Basket 2

Another evening course with Ruby Taylor and another basket

Definitely not one for the hayfever sufferers.  I was covered in tufts and grass-seeds, and had quite sore hands afterwards.  But I am deeply chuffed with my little basket.  It's surprisingly sturdy and rigid.  

Ruby had already started us off with the base, so we just coiled and stitched.  I feel the need to harvest grass stalks, and a hammock in the sun to dry them in...

Here is another little thing I made in between invigilating exams.  It's sitting on the edge of the basket (a) because it can (b) to give an idea of scale

Here it is by itself

Remarkably wiggly, all of it's own accord

What I really want, to finish it off, is one of those little pins with the butterfly back - the sort of thing you get on a lapel badge.  Anyone know where to get them, and what they're called?

Finally, I've been preparing some foiling samples for our next Embroiderers Guild meeting, following ideas in a book.  The book told me to get the soldering iron out to cut shapes out of pelmet vilene.

Who knew?  Well, probably lots of people.  I'd just never tried it before.  Now what?!  Never mind the foiling, any other ideas on what to do with cutwork pelmet vilene?

I shouldn't really be getting distracted with yet another idea....it always happens, every year.  I get busy with Work (exams) and as soon as I haven't got any spare time because of having to go and do the W word, I suddenly have lots of ideas....

Anyway, that's also why I'm a bit quiet on here at the moment - the old problem of fitting multiple tasks around a finite amount of time!

Busier than a one-armed paper-hanger

(Dolly Parton, Steel Magnolias).

Some people have been doing a lot of this:

while others have been creating more of this:

There was some dispute after the last pictures I put up of my table, with people suggesting it wasn't really mess.  So here's a close up.  The screwdriver has been living there for at least a week, not sure what it was used for but it obviously needs to be kept handy.

Reassuringly, a theme is emerging:

Blue.  Lots of it.  Hmmm.

But I've moved on from "big" things to "small" things, easy wins (I hope):

These now have assorted dingle-dangles and are little brooches.  I've only just stitched the pins on, and I'm supposed to be getting ready to go and teach (last session of the year) so I'll have to post a pic of the finished ones another time. 

And if my East Sussex public don't feel the need to adorn themselves with embroidered felted dingle-dangles, I've signed myself up for an Etsy shop - to be launched post-Art Trail!