I finished my Dictionary Stitches. I particularly like the back-stitched word Sampler.
Now I am going to try to finish my Gingerbread House and my Cinnamon Stars cross stitch before my kit from the Royal School of Needlecraft arrives.
Category Archives: Inspiration
Stitch Dictionary
Filed under Embroidery, Inspiration
The Fabric of Civilization – Virginia Postrel
I saw this at my local book shop and had to buy it.
Here’s the blurb…
From Paleolithic flax to 3D knitting, a global history of textiles and the world they made
The story of humanity is the story of textiles — as old as civilization itself. Since the first thread was spun, the need for textiles has driven technology, business, politics, and culture.
In The Fabric of Civilization, Virginia Postrel synthesizes groundbreaking research from archaeology, economics, and science to reveal a surprising history. From Minoans exporting wool colored with precious purple dye to Egypt, to Romans arrayed in costly Chinese silk, the cloth trade paved the crossroads of the ancient world. Textiles funded the Renaissance and the Mughal Empire; they gave us banks and bookkeeping, Michelangelo’s David and the Taj Mahal. The cloth business spread the alphabet and arithmetic, propelled chemical research, and taught people to think in binary code.
Assiduously researched and deftly narrated, The Fabric of Civilization tells the story of the world’s most influential commodity.
This book is fabulous – well written and researched. It made me think about string, banking and weaving in a whole new way. There are chapters on Fiber, Thread, Cloth, Dye, Traders, Consumers and Innovators. Each chapter is a deep-dive into its topic.
If you are at all interested in Textile History (or just History for that matter), then this is the book for you. Easy to read, but very informative.
You can also listen to Virginia Postrel on this Haptic and Hue podcast.
Filed under Book Review, Inspiration
Spoils of the Trip
Miss A and I had a weekend trip to Melbourne.
We went to the NGV to see the Making the Australian Quilt exhibition. It is a fabulous exhibition with some amazing pieces – I can’t believe the amount of work involved in some of the quilts. Here’s a review – https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/101-arts-update/3500-making-the-australian-quilt-1800-1950-ngv-australia – it is definitely worth seeing if you’re in Melbourne.
We also went to L’Ucello – no trip to Melbourne would be complete without a trip to L’Ucello! I also discovered the Kimono House – how could I not have known about that?
We purchased kits – this one
Japanese bag
And this one as a gift for Miss P
I decided to get started on mine straight away
The Loop Bag
I had been thinking about making one of these bags in an embroidered silk, so this was a fabulous chance to get a pattern and have a go.
Filed under Inspiration, Sewing
Bedazzle!
I’ve always liked a bit of sparkle, so I was super-excited to discover a bedazzler at my local craft fair (more on that later) – it’s not actually called a bedazzler I think it is some chinese rip-off, but it’s pink and it attaches crystals to things! What more could you want.
Miss P practising her bedazzling skills
And in one of those cases of synchronicity I had just read The Bedazzling of the American Gymnast
American Gymnasts at the 2015 World Cup – BEN STANSALL / AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE — GETTY IMAGES
“It’s difficult for me to imagine how we could get more crystals on,” said Kelly McKeown, executive vice president for design and corporate relations at GK Elite, the official outfitter of the American national gymnastics team. This Olympics, “we may have hit peak crystal.”
The girls and I went to the WA Craft Show (there is wood as well!). This is a nice craft show because it is a bit more local and less corporate than the Craft and Quilt Fair at the Convention Centre. A lot of the guilds attend this one and everyone is keen to have a chat and show you their latest projects.
We bought some patterns and a snail making kit (I know snails? And I am sure they will be bedalzzled as well – I am aiming to reach ‘peak crystal’).
Filed under Bedazzle, Inspiration
Visiting
Bits and Pieces
I went away for the weekend to Melbourne – very decadent. While there, I visited my favourite shop L’uccello. The fat quarters in the above pictures are from there – I had to include the bag in the photo because it is such fun.
The yarn is from Hawthorn Cottage Yarns – they had a stall at the markets at the art gallery.
I have quite a few ideas – now I just have to get on and make something.
Filed under Fabric Stash, Inspiration, Yarn Stash
Embroidery
Images from ‘Royal School of Needlework – Embroidery Techniques’
I really like textiles and embroidery. I like the look of embroidery and the stories behind the creation of embroidery, but I am too lazy/impatient to do hand embroidery. I do like machine embroidery – both free motion and the digitised version – what I would really like to do is create embroidery that looks like it has been done by hand using my embroidery machine. To this end, I have been trying to improve my digitising. I made this blackwork sampler and now I am trying to learn silk shading. I am discovering a few tips and tricks with my software (which is Embird) and like anything I just need to practise.
Filed under Digitizing, Inspiration, Machine Embroidery, Software
Progress
Progress Being Made on my Rose Rib Socks
I like stories of all different kinds – novels, plays, movies, TV series – I suspect it is because I am nosy and like to know how people live. This means I usually watch something while knitting, which sometimes means my lace pattern can go a bit awry. At the moment I’m watching the second series of Once Upon the Time. I do like this show mostly because it is so beautiful to look at the costumes are spectacular ….
and I could quite happily move into Mary Margaret’s apartment.
The show itself is an interesting mix of fairy tales, swashbuckling adventure and good versus evil – and the villains are a bit conflicted, so I find it quite compelling.
All this means I look for excuses to watch it and therefore to knit. I should really be cleaning the house/buying food, but I will just watch one more episode! Besides some of the knits on the show are quite inspirational.
Filed under Inspiration, Knitting, Sock Knitting, Television
I Have Finished
Finished the Owl Socks
Socks are finished. They have already been worn.
Now for a new project. I started this swatch …
but I can’t get guage, so I have abandoned that idea and now I am working on this…
Blossom Bolero by Stitchy Mama
Here is a link to her (Stitchymamas) Ravelry page.
Filed under Inspiration, Knitting
I want a new project
I want to start a new project! And yet there are so many on the go.
This one …
And this one …I have to say I’m not feeling the love for this anymore.
Not to mention this one …
And the quilt I am making out of the girls’ baby clothes.
I want to start something else. I want to make something with this yarn. Not sure what yet – but I have 12 balls of it, so I should be able to make pretty much anything I want!
Filed under Inspiration, Knitting
Free Motion Machine Embroidery
I have signed up to do a free motion machine embroidery course at Craftsy.
I’m only up to Lesson Four (of eight), but I am very impressed. You can watch the videos whenever you want and then complete the home work in your own time.
I’ve already picked up some useful tips: You can just use over-locker thread as bobbin thread (must be cheaper than the special bobbin fill) and you can use non-woven interfacing as a stabiliser.
I haven’t got any pictures to show yet because my free-motion leaves a bit to be desired, but I’m definitely improving and I have learnt it is better to go slowly rather than super fast!
Filed under Free Motion Quilting, Inspiration, Machine Embroidery