"And the Bead Goes On and on..." 22-28 June

2014 - Week 26 Daily Beads

no.173


no.174


no.175


no.176


no.177


no.178


no.179

Something on Saturday

This week the Thoughtful Man put another hand rail up the stairs for me opposite the one there already.

It will make it much easier for me to pull myself upstairs when the legs aren't behaving properly!

Flame pattern

I got the B piece to the point where it needs the handwork to be finished. So, time to get back to the garment I am doing for Fashion Sans Frontieres at the Festival of Quilts.

Today, after adding a bit of decorative mark making with the soldering iron in the plain spaces (top and bottom) of the B piece, I made flame patterns for the skirt of the FSF garment and the upper back of the bodice.

I may get them cut out before I go off to the sewing group. Then they can be stitched down and embellished with beads while I am there.

B is for Book - nearly finished

Here is a detail of the B is for Book piece for Stretching Art.

I have the bindings sewn on with the machine, but will hand stitch it to the back on Saturday at the Offcuts sewing group.

PS the pins in the letter are holding it together a bit for now. It is stitched through on the braid, but it is too heavy and is pulling. SO, I think I may put some beads in the centre of the grid/diaper pattern spaces, which is often what was done with diaper pattern for illuminated letters.

B is for Book - Pen flourishes

Great progress today. Here is a glimpse of the free machine work at the sides to resemble pen flourishes.

And also the braid on the edges of the B.

I used 2 metallic threads together for the feathery bit.

B is for Book - Work on B

Progress made on the B. I used the grid brocade pattern to guide where I would couch a thick gold thread on the blue. This is a reference to what is called a diaper pattern - usually on the inner portions of a letter.

I also free machined with thinner gold thread round the pattern in the red brocade.
Then used a gold braid to go round the outline (inline?) of the cut out areas of the blue. I will use the same braid to go round the outline when I stitch it to the silk background.

Tour De France in Yorkshire

This past weekend we made a quick trip to see my Mother-in-Law. I had heard about the Tour de France starting in Yorkshire this year - Grand Départ. I didn't realise, though, that it would nearly be going past the door of the home Mum is in.

This is the main road near the care home.

So, it was fun to see the 'patriotism' being shown for the British riders. Britain has done very well the past few years. Homes and Businesses had yellow bikes mounted on their buildings or staged in the front of homes. Before we went in to see Mum, as we were early, we walked up the road and got photos of this bike shop.

I tried to get a photo of the pennants on the bunting, but it was a bit breezy. They were T-shirt shapes with the British Flag, the Green Jersey, the Yellow Jersey, and the Polka dot Jersey. You can read about what they stand for and which riders are awarded them at the Tour De France site.

When we got to the home, we discovered the residents had decorated to celebrate.

Apparently they raised money for the home by some of the nurses and carers or their family members cycling 15 mins at a time on an exercise bike.
And a small one made of pompoms on the fish tank.

The weather was lovely and we were able to sit in the garden with Mum. Holly (our dog) came with us and was a hit with the residents who all think she is 'lovely'. She thinks they are right.

If things work out, I think some of the residents will be taken out to the main road to see the cyclers go past. That would be fun.

ALAW - W-Z - Place

Finishing my map letters from places around the British Isles for A Letter A Week.

W-Waterloo (station)

X- I couldn't find an X town, so I opted for a place in Kent where there were a lot of X marks for railway crossings.

While making it, I remembered that Exeter is on the River Exe, So, the Exe might be better qualified because it says the name of the letter X.

Anyway, we have 2 for X!

Y-York

Z- Zouch

and the backs

from the area in Kent

from the area near the Exe.

I have some ideas for presentation, but also have several deadlines for end of June, so I will try to do the presentation as soon as possible. I have ideas for the other letter set for 2014, so will take it on holiday with me in early July to get it organised.

"And the Bead Goes On and on..." 15-21 June

2014 - Week 25 Daily Beads

no.166


no.167


no.168


no.169


no.170


no.171


no.172

B is for...Book

So, a lovely long day listening to the cricket while I was etching the letters into the silk.

