BORN IN THE WRONG AGE...

Ipswich Flooding

2011-02-03T01:58:00.003+11:00

For those that emailed wanting the picture of the flood waters up at out flat... here they are...

I don't have a really good before and after sorry.

This is in South Ipsiwch QLD, which is now being battered by a category 5 storm in the north.

We are not affected here.

This is the link to before photos of the buildings we were in!! [CLICKY]

MY building where the water came to just under the second story

After QLD floods of 2011

Middle of Ipswich Flooding Jan 2011- My building

Some of our shoes

sign reads keep kitchen tidy - Hole in wall is where fridge ripped out

Aren't i a great house keeper

yes the cleaning product ended up on TOP of the door frame

what it looks like now - just a smidge bare no? lol

My place is the back building there sort of in the middle.

Can you spot where the pool is....:-) it isn't there... neither is the gazebo or the community center or the office.

To think the creek out the back is so small a 5 year old could jump across it... will send some more pictures soon

All out thoughts to those in NORTH QLD, who are now facing cyclone Yasi!!

Great Historic Embroidery Pattern Link

2011-02-02T09:00:00.002+11:00

Great Historic Embroidery Pattern Link

check it out for historic embroidery patterns

gotta dash

Natural Cleaning Products

2011-01-23T16:17:00.000+11:00

USING NATURAL CLEANING PRODUCTS HAS ANYONE TRIED IT?

Ok, So i am certainly a cleaning Freak. (Yes a capital).
I get super upset at poor hygiene and i regularly clean and disinfect.
I also don't like the cost of these products, and also don't like how "chemically" they are.
I would spend $15 a week on cleaning products easily.

I was writing a bio for a book character (as yet unplaced in a story) when i had a look at natural cleaning products on line and home made recipes that are economical, effective and easy.

I wasn't expecting much. I found much!

The plethora of websites, books, blogs and advice was staggering. Many had very similar ideas, others people had commented on with their own additions to improve the original ideas. Many debated the effectivness of Vinegar and compared it to Borax or lemon. Others suggested the use of natural oils to create beautiful smelling products that are just as good.

The advice was super.

I immediately ran out and bought the ingediants and bottles and set to.

I went shopping today (new house), and instead of buying a range of cleaners and odd's and sods. I put a bottle of lavender into the trolley :-)

$10 (yes it was that much)
But it might last 3 years or more if i am lucky. Today i made toilet disinfectant, cleaners, freshener, justing about 15 drops of a mixture of oils, a few table spoons of vinegar (at $1 per 2 Litres) and water.
It left the toilet bowl sparkeling clean and smelling deliciously edible.

I labeled the bottle and have left it in the bathroom. I nearly went so far as to throw out the aerosol can in there at the moment.

Oh yes, did i mention the other bonus, Reusable bottles and less wastage ....

Very happy!

Thank you to my crazy natural lady (character in progress)

LINKS:

http://www.natural-healthy-home-cleaning-tips.com/index.htm

Minor Queensland Flood Crisis

2011-01-22T11:34:00.002+11:00

Well I'm shit at housekeeping aren't i...lol!

Hi All,

Had a minor crisis in Queensland the past two weeks, a few of you guys have emailed me to make sure all is well.

We lost out downstairs in the floods. (see picture of clean up). Thank goodness most of my embroidery was upstairs in a high shelf. All is well.

We have now moved house (3 weeks after we moved into the one that got flooded i might add)

on a HAPPY NOTE.

My good friend Nicole has just published her first novel.
it is currently on sale on Amazon at a reduced price (for the first couple of weeks)
PLEASE, support her. Buy a copy and have a read. Or don't and pass it on to someone else. It can be downloaded straight to your computer.

WELL DONE NICOLE!!!

It is a fantastic story.
here is the link!!

Please have a look and grab a copy. Supporting young authors is a great thing to do!!

CALL TO ACTION - Quotes Needed for Embroidered Quilt

2010-11-09T23:32:00.002+11:00

Now Yes yes... i am still working on the camera case and i made some progress tonight while i was watching my lectures on neurogenic shock. BUT.

