embroiderbobs activity

i am succumbing to fabric and stitch in a big way at the moment and have set up an embroiderbobs-specific table at right angles to the sewing table. I knew all those catering containers Sally gave me from Pret where she earns her bread and butter would come in handy!

 The woefully, rarely used drawing board (which is actually part of an ancient mangle, rescued from old Nora's [r.i.p] shed years ago) is now a kind of ironing and painting board with a bit of Daisy's [r.i.p] dog blanket stapled on for cushioning. i swear there's instant poetic/feminine/memory stuff imbued with anything stitchy. I hate to be gender-exclusive - but it's a thought?

 Anyway, here's the panel i was working on when i was last trying to make fabric art (about 2 years ago):

I'd made three panels, all with themes (see Embroiderbobs page) but this one was theme-less, i think because i wanted to use it to practice new techniques. However, interest dwindled by the Spring (was re-channeled into building the greenhouse).
 So i've picked up again initially making my mother's cushion, and, while i was waiting for the attic to recover a working-temperature (it was only 8 degrees up here for three weeks!), i've finally taught myself how to sew the Bullion Knot!

 a Straw or Milliner's needle is advised but i couldn't get hold of either, locally, so used a basic Crewel needle. Also used small pliers here and there to pull the needle through to make the Bullion as the fabric is organza on velvet on quilting fuzz - quite heavy going. Now that i can do these, i can't stop and i find them so enjoyable that it feels like a skive. Any art that can be made in front of the telly, cosy and calm gets my vote.

 The infestation of knots is growing but it's a very slow job, this being at least 7 evening's work.

Madeira thread is excellent and they have a large range of metallics including hologramic ones which i haven't tried yet. Being of very good quality, they work well in machines too. But at £2.50-£3.00 a reel, they are quite pricey.

I found a great shop on Ebay this week called carter_crafts and bought 5 huge reels of rayon metallic thread for £6.50. I think they are from India. I haven't tried them in the sewing machine yet but they're lovely for hand sewing - very bright and 2000m a reel, they say!

 Good old Anchor make lovely metallic embroidery silks which are easy for threading several strands into a needle at once and are not made of silk which i won't buy new because i love moths. Also Gutermann have a range of very sparkly threads called Glitter Thread - hopeless in my sewing machine but do-able and well worthwhile by hand in short lengths.

My next move is to try and incorporate actual metal shim. This is what i love about fabric art - it's a medium where i can make sparkly,glittery, metallic aspects work, something i've tried and failed to do in paintings.

bear bulletin!

 This month we have had two Farewell parties down in the bears' room!

 On February 8th, this gorgeous curly bear received his mobilization orders.

Boris joined the party, inevitably.

 

 He is the first of the August 5 to leave the den and we were all sad to see him go. He is now living happily in Independence, Missouri in America.

  Then this week, one of the little 10 inch gang from last June was summoned to Lawrenceville, Georgia!

The larger bears were all fast asleep - still grumbling about being disturbed in December - so it was a low-key farewell. The little ginger bear is probably in the air as i blog. Plenty of ventilation holes but i hope it's not too cold in the hold.
 My geography is beyond hopeless, but as i see it, the Bovis Bear colony in the States now stretches from Washington top left to Georgia bottom right with many bears settled in Massachusetts top right (er.. the East coast!)