Thread painting and reverse appliqué

Thread painting

A couple of weeks ago I went to a brilliant class on thread painting lead by Linda Turner. The class was so inspiring. Linda is such a good teacher! This is what I started in the class, following a pattern designed by Linda. I used waxed crayons to shade the sky and added a few migrating birds in the background.

I bound it like a regular quilt and added triangles of fabric on the back so I could tuck some doweling underneath to hang up. The back....

Reverse Appliqué 

I was inspired by a friend of mine, Lyndsey, to sew some reverse appliqué. Lynsey had done some lovely Halloween inspired place mats usin this method. I layered 8 fabrics, sewed a design through all the layers and cut away some of the fabric to show the layers beneath. I used machine thread painting to decorate the butterfly and dragonfly (I am addicted after Linda's class!) and finished off the flowers with hand sewn French knots.

 I completed the back with the same method described above. The back...

I really enjoyed making these pieces. Now I am working on a boutis / traptuno pin cushion amoung other things. I am also waiting for a couple of hand knitted hats (from hans spun yarn) to dry, they may be my next post. 

Ta ta for now.

Handwoven log cabin scarf

I have been working on this for a while and finally got around to finishing a couple of weeks ago. This scarf was made on a four shaft weaving loom using 4-ply aqua blue, grey and white yarn (from texereyarns). Jenny from Worstead weavers, spinners and dyers introduced me to the pattern, it is called log cabin. I really enjoyed weaving it. Although if I had a proper craft room it would have been so much easier to leave the loom set up. I am now planning what to weave on it next. Although, I also fancy doing some bobbin lace.

This is the scarf on the loom....

Finally finished....

Close up of the twisted tassels, all done by hand.....

A close up of the weave.....

Yesterday, I went on a course lead by Linda Turner called "painting with threads", it was absolutely amazing! I am now working on a painted thread wall hanging. It's not finished yet, but I will post the result when I have finished. Linda is so artistic and produces the most fantastic work. I strive to produce something like the quality of one of her more simpler pieces of work perhaps one day. I live in hope! Click here to check out some of Linda's fabulous work.