NEW FOLKSY SHOP

I've now opened a new Folksy Shop so my items are now available from two sources...but not duplicated.

This is the address of the Folksy shop...

http://folksy.com/shops/AngiesTextileArt

...just until I can put a link on here.

In the meantime you can still use the Etsy logo to access my Etsy shop...

Thanks for looking

:-)

I've Got a New Sewing Machine :-)

...and here it is!

It's a Janome Decor Excel II

I was going to go for the machine they use in the programme 'Great British Sewing Bee' but it wasn't as sturdy and only had 5 feed dogs as opposed tho this one having 7 and the motor is not as powerful as this one.

So I brought it home, but what a shock after using my 6600 for 7 years and getting used to pressing buttons.  It's a great little machine though and will take a bit of getting used to - I can have two projects on the go at the same time now when my other one gets back from repair!

So here's my first project made with it!

It sews like a dream...nice and quiet :-)

I worked out how to do free motion quilting too - unfortunately my darning foot won't fit...must be just for the 6600...so I just removed the foot attached to the machine and let the needle do the stitching on its own!  It worked anyway :-)

...and here's a close-up

:-)

Seascape Progress

Well, here it is!

I think I've done all the meshing I want to do now so it's on to the embellishing with beads and thread now.

I'm just wondering what to do about the raggedy edges...do I leave them, trim them so they're not as raggedy or completely trim to create straight edges?

I thought about using my rotary cutter to cut gentle curves down the sides...

what do you all think?

More Work on My Seascape

In between trying to decide on which 'spare' sewing machine to buy I added a few more threads to my Seascape.

This is the full view - I quilt like the wobbly edges and might end up keeping it that way when it's finished :-)

So, from the bottom upwards these are the close-ups.  The 'pebbles' at the bottom will be stitched eventually.

As well as threads I used scrim and one of the threads had some sparkle in it too.

Getting closer to the top here...space-dyed fabric ribbon and more scrim and some variegated wool.

Now then...I'm not too sure about this.  I might cover it with more scrim, or even remove it altogether I'm not sure yet.

And just for fun as I've no intention of turning the finished piece over (well not at the moment anyway!) ...here's what the back looks like... so far...

:-)

Experiments With the Embellisher

A couple of years ago I attended a workshop at the Festival of Quilts run by Gail Lawther.  The workshop was for a Seascape wall hanging made from lots of different colours and types of fabrics and embellished with beads and thread.

During the workshop I got as far as arranging the fabrics and tacking them in place - it was only an hour long.

As with virtually all the workshops I've attended over the years I came home and put my half finished pieces away.

Since my Janome is awaiting hospital admission I decided to get my embellisher out and thought about needle-felting this instead of sewing it together.

The first photo above is the piece as I brought it home, untouched since.

Then I attacked it with the needles!

I added some wool on the 'beach' for pebbles which you can see above on the left, and also some slubby silk thread for foam on the sea.

And this is as far as I've got as I'm very conscious of the noise it makes!

And here is the whole piece so far...

There is still a very long way to go as I'm going to add threads and scrim and eventually beads to finish it off and it will be very different to Gail Lawther's original but hopefully just as lovely

:-)

I Have a Poorly Janome :-(

My Janome 6600P is poorly :-(

She has been clunking for a couple of days but even after I cleaned and re-threaded she still clunked occasionally and then on Saturday she stopped!

First of all I got an

'E1 Error'

Then I found that depending on the position of the needle I also got

'E2 Error'

and

'E3 Error'

...and do you know I couldn't find out anywhere what it meant!

The manual just mentioned E1 and E5 - maybe it means E1 to E5 ...I don't know, but it says to contact the dealer.

So today I did and this is what I was told...

'It sounds like a fuse has gone on the A board...worse case scenario would be for a whole new board'.

So on Friday I will take her to the hospital and hope that it's not a case of 

'worse case scenario' !

This has made me realise that I no longer 'need' a different machine.  