I have been toying with an idea to embroider a quilt for a long time... Now i don't want to do an entire quilt (stupid idea and i KNOW i would never finish it...) but i have been considering creating a "footer" panel and then using a nice fabric for the rest. Just a small single bed quilt about the same size as my pink butterfly quilt i made last year. You can just see the pink quilt in the back ground of this post. [CLICK].

The post mentioned above was also about making this quilt. you can see the footer i have there is very very complicated and will take a lot of time. I want to make a 'stitch sampler' that i can turn into a quilt. So i had a brainwave tonight after having a look at Needle N Thread.

Why not Write a quote on the fabric and use different stitches and then have little drawings around it???
Mary did a fantastic example on her "Quick Brown Fox" sampler.

I NEED A QUOTE!!

A Quilt Quote...

This should be fun.
Everyone can send me a message with their FAVORITE QUOTE of all time. I am thinking more literary quotes here, NOT biblical quotes if that is ok... However i wont mind.

I'm quite sure that you will all come up with things that are better than mine. (here are a couple i got while on the phone and from friends earlier...)

EDIT: I have found the quote!!!! please keep sending me quotes (yes even the ones that i got via email because you were toooo embarrassed...)

Here is the quote:

Confucius say:

"Man who want pretty nurse, must be patient."

(Note i am a nursing student and my fiance is just starting med school)

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that every good man must be in want of a wife..." :-)

" To be, or not to be..."

"I think therefore i am"

"The pen is mightier than the sword"

" He who lives by the sword dies by the sword"

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer"

"All power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely"

"A picture is worth a thousand words"

"carpe Diem"

"Someday your prince charming will come. Mine just took a wrong turn, got lost, and is too stubborn to ask for directions."

"To err is human, to forgive divine."

"Early to bed and early to rise, Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

"Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/quote.htm

http://network.associationofvirtualworlds.com/profiles/blogs/my-favorite-quotes-of-all-time

anyway any ideas appreciated :-)

Then i need to figure out HOW to do the quilt design... the stitches will be the easy part methinks!!!

Embroidery example from my grandma

2010-11-09T16:15:00.000+11:00

Here is just a little example of an embroidery piece that my grandma did as a child... very cute... just had to take a picture.

Flower embroidery on silk ground

It is a tiny piece only about 6cm across

Medieval Scene Embroidery and Dealing with Cheap Pearl Cotton

2010-11-08T20:44:00.000+11:00

Right so here is the completed side one of the little cammera case!
Yes i know i should have been studying, but i was litening to lectures on the computer while embroidering. I just stopped the video when i need to jot down notes... It was great it took my mind of the borning lecture that normally makes me cringe.. :-)

Medieval Embroidered Scene: Side One Finished

Close up of Medieval Embroidered Scene: Side One

Medieval Embroidered Scene: Side Two - Prior to starting

Side Two: Different Cotton and Different Stitch

I am playing with the threads on the other side... This is a very very very cheap Pearl cotton. I got it in bulk

Cheap Pearl Cotton

Here is the cheap pearl cotton i got. [ see this post for the pictures of the cotton] While i was happy with it for doing the tassels for the pouch, i wasn't expecting to be able to embroider with it. It looked too poor a quality.

However i spend about and hour to prepare the thread and so far i have been very happy.

Remove all the sticky sticky sticky labels (1/2 hour)
Open up and cut in to the lengths. Fortunately i just chopped it as it comes in a workable length (5 mins)
Washed in warm soapy water
Washed again in hair conditioner (yes strange) to make it feel nice
Hung unceremoniously over my lamp in my room to dry.
Started embroidery.

I am quite happy with the way it is working. No breaks only one slight tangle and quite workable (compared to some i have tried) it doesn't have quite the 'sheen' of some but it was quite nice.

I purchased it of EBAY in a bulk lot from a supplier in England (although probably India). It was very cheap.

We shall see how it goes

Embroidery Update

2010-11-08T10:39:00.000+11:00

Still studying for these exams... but here is my current progress on my little embroidery project of a medieval hunting scene.

