Sunny Days, Making Days...

Last week at the local flea market I came across a few lovely bits of vintage crochet and linens.  A lady was selling lovely little bundles tied up with string.  When I got home I untied them and found a few treasures....

 

hand embroidery

 

 

fragments of crochet trim

 

 

part finished embroidery

 

 

transfer printed linen and exquisite embroidery

 

 

There were several lovely pieces of old linen part embroidered and this led me to ponder on what I could make with them.  I love hand embroidery and always embellish my work myself.  However there was something about these linens that inspired me.  I decided to try and use them to make some new work.

 

A making day was arranged with Gill P for Friday.  We sat in the sun in Gill's lovely back yard amongst pots of geraniums, hanging baskets, lanterns and fairy lights, happily sewing in the sunshine.  A lovely lunch of home made quiche and salad followed by a chunk of chocolate cake. Gill was making a purple frayed fairy.  I decided to cut into my lovely linens and started to layer them on top of each other with hand dyed vintage linen in shades of ochre in between. 



 

cutting and layering - a work in progress

 

 

linen and mother of pearl buttons using matching threads

 

 

layered corsage with hand embroidery and buttons - the finished article!

 

 

I am hoping to make a few more of these vintage style brooches - not a piece of lace in sight.  I will leave you with an image of a cuff I am working on in shades of ochre, again a work in progress...

 

 

 

 

Until next time........ hope the sun is shining where you are. Jayne x



 



 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Obsessions revisited.....

I realise I have been neglecting my blog lately, in fact I didn't realise that so much time has slipped by.  My latest (in a long list) obsession has definitely taken over.  I decided to make some 'Inspiration Packs' using hand-dyed fragments of lace, crochet trims, fabrics and motifs.  I am so delighted to say that they sold extremely well and lots of different colours were requested....

Yellow Ochre

 

Every container that would hold a dye bath was utilised, washing machine full of net bags containing varying shades, ironing board (yes I did say ironing board!) was permanently on stand by to iron each and every piece once it had dried.  Our kitchen table was littered with fragments to be sorted, pressed and displayed before being photographed.

 

Rich Teal

 

Housework ignored, a last minute dash to buy new boxes of dye before the store closed, the array of colours went on and on... my obsession was taking over!  Ashes of Roses, Shades of Grey, Purple Haze, Green Earth, Raspberry Crush, Sea Foam, Sugar Almond, the list was growing by the minute.

 

Sugar Almond

 

The hoover was working overtime as I was cutting, ripping and tearing fabrics, trims and lace in preparation for dyeing.  My Etsy shop was left to its' own devices, not even checked as my dyeing gained momentum. 

 

Shades of Grey

 

and then - I came to my senses, having dyed enough fragments to stretch from here to California I decided enough was enough!  Time to get back to the real world and actually make something with some of these fragments.  There was a gorgeous set called Bitter Chocolate which was a duck egg blue tinged with chocolate edges.  I had dyed a small amount of velvet which I was particularly pleased with so I decided to make a couple of corsages with it.

 

 

 

 

 

the finished corsages

 

Normal service has been resumed although I do have a confession to make.  At my local flea market I did buy some lovely bits and bobs which are just dyeing (excuse the pun) for a dye pot!

 



trims and tablecloths 

 

Until next time, hope the sun is shining where you are...... Jayne

 

p.s. I have to admit I have an ochre and brown dye bath on the go tonight - ooops, well you have to wean yourself off slowly...



 





 





 





Show &Tell - Woolfest

I do love a day trip.  I am not a good traveller on a coach but make an exception as The Knit Studio in Newcastle organises a visit to Woolfest in Cumbria.  It is held in an auction mart in Cockermouth and it really is all about fibres.  Animals such as rare breed sheep, alpacas, angora rabbits rub shoulders with stall holders, designer makers, spinners and weavers all sharing a love of creating. Gill P, Gill W, Anne, Wendy and I all spent a lovely day meandering through all the stalls.  I always buy lots of bits and pieces to use in my work and yesterday was no exception.  My first purchase was wool tops in two lovely colours.

wool tops for felt making

 

 

a dinky jar of my favourite mother-of-pearl buttons

 

Gill W and I spent a happy half hour on the coach on the way home examining each and every button, there were an awful lot in such a tiny jar!  A few gems included - a couple of hand carved tiny buttons, some smoke mother-of-pearl and a few very large buttons.  

 

 

I do love a button

 

 

silk carrier rods for dyeing

 

 

hand dyed silk fibres from Oliver Twists

 

 

a lovely old tattered table runner

 

All in all a very enjoyable but tiring day spent with friends.  The carrier rods and tattered runner are in the dye pot as we speak.  I am going to try out my new fibres tomorrow.  Until next time.....

