Blooming Lovely - Auckland Botanic Gardens

Things Here Lately

• I've started another wool felt applique project, mainly to see how felt and embroidery applique works on a fabric background rather than a felt background.  Very much inspired by the colours I used in my needle book and the fabric I found in my stash for the vase, this will be a cushion based on The Still Life pillow in Wendy Williams book,Wild Blooms and Colourful Creatures.

• Speaking of books, all three above have been read and thoroughly enjoyed. Nora Roberts' novel, Under Currents,, tackles the gritty subject of domestic abuse.   Daisy Jones and the Six,  is set in the late 70's about a rock band, written in an interview format with each band member answering questions the story is told.  Very much the sex, drugs and rock n roll era,  I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel.  The Strawberry Thief is the final book in the series that started with Chocolat.

• Even though it is winter in New Zealand, the hibiscus shrubs in my neighbourhood still flower.  This one caught my eye on a particularly foggy morning walk.

• I took myself into Newmarket this morning, this is an upmarket suburb of Auckland, so very interesting  for people watching, and it has beautiful shops to browse and dream in. I could have spent a lot of money on some beautiful dresses for summer.  Ostensibly I went in to purchase a little bit of fabric from Centrepoint Fabrics  in the last days of their closing down sale, of course I had to stop at a nice cafe for sustenance. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Finished - Needle Roll

Pockets for pens and glue pens

Pin cushion, needle book and two good sized zipper pockets

I am so pleased with how my finished needle roll has turned out.  I made a few changes to the pattern, more in design interpretation rather than anything to the measurements.  The backing fabric for the middle outside cover and binding is not linen but a scrap from this shirt.  I made a covered button to tie in with the inside lining and the fabric on the base of the vase. Mine has possibly ended up a bit puffier than the one in the pattern due to the wool blend batting I  used.

I am going to enjoy using this needle book, I love all the colours I've used and special fabrics and trims.

Finished measurements are approximately 16" x  8.5"
Pattern from Sue Spargo - published in Inspirations Magazine 94/2017

A Needle Roll in Progress

Image from Inspiration Studios

Two years ago I bought a beautiful Inspirations magazine, completely swayed by the gorgeous Sue Spargo project on it's cover.  When I visited my sister in Brisbane that year, we both bought felt and ribbons to make our own versions of the featured needle roll.  Fast forward to this year and I have finally made a start.

A grey wet day in my sewing room,  saw me pulling out felt, fabrics and ribbons, deciding what I was going to use for embellishing the needle roll, cutting out all the pieces and finally making a start.  I had forgotten how much I enjoyed wool felt applique and the subsequent embroidery it requires.

I am changing my cover design slightly, my eyes can't handle stitching 1cm hexies together, and using different fabrics and trims from the original to make it my own taste.  It's going to be bright though.

Hopefully I get a chance to work on this in the evenings and get it finished this week.

Catch a "Fall"ing Star

Currently I am having an enforced break form sewing, while my machine is getting serviced, so it is a good time to try and finish some of the hand stitching wips I have.

Way back in August 2018, I started a canvas work project that my sister had sent me the pattern for.
I enjoyed working on it, though I did find it a little hard to stitch at night.  For some reason I put it aside and it got lost in the mess that was my sewing room.  Fast forward to a week or two ago, when I finished sewing my, coat and gave the sewing room a much needed tidy up.  Lo and behold I found the bag with it all in.

It hasn't actually taken to long to finish, and I am quite pleased with how it looks.  The finished size is about 7.5" square, and it is rather hard to photograph the colours accurately.

Now I just need to take it to the picture framers and let them work some magic on it.