Black & White Fabric Book Progress...

...or lack of it

visitors, visiting and Baby Girl's sore gums haven't left much time this week for my fabric book.

I've done more stitching on the applique page (no photo yet) but I'm not happy with it. I used some black gingham circles, and although I'm happy with the stitching - zig-zag, stab, backstitch and blanket stitch - the fabric is annoying me....

I've also agonised over the crazy quilt page. Yes, still!

Anyway. A new To Do list:-

*Prepare inserts for the stacked pocket page. I've decided to keep the pockets plain and simple and just in white. But I'm going to prepare heavily embellised inserts in black that can be pulled from the pockets. However the pockets are currently too transparent. I may have to unstitch them and iron on more vilene!
*Crazy quilt page will be a double page with foldouts on each side. It will be made with white fabric and black and white threads and beads. It will be a showcase of seam treatments. However there won't be any patterned fabric to inspire the stitching so I'm sure not if it can be called crazy quilting... I think there will be 9 seams - 2 of them will need to fold inwards.
Does any of that make sense?

*Complete the applique page and line page and hand page so that I can stitch the two sides together (sandwiching some wadding) and have 4 completed pages!!!!

Take a Stitch Tuesday Prep

I've started thinking about the Take a Stitch Tuesday challenge which starts on 2nd January. I've decided to use a 6"x4" postcard size and I've looked out some fabric to prepare. I'm including handmade felt and dyed fabric from previous projects. I think the emphasis should be on the actual stitch but it would be interesting to see what can be achieved on different backgrounds. I especially like stitching on thick handmade felt. I also looked out my stash of threads. All neatly colour coded!

I had planned to use eyelets to thread my samples together to make a book but knowing me I'll probably get hung up on how to thread the book together!

And I don't have an eyelet tool!

So I've decided to use a book I already have. It has 17 pages (7.5"x6.25") and I can add more pages relatively easily.

I'm not going to get to ahead of myself though as no doubt I'll be inspired by the way the other participants approach this challenge. So, I reserve the right to change my mind!

christmas debris 2006

Elixir

Santa brought 2 books (well... I ordered from Amazon, but where is the magic in that?)

* Creative Recycling in Embroidery by Val Holmes
* Mixed Media Explorations by Beryl Taylor

I'll try and give a full review at some point, I've only managed a glance through them. They look quite interesting. I wasn't sure if I should buy more books. I'm not looking for yet another new technique or even more eye candy. I'm looking for inspiration. Something that will spark an idea and get me going. Something that will inspire me so much I'll actually finish a piece. Does such a thing exist?

Oh my god its Christmas Eve

must go to bed.....

Stitch ATCs

I would like to fill the 3 layered pockets page with ATCs of stitch diagrams. This is a mock up of an idea using black handmade felt

Photo transfer fabric

photo transfer fabric, originally uploaded by fionacupcake.

These are the fabrics from my photo tranfer experiement. I used the Tyvek photo manipulations. Not entirely happy with them. I didn't prewash the fabric before ironing so the transfer didn't 'take' completely. Its also quite plastic too. I think all transfer papers will give this effect... not just the cheapo ones from Tesco!