Saturday, November 12, 2005

Saturday morning nap

 

As my friends know,a lot of native birds visit us on a regular basis;Here is Joe(named for Joe Cocker) having a nap in a Fiddlewood tree!
He lies along a branch and partially wraps a ring over the branch to stabilise him while he has a snooze Posted by Picasa

Friday, November 11, 2005

The fifth step

 

Trying to balance the rear with the front of the bag........I really need to change that central loop! Posted by Picasa

Step 4 "gardening"

 

Time to start adding flowers,vegetation,beads and buttons.
Ive used chain stitch whorls over top pocket,twisted basque stitch in purple on the
pocket edgings;some feather stitch and wheat ear stitch and also a double row of lazy daisy stitches interlaced with contrasting thread Posted by Picasa

Step 3: the rear view

 

I don't want "too much" embellishing on the back as I feel it will be worn away by brushing against the body.
I've just positioned a few motifs and (soap) drawn possible lines to curve around to the front of the bag.
I like the idea of the red braid through the waist loops,but am not sure if it will stay there:maybe a broader braid?? Posted by Picasa

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Step 2

 

I've started the curves..... rather stark looking at the moment isn't it!t Posted by Picasa

Step one----playing with positioning

 
I liked the ideas of curves that (vaguely) echoed the lines of the front pockets,so I've placed the motifs over chalked in lines;the chalk in this case being slivers of dried soap that I keep for marking dark fabrics Posted by Picasa

A Bag of Fun


Link

[http://www.flickr.com/groups/72125064@NOO/pool/]


When I started my first BoF I had in mind a confection of soft pastel colours featuring butterflies super imposed on a background of flowers and stems which would comprise embroidery,beads and buttons.
However,somewhere along the way I decided to flaunt my "growing old,disgracefully" tendencies, and with the help of a machine embroiderer friend who constructed the red hats,umbrella and Miss Maude on the back pocket with her magical machine,my tribute to the Red Hat Society took over!
I kept as far as possible,to a red and purple theme and embellished flowers and vines in curves that echoed the pocket shapes on the front.I've used crewel wools,polyster punch needle threads,DMC Madeiras and even DMC stranded cottons.
Being a cat lover,who has at least one cat lurking somewhere in each of my CQ pieces,if you look closely,you'll find three on the front of the bag.

Because I was aware of how the rear of any bag rubs against the body I didn't do much work on the bag's back: Only a feisty lady peering out of one pocket,a red hat on one pocket and a basket on the other.
A few vines and flowers relieve the bareness of the remaining panels.
Some red braid goes through the waistloops and the lining of the bag and straps is a Red hat fabric from a chain-store.

I used a small rectangle of Timtex to stabilise the base of the bag and added a couple of internal pockets in the lining.
I have found it a most convenient bag for general use,and not as heavy as I thought it would be.
I must now complete the "butterflies are free" bag and make 2 others,but,trust me,they wont have as much handwork as this one did!