catching up with projects

 Yesterday I had some treatment on my knee and while I was waiting for the surgery I did quite a lot of stitching.  My sewing room is cluttered with partly done work or sample pieces I have done in the past. 

I have a stall at a christmas market soon so I am trying to finish things off.  This little piece with french knots on silk will make a pretty  button or hair clip. 

This second piece is a needlebook.  Hand dyed cotton fabric with silk ribbon, beads, sequins and embroidery.

 I will line it with green felt to hold the needles.

There is batting between the fabric and the felt to give it a softer feel.  

 

The last item is silk ribbon on calico over a self covered button.

It just needs some metallic threads to finish it off.

I am always so happy to finish things that have sat around for a while.

hair clips

I have three markets coming up - the first is this coming weekend.  It is Melbourne cup long weekend so it is a 4 day event.

It is one of the activities included in the Peninsula Arts Society Spring Art Show.

Last year our textiles group was given the opportunity to show some of our work and this year we are allowed to offer our pieces for sale.

It is always so hard to know how much to do and how to price things.

Buttons and beads

 There hasn't been too much time for stitching lately but I have been working on a new brooch whenever I had a spare moment.

 The background is calico which I have dyed some time ago.

It is a lovely soft green .  Some of the pics look as if it is pink but it is just the lighting.

 I started off with tiny green seed beeds, just wandering around on the fabric, then some silk ribbon stitches in a soft mauve surround a green crystal slide.  Tear drop shaped glass beads catch the light.

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 More beads and lots of french knots and long and short stitch filled in lots of space.

Then some more stitching.





Damp stretching on a cork board overnight.

I find this damp stretching is such a great way to finish off a piece of work and pull it into place.

Then the finishing touch.







 

 
 Fitting it on the button as well as can be done.

It fits beautifully snug and smooth.