Saturday 12 November 2011

time is running out

& all I could come up with this week is a few more purses!



The middle one is using fabric kindly sent to me along with the Thermofax screen I ordered from Linda Stokes, printed with her lovely design. The 3 pale blue printed are old ones I hand printed &  made up a couple of seasons ago & I tart them up more each yr, well, I added lace to one. I might add some hand stitching in a quiet moment. Top left & bottom right I started ages ago & kept putting them off, waiting for the perfect button. I finally made my own buttons. The bottom left is the sequins & foil fabric from Stitches Straps & Layers, Maggie Grey's book that I'm working thru.

I was so impressed with Lorna at Artymess & her purse linings - it's difficult, I don't want to 'waste' good fabric on a lining but I also want it to 'go' nicely. Tricky.

 I started a new background for a couple more purses but I'm not sure, needs a bit of work!

Got my pieces & Janets to Inchmore but haven't heard whether they've been accepted yet. go here to see some entries.

I wanted to visit Patches Corner near Beauly since Fibrefrolics mentioned it, I think & I finally got there as it's near Inchmore. I thought I'd walk in & just enjoy the fat quarters but they've got lots of 'creative embroidery' stuff too, lovely. I was restrained, spent under £10!



  A beautiful Steff Frances piece, organza & metallic organza, tiny tastes of deliciousness, more purple/pink sequins! & a button making kit. Thought I'd try it - the buttons I made for the purses are fun but bulky to stitch on.


On the way to Beauly - the long winter shadows from these haybales were wonderful.

Finally, a couple more examples from the book Stitches, Straps Layers. The next bit is laying down yarns &ribbons & couching them down on the foiled felt. ( I love that expression 'couching down' I remember 100 yrs ago asking what 'gimp' was  & being told 'you couch it down'...a whole new language!) Maggie says it's easiest to use Colinett flat tape but to try anything. I had a great time making my own ribbon out of fabric strips & combining them with yarn when I was making the beads for my hangings for the show, heres a spare bit from the first hanging made.

I'll add some more stitching & keep a small bit for my samples book & make a cuff or a brooch or another purse....theres not enough for it all!

Another suggestion is to weave (or darn?) on a piece of soluable film/fabric (I remember doing that with Jan Beany!) but as I had the 'other side of the frame' bit from the piece that wet to Inchmore, well, i didn't want to waste it, I lay that on film & stitched a bit to attach the warps & wefts together. Of course I tried it without the film first & had it dissapear down the feed dogs - these people seem to know what they're talking about! The idea is you then wash the film away, lay it over foiled felt & the foil peeps thru. Oh, I love layers!




Other ideas were to wrap straws with yarns various or cable stitch in geometric partterns but I didn't go there this time. There aren't enough hours in the day ;)



15 comments:

Suztats said...

Such interesting things you're doing! And it all looks wonderful!

Jan said...

You sure are on a wonderfully creative journey. I especially like that woven piece. Also that sample with the yarns and ribbons. great stuff.

Carole Reid said...

A little bit of everything in your hands become beauty!

ju-north said...

Beautiful work - such a lovely variety!

Iz said...

"all I had time for..."????!!! You've been mightily busy! Love the turquoise weaving, with the strip of gold through the middle. I know all about the difficulty in using "precious" fabrics as purse/bag linings...I'm trying to teach myself to be bold and use the first thing that I'm led to use and not overthink or get hung-up about it, a new "precious" will always come along to replace it!

artymess said...

great purses glad i could have been a bit of an inspiration ...x

Anonymous said...

You are a dervish of creativity my friend. Purses are so sweet. Gallery works look quite diverse. Love the cow close-up. And you new pieces all have so much going on waiting for further embellishment. Lovely all. Winter is slowly finding it way in but I do love the light at this time of year, especially just before sunset, that last flash of orange light across the tree tops. xox Corrine

Julie said...

Lots to enjoy in this post Emma. I am a great fan of weaving and I like what you have done with yours. The purses are fab too. I think you're right to put in lovely linings.

Jill said...

This all looks so inspiring, must dust of the sewing machine!

Maggi said...

Love the toggle fasteners on the purses. The weaving is looking great too.

Heloise said...

Wonderful colours. I like the purses and the toggle clasp is a great idea.

Robin Mac said...

Wow, you have surely been buxy! Everything looks lush, I must go back to Maggi's book again, your layers are inspiring me. The photo of the hay bales reminds me so much of the scenery we saw on my last visit about 15 years ago - wonderful memories. Cheers

Linda’s Textiles said...

Lots of lovely work - glad you found a use for my fabric - purses look great!

Anonymous said...

Looks like you've more than filled the 'unforgiving minute' but I agree, there is never enough time to do everything and one idea or experiment always seems to lead onto more things you could do with it! The little purses are fab. I prefer there to be lovely fabric as lining. A secret only the owner is privy to...

jan said...

Thanks Emma, more lovely work from you, I love the colours and the weaving is gorgeous x