NEW BLOG

I've just added a button for the new blog with Cath.  She is such a clever person!  She has designed the button so help us along and add it to your blog too please?  We're busily preparing our first posting...lots of things to give you plus some of our patterns for sale as well.  I've also been working on some new projects for the magazines and "busting" to get to some new bags I've designed as well.  This is just a quick post to let you know about the button but will be back with some more soon!!  Until next time, happy stitching and stay safe,


Jan

THE LIGHT WITHIN

Lots of beading and embroidery are in this piece.  I finished it about 18 months ago for a special exhibition at the gallery in Atherton.  Each year the combined churches held a week of art.  As well as the exhibition to a theme (always from the bible) the committee also arranged for tutors in the arts to teach workshops of all kinds and also special presentation at the church with both art and faith involved.  Sadly, the last exhibition was the final one as the driving force (the anglican minister) was moving away to fresh encounters.  The theme was "showing your light" but not sure now what book of the bible it came from.  I had been "toying" with the idea of intense tonal embroidery and beadwork for a while so the theme just fell in my lap!  Not sure if I have shown the pic before of a book cover I completed for a friend with the same idea, only smaller, in white.  If you go back a bit you will be able to find it I think. 


Along with a new friend, Cath, we have created a new blog with lots of interesting things to write about and also free patterns etc so, go to  http://jancathsbitsbobs.blogspot.com/ and have a look!  Only baby steps at the moment but we're working on making it exciting for everyone.  I'm busy designing a stitchery BOM for the new blog as well as more projects for Handmade AND myself!  :)  Until we meet again, happy stitching, love,


Jan

HANDMADE PROJECTS

Velvet & Lace is one of two projects featured in the current issue of Handmade.  I made it a while back and thoroughly enjoyed creating it.  I hand painted the lace and was lucky to find the random dyed velvet in a dress fabric shop.  Would love to say I had hand dyed it too but won't!  :)  The tassle is handmade too, using three full skeins of silk thread.  Very sumptuous and fitting, I felt to match the bag.  I finished off the bag with a small amount of lace and embroidery on the back as well.  Interesting beading is along the top edge.  Hard to explain without a diagram - using approx. 3mm diameter beads with smaller seed beads in a "sort of" fly stitch manner.  A really nice finish for any edge actually.  More to show you in a new post tomorrow!  Happy stitching!




Jan xxx