CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

I wish you all  a safe and meaningful Christmas

 and blessings for the coming year

 Rosie with her stocking and new doll on Christmas morning

A LITTLE STITCHING.......

I am sharing the first stages of a new project, this count thread mat is a companion piece to one I designed for the last Workshop I taught. ( that was way back in 2010) 

“ Threads of Monet”  named for the lovely hand dyed  linen with matching threads that were used had a reticilla design in the centre and  was suitable for a needlewoman with some stitching experience. Using the same basic design and changes to the centre design I want to create something a beginner could enjoy stitching.

Here is the original design  “ Threads of Monet” 

Here is the new start, I am calling this Monet's Flowers. and as we are at present in lockdown again, Fiona and I are stitching this as a SAL and we are both ready to move to the next step. The linen is Belfast 32 count Platinum  and the threads Perle 12 & 8.   no. 712. 

32 count linen is not my preferred linen but I need to see how the thread coverage goes on meanwhile I have started a second one on 40 count Permin Linen linen and just using some threads )Perle12) left over from other projects. The colours are very soft. and not showing up in the photo will try and get a close up next time.

 NZ went into lock down  as soon as the first community case of the covid Delta variant surfaced in the country, and in the days following the numbers increased but fortunately the outbreak has not been too drastic,  I feel for those in Auckland who are still in the strictest lockdown while the rest of the country moved today to level 3.   I don't mind Lockdown as it does not make life hard for me, my bubble is Jan and the cats, Jan pops in with my messages and a chat ... I rather like having someone else do my grocery shopping, and the cats like the fact that I am sitting stitching and so my lap is free to be a sleeping spot for them. Yes I do need to make sure I have everything I need at hand before I sit down.

Stitching has included some more small Sylvanian dresses, this set will be put away for Christmas, for a little girl who has three different size animals,    and I am working on some more for a different 

Sylvanian family, Miss Kitty had to come back for a visit and be a model for the middle size.

I was fortunate to have a trip out last week I had to travel to Hawera, about 20 min drive from here to get my second Covid vaccination jab, Jan drove me down so I was able to enjoy the countryside and the signs of spring, and a slightly longer trip home while she did some contactless deliveries of iPad to some of her school families so the children could do remote learning.  Here at home I have spring at my backdoor with this lovely pot of mini  daffodils in full bloom.

I hope the sun is shining in your part of the world and you are safe and in good health 

READY FOR AN OUTING

 

It's winter here so of course I needed to make some suitable clothes for Rosie. I bought some pieces of wool fabric from Plume art + stitch, its always hard to decide exactly what a colour is when looking at it on line, I love when I am ordering from the Felt Factory all her shades of felt have been matched to the closes DMC shade, so I bought two pieces of the wool fabric planning to use the one I like best.

 I am pleased with how the cape turned out, it is lined with a piece of Liberty print and there was enough  left over to make the hat. Fiona knitted the scarf ( more on this later) and boots and bag completed the outfit  and she was ready for an outing.

I plan to make a coat sometime , so with the other piece of fabric I made a jacket . This gave me the chance  to see how the pattern I drafted fitted and what I needed to adapt when making something small. Rosie is 11 1/2 inches tall and the rest of the fabric was used for a pinafore. the pinafore photo is more true to colour.

Fiona got busy with her knitting needles... I have to admit I cant knit, I have tried and I am hopeless

Two hat and scarf set have been added to Rosie's wardrobe . Thank you Fiona.

And material is here for a coat to be made when I have time, Thanks to Mary

A new embroidery project started no photos as the computer refuses to upload them its nice to be stitch count thread work again and I plan to post work in progress, that will have to be in my next post, which I will try and not leave it so long before I do. Oh where do the days go !

NEW MONTH - SHARING A NEW PROJECT

I introduced Rosie a couple of post ago since then I have been busy stitching  for her.

 I started with some shopping, a dress e-pattern from "Crafty Line' and some boots and stockings from Aliexpress. 

The first dress was made from some fabric that would not have been a problem if the dress was disappointing and had to be tossed in the rubbish, however it was a perfect fit and I added both an under skirt  and a over skirt on a short bodice, I'm stitching by hand, the sewing machine has long gone and not missed, we had a hate relationship and I am happiest hand stitching. stitching the little dress was quite relaxing and a change from the tiny dresses for the Sylvanian animals.

