TIF latest February

I have found the above in my workroom and they reflect very closely the given colour scheme for February Take it Further Challenge set by Sharon Boggon. This month's concept is 'what are you old enough to remember?' So I brainstormed the concept and always came back to my childhood and its precious memories. Family holidays in Cornwall in the 1960s were the annual highlight of the year, when beach holidays meant taking everything but the kitchen sink with you. A small gas stove to brew tea was essential and salad lunches! The colour scheme is perfect for a beach scene so that's where I'm headed this month. It will be a postcard size again and probably applique in design, still working on that.

This is my ATC swop from Susan Lenz as part of the Cyber Fyber swop, it has just arrived in the post.
What isn't visible in the photo is the glint from the Angelina fibres throughout the piece.

This is the postcard, it is such a busy piece that has such deep colours. Susan has done a great job with this initiative. I am working on the swops to return to the States at present so Susan should be receiving them very soon.

Unlimited Textiles Swops

This is the finished postcard that I have just sent off to Susan for the September swop of Unlimited Textiles. I embellished some green and purple organza on my Janome Xpression on to a base of black felt. I then FME on top in mainly circular patterns, finally embellishing with beads and french knots. The colour combination is obviously complementary and a particular favourite of mine at present.

These closeups show corners of the PC where the bead embellishment is prominent. Found the cube beads at the Festival of Quilts exhibition!This quiltie has gone to Gunnel and is 5 inches square. The base is painted bondaweb on calico and then layered with two shades of organza before FME around the shapes left by the paint. I embellished on top with hand embroidery and beads



These closeups show the colour variegations achieved by the paint on the bondaweb, ideal for FME. I was pleased with the way the different organza changed the effect below them. The colour combination is again complementary but a much more subtle one than the PC.

Hope you like them ladies!

Catch up complete

At last I have caught up with my TAST samplers. Enjoyed the satin stitch and long & short stitches as I used variegated thread and they came to life very quickly.Long and Short stitch. Ideal for blocking but also good isolated in small groups.

I enhanced these blocks with back stitch

This random design just evolved on the fabric and is made more effective I feelin the variegated thread. Second sample of satin stitch again done in a variegated thread and edged with stem stitch.


POSTCARD

After the wedding it was good to get back to playing and therefore my embellisher has been busy. I particularly liked this one as everything has been coming up sunshine hence the yellow. Not the weather at present in the UK, I hasten to add, but the beginning of the month with the family wedding and all the family getting together which doesn't happen too often.

After creating the base fabric with yellow wool rovings I added the maroon and green circles. I like the way you can't control the finished shape as the wool shrinks immediately it goes under the needles. To join the circles and add more movement I FME randomly over the top. This was completed for 6x4 lives ring June entry.

And finally one I completed earlier! This embroidery entitled 'Allium' has a centre encrusted with french knots and beads so ideal as my TAST sample for french knots.