Fiona Marie's Thread

Addicted to craft...

2012-01-21T19:25:25+13:00

Since it is the holidays, and traditionally the time to let your hair down, relax, and just hang out doing the things you love...I have been spending large chunks of my time stitching, and I have come to the conclusion that I am indeed addicted to craft - big time! The first hint of this wonderful affliction reared it's creative head when Jessica was looking for something to do and I decided making Yo-Yo's would be a cool past time for an eleven year old who is confident with a needle and thread. Once I saw Jessica creating a stash of these cute little Yo-Yo's from my scrap box I had to stop what I was doing and start building a stash of my own.

and I'm still going...forget the scrap box, I now NEED to have a Yo-Yo made from every fabric I own. When will it stop? I just can't say. One of my facebook friends asked "So what are you going to make with your Yo-Yo's Fiona?" Like that matters!? Have you ever fallen into this trap, and what was your downfall?

Gotta go - I have some, ah, stitching to do.

Fiona Marie Clark

Blooming creative...

2012-01-09T11:41:31+13:00

Here is my latest creative folly - simply called Bloom.

This little work of art was created in four stages. Firstly I had a lot of fun felting dyed merino wool roving, silk roving, fancy wool, and other off cuts I had collected from other projects to make the luxuriously textured tree top.

Stage two involves drawing a simple design on your background calico and then painting it. This is all about experimentation with the paints and using water to mix different dilutions. The paint has a life of its own to a certain degree in the hands of an inexperienced painter, but that just makes it all the more fun and free flowing. This is not the time to be too fussy.

Stage three is free motion stitching time on the sewing machine. After ironing on pellon I machine stitched the tree trunk, the Sun, the heart, the lettering, and some grass detail around the bottom.

Finally it is time to have a play with hand quilting and embellishing. I stitched on sequins, beads and a diamante to the tree top. I then quilted the entire wall hanging using a gorgeous hand dyed silk thread from BJ's Colourways in Invercargill. The design is completely organic and just developed as I went. Throw in a few cross stitches, french knots, and sprinkles and it's finished.

Well almost, I like the frayed edge look to finish the piece and have ironed on fusible webbing to a backing fabric that I have then ironed onto the back of my wall hanging to hide all the stitching. I then ran a stitch around the edges to secure and have decided to try using 3m poster adhesive strips to hang it straight on the wall.

If you think this looks like fun you may be interested in attending the two day workshop I will be holding in February/March in the Christchurch area. If you would like to find out more when I have finalised the venue and dates please email me at info@fionamarie.com and I will forward the information onto you when it is available.

Happy Stitching!

Fiona Marie Clark

For the love of lace...

2012-01-03T12:05:49+13:00

I recently posted a photo on my facebook page showing a section of the beautiful lace throw my Mother-in-law hand stitched using her source of vintage lace, trims and buttons. These little treasures had been collected over the years from many sources and the satisfaction she felt having used them all to such great effect was evident. It makes me wish I had been more of a hoarder of beautiful things in my youth but I am trying to make up for that oversight now. I have found second hand shops to be a wonderfully cheap source of supplementing my stash.

I received such an enthusiastic response from my facebook post that I promised to show more photos here. I still might have to revisit to get a shot of the entire throw but here are the photos I currently have for you to enjoy.

The throw has been hand stitched in a crazy patchwork fashion. In this photo you can see an old bib.

This photo has been digitally enhanced but gives a better appreciation of the textures of different lace and fabrics used. Jan is very artistic and has created the throw organically letting the design develop as she pieced.

This is another stylised photo that is my favourite. The lace piece at the top of the photo is a very old lace collar. You can also see some cute little bullion roses Jan has stitched on (if you look hard).

This last picture is of a cushion Jan made to finish up using all her treasured scraps and probably is the best photographic example of her creations.

I hope this has inspired you to keep collecting those little bits and pieces of fancy, and if you already have a box full to overflowing then maybe it's time to start creating your own little vintage work of art.

Happy New Year!

Fiona Marie Clark

2011-12-08T13:17:29+13:00

It's hard to believe it has been so long since I posted a blog entry. Some exciting news I received recently was my acceptance as a workshop tutor at the Handmade Festival being held in Wellington on the 2nd and 3rd of July next year. The programme has now been uploaded onto their website.

My two workshops are: Making Art with Everyday Stitches

This is classed as a Masterclass but will involve everyone having a go at making one of these Mandala stitcheries. We will look at different options for stitching, embellishing, and finishing.

The second workshop explores fabric stamping and we get to have a play and create our own unique piece of fabric that we will then use to make a pear pin cushion.
I also had fun making up a couple of kits to sell at the recent Christmas Market Fair in Christchurch. The Happy Hedgehog kitset was the big seller of the day. The kit includes wool felt, emboidery thread, beads and button for completing one of these gorgeous creatures.

The other popular kitset was the Quilted Coin Purse. This included the fabric, paper piece circle, pellon and purse frame.

I will be running workshops in both of these in the New Year and will have more details soon. If you have a group of 6 or more and live in the Christchurch area I would be happy to come along and run a mini workshop at your next stitchers meeting. $25.00/person includes the pattern, kitset and tuition. I could even bring along some bargain priced inspiration as well. If you are outside the Christchurch area and have a larger number of stitchers interested in doing something a little different then contact me too and I will see what I can arrange.

