pots,

plus all the paraphernalia involved with teaching.

Three more workshops to go this month, and then thoughts will turn in an

easterly direction!   

something different

I took a workshop this weekend with Martyn Brewster, entitled 
The Painterly Print.     A tad out of my comfort zone, but utterly
brilliant.  Silk screen monoprinting, and so much more.

I am learning to love acrylic paint (did I really say that?) 
Brain so full by the end of day one I couldn't even cut paper
straight.  Loved the process.   This could be the beginning of 
a new journey of discovery.

Mark One

Yes, I am still slowly stitching.   Border detail - Indian Applique

Then there are the indigo plants to process tomorrow.  
Their growth is slow this year, which has given me a little
window during a busy time.    I have been looking for signs
of the flowers emerging, they will appear very soon I think!

putting it all together

On Monday evening I took a short workshops on Indian Applique.

It was especially great as I had been invited along to Happy

Patchers in Wimborne.   So many friends I had not seen for

ages -  as much catching up as sewing.

I have started on my rag book of Indian Applique.

Page 1

Lots of samples in files.  Time to get organised.

I have a book on various methods of attaching

shisha, and also one on kantha work.

Talking India - visa, air ticket, tick.  Time to

pack bag and go.  Keith and I are off to

southern India for just over two weeks
No particular plans, except that I want

to stand on the very tip of India where

three seas meet.   I am so looking forward

to a break.  January is usually very quiet.

Time for 'research and development'.

Not this year.  It has been hectic.

I think I have found a stitching project for

the quiet hours - applique to go.