Obssessions

A bit of new year fabric eye candy...

Kona Snow, School Bus, Celery and Aqua

I am stocking up on solids and those big blocks of colour feel almost cleansing.  From Mandy at Simply Solids (UK online)- 20% discount going until 11th Jan.  I have just discovered the delights of Essex linen,  yes I know I am late to the party,  t'was ever so, but it is being added to this stack along with Kona banana.  There is more than a hint of beach in this stack, I think I just need some sun!  Yellow is going to be a key colour for me this year.  The stack reminds me of this vintage buy from a few months ago...H is for Holiday

I know it is part of being creative to be obssessive, but sometimes my head is a very strange place to be.  I keep it hidden, my public face is capable, organised, can do, a grown up- scratch underneath and I can't stop thinking about a colour, a design, a food, and lately a song.  Music is a big part of my life, partly my day job and a big emotional driver for me.  When I sew I have the radio on but it is mainly spoken word, even sport radio which is ironic as pilates and dog walking is my idea of sport.  I know all sorts of surprise details about the transfer window in football, why Australia lost the Ashes etc.  I don't listen to music much because I need immersion for that.  So, I listen with my ipod in the bath- a little unsafe but I like to live life on the edge.  I've mentioned the Villagers before, since I saw them live one song has ruled, '27 Strangers'

This did strange things to me  hearing it live and makes my head whirl with pictures.  I have lost count of how many times I have listened to this, over and over again. I have a whole mini quilt sketched out- quick cursory glance at the fastest preliminary sketch.

This needs more work, rearranging but it is enough to remind me what to do.  I have drawn all my life but pencils, charcoal, paint never quite worked through all my artistic endeavors.  I have found the medium in fabric- don't what to do with the results, there is only so much wall space but there is no choice, I am compelled to make this and others like it inspired by music and poetry otherwise my head will burst.  Glad to get that out...

Enough crazy talk, a big welcome to a new followers following my single binding tutorial- so glad to help, my teacher mode breaks out in tutorials!  And a huge thank you to Quiltstory who featured my quilt for Lula- have a little look over here and take a look at the other quilts featured.

Meanwhile, some homework for you... whilst listening to my ipod I scrolled down and started on a sewing theme, often bad puns involved.  What follows reflects my musical tastes, my age and my sense of houmour.
'Corduroy', Pearl Jam
'Tapestry', Carol King
'Reel around the Fountain',  The Smiths
'Pieces',  Villagers
 and suggested in comments by 'Neumaisse''Coat of Many Colours' Dolly Parton
and 'Fancy', Reba McIntire
If you think of something, leave me a comment- you know it'll make me laugh!

Warm Hands, Warm Heart

Oh so cold at the moment.  My hands really suffer in the cold with chilblains and stiffness, as a result I have a large collection of gloves, fingerless, wristies, warmers etc.

Some of these have finger pads which have worn away but I can't bear to throw them away- the green and brown striped ones particularly- hopefully they will become wrist warmers.  Any other suggestions to repurpose worn out gloves are welcome- email me!    This year I have invested- they were so expensive- in sheepskin.   I was in a moral quandary buying them- I don't eat meat- but I took the cowardly standpoint and try not to think about it.   Result: toasty, flexible hands even in minus temperatures.  Warmer than cashmere and they won't wear out so fast.

Indoors, I have been using a hand-knitted muff (the word always makes me laugh) if I am sitting watching tv.  My mum bought the pattern (it is from a Louisa Harding Rowan booklet) and the wool- Debbie Bliss merino aran- as a present, my aunt knitted it for me.   I lined it with puffy polyester batting and a wool cashmere felted weave that I picked up cheap in a local fabric shop. I ran a little shearing elastic along each side edge to gather them in a bit.   I like the joint effort in this project

I put a heated wheat bag inside and it is cold hand heaven!

I had an experiment with some cashmere wrist warmers.  These aren't the prettiest thing but they are so warm.  They were the sleeves of a  thrifted jumper given to me by friend Paula.  First, hot-washed to fuzz them up and discourage unravelling.  Then, machined in a tube with seams on the outside as inside seams tend to rub.  Then trimmed with pinking sheers and cross stitched with cream perle thread to flatten and decorate.  The top and bottoms are zig zag hemmed.  I am not good at sewing knits but with these it doesn't really matter, warmth over style.  The thumb holes are stitched around by hand, buttonhole stitch.  Take a look at Mia's blog for a lovely warm scarf at her Christmas Calendar makes.

Last night Damian and I braved the cold, ice and even the small covering of snow that came yesterday and went to see The Villagers.  They warmed my heart and my soul-intense, emotional and very beautiful x

Hope the linky works below- enjoy