No special machine needed

Here is a quick banner, same method.
All straight stitching. Nothing special needed in the stitching.
After lots of emails about no fancy machine, wanted to show that it works just fine with an old machine. I have one too!
Layered fabrics same way and this time added the 25th as a companion to the Noel banner.

Third video, noel banner

Here I have the finished panels, they only need to be tied together now.
I will add another video with close ups of each panel, maybe a bit easier to see details.

Sneak peak

To show you what you are going to accomplish.
More video coming.
Hope you watch the end of the tutorials.

More video coming tomorrow,

Let you catch up.

Meantime, I am embroidering another cottage, different colors this time.

Part two of Noel banner

I hope you enjoy the videos and no laughing!
Let me know if you are making my Noel for the holidays.

Noel part One

Noel banner, tute.

I made a video of my Noel banner for a gift for the holidays.
Will load it in the next few days.
Don't laugh either!

Here are the items you need to get started.
Iron on paper backed web.
Fabric squares about 6" in size. As many as letters you use. I made 4, one each n, o, e, l.
Scraps of lace and gauze, tea dyed.
4 yards of 2 different colors of ribbon or seam binding, 8 yards total.
Gold thread for machine top. Cream for the bobbin.
Gold ribbon yarn for couching.
Small piece of green silky fabric for the letters.

Thinking of holidays

a cone to fill with trinkets and candy.
Also some fabric tags to attach to packages.

P is for Paris

Made a tag folder to hold 4 tags.
Could hold business cards or Xmas gift tags I think.
Easy Peasy.

Couple pages from a wedding memory book

Book pages from an album .
It is contained in it's own box.

French grain sack art

Made the cushion from linen/ cotton grain sack from Provence.
Sort of a neat rustic look good for a barn?
Just coffee dyed the lace and stenciled the word.
Cute page too from a child's French book.

I stay in Montparnasse right by the Metro and shops and markets.
Use the Meridien Hotel.
I am by no means an authority on Paris.
Been going there since the 50s and still get lost.

Just doll stuff

Bit of creating and doing more embroidery which is not ready to show.
I will be in Paris next April, staying in Montparnasse as usual, come see me , keep in touch.

If you know me I love dolls, making them in different ways, some flat, some dimensional. Some to hang on a wall and some to sit on the sofa.
This doll I did in a technique I call dimensional applique.
Painted and stitched the doll , added some beads and mounted her onto a shabby chic type bag I made just for her.
She is very French and country.

Not now this was an old trip below.

Not trying to imply I am going, this is info. from and older trip, below.

Two days in Paris

http://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/international/4079302/Paris-in-a-flash
This is an idea for a short trip to the city of lights.
I did all this and more in a day.
Lots of walking but good exercise.

Made more plump book kits

Until I run out of ephemera.
Then I will have to travel to Paris again to collect more. Poor me!

Le Moulin Rouge

When last in Paris I did go to the nightclub.
Really fabulous show!
The pouch and sachet shown rest on the Souvenir catalog.
Find these and other sachets in my shop.

Winners x three

Chrissie in OZ
Marlene
Lynne aka Popsy
Please email me addresses, good job everyone.

Speaking of Lavender

Here is a little project, very simple.
Very old method for making little lavender sachets.
I like this because you do not have to fuss with making the top edge look good and you can use very fine fabrics to make them dainty.
Another take on the heart motif.
Cut double, the back and front of the shape with the fabric fold at the top.
Decorate the front however you like. I stamped one and did a scrap motif for the other.
I often embroider a simple motif too.
Sew around the 4 layers, leave folded top so you can stuff the sachet.
Whip stitch the folds closed.
Now to make the heart cleavage, stitch about 1 " down from the center fold and loop thread over and pull tightly to create a gather.
Secure it couple times and then make a string or ribbon loop to hang the bag, tie a bow and add any other decoration you like.
Keep it simple.
We used to hang these over a coat hanger, back in the dark ages!

Lavender and tin

My method to keep Lavender fresh and fragrant.
In a good tin, with old bottles of refreshing oil, a scoop and some wadding that gathers fragrance and will be used in the next sachet.

The Tin ceiling tile is a pocket to hold flowers, and also a little sachet of fragrance.
This was in a magazine, forget which! Stampington though!

Revealed, see below.

I did finish my caddy and am now about to fill the pockets and put pins and needles in the keeper.
Had to take picture in two halves so each end shows.
I hand bound the edges and hope they provide enough sturdiness from wear.
Colors much prettier than pics.

Give away for this month

Actually three.
Two are small Industrial Paris lavender sachets and another is the Moulin bag made from Rounneries fabric that I recently found.
Lavender is from Provence. Excuse to return to get more?
Again will pull the winners from my battered old cap. Found a use for it!
Winners will be announced on Friday.

Brunch on the lanai

Late brunch after a lazy Sunday.
I keep some handwork on my Lanai at all times.

Tomorrow the monthly give-away will be posted.

Please pray for my Homeland

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10671049
The gracious city of Christchurch has been hit by an awful earthquake.
My heart is full of sadness for them all in my homeland.

What is it?

Finishing this CQ project.
Anyone guess what I am making?
Nimble fingers at it again, can't seem to leave the embroidery alone!

Watch for my monthly give away. Next few days.
Pithy and to the point that's me!

Plump little book again

I had so much interest in the class and plump little book in a previous post so put 2 together as kits.
My students loved the format too so I made exact replicas and am providing ephemera like I used.
Lots of fun to do and of course someone else gets to do the art work. I nestled the book amongst some of the stuff included in the package.
See my shop.