Xmas stitching and a visit to the Knitting Group

January 14, 2010 stitchesoftime1 Comment

As promised I can now reveal some of the things that I made for this Xmas as gifts for friends and family. I did do a lot of knitting which I will put in a later post but also some of my favourite traditional stitching.

I made this pincushion for a very good friend from re-enactment, Denise, who kindly posed for my Women’s Costume Page last year. She obviously makes a lot of kit herself and her partner Carl had asked me if I would make her a pincushion as a surprise for Xmas (he said they were thinking of buying a new leather sofa so he was trying to train her out of sticking pins in the old one – that is why I have a lovely old fabric one that is fine with that sort of behaviour!)

The pattern comes from Issue 165 of New Stitches magazine and is called Cherry Rose – I only stitched the flower element – the whole thing is designed to be a picture and includes stem and leaves as well.

Denise ornament — The finished piece before making up

It is stitched on my favourite 28 count sparkly evenweave (it is only to be used at home not at events as blackwork (or redwork!) is not authentic for our period) with dark red Silk Mill thread.

For the finish I chose to back it with some red velvet I had in my stash and to edge it with some dark red braid. I also added some of my favourite little brass charms – I love using these on sewing gifts like the scissor keeps I made last year. This time I chose a spool of thread charm and a needle charm – both from the charms pack I bought from Stitch Direct earlier in the year.

Denise pincushion 1 — The pincushion looking very festive among the decorations

Denise pincushion 2 — The back of the pincushion showing the charms

I was pleased with the finish – it was the first time I have used velvet as a backing and it wasn’t as slippery to work with as I had feared -and Denise likes it too which is good!

I realise this is the third post this week – a record for me I think. It is all to do with the snow as not much else has been going on this week. Did leave the house today for the first time since Saturday to go to Knitting Group. As well as Knit and Natter that meets weekly at the wool shop – shop info at the end of this link (Woolly Minded and Beady Eyed) I also go to a monthly one at the same shop – Yarn – which meets the second Thurs of every month 5 – 7 pm.

Had a very nice evening working on my teddy bear bag project and have also bought some more Noro Silk Garden wool to make myself a beret to match the Noro scarf that I wear. I cast on for this when I came home tonight and am using a simple pattern in my favourite Moss stitch. If this freezing weather is to continue a girl needs some head protection!

Thank you for visiting.

Needlecase finish and a giveaway winner

November 3, 2009November 24, 2009 stitchesoftime2 Comments

Have not been very busy the last couple of days textile wise as am still feeling rough from flu so have just been finishing off some items – one of which is an Xmas ornie for my ASOE partner which I cannot show until I have posted it later this month.

The other finish is a little needlecase for a friend from Knit and Natter. I used the same set of patterns from New Stitches magazine that I used for the card for Stefon’s Mum a couple of weeks ago – just did a different flower this time again in blackwork on some of my sparkly aida fabric. This fabric has a gold fleck woven into it and is part of a stash from one of the Harrogate Knitting and Stitching Shows a couple of years ago.

I finished off the needlecase by lining it with gold silk and putting a thin layer of wadding in between with ribbon to fasten.

Needlecase 2 — Silk lining and gold ribbon

Sorry that I did not post the giveaway winner last night but I did the draw from all the comments and the winner is Barbara. Barbara is a very talented textile artist (no blog unfortunately so that you can see her work) and does the most amazing crazy patchwork tea cosies. So I will be sending a little gift package to Barbara of stitchy things very soon. Thank you very much to everyone else who commented as well and said such nice things about my blog!

Am hoping to get a load of stitched Xmas ornies finished this week – have the backing, stuffing and ribbons to do on the things that I have been doing bit by bit all year. Then I can start on a couple of new Xmas gifts.

Travelling transcontinetal textiles!

October 27, 2009January 12, 2010 stitchesoftime1 Comment

I thought I would use a bit of alliteration for the title of this post as I am very relieved to tell you that the ASOE Exchange piece I sent to Wendy Jo in Iowa has arrived! I posted it nearly 3 weeks ago and was getting a bit worried that it had gone walkabout as hers arrived in just over a week.

Wendy Jo said she liked the colour red and as it was an Autumn/Fall exchange theme I chose a design of blackberries done in blackwork stitches using a Silk Mill dark red thread.

The design comes from on old edition of New Stitches magazine edition 53 and it is stitched on my favourite sparkly evenweave – am running out of stocks of this so that will be a definite for the shopping list at the Knitting and Stitching Show in Nov!

This is the first time that I have finished an ornament as a pinkeep – I found some very helpful instructions on how to do this on Heidi’s Stitching Together blog.