There will be more tiny dresses made for Christmas gifts meanwhile I have been stitching for Rosie.

Since the post when I introduced her  these have been the additions to her wardrobe.........

I adapted the pattern to make a .high waisted dress and added fullness  the skirt and petticoat, new shoes and stockings. and I loved the look. and I learn as I go along a tip from Maree to cut the sleeves on the cross of the fabric  gave me a much better fitting sleeve.

Having perfected the pattern I just had to make another dress, the green one below is the same pattern to which I added an embroidered apron.

I can also see a collection of footwear in the future and I like the idea of embroidered clothing, maybe I can  do a smocked dress I remember doing one for a competition when I was about 15 that's long long ago, and  I still have the smocked dresses my mother made for my doll.,.  

 It is winter here so with that in mind I have ordered some wool fabric with a coat in mind, think that will be my next project.

MY ALICE IN WONDERLAND COLLECTION

In answer to an email request here is the full Alice in Wonderland collection.

No I did not use a commercial pattern, I read and studied the book, search to see what other people had done on google and Pinterest and then created my own, sometimes doing a sketch first but often creating from what was in my minds eye. They are all about 10-12cm tall. Alice took the longest  dressing her was easy but I had trouble getting the look I wanted for her hair, embroidery threads or wool did not look right then Maree made the suggestion of using  a hair extension. from the $ shop. Not easy to use but it worked great.

Yes I have started on the research for  my next collection the Wizard of Oz 

 

A FAIRY AND PETER RABBIT

 

 

I finished my last posting saying I was about to make a tiny fairy for a little girl to carry around

Here is the  tiny  Fairy that flew down to Wellington, well actually she went by plane. Barryn had flown up to spend the Weekend with me and I packed up the fairy in a box and sent it home with him for Eve. I am not sure what was the biggest delight getting her own fairy or having a surprise arrive in a tiny box as I understand she has since asked  if daddy was going to see granny and bring back another box!

I have not achieved much in the past month , its been one of those upside down months. I did finish these Peter Rabbit Finger Puppets. Ronan turned two on June 6th and a Peter Rabbit theme party was planned with his cousins Finn and Eve from Wellington who were here staying with granny that weekend..

and I have made the decorations for the top of the cake. Peter Rabbit of course

I have several dresses for Rebecca rabbit to photograph and post on the other side of the mountain, and am now stitching for a new project........ meet Rosie. she is a blythe doll 

Its rather fun to be stitching  for a doll once again,  when the grand daughters now in their 20's were young I made lots of outfits for their Bratz dolls, and years before that Cindy clothes for my daughter and of course I had my own doll to using for fitting the clothes, This is the first time I have had a jointed doll making posing for photos a lot more interesting. The outfits are all stitched by hand   I find hand stitching very relaxing and don't miss my sewing machine.  Looking to the future by the time Rosie goes to be with Eve she should have a large wardrobe, but that's a few years down the track as Eve is only two and a half.

 yes I have still found time to do some embroidery and will share my latest project  a birthday gift when it arrives at its destination..

Hope everyone one is keeping well and safe in their part of the world, and not still confined with many restrictions.

 

ALICE IN WONDERLAND TREE

 I have borrowed Jan's stick tree to display the Alice in Wonderland collection, as I want to take it to Regional day on Saturday. It does not look as good in the photo as it does in  the real thing.

and getting them all to hang as I wanted was tricky, here is Maree making adjustments, paper clips helped.

The newest ones finished are Alice and the Cheshire cat.

looking at the tree I could add one more, before it is displayed next, probably doing Book Week at Jan's school. 

What next, I really enjoyed making the set and although I have some ideas for other books, I think I will look towards making another set and the Wizard of Oz has plenty of scope for ideas. so wait and see. meanwhile its Peter Rabbit Finger puppets for the goodies bags for Ronan's second birthday. Caitlin and I have lots of ideas for the birthday cake too.

............... and there is a little girl who loves fairies, so this Granny plans to make her  one to carry around.

CATCHING UP AGAIN.

 Rebecca Cottontail wearing her new dress, this past month I have had a delightful time creating more small dresses, I will put the collection on my other blog soon.

