On the Workbench and Very Little Room in the Lounge

Well super news the class in Chelmsford has been so successful we are to continue for another 4 weeks, but moving to Tuesdays.

There is a lot of vintage fabric in my stash. So Little Jumping Joan and her sidekick Molly have chosen some for their next series of pictures.

Molly is in a mischievous mood! Look how high she has made Little Jumping Joan leap!

  

A little pile waiting to be stitched. The fabric is 1960/1970's and was either cut out or half way made into dresses. It came from my friend Val who was the failed seamstress.

Frames and unsold works. The suitcase is my stock of ribbons and trims.

More suitcases, packed for classes or fairs. Wicker drawers are full of vintage and modern buttons. Yet more frames.

When the mounts turn up, hopefully Monday, I have a lot of framing to do.

Who me?

Little Molly chew,chew, chew.

Both caught with fabric scraps, stolen from the workroom.

Now I'm over to Handmade Monday to see everyone's blogs!

Charity Shop FInds

Dragged myself over to the BANK urgh I hate dealing with finances. Anyway it went OK and I have stopped the evil meanies who set up an unauthorized Direct Debit on my account.

Then to reward self, a trip to one or two maybe three charity shops. Poor Molly had to wait in the car - not allowed in shops - and I don't like leaving her outside in case she gets removed.

Third shop.......................

Missing a handle, but did I care ? No not me.

Uncut, unused 1966 ensemble pattern - size 18, but equal to our modern size 14/16

This is just the sort of thing I was making in bright green and grey check fabric in 1969!

A darling doll outfit. Used but folded neatly everything is there even the tiny panties.

And here they are inside the mustard case and surprise a red lining. I'm a happy girl.

On My Work Bench Today - Brooches

After a mammoth sewing session I have made 27 brooches.

 Some of Sidekick Molly. Front is the plain area from a vintage tablecloth.

Some of Little Jumping Joan - with attitude - she does not like having to do Recitations!

Back is vintage fabric and brooch pin held on by the new labels.

 Some snazzy new labels printed onto inkjet canvas paper, using an old typewriter font. Showing in the middle back of pic.

They come in several zingy colours. Each has a verse of poetry or nursery rhyme again from old boks.

Mounted on a card, with modern paper, then into a cello' bag. Nice and easy to display and keep the fabric brooch clean.

Little Jumping Joan - Roast Potatoes For All

Busy, busy week.

Little Jumping Joan has been having adventures, now with her sidekick Molly - who else?

The Roast Potatoes were embroidered on a linen table napkin. The backing is a crochet and pulled thread piece, flowers are from two table cloths. This is a larger piece 9 x 12 inches.

I'm loving how all these elements just seem to fall into place.

Chasing Butterflies stitched onto the back of a 1970's dress. This dress was in pieces and I only had two backs, you can just see the dart behind the right hand flower. 9 x 12 inches

Molly Loves Flowers on the corner of an old table runner, washed so many times it was see through. The modern machine embroidery fitted in real good with the old. 11 x 8 inches.

Up the Beanstalk again a much washed old embroidery. The use of modern threads in very similar colours has revitalized this one. 10 x 12 inches.

Four craft fairs booked for October so the sewing machine is red hot!

Week 3 of Fab Cycling  They are hooked on Free Motion Machine Embroidery!!!

Fab Cycling Course - Week 3

It was all hands to the sewing machines this week. I think i have them hooked on Free Motion Sewing!!!!

 Look all sewing away like mad. Ann furthest from the camera is on a modern Janome.

 Brother machine bargain on Ebay £50, being used by Jean. It was cheap as the seller had lost the tools and other feet. Works fine.

Mel smiling as she is on my New Home My Style model 826 - 20 years old and going strong. It's a fab machine 98 stitches including one alphabet. Its worked like a Trojan all its life, well worth the £500 price tag when new.

It's quite a challenge remembering all the working of the different machines. Threading and tension is all different, but its really done all my ladies good to work on a different machine each week. I've sent them home with some homework this week!

Cherry Ann Hall working on her mosaic he's called "Tom". This is happening in the Hub at Chelmsford High Chelmer shopping centre. Same place I am teaching. We are having a really fab time with lots of art going on.

Last week next time.

Little Jumping Joan - Yippie Wedding

Orders already!!!

First one for a wedding gift.

 This time I have used white embroidered flowers and traced round them with pastel thread.

 I'm getting better at the machine writing, done this freehand! Usually have to pencil in writing.

I thought LJJ (Little Jumping Joan) was looking a bit pleased with herself.

I've also been framing finished ACEO collages for sale at two craft fairs in October.

I'm posting this for the lovely bloggers who join Handmade Harbour please take a trip around their blogs.

ACEO Collages

A few weeks ago Julia and her friend, from Wales, Bonnie came round to play art all day. We stopped for a pub lunch!

After they had gone I got inspired by the materials we had been working with and created some ACEO - Art Cards Editions and Originals - just in case you did not know. Also known as Artists Trading Cards. I finished framing 6 of them today.

 Strips of scrapbook paper

 Citra Solv altered National Geographic paper

 Stazon Copper pad rubbed on the edges

 Stamped with Stazon Black and decorative stamp

 

Flowers from a paper napkin.

Edwardian images from an old magazine book. Brer Rabbit from a 1950's Annual. Victorian newspaper small adverts. I used one layer of three ply paper napkins. A favourite of mine as the napkin is so thin you can see the layer below. All finished with Liquitex glazing medium, laid on quite thick. The backing is old quiz cards.

Framed in Ikea Riba frames, I have recessed the art works and mounted them on black sketching paper.

I did a production line of 40 and it used up lots of oddments of collage materials.

Molly Hijacks Mad Birds Blog

Hello Humans I'm Molly, Mad Bird is my significant Human, she been a bit busy this week so I'm doing a guest blog.

This week we have visited Serena, I sit in the sunny garden whilst the Humans chat. Thursday was best clothes for Humans and I went to stay with my greyhound friend Shifty. He's huge I can stand under his tummy and he runs so fast, but can't do corners.

I've had my darling friend Little Molly round to play. She lives over the road and is ace as ESCAPING!!!

We play chase me.

And chase you.

Nearly got you!

 Got you goes onto................

 nearly there.......................

 Yes!!! Pretend Death Throat Lock. My human yells at me for this one as she thinks I'm too rough.

 Then it gets to the final game - Aren't you dead yet???

Don't worry no dog was harmed in the filming of this episode. No matter how rough and tumble Little Molly comes back for more that's why I love her so much.

Then this weekend my Human volunteered at Cuckoo Farm Studios who have an Open Studio Weekender. We got to sit in the sun, I did meet and greet, my Human waved her arms about a lot and the guests did lots of driving back and forward into tiny spaces in their car things. I met Little Elvis the Bishon Friese and another Jack Russell type. We were back again today, but got rained off.

Here we are in the sun.

Now its only 8.30 and we have to go to bed as my Human is exhausted having done too much!

XO Molly

Fab Cycling - Week One Printing the Fabric

Today was week one at the class in Chelmsford. Bit of a miserable day but we were having a ball with the rubbing and stamping supplies.

Look at the fab work produced. Using curtain lining, vintage fabric and remnants, with Markel Oil pastels and Stazon Ink pads, rubber stamps, home made rubbing plates and other bits and bobs we found on the day.

 

 

 

Next week we will be doing Free Style Machine Embroidery. Can't wail to see what they come up with.

Grrrrrrrrrrr blogger has loaded some pictures and turned them around. Hope you don't twist your necks too much.