On the reverse of the piece I stitched Wendy Jo’s initial using a design from one of my Lesley Wilkins’ blackwork books and added a little thimble needlework charm as well. I have just ordered some more of these charms from Stitch Direct but they will also go on the shopping list!

In knitting progress I have now completed one of a pair of something I have never tried before! It was a bit of a struggle involving much unravelling but I am very proud of myself. Cannot reveal any more as it is a present (or will be when I finish the other one!) The first post after Xmas is going to be massive one showing you all of my recent creations!

I am going to be doing a big baking session this afternoon as I am making little pink iced buns to take to work tomorrow for our Think Pink Breast Cancer awareness fund raising efforts this week. This is a very important issue for all women and I, like many of you I’m sure, have had friends affected by this. So not only (hopefully) lovely cakes but am important cause as well!

Blogaversary and giveaway – my 100th post (contains textiles – what a surprise – and cake!)

October 19, 2009September 9, 2010 stitchesoftime7 Comments

Well here it is at last my 100th post complete with giveaway. Please do leave a comment if you visit and I will put all comments into a draw to be picked on Monday 2nd Nov. Please let me know in your comment if you would like a stitchy gift or a non-stitchy gift.

I started this blog about two years ago and in that time have met (virtually)some lovely people through blogging and my recent foray into exchanging through blogs. I find fantastic inspiration from reading all the blogs I visit and am constantly finding new ones (note to self – must add more to Blog Roll) to enjoy. So thank you to the wonderful blogging community for all the happy hours I have spent reading your work. Special thanks to the people who have added me to their blog rolls as I know I get lots of visitors that way.

The first post I ever put contained my Xmas ornaments so I thought it was fitting that I start off with a pic of one of this season’s batch.I have still got a huge stash of lovely stuff from when I first started making these to fund raise to go to Nepal so am making them again to raise money for the project.

Addicted to buying Xmas fabric - who me ?

This was my dining room table yesterday – I just love getting out all the fabric and beads, braids and cute charms and just going for it.

I particularly love the little brass charms which I pin to the sides of the baubles – I get mine from Stitch Direct by mail order. If you are interested in details of where to buy the book that shows you how to make them then this web site is where to go. Springwood House Designs is run by the very talented Sue Schofield and the book ‘Decorations to Dazzle’ contains patterns for far more complex and wonderful designs than I can manage at present!

Am doing very well with Xmas crafting for presents but sadly cannot post pics here – unless I create a page marked ‘family do not look’ ! However have been doing a few other bits in between gifts.

I also made a card for a friend’s birthday. This is a pattern from an old copy of New Stitches magazine (which is available from Stitch Direct site above).

I have also been venturing into unknown territory with my Creative Textiles class and trying machine embroidery! I use the machine for costume making though was always a bit unsure what to do but was experimenting the other week with my transfer painted flower and is has turned out rather nicely.

The appliqued flower with machined detail

I now plan to sew the organza petals over the top and hand stitch and bead onto them.

Also finished quilting the fish we did by transfer printing on the first week. I have been doing some wholecloth quilting for one of my WIP gifts and am really enjoying it.

Am also rediscovering my inner domestic goddess and baking. Partly inspired by watching Economy Gastronomy on BBC which reminded me how much I really love cooking.

I did an O and A level in it but many years of providing family meals (and trying to remember who wouldn’t eat which food!) kind of dampened my enthusiasm. However it was one of the things I was always determined to do again when I had a bit more time. So here are two of my recent bakes.

My very fisrt banana bread! — My very first banana bread!

Good old gingerbread - everyone eats this!

Am off now to make more baubles – happy crafting everyone!

New pages and a new exchange!

September 3, 2009January 12, 2010 stitchesoftime1 Comment

I have today uploaded two pages that I have been working on for a while detailing men and women’s peasant costume. They have pics of what we wear with links to suppliers, some patterns and further pictures and info about garments. Hopefully people new to re-enactment will find them useful and the rest of you will enjoy the pics!

Yesterday I got an e-mail giving me details of my latest exchange which is going to be a Fall / Autumn exchange and I have been paired with Wendy Jo from the USA. I have had a look at her blog and she is a very busy lady in the exchange world!

I have added her blog and some of my other new favourite reads to my blog roll on the left so do go and visit all these talented people! I do love blogland it makes me so happy! Am sad that the season is nearly over but like my Autumn nights sitting stitching with my candles lit and have lots of nice treats planned for the off season.

Have an idea of what I would like to make for Wendy after seeing all the beautiful things she has made for other people so am going to get started on that piece tonight.