I've decided I really do love this one after all and am used to its little foibles...we understand each other and to be honest I can't really justify spending £1500 to £2000 for a machine like the ones I've been looking at this weekend.

I could however do with a 'spare' so I'll keep my eye out for a 2nd hand smaller bog standard machine just to keep handy.

So what am I going to do for at least the next couple of weeks?

Read my next post to find out

:-)

Japanese Garden Quilt & B&W&R All Over Update!

A few months ago I bought some gorgeous Robert Kaufman fabric with the intention of make a wall hanging.  I changed my mind and now there is a lovely big quilt in progress!

It started off with 4 appliqued flowers in the centre which I then quilted using the quilt-as-you-go method.

My sewing machine loved quilting this so much that there were no thread breaks, no eyelashes on the back and was very well behaved throughout - for a change!!

I then had the idea to add log cabin blocks all around the centre panel - each 14" square.  All these are now completed and quilted and I'm now in the process of hand sewing them together ready to attach.

Once this is done I have another idea for the border - diamond in square blocks but there's still a bit of maths to do with this before cutting commences!

The whole quilt will measure about 76" square when complete.

For those wondering about the Black & White & Red All Over quilt...

...well the blocks are now all sewn together and it's been put on one side while I decide on my next move.

I don't want to just add a plain border and quilt it, I want something more - maybe even diamond in a square as with the Japanese quilt.

But I don't want it too fussy!

Any suggestions gratefully considered!!

Forgotten Encaustic Art...Now Available in my Etsy Shop

A few years ago I went to an encaustic art workshop at our local Hobbycraft store.  I enjoyed it, although I burned myself a few times and found it a bit messy (expensive too) so didn't take it further.

Today whilst looking for some silk fabric I came across all the pieces I had made - I'd forgotten I'd made so many...thought there were only a couple!

So I decided to cut them up and make them into greetings cards and I'm really pleased with the results.

 

So now they are all listed on Etsy...here's the link if you'd like to see them in all their glory

MY ETSY SHOP

Oh...and there's free UK postage on all the encaustic art cards

:-)

Thanks for looking!

Vintage Style Quilts & Lavender Hearts

I've just been informed that unfortunately I am unable to take my quilts to the vintage market on Sunday as they are considered 'crafts' and not actually vintage, although they use vintage-style fabric.

Therefore I will be putting them all in my 

Etsy Shop 

this weekend instead.  

I'll also be selling these lavender fragranced hearts made with Cath Kidston fabric.

Going to get on with my knitting now as I've let it slip a bit whilst making these...baby knits and socks - I've still got 2 odd socks that need a mate!!

Vintage Style Quilts & a Cushion...Ready For The Fair

Vintage Floral 2" Squares 

measuring 24" x 36" approx

I've been making vintage-style small quilts to take to a Vintage Market on Sunday and here they are.

I'm really pleased with how they've turned out - they may look a bit wobbly on the photos but that's because in the absence of somewhere decent to hang them I laid them on the grass to take the photos.

If I manage to get to the Vintage Market I'll take some photos.  I've been to craft fairs but this is different and I'm looking forward to it :-)

Vintage floral baby/doll pram quilt made with 

1/2 Square Triangles

and measuring 20" x 22" approx

If by any chance anyone would like to enquire about purchasing any before I take them then please do get in touch.  I will be taking them over to a friend tomorrow (Friday 1st March) in the afternoon but can always take them off sale after that.

Prices range from £30 for the smallest to £90 for the Cat Quilt. (postage extra)

I've included the sizes on the photos.

All quilts are backed with cream fleece fabric and machine washable.

Vintage floral log cabin quilt

measuring 29" x 40" approx

Vintage floral  using Cath Kidston fabric 6" squares

measuring 25" x 30" approx

Cat quilt using 60's style fabric by Amy Butler...

...recently featured in Popular Patchwork Magazine

measuring 40" x 50" approx

Union Jack cushion made using red toile & pink floral fabrics

measuring 17" x 12"

Whilst I was in the garden taking these photos I was serenaded by this little chap...absolutely beautiful!

