Tialys’ Red and White Period

Like Picasso, I am going through a ‘period’ where I favour certain colours.  Unlike Picasso, mine is red not blue.  Also, unlike Picasso  I’m not an incredibly talented, world famous artist but, let’s not quibble – I’m not Spanish either.

Last October, when I went to visit my friend who was housesitting, I found this slubbly spotted linen and immediately thought it would lend itself to one of my hexagonal work boxes.  Finally, I have got around to making it.  I used, on the inside, a linen blend fabric I found at a craft fair which is a finer weave and more suited to the interior.

Meanwhile, my little sewing group has been working on this pattern we found in a French crafts magazine from back in 2000 and, although I am quite pleased with the result, it was a pain in the derrière to make.  The instructions were really bad – and don’t blame my French, as my two fellow group members are French so it wasn’t my fault.

It’s quite sweet though and when I have figured out exactly where to insert the piece of wooden dowelling – no suggestions please! – it can be hung from a hook and, when you want your needles, threads, etc. you unhook the ribbons and – voila!

What I love the most though is this gorgeous teapot which I made from my blogging friend RicRac‘s awesome pattern.  I just love it.  I will have a go at the cup and saucer next .

And, finally, my plan to do a patchwork block a week with my group commenced with the ‘Tumbling Blocks’ pattern as it came first in the sampler book I have and is fairly straightforward.  Also, I am determined to stop being a slave to my machine and I am only going to do the hand pieced blocks which is much more sensible – and sociable – when you are round somebody else’s house.  Everybody will be needing different coloured thread and constantly rethreading the sewing machine then trundling away at 90 mph is not conducive to socialising and, in my case, learning French.  So, I’m getting out the Sharps no. 8s (and needle threader) for these blocks.  I don’t know what I am making yet but if I keep the colour scheme similar, if I want to and have made enough blocks, it could become a quilt.

Did you guess it was going to be red?  (obviously not the finished item – 4 more tumbling blocks to go and, even though my hand quilting isn’t brilliant, it won’t be as large as these tacking stitches  –  just saying…)

Anyway, apart from the blocks which I am going to do at the weekly group, all my current projects are finished.  SO!  Does this mean I can go back to Madamoiselle Tialys’ 18th birthday quilt which should have been finished last August but is still languishing in the cupboard?  Yes.  Well, hopefully.  By the time she either has her 19th birthday or, failing that, leaves for University, I will have that quilt finished and wrapped up to present to her.  And, this time, I won’t be asking for it back in order to finish it.  That’s the plan anyway.  By the way, if you have forgotten or didn’t see my earlier posts on the subject – her quilt is predominantly red.  I’m spotting a theme.

Happy Jubilee long weekend to everybody back in the ‘old country’ – I’ll definitely be putting up some bunting and coming over all ‘monarchist’ on Sunday – I’ve even got my souvenir issue of the Radio Times with the new portrait on the front – can’t quite decide about that portrait but let’s just say I’m glad it’s not of me.

The Little Housekeepers

Well, hello Blog and Happy New Year! I feel as if I’ve been away for ages but I guess it’s only a couple of weeks ago I last posted anything. 

Little Housekeepers - houses to keep things in!

Anyway, I’ve had my parents over from the U.K. for Christmas so my visits to the computer have had to be curtailed as blogging is not the most sociable of activities – at least, it is, but not when people are actually visiting you.  They were actually supposed to be here for Christmas Day, coming over on 22nd December but the snow in the South of England brought the country to its knees and their flight was cancelled.  The first flight available then was on Boxing Day so, not too bad, and then they changed their return flight (otherwise they would have met themselves going back!) and were here to see in the New Year. 

However, I did manage to escape to my ‘lady shed’ a few times to try out a new project.  I let my mother in as she had bought some crochet work with her and, after moving yards of  Christmassy fabric out of the way, discovered I have a sofa in there and she could sit down and do that while I got on with some sticking and cutting and sewing.

I have had quite a few requests for instructions to make my étui boxes and this is something that I am going to give some thought to.  The design for the hexagonal box is not mine so I can’t do that but I designed the small one myself and may well get round to writing out full instructions, with photos, etc., in the next couple of weeks.  I may do it as a pdf file or I may do a little kit with the card already cut – can’t make up my mind.  Once I’ve written it, I’ll have to find a willing friend to make a box, following the instructions, so that they can report back to me on the clarity of my directions.

Once I sell the instructions or kits, I will expand upon my original idea and make some slightly different étui boxes.  These will be in the shape of little houses, each one different.  I think I’m going to call them Little Housekeepers as that sort of gets over the idea that, not only are they an ornamental item in the shape of a house but you can keep things in them too!    I made one for a friend for her Christmas present – she was my guinea pig (thanks Anna!) – and she seemed to like it so off I go.

Here is my first one (or second one if you count Anna’s) and it is all black and white and has musical notes – can’t think of a name yet but it will be something musical – could be ‘The Piano House’ or ‘The Musical House’ or something along those lines, haven’t decided yet but it will come to me in a flash as most things do.  Hope you like it.

A Little Housekeeper in Black and White

 

....and inside

 Just finished ‘The Love Shack’.  I designed a new gable ended roof for this one (well, o.k. my husband did all the calculations but that’s surely the easy part). 

The Love Shack

 

 

The House of Romance

 

Fairytale Cottage