It is not very good weather again today so am happy to be inside and looking forward to some lovely stitching later and more episodes from my new boxed set of Little House on the Prairie! I loved that series and the books when I was younger so have treated myself to Season 1 (a whole 19 hours!) and think the other ones will be going on my Christmas list. Of course there is lots of embroidery, dressmaking and quilting spotting going on while watching this and I was glad to see that I am not the only one who does that while watching TV – check out the 30th Aug 09 post from Kelly at Materialistic.

We are having an exhibition at our Embroiderer’s Guild on the 26th September to celebrate the branch’s 30th anniversary and we have all been asked to submit recent stitching for that. Unfortunately I give all my stitching away as gifts but Stefon has lent me the biscornu and bag I made for him and Bev has lent me her complete set of needlework tools so I shall have something to show!

Here are the tools made as presents over the last 3 Christmases – her motif is oak leaves so I have photographed them in an appropriately Autumnal setting in the pot pourri bowl that sits in my dining room!

Bev's pin, pot, needlebook and scissor keep — Bev's pin pot, needlebook and scissor keep

If you are in the West Yorks area then and want to visit the exhibition leave a comment with your e-mail address and I can give you details of it.

Sunny weather!

June 8, 2009September 9, 2010 stitchesoftimeLeave a comment

It has cooled down a bit in the last few days sadly but we have been having some really fab weather here recently! Apologies for the lack of posts but what with work and general busyness have not had time to do much. However today was the last teaching session of the year so apart from the huge piles of marking I have to do things will be a little quieter from now till Sept!

We had a wonderful show at Ashby de La Zouche Castle the last May Bank Holiday. Traditionally this is a very wet event which we packed lots of warm gear for but it was so sunny that lots of us got burnt on the Sunday (it was actually a little bit warm for being in armour but can’t complain!). A brill weekend and I have some pics to share with you of the event.

Our little medieval tent in the evening sunshine

Round the fire with our lovely friend Keith

I finally managed to give the girls their scissor keeps which they were all very pleased with – this is a pic of them displaying their gifts!

Over the years I have made them various blackwork and needlepoint gifts for them and Tracy and Bev had some of theirs with them so I got a chance to take some pics as pre-blogging I didn’t keep a record of my stitching.

Decorated initial in needlepoint as a pin box made for Tracy in one of her earlier medieval roles

Bev also had the blackwork pin box I had made for her as the start of the set – last year I made needlebooks – of which there are pictures in the Finishes 2007 link above if you are interested. Bev’s motif is an oak leaf so I have used this or acorns in all her gifts.

Bev;s blackwork pin box — Bev's blackwork pin box

We have had wonderful weather here at home – last weekend was gorgeous which was lucky as I have had miles of hedges to cut and lawn and general garden stuff to do. We had 3 barbecues in four days which was lovely and ate outside for all our other meals as well – it was fab!

Jake waiting for his sausages to be cooked

There now follows a whole string of event and holiday weekends, only got a couple where we are not busy between now and September so lets hope for more lovely weather! Are off camping at a friends’ place this weekend so more prawns on the barbie and beers in the cooler – it is a very nice life indeed!!!

Embroiderers’ Guild Conference and my recent stitching

April 22, 2009September 9, 2010 stitchesoftime1 Comment

I was lucky enough to go for a day to the recent EG conference in Sheffield. My lovely children paid for this as a Mothers’ Day present and I had a wonderful day out listening to talks about embroidery and having a visit to a Sheffield branch of the EG and to the Sheffield Cathedral. Sadly I forgot to take my camera but took a few pics using my phone which Ellie was kind enough to transfer for me.

The first talk was an illustrated lecture by Anthea Godfrey on embroidery as used in haute couture and had the most beautiful images of all sorts of techniques used on the catwalk. She teaches embroidery at the London College of Fashion Arts – I would love to be able to study there but will have to content myself at the moment with my local guild meetings and some day workshops!

After lunch we went to one of the local Sheffield Guilds for a talk by Diane Grant about ecclesiastical embroidery and the work of Beryl Dean. I have read a couple of Beryl’s books before and it was a very good talk illustrated with Beryl’s work throughout her lifetime. Below is an example from the 1950s, this piece is in the V and A museum and features a stylised disciple or maybe Jesus with a fish and net.

The guild members had also put on a small display of their work which was brilliant – one particular member called Marjorie Holford had done some Elizabethan sweetbags which I really liked – she had larger display of those at the main conference hall.

After that we went to Sheffield Cathedral which was treat in itself as I love visiting any church and had a special display of their ecclesiastical textiles which were very lovely. Most of the priest’s robes were quite modern but there were also some older pieces which I really love and I have put some pics of these below.

Image from an altar frontal at Sheffield Cathdral

A banner which had been restored by the church embroiderers

I must go back with my camera one day and get some shots of the cathedral.

