Knitting and stitching show

Fabric purchases 

I spent a wonderful long weekend at the Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate last weekend. I went along with my two sisters. The fabrics above are a mixture of silk (the light coloured plain fabrics) and quilting cottons for a project I really must complete after I finish writing this piece.

vintage lace pieces and broken bracelet - charity shop finds

We visited my favourite charity shop which sells craft bits and pieces. It was here that I found one of my two pieces of silk in the photo shown above. Then I was lucky enough to find two rather interesting pieces of vintage lace and some gorgeous bits from a broken bracelet.

Show purchases

A vintage pattern, water soluble fabric, and other bits and pieces from the show. The single ball of wool is actually one of ten which I got in a large bag from the Black Sheep stand. I haven't yet decided on the pattern to be used for this yarn. It feels wonderful and is a mix of 20% alpaca with acrylic.

Collection of Wonderfil embroidery threads

I added to my stash of Wonderfil threads whilst at the show. The Aurifil stand was selling bags of 50 threads for an amazing £30. I just had to bring a bag home with me. The collection of colours has really helped to develop the range I have ready to use.

Sewing a quilted bag

I have started a new project which I really must get finished quickly since it is a present I must hand over tomorrow evening. It is a quilted bag. I shall post photos and explain more about it next time.

A busy week

This collection of photos shows my collection of quilts, books and journal quilts before I gave my talk on Saturday.

Quilt and smaller journal quilts.

Fabric books, newspaper article about the Moulton Crows showing their costumes this summer.

My bags of quilts waiting their turn to be shown and handed round. There are four rather full bags here.

This is the small collection of samples ready for the workshop during the afternoon. I was far to busy to take photos, unfortunately. Everyone was quiet and busily working away weaving fabric pieces I had prepared for them. They were such a lovely group to work with.

I did manage to get some knitting done too. The buttonside jumper, first shown here now has one completed sleeve with the second nearing completion. Hopefully I will manage to get that done this evening.

There was some sewing started, but since it is a gift for a friend I really cannot post that here just yet. I had hoped to get it finished during the week, but that proved impossible. I couldn't get started on the black and white challenge for NWCQ either. Perhaps next week?

Nuno felt, sewing and knitting

Completed Malia top

It has been a rather busy couple of weeks. The Malia top eventually got finished as did a skirt which still has yet to be photographed. The skirt is still waiting to be ironed before it will be in a fit state to take photos. The top is an interesting one with a gather of fabric under the bust dart. I still haven't worn this since it was rather too cold when I finished it. The skirt will be warm enough to wear out until the weather gets too chill. It is the Dolores skirt from the summer edition of La Maison Victor. I have made it from a blue floral print fabric.

Completed Mercy cardigan

Detail of sleeve cap - Mercy cardigan

The Mercy cardigan has been finished and worn a few times. It is really cosy and just what I need for this time of year. The pattern is quite fitted, but leaves plenty of opportunities for wearing thin tops underneath.

 

Materials ready for dyeing

Dye bath filled with 6 metres of silk chiffon.

6 metres of silk chiffon drying on the line

I felt really brave some days ago when I dyed the silk chiffon required for the workshop with Vivienne Morpeth. It was a really simple process using the procian dyes and carefully following the instructions from Colourcraft. 

The workshop took place on Friday and Saturday 3rd and 4th November. It was really intensive. This is my nuno top under way. You can see the silk pieces laid out over the barrier fabric being used as a resist. My silk pieces are the plain coloured red. Vivenne very kindly provided the acid dyed silk with the variegated shading. The disks are made from prefelted pieces cut to shape. They are purely to add texture.

The text stating "Barrier" is printed on the resist material and does not come off during felting. I used scarlet, grey and ruby red superfine merino wool to make the felt itself. It is lovely to work with. I had not realised that there was more than one grade of merino available. I still have such a lot to learn. I learnt an enormous amount about felting during the workshop, not just from talking and listening to Vivienne, but also from the others taking part in the course all of whom were much more experienced felters. They were really supportive and helpful.

Front

These photos show my completed top. Yes, it does fit! I need to make a suitable blouse to go underneath it. This one is the toile I made for the cheesecloth blouse. I used around 3 metres of my dyed silk chiffon to make this top. The remaining fabric is destined to make the blouse. I fancy one with a frilly neckline based on this same blouse design. I just have to get around to making it. Or, rather more accurately, finding time to make it.

Back

 At the NWCQ meeting on Thursday we were challenged to used map elements to make a quilt ready for the CQ Annual Meeting being held in Manchester in March. Another project? Well yes......

The photo on the left shows an A4 sized sheet which was given to me as my inspiration at the meeting. We had had a couple of group exercises which produced a very large sheet incorporating sketches from everyone taking part. This sheet was then cut up into A4 pieces with everyone being handed a piece sight unseen. The completed quilt is to be in black and white and to have a small piece of a colour. I was wondering about yellow......The right hand photo sees some elements of work in progress on this. I was considering using this work as the basis of the "In Print" challenge quilt for Contemporary Quilt.

Further work will have to wait until I have finished a bag needed later this week as part of a group gift. The bag is nearing completion, but I really ought to make a second one so that the organiser has a choice.