Tast weeks 46 & 47

I am rather behind with week 46 only stitched it yesterday whilst doing week 47

Magic chain stitch,  I stitched with 2 shades of green  unfortunately they were variegated and in places looks as though I have used only one thread,  lesson learnt. In one area I have not alternated every stitch but every other stitch and have also done a small section in twisted chain.The fabric is a piece I have dyed with silk paints

                                             Magic chain stitch

week 47 is portuguese border stitch, I have worked this with a thick perle cotton from the Oliver Twist range, used three different ones, the bars were done with a finer thread.I enjoyed this stitch and can see me using it again and hopefully doing something creative.

                                       Portuguese border stitch.

Tomorrow I am off to Harrogate for the Knitting and Stithing show,  this show is held at Ali Pali London, Dublin and Harrogate.  A great day out well two days or maybe even 3 days, will be going back saturday and maybe sunday. There are at least 4 halls, three with the traders, one which is full of professional embroiderers etc displaying their work and lots of exhibitions, must remember to charge the camera before I go as there will be photography allowed on some of the stands.Downstairs there are workshops and more exhibitions, guilds etc and there is also a competition of upgraded recycled things, will be looking out for a pair of shoes that someone I know has entered, have her permission to post a pic here when I do my next blog.
What am I going to buy I wonder,  I need some acid dyes, more Oliver Twist threads and of course the book stalls will draw me in like a magnet. Patchwork stands will be an attraction too, some plain fat quarters in dark colours, black, brown, red,grey  sounds dismay but I know what I want them for,  maybe also a couple of Christmas fat quarters, should check what I have before I go,  so happy days ahead, will let you know all about it later.    With working at the shows about 15 years prior to retirement 6 years ago there will also be catching up on all the gossip to do. Unfortunately one or two traders will be missing as there is a very big show in Paris at the same time, never mind more than enough for me to feast my eyes on.

the tast stitch for this week is needlewoven picot stitch,  I have used this a few times so thought I would post a couple of photos from the past in case I do not get around to a new sample.

these lilttle bags are worked using the casalguidi technique which I enjoy, you work a block of 4 sided stitch first and them use various stitches, woven picots, bullions, cast on stitch,couching,buttonhole bars and padded raised stem bar to name a few.



Yesterday I stitched a little butterfly for Helen, just to let her know she is in my thoughts whilst she is feeling so poorly, will pop round to her house today, a couple of buses away and leave it as she is at uni for the day, will not be surprised if she has been sent home but she does not want to miss her course, doing a diploma on palative care, she is a nurse and wants to care for the terminally ill.  Her favourite animals are cats but butterflies are a very close second followed by ladybirds, think I will do a ladybird next,   cats are a bit more complicated!

Italian knot stitch

here is my rather rushed effort at Italian tast stitch for week 42.
There has not been much time for stitching this week, seem to have been out a lot so I hurriedly dashed this off early this morning.

Some good news to share re Sal my granddaughter (she has decided she does not want to be known as Salma anymore)   We were at the hospital yesterday for her removal of some stitches following having a screw removed 2 weeks ago,  is now wearing her ordinary shoes, the boot has been given the boot, we go back in 4 weeks as the ankle is still very discoloured and swollen and Sal is not allowed to run ,dance or do sports but the specialist was pleased with her . Seems to have been a long journey as she shattered the ankle on july12th but we are getting there.

tast

Well I have lost it  this morning, I could not remember how to add a new post to this blog, was convinced whatever I had to click on had gone but no it was me so her goes with the latest tast stitches.

I am adding 2 stitches beaded hedebo edge and knotted loop stitch. The knotted loop is on the same fabric as the knotted buttonhole. Must admit I did not enjoy this stitch but maybe I will learn to love it!

Her is the first stitch   beaded hedebo

here is the knotted loop, as you can see it is the stitch on the left

knotted buttonhole stitch

my latest stitch from tast knotted buttonhole.
Rather a lazy attempt, I seem to be struggling as there is so much I want to try in the stitching world and feel a bit of the "what should I do next" syndrome so find myself just pottering and doing lots of unnecessary things,so putting off what I could be doing,  a good sort out of all my clutter might be a good idea but at the moment a good idea is all it will be! I try and keep everything together in the box room but do not work there as it is too small and cold, bring things down to the kitchen and they then pile up all over the place and spread to the lounge and even the utility room,     yes that is what I will do this morning return some of the clutter back upstairs!Have been doing more needle tatting in the evenings, trying to get the tension more even but I know that will come with practise.

The garden does not know what is happening this autumn, the other day I found a flower on the magnolia tree, fruit trees been very poor, no pears, few cherries, one apple tree with no apples but the plum tree planted last year gave me 20 delicious plums and my James Greer apple tree has about 30 apples, this has been in for 3 years now but lost the main branch with lots of apples when it was very windy in june.

drizzle play

This morning I have been having a play with drizzle stitch. I cannot remember where I read about it but this is what I came up with.

Using one needle I casted on the thread 10 times, I then added another needle and casted on over both needles 10 times, a third needle was added and casted on over all three needles

Next I removed the third needle and casted on over the other 2 10 times.

Finally I casted on 10 times over the origonal needle,   then the fun began, re threaded the needle and tried to pull it through, this took a bit of gentle persuasion but the final result I think was worth it.

I worked another 2, the whitevarigated yellow was worked over 2 needles, 10 sts, then 15 over both and another 15 over origonal needle.
The green one was stitched like the first.

not too pleased with the photo, think this might be a bit better

unfortunately my photography is not very good sorry about that.