Embroidery nearly finished

Not long to go on this side!

Doodle Stitching Embroidery

2010-11-02T16:14:00.002+11:00

[WATCH THIS SPACE FOR UPDATES ON THIS TOPIC] - I'm still researching :-)

If you have a link to a doodle stitch project that you are doing send me the link and i will put it in here...i promise :-)

Have just been noticing around and about the embroidery 'type' called Doodle Stitching. I know it has been around but i have only just heard the name recently.

Its the ability to do whatever you like with the thread. Sounds very exciting to me. I have seen a lot done on Felt. Lots of bright colours. Beautiful boarders. I just love its applications into the crazy quilting
side to. Not that i ever have time for that! Anyway i shall be updating this post with Stitches and other interesting stuff.

I have compiled a list of links on the topic:

BLOGS:

Blog: You Go Girl - She has a great little lazy daisy chain that i want to try!! [Click here for doodle stitch section]
Feeling Stitchy - One of my favorite all time craft blogs - check it out
Little dear Tracks (how to transfer pattern to felt)
Transferring to Felt - A great Tutorial by the awesome Future Girl blog!

Search Amazon.com for tear away stabilizer

Shawlk - Just because i love it :-) i love the crazy quiliting application of doodle stitching
Mary Corbet's Needle N Thread - Possibly my most loved piece so far just for shear creativity

PATTERNS:

Needlecrafter
Free Patterns [once again a link to Needle N Thread] excellent collection i have used many times
I used this one on a little pencil case[click here to see the little case]

I actually get a lot of my images for stitching from colouring books!! its great. Nice thick black lines, throw away pages!! awesome plenty you can buy i got a couple of pages from this one from a friend who uses them for quilt embroidery.Not as easy as some to transfer from, but some great designs to give you some ideas about that type of embroidery. The Paisley designs work quite well with doodle stitching because unlike doing a picture you can keep going or finish when you like.
Paisley Designs Coloring Book (Dover Coloring Books)

There are plenty of free online colouring books for doodle stitching i shall have to make another post with them all in there i think here are a couple of my favorites.

Colouring books online

http://www.edupics.com/
http://www.colouringbookpages.co.uk/ great for kids film pictures i used a little mermaid one on a dress for a friends daughter.

MY FAVORITE TIP!!!! SHHHHH.....i just love to hit google search [images] type in say paisley then hit [enter] then from the left hand side search [LINE DRAWINGS] and it comes up with a HUGE selection of fantastic things [Here is my search it might work in your computer CLICKY HERE]

or try looking for [FLOWERS - CLICK HERE]
or search for [Squirrel]
I'm sure you get the idea.... but i really recommend you try this RIGHT NOW!!!

PLEASE NOTE: VERY IMPORTANT - These bring up all pictures NOT the free ones. so make sure that you are not on-selling the product to avoid copyright problems. They do have free ones mixed in of course.

STITCHES I THINK LOOK GOOD
Basic running Stitch [link to video presented by Needle N Thread]
Wheat Stitch [Link to video presented by Needle N Thread] a very decorative stitch good for leaves
Lazy Daisy Stitch [Link to video presented by Needle N Thread] This is one that i need to practice. Its an easy one but i still make it look awful. Will update you with my progress i intend to try it tonight.
French Knots [Link to video presented by Needle N Thread] It took me a while but i GOT IT!! [see my attempts here]
Seed Stitch -[Link to video presented by Needle N Thread] this one is super important to shade and colour the designs without having to fill it all in like with split stitch or satin stitch. It's nice and quick and easy.

BOOKS I HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED TO BUY:

Doodle Stitching: Fresh & Fun Embroidery for Beginners [buy it here]
I picked it up at a friend's house the other day and was like.... ohhhh if i hadn't spent $100 on books already this week... i'm sure i will cave next week... will keep you posted. I just LOVE it. She wouldn't let me borrow it as she was using it....*ha*

Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection: 400+ Easy Embroidery Designs
Here is her other book. I have never seen this one but it comes with a CD i believe... anyone got this... can you let me know what it is like. Thanks !!

