Hare 3 Completed

Wiggly, wiggly whiskers!

Well he's done! Here he is having all the soap rinsed out in the kitchen sink. I always think this part of the process is quite magical. It's when you can see all those wisps of fluff have become a piece of fabric, strong enough to be swished in the sink and squeezed out. What a transformation!

He's now residing in the gallery as his predecessor sold within 5 days.

Fingers crossed he hops off soon.

Till next time.

love Fi x

Painting on/with fabric

 Hello! I'm playing catchup today.  

I was hoping to have more of this piece done before I posted about it, but I need to, and have been felting as I have orders to complete so I think this will have to be put on the back boiler until...who knows when.

 I was fancying a change and decided I wanted to do a collage. To be more specific I wanted to do a portrait in fabric collage. I sketched a face in pencil on fabric and started cutting out bits of fabric but I couldn't do it. It didn't work, I wasn't at all sure what I was doing or how to go about it really so... I gave up! Tut tut!

 Instead I got out some paper and drew another face in coloured pencils. I used to do a lot of portraits when I was a teenager but only in pencil never in colour. Colour was too scary! In fact I still find colour a bit scary. I do struggle a bit with it. Anyway I'm getting off the subject.

 Now being the kind of girl I am, I don't like to be beaten so I went back to my pencil sketch on fabric and added some colour (after all I couldn't do it any harm could I?) but something exciting happened. I really liked it, I actually enjoyed it but what to do next? I still hadn't done what I set out to do so...

 I added a scrap of fabric here... and another piece there and then stuffed it under the sewing machine and whizzed about a bit. I actually whizzed about at bit too much because I managed to stitch the foot of my machine under a piece of fabric! That took a bit of jiggling and snipping to cut it free I can tell you, lol.

love Fi x

Hare in felt.

Okay so it's not quite what I promised you on my last post but...

 Today has been a beautiful day here in Wensleydale. Blue sky, sunshine, fluffy clouds, aaaah, all is good.

 It is freezing though, literally. I been forbidden from leaving the house until the ice melts as I'm one of those people who can slip at the drop of a hat. Yup! There may only be a 2 inch square of ice on the ground but I'll find it! Today we have considerably more than a 2 inch square. It makes me wonder how those poor people down South will fare if all that flood water starts to freeze! My heart goes out to them.

 Anyway as I was saying, it's a beautiful day here in the Dales today and a little bit of sunshine gave me enough daylight to photograph my latest, or should I say my first piece of felt this year. So I thought I'd share it with you before it goes down to the gallery.

 Here he is! You won't believe how hard it was for me to start this piece of felt. 

 I really struggled with the 'blank piece of paper syndrome' or felt, in my case! It's silly really but I think I was frightened of failure. I was frightened that I couldn't do 'it' anymore, lol. I feel embarrassed telling you actually, teehee.

 Once I've got a good dollop of fibres laid out I'm okay. Once I've got that feeling, that essence of hare, I'm good, I can go with it, enjoying the ride.

 When I used to draw pencil portraits (many moons ago) I knew if I had the eyes right, the rest would be fine.

My mum always said I liked a challenge! lol!

(just noticed a very clear refection of my hands holding the camera right in the middle of my hare, tut tut.)

Till next time when we shall endeavour to reconnect with my previous post.

Love Fi x

Oh NO! I've just heard on the radio that we're in for a large dollop of snow here in the hills tomorrow 
:(

A Bobbett of Bunnies.

Sorry I have no idea what a 'Bobbett' is, I just liked the sound of it. 

Here they are... my little colourful cuties. 

 Maybe I should have them kicking up a leg as they remind me of a line of Tiller Girls, lol.

Exquisite hand embroidery, saved for future generations in the form of a huggable rabbit. All the bits with tea stains, rust marks and holes are cut away and saved for... well I'm not sure yet but even though they are damaged, they are still far too precious to throw away.

 I think this is the first time I've managed to make a set of triplets although one of them has already hopped out of my Etsy shop and is on her way to the States. The colours on these three bunnies make me think of Spring and Easter-time. 