Think I will now try with some wool and play a bit more     watch this space.

week 38

Have got back into the swing of things with the tast, here is my drizzle stitch, quite enjoyed doing my sheep and think I will use this stitch more often

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crazy and tast

after spending all morning working on the tast week 28to 37 I now find the stitches do not show up on the photo. I decided to piece a crazy block and use the stitches for the seams, have a few seams left so can add at a further date if I get behind again, will post the photo anyway.

Here are two more photos of bags made using crazy patchwork. The blue bag is made from mostly recycled fabric given by a friend to practise crazy patchwork, when I look I can see some of the fabric is rather shabby but it was good to learn.The mainly pink bag is from a variety of different fabrics of varying weights, will have to hide it when I see my younger daughter as anything pink she seems to think is hers!

bonnet stitch

this weeks stitch for Sharon is bonnet stitch. I have never come across this stitch before but I will definitely make use of it in the future.
Could not make up my mind what to do but I needed a new book mark so made one using this stitch. The 18ct canvas I painted and then stitched the bonnet stitch with Oliver Twists medium perle in a bluey greeny colour, I added some straight stitching in a pale green the backed it with some dyed poly cotton.Very much a rush job I am afraid, time does not seem to be on my side at the moment, should have plenty of time for stitching as it most definitely is not gardening weather as it is so wet.

I have now joined the hand embroidery network,(hen) applied in may and heard nothing so cancelled and reapplied with my other email address, this was on june 9th. Got  an email back and filled in all that was required but then waited and waited and waited, finally on tuesday my membership was accepted.  This means more time away from the needle!! what with SF, stitchaholics, Hen, flickr, facebook and the EG forum I never know where I am!
You could say if saves me from boredom!

I am also having a go at needle tatting have given up ever conquering the shuttle, with the needle if you go wrong it just unravels, have been going wrong quite a bit but will get there one day, it is quite relaxing like crocheting so good to do in the evening when tired and the light not good enough for stitching.

Think that is enough for now, let me just add how good it is to get the feedback from you all and thanks for taking the time.

palestrina knots

here is my latest TAST stitch for this week, when I saw it was palestrina knot which I know as double knot stitch I wanted to do a tree, rather small I am afraid but a tree never the less.

knotted chain stitch

Another tast stitch completed,
Has anyone else thought that the wrap around the needle is the same as a colonial knot or have I been doing it wrong?
I went on the wander again and suddenly I could see hills and contours from a map in the wander so now it has some meaning!!
I find creativity difficult, okay on my hardanger etc but everything else I struggle with, hopefully usually successfully.





May I thank you all once again for the comments you leave on my blog, it is great to know others share my work with me.

knotted cretan stitch

these are my two attempts at knotted cretan stitch, I seem to have forgotten to post them on my blog.
The tree is rather windswept, it must be in sympathy with our so called summer here, windy and wet!
The oval I drew the shape on and then found I could not erase the pencil marks. Think I must invest in a disappearing pencil as I would hate it to have been on something I was doing as a project rather than a sample.

the one that got away

I have just checked and see I have missed posting the small bullion sample I did last week so will add it now, I had cheated and put on some previously stitched pieces but said I would try and do another

holiday

I have been rather lazy of late, have been looking to se what others have done on their blog but rather neglected adding to mine.
Must make an effort today as tomorrow I am away for a few days, two lads I used to work with at the stitching shows in the UK and who now do the shows in Australia are back for a short visit to England so I am catching up with them at Sarah and Vartan`s  (sew it all) the company we all worked for which is now also in Australia and America.
It will be a great time, lots of laughs and catching up to do and no doubt we will have a few tipples.

I have buckled down and done a couple of examples of butterfly chain stitch which I have not comne accross before so will put the photos on.Had not come across this stitch before but enjoyed stitching it.

I am now working on the sampler for my daughter Catherine who will be 40 in july. All the wording is drafted out and the bit of hardanger, I am now going to decide what pulled and counted stitches to use to break up the wording.

butterfly chain stitch

How delighted I was when I found it was bullion stitch for Sharon`s stitch this week. Bullion is one of my all time favourite stitches and have made quite a few things with bullions in.
I am posting three of them all made a good while ago but will make an effort to make a new piece during the week, allready have something in mind but will not commit it to my blog in case I change my mind.

here is my handkerchief case, I stitched this whilst I was doing C & G part 1 in the early 1990`s, throughly enjoyed stitching it and it is still in use, seem to have lost a lot of the hankies that I kept in it but better to lose the hankies than the case!

This is a cute little bear I made for my Mum must be about 14 years ago which I gave her on Mothering Sunday, he is now back home living with me and I am sure missing Mum as much as I do.I have used bullion, french knots and feather stitch on it.

A little brooch, such an adorable hedgehog with a beaded eye and loads of bullion stitches.

Taday I have caught up with TAST 2012, have 8 photos to add.
couching, (somehow missed this one when I added previously)
barred chain and alternating barred chain
satin stitch
stem stitch
french knots
wheatear stitch
crossed buttonhole stitch
half chevron stitch

So glad to have caught up. I think had I given these samples more thought I would have worked them on an evenweave fabric which I am more at home with, my first love being the hardanger technique.
Now, I am glad that I did them in this way as it has made me want to do more embroidery using this method. I would like to stitch some more intricate designs based on gardens.Not sure when I will get around to this however.

When I look back this is the kind of embroidery I did before I took up counted techniques so I am looking forward to having another go.

another two sample stitches,  running stitch and whipped wheel. rather like the wheel with 10 spokes, slowly catching up and then can`t wait to start doing more with each stitch, maybe making a sampler of stitches instead of just samples

detached chain and chain stitch