I guess my little coaster i did was a start....

Those threads i used on the coaster were great poly threads with a sheen they will look great on a piece of felt.... hmmmmm Anyway back to the Camera case. Why is it that 1/2 way through i just have to start another project.... sigh..... if i stuck to one it would be all good.... lol

QUESTION: SERIOUS QUESTION:
The following picutres are a long strip of fabric entended for the bottom of a quilt. I really don't think i have the time or skills (or concentration) to embroider the who thing in the style i want. Do you think the design is too big to do as a doodle embroidery??? That way i would have to worry MUCH less about the colours and blending and things like that and i could get started right away.
ANY OPINIONS APPRECIATED

[LINK TO A PREVIOUS POST WITH BETTER PICTURES]

Renaissance Dyeing threads and Wool Embroidery

2010-11-01T15:54:00.000+11:00

GENERAL UPDATE:

Well i shall start of my posting again by mentioning (yes again) my favorite wool supplier. Most particularly because of the strong Aussie dollar at the moment it is a great time to buy!

I want to get some more of the sale 3 tone wool thread that is on super sale at Renaissance dyeing.

I have a set but i will much more likely use it if i have a bit more in the works

I want to finish of my wool embroidery i started a few months back and possible stitch a new blog header!!!
I used the book below for some of the patterns.

Beginner's Guide to Crewel Embroidery

It's not very comprehensive, but it has some great little patterns and a totally cute squirrel and hedgehog. I am considering stitching him. :-)

Here is the embroidery piece 1/2 finished: I just need to find something to do with it.

Anyone got any ideas what i could use it for!! i'm stuck really i am... I am considering making a quilt out of all my 1/2 finished embroidery efforts and see what that looks like :-)

I also want to finish the camera case project that has been on the go while i have been away studying.

anyway this is the current plans and i shall be updating more frequently not. Hopefully with this darn camera case finished.

Interesting Australian Store Selling Silk Thread

2010-10-30T15:06:00.000+11:00

Ok i know i don't post embroidery thread links in here and i know i said i was busy working... but i have found a great little store in melbourne (aussie) that is selling silk threads (look under products). I haven't tried them but the pictures look totally beautiful!! They only do wholesale though (although whole sale seems to be a box of 9)

anyway have a look if you are interested.

http://www.beautifulsilks.com

anyway back to work.

Medieval painting example

2010-10-30T08:48:00.000+11:00

Good morning everyone.

Whilst i have exams this weekend (yes this weekend) and a 40% assignment due Monday and havn't done anything creative. I would like to show you a link from someone who has. I read a Blog called Medieval Arts and Crafts where the Author is creating a replica paining of a lat 15th Century woman. It is one of my favorite paintings.

[CLICK HERE TO GO AND SEE]

byeee for now, back much more religiously in a couple of days. Then i can get stuck back into my work. I have now technically finished the theory part of my degree. Now just down to prac prac and prac.... (and the exams of course)

Muchos Appologies

2010-10-24T16:05:00.000+11:00

Hi guys,

Yes i am still alive.... just final semester of my degree... been a little busy.

Should be about a bit more in a couple of weeks.

sorry for those people that assume i am subbing them.... i'm not i promise :-)

CURRENT PROJECT
current project is a quilted camera case with medieval pictures on it.

Fabric is linen with wool lining.
Thread just embroidery cotton on one side (pearl cotton on other as experiment)

Here is my FANTASTIC light box creation :-)

Here is the first side of embroidery (just in cotton thread)

Here is what they looked like before i started to embroider

This is a coaster i made for a friend... :-)

Abbey Festival

2010-07-14T09:09:00.001+11:00

http://caboolture-shire-herald.whereilive.com.au/photos/gallery/abbey-medieval-festival-1/

I'm the girl in the blue dress doing the washing up.

Why did every think it was a fascinating thing to watch!!! anyway... i guess the number of times i got asked if our fire was real just wasn't good enough! (yes they did ask if the fire was real)

Had a great time.... will have to post the photos later as i need to go to bed!!

