Blue and Green World

I decided to do an update on my tapestries. I think they are going to take a while so it will hopefully be good to have a record of their progress. Also I thought it might help encourage (shame!) me into getting on with them. I tend to go in phases with things and I haven’t really done anything much with them for a few weeks.

The joys of the crafter’s life! I am used to what I call ‘quilter’s fingers’ which I seem to get from quilting. First of all I get great holes in the tips of my fingers (from the end of the sewing needle) which bleed and hurt like crazy, then they thankfully go numb - and eventually without any quilting they recover. Now I seem to have also developed tapestry worker’s fingers too! All the skin and cuticles around my nails keep splitting and bleeding - youch! Plus I’m getting a crooked back from stooping over my tapestry frame and trying to do that while following the pattern. So I’m in the wars - lol!

So I slowed down a fair bit and started planning some new projects for the year. I’ve planned out and started a simple striped quilt for my bed and a matching angel wallhanging/quilt (more on that later and hopefully some photos) and I’m also planning out what I’d like to do for a Christmas wallhanging and also thinking about doing a wallhanging/quilt as a project for the whole year. So lots on my mind….

Just a few notes and photos to let you all know how everything is going with my projects.

I’ve started the hare! The friend and I finally started yesterday. So here it is - a long way to go yet!

This is my fox - which is growing quite nicely. I must start and do some other jobs though, it is taking over my life somewhat!

I am still doing my quilt. I’ve now finished quilting the border of little squares 

and am quilting the main squares. This is one I’ve just finshed.  I still haven’t made up my mind on what to do with the plain squares, but I have a fair bit more other quilting to do so there’s no rush to decide.

Wishing everyone a very ‘Happy New Year’ - and apologies for being a little late with saying it. I was planning on doing a review of the year for 2006, and then a post on the 1st - but obviously it didn’t happen! As requested, here’s an update on my fox tapestry. I am loving doing it, although finding it hard to sort out the colours, as the shading is very subtle. I haven’t really started the hare one yet. And yes I am still working on the purple quilt. I have nearly finished the quilting on the squares in the border, but I still haven’t made my mind up what I’m doing with the plain purple squares as yet.

I must be mad but my friend gave me the leftover threads from her fox cushion and I had some spare canvas and a frame so I’m  starting the fox tapestry too!! Not sure how it will work out doing 2 at the same time but we’ll see….

Ok, here’s my latest project. A friend and I have decided to tackle this one together for mutual support!

I’m a big fan of the Arts and Crafts Movement and William Morris in particular. Beth Russell designed a series of tapestries based on William Morris designs and I love them all. I first saw them back in the early 90’s and fell for them and bought her book meaning to at least stitch the fox and hare cushions - but never got around to it.

Then I saw the fox cushion completed by a friend and I knew that I had to do them! It’s years and years since I did any stitching following a chart, let alone any tapestry so I am a little nervous. But here goes….