After a week of heavy rain, the sun came out for Good Friday and was very welcome for the 100 folk who did the walk between the churches for the Way of the Cross Easter Walk. and some lovely autumn weather followed, while i have mostly been stitching small dresses  which are lots of fun, i added this little bunny to the Etui for Eve.

 

Kept stitching the guild Wessex stitchery project, trying to keep one month ahead  along with having the notes ready for each guild meeting. it is interesting seeing the different colour selections.

And to prove I do manage some serious stitching as well here is the piece that was finished earlier in the year and sent to Vickie as a rather belated blog anniversary thank you gift .I managed to get it into a large envelope and avoided parcel post. Sadly the cost of postage as increased dramatically  making sharing and sending small embroidered gifts  beyond my budget. That makes me sad as I look back over the years and can recall the fun of sharing stitching with other embroiderers.

A gentle reminder from a friend that I was neglecting my blog prompted me to rescue this posting which has been sitting partly written. Will try to do better next month. Meanwhile my blogging friends stay safe and have some good stitching time.

ONE MORE

        

I ended last  month s stitching with one more for my Alice in Wonderland Collection. Sue knew I was looking for a tiny pocket watch and she called in to show me what she had, this one is just perfect thank you Sue. Alice and the Cheshire cat sill to come but need to wait for the right inspiration and materials.

I am currently stitching a piece for the regional Exhibition later in the year, also Wessex stitchery as a guild project and a Faby Reilly piece with Fiona each Wednesday morning. Along with that I have started Christmas stitching, first up with some tiny dresses for the folk in Eve's dolls house. I have brought to life my other blog ...other side of the mountain  ..see here to record the petite dress making project. Short posting this time as Rebecca Rabbit is waiting for the fitting for her latest dress.

TEA FOR TWO

I had seen advertised on line a " High Tea necklace" made with tiny enameled teacups. and to my delight I found a much cheaper version, my order took 5 weeks to get here  but proved to be well worth the wait. Table and food borrowed from the doll's house so the mad hatter could invite the March Hare to tea.

 Next month after my visitors come and go I think I will put the Christmas tree up in the unit as I do want to see what they all look like hanging on the tree, and by then I will have added to the collection.

THE DUCHESS

 I was given some lovely yarn, very fine alpaca and silk blend, beautiful to handle it is so very soft. Tried it out as a wig on a peg doll and was pleased with the result,  and that led to my completing the doll, decided to make the Duchess to add to the Alice in Wonderland collection. I wanted her to be a little matronly to be different from the Queen of Hearts. And for a while there was a problem of her baby who turned into a pig until I found a pig button in my button tin and it worked perfectly. 

I have been asked how big are these decorations, so to give you some idea I dook this photo with a marker pen, the pen is 5 1/2 inches or 14cm 

I must leave Alice in Wonderland for a while, yes there are more characters I want to add but need to wait till after my next felt order. For this month February I have quite a different book in mind,

My daughter Jan has quite a big collection of children's books, including those from my childhood  her fathers and then her own and I noticed a few of her brothers there too along with what she has added for her daughters when they were younger. I am enjoying re reading children's books again as I research details for my decorations.

What did you enjoy reading when you were a child?

Keep safe  and have a good month 

ONE MORE

 One more for my Alice in Wonderland collection.

The Mad Hatter's tea party ends with as Alice left,   she looked back to see they (the Mad Hatter and March Hare) were trying to put the Dormouse into the teapot, and no doubt that would have been head first! But I decided to let my Dormouse sit up in the teapot instead. I will add to the Alice in Wonderland collection later when I have ordered more felt.

Meanwhile I have decided on a different book for next month, and am currently researching the dress for the characters. more about this next time when I hope to have photos to share.

Guild has started for the year and our first project  we will be stitching a needle folder, with Wessex stitchery on it. This one was made for me by my friend Lyn and she has given the guild permission to copy her design.  About ten years ago on my blog  I shared some of the lovely Wessex pieces Lyn had stitched, she was in the very first workshop that I taught on Wessex stitchery away back in the early1990's and over the years since she has stitched many pieces, and in turn has taught many people this work.

To all my blogging friends may you stay safe and keep well.