Shishas, Scrolls and Portugese Stems

I really enjoyed scroll stitch and portugese stem. Once you get the hang of them you could go for miles! They make lovely textured lines and I could see them being used in a thicker thread for some realy punchy height. Top picture - on handprinted calico.

The shisha stitch is one I have wanted to learn for ages. So I was delighted when Sharon B (InAMinuteAgo) made it the TAST stitch of the week. My first feeble effort is shown above. I will have another go and hopefully have more success. It is on a base of free machine embroidery over threads, sari yarn and fabric snips (which were originally on soluble fabric).

I'm looking forward to next week already!

Catching up with life...Starry Doodle Cloth

Where is the time going? Have I said that before?!

The new job is going fine - but I am struggling to keep up with my creative hobbies.

So I am multiplying stitches for TAST. I like the idea of a doodle-cloth and have done a starry one to learn single stitches. I may add to it, if I think other stitches will work in a star shape.

So this one has basque stitch, wheatsheaf stitch, lazy daisy, half chevron and some cross stitch variations...

I just love orange and turquoise together!

Rocky Inspirations - the whole piece

This is the full piece. I was thinking of rocky textures, of lichen, moss and rock surfaces. Hopefully, this piece has that feel.

I couldn't have done this without learning the TAST stitches - most are new to me each week and I am enjoying the ride. For this I used a variety of TAST stitches so far: french knots, bullion knots, arrowhead, long and short stitch, cast on stitch, buttonhole wheels, wheat sheaf stitch and a few others...the details are in the pictures in previous entries.

I have just got Beaney and Littlejohn's Trees as a Theme book - so bark and tree inspirations next, I think! I've got this amazing photo of the inside of a tree fern...

Inspired by rocky textures

Catching up on TAST stitches - inspired by lichens and rocky textures. This is a combination of buttonhole wheels, with french knots, bullion knots, cast on stitches and some wheatear stitches. The background fabric is machine stitched cotton, with melted painted Tyvek and throwers silk waste for texture. This is the last corner of my larger piece, which I will post soon.

Rusty Heaven!!

This is the wreck of the Minmi - off the coast of Sydney. James and I found it a few months ago - but I didn't have my camera. Today we went back. Pure heaven!! A very patient James humoured me while I filled my sim card! Below is just a taste of the beautiful colours and textures that I plan to use for inspiration in up coming work.

The rocks around the wreck are also fascinating - lots of erosion into layers and holes, with lichen highlights. I'll post some pictures sometime.

Catching Up!

It's been a busy few weeks - catching up from the UK visit and starting a new job. Now that the dust has settled I am catching up with some TAST samples!
The first one is a "double-whammy" - with satin stitch and french knots on hand printed calico.

This one is french knots and long and short stitch on melted and painted tyvek, mounted on machine stitched cotton, with silk throwers waste. This is part of a larger piece I am working on that is based on textured surfaces - rust and rocks that I have been enjoying recently.

Butterfly stitch on hand printed calico.


Lastly wheatear stitch to couch down silk throwers waste on a background of gold sheer, painted, melted tyvek and machine stitched cotton.

Back home again!

Where is the time going?

I've just got back from what felt like a fleeting trip home to England to catch up with family and friends. We were lucky to time our visit to fit in with a range of family events: my cousin Russell's wedding to Nadia, my nephew Henry's 18th birthday, my friend Kate's birthday and Father's Day! I feel like my feet have not touched the ground for a while now.

It sometimes feels strange to have more than one place I call home. I had a confusing conversation while I was away about where I was that prompted this chain of thought. Mum still lives in the house I grew up in - that will always be home. England (generically) - as I grew up there is home. Also now I have my home in Sydney, where I have my day to day life and live with James. How lucky I am to have this range of safe places, when many are not so fortunate.

I just love England in June. Somehow the roadsides covered in cow parsley is what sums up England in June for me - so I thought I'd include a couple of pictures. I love the airiness, delicacy and symmetry of their flowers and seed pods. These shapes will definitely become part of a piece of artwork at some point in the future.

Lots of TAST catching up to do...I've been doing a little bit of stitching so will post what I've been doing soon.