Vintage and Handmade Fair

The most beautiful weather yesterday made my drive across the southern Cotswold's to Chipping Sodbury just perfect. It was my first visit to Chipping Sodbury and I was not disappointed. The local online information said that it was rather like Chipping Norton. It is in some ways. Though Chipping Norton is on a hill and the houses tend to be grander than those, I saw in Chipping Sodbury. Many of the Chipping Sodbury houses appeared to be much older, there were all sorts of interesting roof lines. It was certainly a very busy market town.

The Vintage and Handmade Fair was wonderful. I got to meet Viv of Hens Teeth and to see some of her beautiful work.

There were many items that one would wish to purchase. I limited myself to two lots of vintage fabrics.
Here is just one piece from the blue bundle.

Also a lovely collection of old lace which after a soak in non chlorine bleach and a wash has come up a treat.

Sewing Machine and Embroidery

I am fortunate enough to have my Great Grandmother's sewing machine. The machine does chain stitch rather than straight stitch. I had it out on display during Art Week and it attracted much attention. I have not used it for years, I guess I should try.

Recently had a lucky find in the local Red Cross shop. I bought the table cloth with the intention of re-cycling it, but now I have laundered it and admired the embroidery I am not so sure.

Charlbury Open Gardens

I spent a lovely afternoon going around two amazing gardens in Charlbury. The weather was just perfect, dappled sunlight coming through the branches to light up some wonderful planting. Here are just a few pictures

Brooches

Here are a few more brooches made from machine embroidered velvet. I am slowly catching up after Art Week. I hope to get out to see some other textile artists this afternoon.

Blog Birthday Give Away.

Thank you all for your comments. I have just had the draw. Having written the names on pieces of paper I randomly allocated numbers to the folded pieces.

Then I used dice and the number 7 was thrown.
Kayla coo is the winner.

Less Haste More Speed

I am so busy at the moment and I wanted to be sure that I marked the second anniversary of my blog. I got carried away and wrote about it yesterday.It was not until I was writing my journal late last night I realized what I had done. It is actually today!

I have been experimenting with paper weaving using water coloured text pages and some commercial papers. More on this later.

Blog Birthday and a Give Away.

It is two years to the date since I started this blog. Where has all that time gone to. It has been interesting and fun to keep this journal going. I have kept journals in recent years; especially when I go off on any travels, whether it's to Dorset or somewhere much warmer. I am by nature a private person, so maybe not an ideal blogger.
I have come across so many interesting blogs made all sorts of discoveries. But above all I have come across some wonderful friendly people. It's fascinating to see what others are working on, the discoveries that they have made and to hear a bit about their lives. When working away on ones own it can become very isolating and to know that if you log on you will probably find some great new work, hear about some adventure or even a sadness which is often easier shared.

I have very much appreciated the comments which have been left when I have posted about my work. What I have not been so good about is responding to the two awards which I have been given, that is back to the private me. I would like to thank both Charlotte and Jackie for thinking of me and apologize for failing to do anything about passing them on. I must declare myself to be an "Award and Tag Free" blogger.

To celebrate my 205th post and the two years of blogging I am having a give away. It will be a surprise package consisting of a note book, some hand dyed, commercial and vintage fabrics and a few other bits and pieces. Please do leave you name in the comments and I will make the draw on Monday 18th May.

In the mean time here is a recent piece of work. It is another mini quilt using the final school report for my Grandmother, Christina. I think it must be around 1922. I had no idea it exsisited until I recently asked my Father if I could see letters written by my Great Granmother, more about those another time. I've also found a use for the mono printed silk as a backing for the quilt.



These two photographs are close ups of the hand stitching. I have used some fabric that must be from the 1940/50's. I was given some fish knives and forks by my Grandmother and they came wrapped in this fabric.

Colour on a Grey Day

I hope that others have enjoyed better weather than we have had here today. Rather grey and misty rain as I walked through the village this morning. Art Week starts this Saturday and I am busy preparing for that.

A friend gave me an old instrument box that I have adapted, for display purposes. It has the most amazing rich and vivid blue velvet lining with a satin padded lid. It seemed an ideal box in which to display some fabric covered buttons.



Then from the last summer we had, some zinnias. As you will know by now pink is a colour that I am drawn to. Must plant some more this year. this first photograph has been through an iPhoto treatment.

Mixed Media

I have not sewn for several days and was really missing it. I decided to make some more small mixed media collages ready to be made into cards. I have used some of my fabric paper, painted transparencies, fabric snippets and old text with a water colour wash. Then free machining. I like to make use of interesting paper that comes into the house either as mail or junk mail. This time I have used the thick tracing paper that is used to wrap the small packs of Moo Cards.