Chemises again

2010-07-05T13:06:00.000+11:00

Here is my progress on the chemise. It is now finished. Fortunately i can use nearly every square centimeter of fabric . The only wastage is about 10cm2 from the strip i used to make the underarm gussets. every other part of the fabric is used. took about 3 hours cut and sew, another hour for the neckline and cuffs. I have left the bottom hemmed at present.

New Trim

2010-07-01T17:24:00.000+11:00

Here is my new trim that arrived today!
I love the design. The colour is a real chocolate brown with gold. Not an expensive material, but you won't see that on the garments. I can't wait to order more. I am making a camp dress for the Abbey Festival and i wanted something easy to wear at night time. so i have made a Norman dress in burnt orange :-) very pretty. I think the orange and brown trim will look just fine !

Glasses there just to show that it is a large trim

Pouch Finished

2010-07-01T17:12:00.000+11:00

YEAH!!!!

Well it was finished for dad's birthday, i have just had either no internet or no power for the last few days to post. but here it is...

The edge:- before i got to it with a thread snipper !!

I think Dad was well pleased with it. He said he was scared to wear it incase it got dirty...lol

Bayeux Tapestry Embroidery Finished

2010-06-18T10:03:00.003+11:00

YEAH..... I have actually finished the embroidery for the pouch for Dad's Birthday!!!!

now i have to sort out a lining...the closure method, a drawstring cord and use the "embroidered band" method on the Medieval Silkwork Blog. Thanks Machteld. I love this method makes it look really neat.

18 hours?? approximately (maybe a little less for the moments i got distracted by what i was doing.)

Here is the actual shape of the pouch
.

Here is the pouch with the intended trimmings for the side decoration.

20 hours (with the making of the tassels and cutting and ironing the lining and back...)

I have since steamed and washed the tassels. (really makes this cotton tassel hang beautifully and looks rather like silk.)

Bayeux Wool Arrived

2010-06-16T18:09:00.002+11:00

Whooo exams over!! Thank goodness.

Nice surprise today as well, my wool from Bayeux Broderie has arrived.

the Bayeux Broderie wool is a very thin wool. It comes already cut in 70cm stitch lengths. About 100 per skein. I have done a quick little test and i got about 1cm square out of the one piece(doubled over). So a skein will be about 10cm squared. ish, perhaps less with wastage. I don't know how this compares to other wools, so will be making some investigations.i will guess 9cm2 with wastage and whoopsies.

It is fairly nice to work with better than Appletons but not quite as good as the Renaissance wool (is anything as nice as that) In the stitch length provided there was very little thinning, and no signs that it was going to break. It did appear a little "thready" on top. But this seems to be the nature of the wool. I don't mind it.

i did some costings and it actually may appear that the Renaissance might be a touch cheaper... (certainly worth the extra extra extra good quality.)

I havn't included the maths but, i got nearly double the coverage for the same length of wool in the renaissance. The skeins are shorter in Renaissance, but the postage is better. So in the end if i can GET the colours, i will want to get some more of the Renaissance. This is the problem getting the right colours.

Hopefully now that i have the colours from Bayeux Broderie (which are still great wools and i will certainly be using them) I can sort out what i want from Renaissance dyeing.

I wonder if i can send them a little snippet of the colours and just get them to send the closest that they have??? hmmmm that is a thought. They might do that.... will have to ask Renaissance dyeing methinks.

Come on Sarah...get cracking....

Progress 15 hours??? (cottons)

Procrastination Abounds

2010-06-10T11:54:00.000+11:00

Well why is it that when i HAVE to get some study done, the best forms of procrastination occur!!
If i had to be Queen of something. It would be distractions and procrastinations.
My Bulk lot of threads arrived today for tassel making and general "have in the background threads" they were cheap and will do just nicely for the purpose. Some of the pearl cotton that i got (while it was multi dyed) the piece are long enough in some spots that i can just cut one colour out and use it. Certainly enough for a tassel. So i am rather happy about that. It's not variegated like every 5 mm its a different colour.

