Interesting Stuff for UK readers-and elsewhere too

I wasn't planning on a post today but I have just seen something so good I have to share.  On this link http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/ is an interactive video featuring a band called Arcade Fire- the track is pretty good but their video is magical.  If you are based in the UK, and maybe it works elsewhere too,  you can put in your childhood address and with the power of googlemaps it appears in the video.  Seeing where I used to live, my favourite house from aged 7 to 10 years moved me to tears!  I beg you to try it.

Another UK linky- Kate at m is for make (blog for her wonderful UK shop where I have been known to purchase some very nice fabrics) is aiming for 100 followers who will then be entered into a fabric bundle giveaway- Joel Dewberry, follow for your chance, it was 92 just now!

Back with mug rug progress and other bits soon x  Still recovering from the video...

*****I have since found the video works anywhere that google earth has filmed***

Hankies and a lot of birdies

Back to school work etc, clocks gone back, uninspiring weather and a pile of robin redbreasts to make for  music class, so time for a diversion into  vintage hankies.  I randomly found a cute linen hankie on ebay recently, it reminded me so much of Heather Ross prints, no one else seemed to want it so it was mine for £2.  

The designer is Faith Austin, 1950s/60s

I collect vintage hankies in a random when I see one type way. I don't go crazy searching them out.  Well at least I didn't until I discovered Tammis Keefe.  Did you click just them and take a look?  Would love just about any of hers.   Good vintage hankies don't come along very often . These are all thrifted car boot finds, some a little worse for wear but all washed and folded in a basket. They are not easy to display but I quilckly get attached to each one and they come out for a little stroke and admiration on rainy dark days.

I think this may be linked to a perfume or cosmetic line 'Pour le Rouge', all the red, mmn love it!

 

sometimes wear this as a neckerchief, not sure I can always carry that look off but I like it so ho hum...

 

This is bigger, more head scarf size- now that is a look I can definitely not wear.  Cute sporty print though- Skiing, boating, fishing- whilst wearing a headscarf of course!

This has to be my favourite, it is a little fragile, and small so I can't really wear it, but looking at it makes me happy (I am easily pleased...).

Now, after that very pleasant interlude, back to cutting out 13 fabric robins

Bloggers' Quilt Festival

 I feel a bit quilty about posting about this quilt so soon after I have already posted but I'd like to include it in the Blogger's quilt Festival and that requires a post so, in the words of Stevie Wonder, "I don't want to bore you with this..." (Knocks Me off My Feet)  if you've seen this before you can always skip to the pics or take a look at the other great quilts on display at Amys creative side.  Thank you to her for hosting such as lovely online global gathering.

The design developed organically with each stage of the quilt.  A quilt pattern in a magazine (Alphadots Make do and Mend Quilts) was the starting point, then I changed the circle and quilt size, started layering the fabrics and developed a pieced circle machine method tutorial that worked a treat and sped up the construction.  As I worked on the quilt, the circles went from hand sewn to machine and then to words (Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, T.S. Elliot) and finished as seaweed and coral shapes to link them all.  I started with mermaids and circles and everything else followed.  My new little niece being a girl and a water born baby topped it all off for me (both not not known when I started this) and this poem  about self expression, confidence, aging and so much more is an essential for life.   I haven't made many quilts- I find them rather daunting- but I love experimenting, I love letters and typography and making it part of the quilting is an experiment that paid off.  So apologies if you've seen these before- I have included some new pics and the editing on them has been improved thanks to my photographer brother sharing some secrets-cheers Jamie!

...I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. 

  I do not think they will sing to me. 

  I have seen them riding seaward on the waves 

Combing the white hair of the waves blown back 

When the wind blows the water white and black. 

  We have lingered in the chambers of the sea 

By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown               

Till human voices wake us, and we drown.

Little Red

In some areas of life I am a little predictable, I have the same breakfast every morning and I love it, I cook the same evening meal almost every Monday but we all like it- I can live with that even if it may seem more than a little dull to others.  However in sewing I like to try something new.  I recently joined another Flickr swap, Scrappy {Hoops} organized by Heather and Kerri.  They both run so may Flickr swaps and groups it nothing short of amazing how they fit it all in and their experience results in well run groups.  I was attracted by the clear criteria of acceptable and non acceptable, plus I haven't done a hoop before, I fancied the challenge.  My secret partner is a fan of Little Red Riding Hood so after flirting with a few ideas I settled on a pose inspired by this illustration...

It is from a battered children's 1940s book called 'Happy Days'.

That lead to a scribbled sketch on a scrap of used paper which became the design.

