Posting is like buses...

None for ages, and then several in row... But hey, I got more post, what can I say. And I also got a chance to do a little work - a prototype of a postcard for a swap with my Dyehard group - theme is "searching for spring" so I have used a layers of semi-sheer fabric, etc, which of course, don't photograph well. I hope to do the rest of the cards, as well as some co-ordinating ATCs this weekend. Though as tomorrow is Alex's birthday (7) and the party is on Saturday, my time won't be entirely my own. There's always Sunday, though!



Also got these two things in the post - an ATC from Carole, and a belated house front from Gabriela. I love getting things in the post, don't you?

Beach House/Alien

Despite a weekend relatively clear of obligations, I only managed to do a small amount of sewing. Yesterday I just had one of those uninspired days - or rather, there were things I could have done, but I knew that what I really needed to do was make a Tropical Cabana house front for Michelle - the last of the house fronts in this year-long (but bimonthly) swap and I was having problems working out what I wanted to do. Consequently, I felt I couldn't really work on anything else until that was done - you know how it goes, sometimes! - so in the end, I just hung out with Alex while the girls went swimming, read, cooked, played games, and so on.

Today, I did finally manage to work out how I wanted to approach Michelle's theme - I had a good rummage through all my bits and pieces and while I couldn't find the little flip-flop motif I thought I had, I found something better, which I had forgotten about - a sheet of fabric images with a seaside theme. A little alteration and this bathing beauty was a perfect basis for the cabana. I was going to move on to work on a set of ATCs using some of my prepared backgrounds, but my lurking 6YO expressed some interest in making stuff, so we worked together to create a cosmic arch - his design, mostly, but the execution is largely mine. Though he worked the pedal. A very successful alien, I think. Maybe he should join next year's swap!

In need of renovation...

Here's a little house for September, for Pam, whose theme was "in need of renovation". I have done an English country cottage, which obviously needs a bit of tending. A shutter is hanging by a single hinge, there is no door knocker (not sure where it's got to!), the grass is overgrown, the thatch is desperately in need of repair, the roses are taking over, and you can see that a wee bird has made a nest in the chimney. I'm really pleased with the way it came out (and frankly, pleased to get it done in September, as busy as the month has been) and hope Pam will like it also.

House of the Rising Sun

Another non-sewing day, as the kids and I took Uncle Stuart to Birdworld for the day, but I did receive this lovely house front in the post. The photo isn't great as it's a bit shiny, but you can get the general idea and see how well Alis did with my House of the Rising Sun theme - she's chosen to interpret this in a Japanese way and made me a tea house. It's great, isn't it!

Greenhouse

In my Textile Challenges group, we are doing a year long swap (every other month) of house fronts. This month - or rather, July, as I am running late this month - forgot I'd lose the first half of July to school and the last week to being away on holiday! - the theme I needed to work to was "Green house". I had fun with this - I wanted it to look like a greenhouse, without having to come up with a design that was too complicated. So I thought I'd try layering sheer fabric over the top of the house front to make it look as though it was all behind glass. I think it's come out quite well!

Things received...

So, here's what I have to show today - nothing I can take any credit for, but lovely things, nonetheless. On the left is the latest house to arrive for the Textile Challenges house swap - this one is from Betty - thanks, Betty!

On the right, another birthday block, this one from Terri, who has sent the block (the Cathedral Windows in the centre), some spare 3D bowties, coordinating batik strips, plus a book about making folded flower blocks. I felt quite guilty about the book, until I saw she got a real bargain on it... Anyway, can't be sure what I will do with the blocks yet - I want to see what all I get for the swap before deciding which blocks might be used together, if any - but the windows block would certainly be a lovely little mini quilt. Thanks, Terri!

Romeo and Juliet lived here

That's the title of this house shaped swap piece, which I made today for the house front swap with Textile Challenges. This piece is for Alis, whose theme is Shakespeare Lived Here. While others have gone down the Tudor Cottage route, I opted for something different, instead choosing to interpret one of the plays a little. So here are "Juliet & her Romeo" embracing on the balcony, with sun, moon, stars and so forth. The background is free-motion quilted with circles, then the image (printed onto fabric) added on top, with some bits of various sheer fabrics over the edges to soften the lines. The words, also printed from Word onto fabric, read "It is the East and Juliet is the Sun" (the lines following "Hark, what light through yonder window breaks"), and I have stitched a sun over top of the words.

After I posted this originally, I thought I'd show the back as well, as I like the way it came out - I used an old block which couldn't be used for various reasons, positioned the house on it and cut away the excess - makes a great backing and now that block won't be sitting around unused in my sewing room!

Still here!

Yes, I am still here and I've even done a little (but only a little) sewing this week - yesterday I made a start on another New York Beauty block for the birthday swap. This is the last block for that swap as June is my own month and hopefully I will be able to sit back and watch the lovely blocks roll in! This block is a 12" block in batiks, and is nearly done. I need to sew the flying geese arc to the corner (it's together up to the teal arc) then another small plain arc and then the other corner.

The little house isn't something I made, but rather something I received - my May house for the house swap on Textile Challenges. This one was made by Marie and I particularly like the red light by the door and the sun coming up over the edge of the roof. The three I have received so far are all very different, and all lovely. I have to say, this is a great swap - I thought I might miss the montly arch swap when it ended, but this is definitely a good replacement for it!