Jayne x

New Ventures........

After much deliberation and advice from my lovely blogging and facebook friends, I have done it!  What may you ask - well, opened an Etsy shop.  It is something I have thought about for a long while.  I am a ditherer as you may have gleaned from my blog posts.  If something can be put off, I am your man (woman) so to speak.  Procrastination should be my middle name.  I gave myself a good talking to and got to grips with listing, taking photographs, describing, measuring etc etc, oh and then there was how much should an item be!!!

Bespoke Vintage Lace Corsage

 

I have been making lots of accessories with a view to opening a shop online.  I took a lot of images of my work and listed away, until my friend Gill told me about online photo editing!  Back to the beginning and enhancing each and every image and re listing them.

 

 

Vintage crochet duck egg blue neckpiece

 

 

detail of corsage



A few wrist cuffs were listed to complete a small selection of work for sale. So after much tweaking the shop is now open. 

 

pale grey and pink on linen

 

 

It is so lovely to see the sun is shining, and summer has finally arrived.  Until next time......





 

 



 



 







 

 

Back to normal...

After all the excitement of the last few weeks things were settling down and getting back to normal and then out of the blue a tummy bug hit.  The best laid plans etc, out of the window.  However, a week on and I am raring to go (well almost)!  Inspiration packs have been selling like hot cakes and Etsy shop opening preparations going well. 

Raspberry Crush

 

Gill P and I are having one of our 'making days' tomorrow to fine tune my Etsy shop.  Chorizo, squash and pasta dish prepared, strawberries washed and hulled, teapot rinsed and at the ready!  Hopefully it will be ready to open by the end of the week. 

 

At Tynemouth flea market yesterday a lady was selling tiny doillies, something I always look out for to use in my work.  I bought twenty five lovely pieces....

 

 some unusual shapes and sizes

 

 

Today some of them ended up in a teal/grey pale dye bath, they have been soaking all day, I am really pleased with the result a very antique looking grey shade.....

 

 

shades of grey in the making

 

 

A fantastic purchase today from my favourite charity shop as it was closing - just in the nick of time to find this box.......

 

 

as you know, I have a bit of a weakness for a battered box, what would this contain I wonder?

 

 

a bolster pillowcase

 

 

pure Irish linen double sheets and pillowcases

 

I own one vintage pure linen sheet which I inherited from my grandmother, and have been looking for another for quite a while.  Imagine my excitement when I realised that this was an unused set, scalloped edged and a little drawn thread work.  The only fly in the ointment is that they are very grubby so will probably require a lot of tender loving care to restore them to their former glory.  I am wondering if they were a unused wedding present.

 

Until next time, so lovely to see the sunshine, Jayne x

 

 



 









Dipping my toe into the water - again.......

After the excitement of the last few weeks, it is time to return to the task in hand.  To sell online or not to sell online!  A dilemma which has caused me many a sleepless night. I decided to ask my new blog and facebook friends their opinion.  I do not know what is making me hesitate, the world of the internet seems to unnerve me a little, I am sure it is an age thing!  I have had a few sales through my blog (thank you, you know who you are).  I am going to do what I have seen other people do which is link their blog and facebook page and post about their work for sale.  Here goes!!

 new - inspiration packs

 

 

 shades of grey

 

 

 my favourite ashes of roses and grey

 

 

rose & wine

 

 

I have been dyeing lots of lace, linens, silks, organza, crochet trims, old curtain tape and ribbons to create little packs of inspiration for embellishment, scrapbooking, applique etc.  It has actually taken me quite a while to sort, iron (I know I don't 'do' ironing normally) arrange a complimentary colour palette that I am happy with for each little collection of fragments.  I have been working on a range of necklaces, dip dyed and very delicate - sneak preview below.....

 

 

faded pinks, browns and greys (yes I know it's those colours again)

 

Next task is a trip to the post office with a mock up pack to get it weighed.  I got a template from the post office which has the appropriate slots to identify the method you can send your parcel depending upon the size and wouldn't you know it - the pack will not fit through the letter slot (you would be hard pushed to get a thick piece of paper through this).  So as not to overcharge folks, I am doing a dummy run with said finished pack, oh and then there is sending abroad!!!!!!!

 

 

I look forward to your comments.... until next time I will leave you with a little updated picture of our little treasure Thomas...

 





 

 



Introducing Thomas......

Thomas was born on Sunday 21st April, at four minutes past five by caesarean section.

 

Emily is doing really well and Thomas is a very contented baby.  We are so delighted to be grandparents for the first time.  We are totally smitten!!!

 

 one day old

 

 

babysitting little Thomas for the first time

 

 

Happy, happy days........ until next time Jayne xxx