10% OFF IN MY ETSY SHOP!

It's been a funny old day so I've decided to offer you all 

10% off any item in my 

Etsy Shop

Just use the code

MAD MONDAY

at checkout

Thank you!

Angela

:-)

Crafty Vintage Makes

I've been getting a few crafty makes together in readiness for a vintage fair in three weeks time.  I'm hoping to go but if it turns out I can't then my friend will take my makes to try to sell for me.  

So far I have a few lavender sachet hearts (waiting for rosebuds and ribbons) and a couple of notebooks.  

I also have ideas for cushions and maybe a couple of small quilts in vintage-style fabrics.

It will be an experience if I do get to go but I expect I'll spend more than I sell!

In the past I have sold cards at craft fairs but I'm hoping that the vintage fair will be more interesting.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has any vintage fair experiences they'd like to share...

:-)

A Busy Postcard-making Weekend...and a Bit of Knitting!

Here are three more postcards I've made for my

Etsy Shop

I printed quite a few of my photos but just managed to get these 3 finished.  I did try to replicate my horse's eye postcard but made a right mess of it so that won't be going in yet.  I want to keep the original...

I've also been knitting and will post photos when finished...but in the meantime...

I'm going to try to get an hour of quilting in now...I wonder how long that will last!

Notebook Cover ~ New Item in my Etsy Shop!

 front

 I love making notebook covers and have so many!

A6 is my favourite size as it can fit neatly in your handbag, although I also have a few A5 notebook for sketching and making notes about my quilts etc.

I decided it might be a nice idea to make one for sale in my Etsy shop and 

here it is

...a vintage ballerina printed onto organza and secured onto cotton fabric and lace.

 back

 If you like it and you would like a personalised one let me know as I can also create custom book covers from your own photos

 inside

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~

I am also still plodding along with my Black & White & Red All Over Quilt...but I've decided to make it a bit smaller - 6 blocks x 6 blocks - and then add borders as I want to make a quilt out of it instead of a wall hanging.

I'll get there - eventually!!

Black & White & Red All Over - 8 Blocks Done!

Eight down 34 to go!

This could take some time!!

Black & White & Red All Over - 1st Block Done!!

...and here it is!

It took me a white and it was quite fiddly to do but I got there in the end.

I've decided that instead of just making the red inserts and then making the blocks I will make them as I go along - it might be more interesting that way...

...I'll post my progress

:-)

A Quilt For Me...

...Black & White & Red All Over!

A couple of months ago I treated myself to a new book...

Quilting Modern by Jacquie Gering & Katie Pederson

This design is in the book and I loved it as soon as I saw it...

...my quilt will have red where you see cream here, and I plan to make it larger to fit on my bed - in theory!!

It's quite time consuming but today I managed to stitch 1/3 of the strips - that's 14 of the 42 - but just one side for the moment.  Once all done I'll make a start on the other side of the strips and then add the triangles so I have a square like this...

I wonder how long it will take me??

I will post my progress as I go along

:-)

I've Been a Busy Bee...

I have been busy in small bursts this week.  It started really well with lots of ideas then for a couple of days I suffered with a migraine which means I don't feel up to doing anything :-(

Eventually I perked up and made a few Valentine/general greetings cards for my Etsy Shop

which includes two ATCs mounted on card...

These are created by printing manipulated photos of one of my quilts onto fabric and then quilting.

Next for the shop are Mothers' Day gifts from an idea I have from one of my dad's photos...my dad's legacy lives on...

I also made a start on pinning the pieces of the 'quilt I'm making for me'

The next stage for this is to sew all the curves - all 42 of them - and then pin the other side so it starts all over again!  I did consider cheating and appliquéing the curved pieces instead but decided to go for the stitching - this is going to take some time!!

As well as all this sewing and card making I'm still knitting socks and have just found a pattern for two needle socks and have some gorgeous wool to use too!

But I must finish just one more sock before trying the two needle method...hopefully it won't be too long now...watch this space :-)