I have been busy stitching a few gifts recently and have a couple of finishes to show. The first one is a blackwork scissor keep that I have been working on for a friend – I am making five of these in total.

The design is a motif from one of my Lesley Wilkins blackwork books.

I have the rest of the scissor keeps to finish but need to get on with sewing up a new nun’s outfit that I have cut out as we have our first re-enactment event this weekend. It is at Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire on Sunday from 10 – 4pm so if you are in the area do come along and say hello. I will be easy to spot being the only nun in the place! I am very excited that the season is starting again – nights under canvas and sitting round a real fire – bliss! Hopefully the weather will be as nice as it has been this past week.

My very first biscornu!

March 8, 2009September 9, 2010 stitchesoftime2 Comments

I am able to share with you now some pics of my very first attempt at a biscornu pincushion. I chose this lovely Celtic laced hearts design from the Gift of Stitching magazine. It was very complicated to stitch as I kept losing track so there was an awful lot of frogging (unpicking) going on but I got there in the end.

The making up of the biscornu was a lot easier than I expected, I used some gold twist thread that I had in my stash for the edging and tassels which worked well with the gold flecked Aida fabric.

I am very pleased with the end result . Would love to make more biscornus if I have the time – just need that knitting pattern for making an extra day – if anyone finds it please let me know!

Snowflakes and Christmas trees

February 5, 2009September 9, 2010 stitchesoftimeLeave a comment

I love snowflakes – don’t know why but I love them as stitching designs, particularly blackwork designs and have spent most of this year stitching snowflake ornaments to give as my Xmas cards to close friends.

Last Xmas I bought some stick on snowflake motifs for my windows and managed to keep them on despite the kid’s protests that they should come down in 12th night! I maintain they are winter not Xmas decorations and can stay up till Spring. This year I added to the stock and now have lots of pretty snowflakes on the doors leading out into the garden. Very appropriate for this type of weather!

This week we have of course had real snow so I thought I would add to my snow pictures with these taken on Tuesday. This was a much nicer day than Monday as it had stopped snowing by then and the sun was out and everything was looking very Xmas card scenery . Even had a little robin stop by the bird table but didn’t get the camera out quick enough to capture that.

The doors out to the garden with snowflake motifs

A close up of one of the snowflake motifs

Despite the fact that I do have lots and lots of snowflake patterns already in my files that I haven’t stitched I could not resist two more sets that I have just bought from the wonderful Seba Designs site – scroll halfway down the page to see not one but two sets of snowflakes. Snowflake heaven and all for a very bargainsome £7!

In between other stitching I have been working on a series of designs I first saw last year – the wonderful Helga Mandl’s Xmas trees – each tree spells out a word if you look at it on its side – the pic below shows my first attempts at the Noel (on white sparkly Aida) and Joy (on red and gold fleck Aida). These are very easy to do and will make fab ornaments for next year’s round of Xmas gifts backed with some of the fabric from my stash.

Pics taken with new camera which is working out very well so far – seems to be much better at close up pics and has a nice wide viewing screen at the back – always useful.

Well tomorrow will be day 4 of wearing wellies to go out here at snow central – more is forecast at some point – it is slowly melting on major roads but we are still in a little white world of our own!

Am off to the Stitch and Creative Crafts show in Manchester on Sunday with Ellie – little girlie day out for a couple of textile junkies so am really looking forward to that.

Unexpected pleasures

February 2, 2009September 9, 2010 stitchesoftimeLeave a comment

Have had a lovely quiet day today courtesy of the very heavy snow fall that started last night. The kids were off school because of it , what I was planning to do was cancelled and I have spent a large part of the afternoon stitching and watching the Tudors Series 2 .Can’t show you any stitching pics as the item is a surprise gift but it is blackwork appropriate for my TV viewing.

I love the series and wish I could go and see the costumes for real – if anyone ever hears of an exhibition please post and let me know.

Meanwhile here are some pics of our snow – it has not stopped yet and we now have about 6 inches – the first one was taken last night.

We had just come back from seeing Valkyrie at the cinema and having Pizza Hut and this pic is taken with my new camera (hurrah will try not to break this one!).

Here are some more that were taken from Jake’s attic bedroom this morning.

We have had a busy weekend sewing and cutting out new costumes for the coming season. Am now making a lovely stew for tea to stave off the cold. A very domesticated day!

Stitches of Time

I have created this blog to share my interest in all forms of stitching, quilting, sewing, knitting, medieval re-enactment and costume making – particularly my love of historical embroidery. I also love travelling,especially when it also involves any of my other interests.

Tag: blackwork