Now it is time to get back to my stitching group and help finish sewing the quilt top we are making for one of the ladies daughter's wedding. It is looking great!

Happy Stitching!

Fiona Marie Clark

Changing faces...

2011-11-16T13:34:49+13:00

Living in Canterbury is an unusual experience. I have lived where I live, 30 minutes north of Christchurch, for the past 14 years. I know where all the best shops are in town and where to find the best cup of coffee. Five years ago I discovered the New Zealand Ballet and adore attending performances at our magnificent old theatre. Family trips into town include visits to our new contemporary art gallery, strolling through the recently developed lanes with their eclectic collection of shops, restaurants and bars, and wandering the shops and weekend stalls at The Arts Centre. For many years we have celebrated special occasions at restaurants in the city including Valentinos, The Twisted Hop, The Flying Burrito Brothers...

But we can't do any of that anymore - maybe never again.

My little family, like many others, now live in a different place. And we got here without the inconvenience of packing cartons, moving house and changing schools. It's a little like that strange phenomena you experience when sitting in a parked car and suddenly get a fright thinking you are moving forward, when in fact it is the car beside you driving back. We are disorientated.

I visited the city yesterday to go to a Spotlight store in what was a drab little mall in a not very vibrant part of Colombo Street. But that was pre earthquake. It has now reinvented itself and is called 'The Colombo'. The retail space has been leased by some fabulous shops, the cafes were humming with the lunch crowd, and for the first time ever I had trouble finding a space in the carpark. I also had a wonderful experience last week visiting the Container Mall 'Re-Start' in the old Cashel Mall for a meeting on my new business 'Piece'. This is a wonderfully innovative temporary solution to finding retail space for displaced shop keepers, and the vibe around the place was energising.

We are living in an incredibly dynamic environment at the moment in Canterbury and if you are like me, with an entrepreneurial spirit, it's hard not to get excited by the possibilities.

One very cool example of the changing face of Christchurch is the As Far As Eye Can See art installation by Multiply Collective in a unused shop on the corner of Colombo and Elgin Streets. This fibre artwork is being auctioned to raise funds for Christchurch and Gap Filler. Gap Filler aims to temporarily activate vacant sites with creative projects.

It is quite lovely, but a little difficult to get a good photo of through the glass.

Also happening in Christchurch is the Container Love initiative. This is about gathering enough knitted or crocheted 30cm squares to sew together and cover some of the containers currently protecting the Sumner community from rock falls that have plagued the town since the February eathquake. Here is the square I sent off yesterday.

I have been working on a number of projects. Yes. All at the same time. I am experimenting with these stitchery designs that received a great response from my facebook followers.

I have used a varigated thread for this one and a red colouring in pencil.

This one I have coloured in the reverse spaces and used a one tone thread...and currently in the hoop...

I will have more on these when I decide what I am going to do with them. I hope you are having fun and making time to be creative too.

Happy stitching!

Thread love...

2011-11-04T13:11:21+13:00

I finished the beautiful monogram 'F' I was cross stitching last week and I'm now contemplating the design for a cushion to sit on my bed. I think the linen will mix beautifully with black raw silk and some lovely old linen braid...
The pattern I have used is ABC aux Ancolies by Rouge du Rhin. I hope to have the finished product to show you soon.

I have also enjoyed reading the magazine Mollie Makes that I now have available in store. This is a UK based magazine that markets itself as 'Living and loving handmade'. That's me. It focuses on making, collecting, crafting and thrifting and you can see an introduction to its delights below. You will find the Mollie Makes blog here.

The retail price of this magazine will be $22.95 but for the next week I have a special for you. Purchase your first copy for the heavily discounted price of NZ$15.95. This way you have the opportunity to have a good read, enjoy the magazine, and decide if you would like to receive a copy every month.

Please email me with your order at info@fionamarie.com and I will send you through a payment link.

What have I been stitching in front of the tele this week???

I've been having a ball with Leanne Beasley's Sew Laugh Love companion kit. In the kit you receive the design screen printed onto a lovely soft linen fabric, and it is bigger than you expect at 43cm x 50cm - ish. You do receive 12 skeins of colourful Cosmo threads as well and the idea is you just go with the flow and make up the colourways as you go. I was enjoying this process so much I got out my bag of odd threads and they have joined the party too. At this rate it won't take me too much longer to complete it...and I will miss it. However, I do have another project on the horizon to start...Rosalie Quinlan's Hope Love & Friendship...

That's got ME written all over it. I have these kits available - Pink thread on white linen, and will be receiving stock of the varigated thread on pale pink linen in the next day or two. These are priced NZ$39.95 and NZ$43.50 respectively and include the pattern instructions, design screen printed onto hanky linen and two skeins of thread. Again contact me with your requests.

The Great Global Christmas Swap is chugging along nicely and here is an example of one of the gifts that will be crossing the ocean to it's new home shortly. I can't reveal who stitched it yet as I don't want to ruin the surprise. It was based on a pattern by Donna Stewart of the Wool Patch.

I currently need a swap partner for an American lady so please register if you can help me out and would like to join the fun.

Work on my new website is starting very shortly. Here is a wee peak at one of my new graphics.
I am having so much fun re-inventing my business.

Happy stitching!

Fiona Marie Clark