I love apples in fabric prints and I think that is what lead the design process, they had to be in their somewhere. That and my recent focus on red fabrics.   Alexander Henry's Farmdale line is my current favourite- Orchard and Delicious.  You can buy the latter at a bargain price at a new UK online fabric shop which looks very promising- Prints to Polka Dot Fabrics (See £1.50) section).  I digress, I ended up creating this...click the pic to see it bigger

All raw edge applique, 8 inch hoop and sewn on to linen/cotton mix.  Scraps courtesy of Amy Badskirt and my stash.  It was a fiddly little project but so cute to watch it start unfold.  I sewed the facial features by hand and the little gold hair ribbons and her cheek blush is from a red pencil crayon.

The back is a bit of Anna Maria Horner Good Folks- Small Gathering.  This has the added bonus of when the hoop is held against the light, there is a backdrop of leaf shadows just coming through, unplanned but I like it!  I used double sided tape to hold the fabric on the first hoop.  The two fabric layers are spray basted with 505 and the edges zig-zagged and stuck to the inner hoop with copydex.

A fun project.  Now back to Lula's quilt, the aim is to finish it this week.  I will leave you with the latest Ringo Pie block from Lucinda, it made me take a a little gasp when I first saw it, exquisite!  I beg you to click here and take a look x

Red is Best

There is a group on Flickr devoted to fabric stacks and a recent innovation has been to have theme weeks- so far Season with a Side of Smiles,  Lemon drops and Gumdrops, The Elements and this week my choice Red is Best.  If you want to add a stack of your favourite Reds come and share.

I was inspired by a this great book, typical line "But my red barrettes make my hair laugh."

I went a bit red crazy round the house looking for lovely reds.  Divine vintage hankie

Love that bakelite plastic red darning mushroom

And my latest find at the boot sale on Sunday, vintage lipstick buttons on a great card.

Red is definitely best x

Home

Lula is away this weekend on a school trip, last time that happened I ended up buying a whole load of sewing books to compensate.  This time more self control.  I'm having a big sort out and tidy up in preparation for opening a little Etsy shop!  I find so many vintage textile bits and pieces and I can't keep them all so this seems like a happy solution.  More news soon...

Meanwhile I am working on her quilt, started months ago (see here), when I pulled it out of the box this week I had not got as far as I had thought- a lot of sewing seems to go on in my head but not actually in real life.  I have almost finished the piecing on my trusty Featherweight.

 I do all my piecing on this machine-as the needle can't swing (no zig zag) it sews very straight and accurate small stitches.  The feedogs must grab the fabric as it never falters or eats the fabric at the beginning or end of seams.  Consequently I can do a bit of forwards/backwards at each end of the seam and everything stays tight.  I know this goes against machine patchwork convention but I prefer it.

I have another block from Ringo Pie, this time it is Corey of Little Miss Shabby see it here.  It is the most beautiful collection of baskets, so neatly pieced together and the fabric choices are to die for.

  It is always a bit strange when one of us goes away, we are a tight knit little family of  three and all very homey but she has to go into the world and have exciting independent experiences.  So I'll post a load of homey domestic vintage loveliness for you. 

 These were not thrifty purchases- which is most unlike me- but I cannot resist home and especially kitchen fabric and these were worth the spend. First two are from Donna Flower, warning, you may end up considerably poorer after visiting her website!

And these are ebay, only tiny pieces but all have great potential...

This was thrifted, in fact the man at the shop said I could have it.  It is a bit tatty but the pictures are so darn good.  1964 Woman Improve Your Home Book magazine insert with TV's Barry Bucknell.

I have many quilt wall-hanging type ideas from these pics.

Unsurprisingly, I just love this page- who wouldn't?  Brushes have never looked so good.

Enjoy your weekend x

Random

An enormously large thank you to all who took part in my birthday giveaway, you helped me over the hurdle of 40!  There were also more of you than I ever dreamed and you know there can only be one winner- the random number machine picked 12

Congratulations to Isisjem- Jan who has been a follower for a while and left a funny story about a weird birthday present she received- I have emailed you Jan x

The news has been dominated by the amazing rescue of all 33 of the Chilean miners.  It was so moving to see the reunions, the families just bursting with relief. 

 Another news story I heard this week had a sewing theme, seamstresses in Russia machining inflatable life size rocket launchers and radar stations to act as miltary decoys.  

They look incredible, for more pics and the story- see here.  

They are cheap, light (no storage problems here!) and the fabric fools enemy radar systems.

And to end a random  and jumbled post, a chair of recent vintage lovelies.

There are 98 of you following,  I still remember the very recent past when I checked my counter several times a day only to find it had increased from my own visits and no one elses!  Thank you to you all for taking the time to read bits of my sewing life, send me messages and comments and be there as inspiration too.   I love blogs and blogging and can't imagine sewing without it x