The definition I was using was rather long, so I have edited it some. This will also be part of the series I was doing sometime ago about Communicating. I did Letter, Word, and Language. I have always been meaning to come back to other aspects of Communicating. And if you haven't guessed by now, this one is B is for Book.

Nearly ready for sandwiching and stitching. We have several things going on in the next couple of days, so I probably won't get to it till sometime next week. But I also have to get back to the dress for the fashion show.

B is for... wording in progress

The wording is in progress for the letter B.

I traced the lettering onto silk for the phrase and now am in the process of etching the letters with the soldering iron.

B is for...more steps

Another clue for what the B is for...

Etched with the soldering iron onto silk twill.

B is for...started

I have been gathering the parts to begin the Illuminated letter B, which I also signed up for to be in the Stretching Arts Exhibition.

2 brocades to begin the letter. the same cream silk background, but with a blue felt behind it, which gives the cream a cooler hue.
Can you guess what B will be for?

ALAW - S-V - Place

I got a bit behind on the letters for A Letter A Week because of events and deadlines for other things in May. So, I completed these yesterday.

Places around the British Isles.

S-Slough

T-Thirsk

U-Uxbridge

V-Vale

There were plenty of other V places, but I decided to look to the Channel Islands as we went to Guernsey 2 years ago for our 25th Wedding Anniversary. So, I saw on the map the little village of Vale.

And the backs

D for Dragons - Finished!

Binding sewn and photos taken. I need to put a sleeve on it, but besides that it is finished. There are a couple areas I am considering a bit more quilting, but I will look at it a while before I decide.

Stretching Art and Tradition 16: Illuminated Letters
The challenge:
For our 16th challenge, we ask you to examine, in the tradition of Illuminated Letters, an area of your life or an idea you would like to explore in a original quilt measuring 18" wide by 36" tall. Choose 1 letter and use it in your piece. In honor of SAT's origins, we ask you to identify an area or technique of fibre arts unfamiliar to you and stretch your artistic or technical ability by incorporating that area or technique in your piece.


The visible stretching part on this for me was drawing up the Celtic knot work patterns. But the main bit for stretching was trying felt as a wadding. I know someone who uses felt for most of her pieces. I did find it a lot easier to quilt because it didn't flop about like a piece with wadding does. However, I also used a brocade type fabric for the backing, so I am not sure how felt would do on its own. The 2 together, though, worked well enough that I would attempt it again.

One reason I used the brocade was because I used a bright yellow felt for the wadding. It seemed to add just a tinge of colour through the cream coloured silk. But I didn't really want the back to show bright yellow by putting white muslin or something as the backing. No, it doesn't really matter, but for me, I wanted the backing to continue the mood of the piece.

And another new thing for me was to try turning flames into a vine like quilting pattern. It worked very well, so I will probably do that again as well.

This post is now linked to Off the Wall Fridays at Nina-Marie's.

"And the Bead Goes On and on..." 8-14 June

2014 - Week 24 Daily Beads

no.159


no.160


no.161


no.162


no.163


no.164


no.165

D for Dragons - 'pen flourishes'

I made really good progress today. Headphones on and listening to the Cricket.

I am even to the stage of stitching the binding! It is stitched on, but needs hand stitching to the back. But I am shattered.

Anyway, the 'pen flourishes' (what the twiddley decorations to the side of an illuminated letter are called) turned out great. Even after I delayed and caught up with the ironing before I got brave enough to start. Of course my pen flourishes are free machined decoration...and since it is about dragons, it is a sort of twinning vine of flames.

So, the binding should be sorted tomorrow watching telly. Phew! Now I need to get back to the garment for Fashion Sans Frontieres and start a letter B for Stretching Art. This is when I wonder why I open my mouth about doing so much!

D for Dragons - Trims and more

more progress...trims on edges. satin stitch edge to the middle dragon. I like the look of the dark metallic.

I might touch up some of the inner lines of the dragon with it just to pull it all together.

And then the 'pen flourishes along the left side. Then I will trim it to see if it needs something on the right.