Postcards to go

This month I've taken part in "Circles" themed postcard swap organised by BQLPC, an offshot of BQL (British Quilt List), a Yahoo Group. Having been to Jennie Rayment's workshop last month, I'd learnt a quick way to applique circles so went mad on this. As well as some fancy machine stitches I've also used some of the TAST stitches from recent weeks, like the Palestrina stitch, Bonnet stitch, Cretan and Herringbone stitches. They just been sent in the post this month so should be with their recipients early next week. Hope you like the pictures.

New stitches

I've posted a pic of the 2 latest stitches in the TAST challenge, Oyster stitch and a little bit of Palestrina stitch, which I've also posted to the Flickr website. Oyster stitch took quite a while to master, but got enough of a hang of it to sew these lupins, together with a few French Knots. The thread that I used for the lupins is Coats Anchor Multicolour Stranded Cotton, which is made in some lovely colours. The lupin pattern was originally a goldwork pattern from Stitch magazine which I thought would be a good way of showing off this stitch.

If there are any English people out there reading my blog - I'd like to wish you all a happy St George's Day tommorow.

The Blue Pool

Yesterday my husband, David, and I went to the Blue Pool in Wareham, Dorset. Being a lovely warm and sunny afternoon, it just seemed too nice to stay indoors. The pool was once a clay pit producing ball clay which was used for making clay pipes and later Wedgewood pottery. The light refraction gives the water the aquamarine blue appearance. Being armed with my mobile phone I could not resist taking a pic.

Let them eat cake

I've recently joined a Yahoo Group called Arts in the Mail. I've joined in a challenge last month to make a folded patchwork postcard and made 3-d Flying Geese. This month I'm in a swap with 4 others with the theme of "Let Them Eat Cake" and I made 2 cards with fairy (cup) cakes and 2 others with slices of cake.

I worked with pastel colours which I wouldn't normally use and used this as an opportunity to cut up the background fabric called "Tutti Fruiti". So here are the pics.

New sewing area

I've posted a pic of our newly painted room with computer on one side and my sewing stuff on the other. Instead of a small dressing table/desk like the kind used for children's bedrooms I now have a large worktop with room for two plastic drawer caddies for fabric underneath. I also have use of the wardrobe in this room and a built in closet type wardrobe too.

While decorating items have moved from one room to another and I have so much stuff. I am in need of a jolly good sort out!

Catching up

I've posted onto my Flickr account with two examples of the latest TAST challenges. One being the Knotted Cretan Stitch and the second is the Bonnet Stitch. I hadn't heard of either of these before trying out and they were a little trying until I got used to them. I really like the effect that the bonnet stitch had and can see myself using this stitch out again before long.