More fabric

More fabric today, but most of it doesn't really count as I don't get to keep it, and don't have to pay for it! My commissioner (so to speak) got back to me about the quilt and has decided to go with the fabric with the gold touches, so I have been out to buy some more bits and pieces for that project - in fact, I got everything I need including the batting - the yellow stripe in this photo (above) is what I got for backing, from the sale bin - hoorah. The fabric is all washed now and will be tomorrow's main project - I did do some cutting today of the pieces I bought Sunday (which were already washed) and even pieced a few HST units, but trust me, it's not interesting enough for a photo just yet. Maybe tomorrow. I also got a little treat for myself - this package of FQs and box of ribbons in brown & pink - one of my favourite colour combos.



Amidst the ironing and cutting, I also finished up the Victorian house front - doesn't look much different in this photo, but I have added a backing and done the edges, etc. The colour is fairly good here, as well. Hopefully, my partner will like it!

House & cross-stitch

As promised, photos of the cross-stitch - not a lot of progress made on the birds, though I did finish the Rhode Island Red. After that, I worked on this little orange tree, which is slightly (though not much) more colourful in real life. I have started another little (Easter-themed) sampler, but as I have only stitched about 3 rows, all one colour, I shall spare you!



And on the right, a house front for the swap on Textile Challenges. This isn't quite finished yet, as I have to edge it and put a back on, but you can get the general idea. In the photo it looks a bit washed out and samey - it does look better in person, at least I think so. The theme was Victorian, so I have used a civil war repro as a background, a photograph (though they may be slightly more Edwardian than Victorian) and lots of lace & buttons. I'm happy with it on the whole, just wish it photographed better.

Things received, things bought

Well, as I can't show what I worked on today (round two of the Exquisite Corpse, finished - I wish I could show it, I'm really having a good time with it!), it's a good thing I have things received and things bought to show...

First, things received. The first is a very belated postcard from winning the December pc lottery on Arts in the Mail - I don't mind it being late, though, as I really like the card and am glad to get it. Cardinals are one of the things I miss from when I lived in the DC area - we don't have them here. The second is my March house front, this one from Pam, who has done "House from the Land of the Rising Sun", a clever interpretation of my theme (House of the Rising Sun). It's a great house, made mostly from stitch - the three large red panels are actually only stitched to the house at top and bottom, so they add a lot of texture. It's a lovely bit of thread painting, and I'm delighted to have it.

And now, things bought. Two sets of possible colourways for the commissioned piece - I have a feeling she will go with the one on the left, but you never know. I like both sets of fabric, so will be happy to have whichever bits aren't needed added to general stash. Once I know which fabrics I'll be using (and who knows, she might dislike both of these options) I'll work out what sort of pattern I want to go with.

The other fabric is fabric for binding the pineapple quilt (it's not quite as pink as it looks - it's more a deep red) and some of the green fabric with blue metallic accents which is in the lighter colour palette above - there wasn't much left on the bolt, so I thought I better buy it, just in case. You know how it is!

This and that - and the other

Forgot to blog yesterday - not that there was much to show, as I didn't do any work - though I did get some nice post, so I'll show that here, a bit further down. Today I had a few hours in the morning, so I worked on two things with common elements - an altered tin for a trade on FAT - only requirement was that it have a heart somewhere on it. Mine has several. The trade was originally an altoid tin, but some leniency was allowed for those who might not have access, I have used this cookie tin instead - it held a single cookie - it's about 5 inches across and about an inch high. The fabric on top is glitter felt, with the heart made of a silk fabric. The ribbon around the edges is from India - a birthday gift from my friend Lana...



This is a padded heart ornament for a swap on Textile Challenges - it's actually not a good representation of the colour at all, but I took several photos and none of them came out well in terms of colour - there's quite a bit of blue and green as well as some coppery overtones. Anyway, trust me that it looks much more interesting in person.




Here's something lovely I received in the post today - my first house front for the house swap (also on Textile Challenges) - this one was made by Michelle - my chosen theme was House of the Rising Sun (first thing that popped into my mind - plus I've always liked the song) and so she's gone back to the lyrics of the song and pulled out the cards in relation to the gambling theme. And a bonus - a piece of the ice-dyed fabric she used on the back. Lucky me.



And finally - what I received yesterday - these great fabrics from Margaret, in return for the blocks I sent her way a little while back. And two placemats, which I bound tonight at my little quilt group - these are small pieces I've tried out quilting patterns on. I have about 5 or 6 - eventually, I will have enough to use as placemats or give as gifts, etc.

I heard from Helen that my African block (which I teased you about the other day) arrived with her today, but I'll wait until tomorrow to show that, as I will need something to blog about on my no-work Friday...

English country cottage - or not

So, no more arch swap in 2009; instead we have a house front swap, which will only be every other month (with a challenge for a theme to keep for yourself in the in-between months) - January is the first one, and I was due to make for Gabriela who had a loose theme of houses around the world or maker's choice. I started with an English Cottage type house (thatched roof, etc) and decided that as many English Cottages had flowers growing madly all over them, that's the aspect I would emphasize. Obviously, these flowers are a little madder than any real English Cottage, but it was fun. I do still need to back and edge it, but it wasn't quite dry yet before I had to go to work, so I left it - will probably finish on Saturday.

Also, some nice post - these "ugly" browns, which Helen was trading for beads/embellishments. Needless to say, "ugly" is in the eye of the beholder and I snapped them right up - two of them, I have some of already in my stash, as it happens (the dots and the neutral).