Last night i was reading some of my NZ friends blogs (Kerrin) and (Nicole) who are both writing novels. I got out my old novel i was writing and rewrote the first chapter. Talk about procrastination!!

Then of course, this morning my threads arrive. And i HAD to unpackage them.

anyway with no further ado, here they are. Now i HAVE to get back to work. I'm off out tonight and shan't be back till Saturday so i must get this dammn study done.

ABout 200 skeins of thread here :-) Pearl cotton, Rayon and some silks (i think)

Medieval Pouch

2010-06-09T12:28:00.000+11:00

This is my next "needs to be finished" project. Hopefully it will be in the next two weeks or so. Just have to put embroidered edging round the pouch to stick it together, line it and sort out a way of closing it!

Not sure how i will figure out the top closure, (i didn't do the embroidery with a project in mind you see.
The white cloth is a pillow slip i "borrowed" from a hostel (in Cologne, Germany) i think... I did the embroidery while backpacking round Europe. It was really my first attempt at embroidery. I can see lots of faults now (3 years later, but i WILL finish it.

Have got some pearls to put in the four centre squares.

Any Comments???

Will line it it a nice pale green silk.

Bayeux update

2010-06-07T19:41:00.000+11:00

ABout 10-11 hours.

Bayeux update

2010-06-05T15:42:00.001+11:00

Just realised i forgot to post last nights work about 10 hours all up now

I love the bright blue.

What colours should i use to recreate the Bayeux Tapestry?

2010-06-05T11:01:00.001+11:00

Here is a post of mostly research notes and links on my study. I have not included the images for copyright reasons. But all the links take you to the pages.

I shall add and re-update this link as required

My question: Where to find images that are representative of the true colours. Either the original colours, how it looks now and what other people have recreated. How do i then translate this to modern thread.

ORIGINAL COLOURS:

Web Gallery of Art: has some really good images of the tapestry close up. Click on the zoom to see it very close. You can really see the bright blue that is in this image here.
This image shows the colour of the terracotta rusty colour as being a very bright colour. I wonder if this was close to the actual colour.

Here is the Reading Museum website showing a replica of the tapestry with small details only. The colours appear different.

Here is a CD that you can buy that shows the tapestry in full down the the weave itself. I have not bought this but has anyone found it good?

Here are some more images of the tapestry . Click on the sections to view them.

Here is an image of a print. Not embroidery, but does help with deciding on colours.

One of the most close up pictures of a scene that i could find online. very detailed

The picture below can be found at this website. It has Really close up views of the stitching. I have used the picture as it is no longer copyrighted. Can really see the detail.

Another Image: Behind glass

Create your own Bayeux Tapestry game (very very cute)

FOUND IT. HERE IS AN IMAGE of the colour scheme i want!

look what i have found!!! the Bayeux threads all packaged up !!! SEE HERE (fixed up the URL)

Has anyone tried these?

UTube Video showing the tapestry. (in Polish but we only need the images)
UTube video showing a couple of images of the actual tapestry. behind glass but still interesting
UTube BBC video showing the actual bayeux tapestry. Behind glass but really good images in parts
UTube - Yes another one. Scrolling view of Bayeux

REPRODUCTIONS:

Here is an image of a reproduction. Note the colours here.

BAYEUX KITS:

Here is a link to the kit that Mary Corbet has of the Bayeux tapestry. Look at the close up pictures of the threads. The colours are beautiful.

Tapestry House kit.

NON RELATED SHOPPING:

You can buy Bayeux trim here.

Unrelated Crewel embroidery UTube video. I love the design

Playing with Bayeux (again)

2010-06-04T16:06:00.001+11:00

Update 8 hours:

here is some more been done:

My choice of colours obviously :-)
The least said on the topic of finding a good match for the original the better!!!
very briefly:
Very tricky business. I want to do them in Renaissance wool, (which is totally delicious but pricey to get to Australia) but i have a cheap supplier of the appletons wool which is not quite as nice.

However i have been told (by a fellow stitcher) that if it is worth doing, it is worth doing properly and to splurge on the beautiful wool. I am beginning to agree with her.