Easter Bunnies! Yay! 

 Here are the twinnies. You can't really see from this angle but they both have a beautiful big pink flower on their sides.

Yes a 'bobbett of bunnies' just seems right somehow.

Hmm...maybe next time we'll take a look at a bit of sketching that so far has not been exactly what I was aiming for, but it has turned into a bit of a happy accident...well so far anyway!

Till next time

love Fi x

Bunny Building for the Future.

 I'm not one for New Years resolutions as such, after all no one ever keeps them do they? But I started the year with the desire to make a change. 

No more PROCRASTINATION!

How much time have I wasted in the past putting things off that really when it came down to it weren't all that difficult to do. How many times have I not known what to make, so I've made nothing! Sound familiar? Well I will do my best to change that this year. 

So far I have done a really big thing. Something that I usually put off and put off and put off, sometimes for months!

I made an appointment for a check up at the dentist!

Don't laugh! It's not THAT funny.

No, on a more serious note, I've already applied for...well I won't say how many...but more than a couple of craft/art fairs. I don't mean a little table in the local school hall kind of craft fair. I mean Yarndale-size 3-day event craft fairs! 

Well it seemed like a good idea at the time... my little fingers quite willingly tippety tapped on my keyboard filling in the application forms. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to pay for them yet though as they all want paying up front in the next few weeks even though the events may not be until the end of the year.

And of course there is the big question of what shall I make for them?

Actually you could maybe help me with that. What do you like to see at craft fairs? What draws you over to a stand for a closer look? 

Anyhow, with my new anti-procrastination rule and the need to earn some money to pay for the craft fairs I've knuckled down to bunny making! Ok they're not new but I thought it best to just get on and make SOMETHING rather than do the P word. So until inspiration strikes I'll be bunnying!

Creativity creates creativity...

hopefully!

I'll keep you posted ;)

love Fi x

PS.  Zelna Olivier - I tried to contact you but you didn't leave me your email. The lining goes in the crochet hexy bag last!

Wedding Garter

Did you guess what I was making?

It's been a long time since I made my first. I had to have a bit of practice with my bullion roses.

Now for the difficult bit...

 Embroidering bullions through gathered and elasticated silk...

 A little on the tricksy side...

 But I think it worked out....

 Beautifully!

 Let's hope the bride thinks so!
Fingers crossed!

Till next time
love Fi x

Toasty Toes!

Well they've started!...

2014's 'makes' Hoorah!

Yes the creativity is slowly starting to flow. I know its actually mid January and by now I should be zooming along but I was quite poorly over the new year so it's only now I feel I'm starting to rev up.

My first make of the year is this pair of thick slipper socks for me! Yes dear reader I am of the age now where I feel the cold, especially around the ankles! Why just the ankles I have no idea, it seems very strange to me but there you have it. I knitted these from the pattern Nola's Knitted Slippers which you can find on Ravelry. The pattern is on the Seamen's Church Institute site along with other patterns suitable for seamen, hats, scarves, socks etc. I have changed the pattern as I found that even though the socks are meant for a man they were too small for me even though I'm only a size 6! I must have been doing something wrong but I don't know what. I also changed the top of the sock from garter stitch to stocking stitch as I thought it looked neater.

  My first commission of the year and a very gentle one to start with. A pair of tiny booties.

 They really are teeny-tiny.

 I couldn't resist making a little gift box for them.

 All tied up with ribbon. Aaaaaah it makes your heart feel good.

 Next I ventured up into my attic workroom. This room also doubles up as a guest room and my son's room when he's home from university. I've not been in here since before Christmas! Oh how I miss my quiet little workroom when it's full of a big lolloping uni student, wired up to computers and consoles! lol. But it's all quiet and peaceful now. It's all MINE again.

Oh I've missed my fabric stash. I love opening the doors of this wardrobe and scanning up and down the fabrics. Today I'm looking for a quantity of silk dupion!

 My choice of threads and ribbons to go with the silk, all ready for my next commission. 

What is going to be?

Well you'll have to wait until next time dear reader.

love Fi x