A new chapter

I hope you have had a really lovely break. I did and am today nursing a very minor hang over which was a very small price for the lovely New Years evening we had. Christmas was full of gorgeous handmade treats. It was a very real sign of just how well my friends and family know me stacks of fabric, brilliant books, ace supplies and gorgeous jewellery.
Now my thoughts turn to what this year might hold; Anna starting school, Simon qualifying as a teacher, me starting my City and Guilds course. So much learning and development for all of us- exciting forward steps. I now have nine months to prepare for the beginning of my course and want to really clear the decks mentally and physically. I still have 20 W.I.P to complete and have decided to work on one each week moving on at the end of the week, usually I flit about so much that although a week doesn't sound long it will, for me, be a real concerted effort. I will of course share my progress taking a picture at the start at end of each week.
I will also be trying to sell off my stock and this means a Folksy clear out. I am looking forward so much to spring cleaning my work room and making sure that amongst all the wood I can actually see the trees!
What are you looking forward to in 2010?

Comments

JaneDoeThreads said…
Hi, I'm new here, I was browsing textile-embroidery blogs [and their blogs] and came across yours, looking for inspiration for a few works that I am doing--and I have a question. In one of your embroidery posts you have a work you started, a water lily--with wool yarn. What I wanted to know, because I am working on embroidering small murals of my art work on fabric--Do the paints wash off and mix with the dyes in the embroidery threads? How do you prevent that? I am or will be starting on a collage of sorts, for a laptop sleeve, part embroidery, part paint, in somewhat of a Basquat style--and the fabric paints I have are just the run of mill bought at craft stores. I will be using muslin-and mixed cotton/with poly material, a type of patchwork quilt, will most likely do the painting with stitching on the muslin [its a better quality]. Is there anything I should do, to keep fabric paint from bleeding?

The colors I will be using is faded grays, faded blues, some black, browns and some violet hues, two parts of work will be in partial paint--somewhat like you see in spraycan graffiti art-murals, why the colors will be faded rather than stark contrast, and probably a lot of blending, why your water lily pond stuck out for me. Any advice you have will be greatly appreciated, I've looked on web some for directions but its either stitches alone or painting alone, I need compatibility with both. I will be using dmc threads, with some cording, some leather braid, and of course, the fabric. The sleeve will be lined with black fabric.

Jane
jennyflowerblue said…
Hi Jane I am replying here as you have a noreply setting on your blogger status, so I hope you get this! I painted my fabric whilst it was damp to soften the effect and then ironed it to 'fix' the colours. The threads I am using are colour fast, as are DMC stranded cottons. You can check the other threads you wish to use to ensure that they will not 'bleed'. I don't intend to wash the finished work but I guess you may wish to be able to wash yours. Please feel free to mail me direct if you have any more questions. Happy sewing!! x
Twiggy said…
Happy New Year, I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in blubbing over DT !!! I'm looking forward to having a new sewing machine for my birthday this month and getting to grips with it - hopefully. I'm also welcoming a BIG birthday !! I'm also looking forward to Twiglet learning even more stuff at school, can't wait for him to learn to read, we'll have such fun!
Twiggy x
Karen said…
I'm looking forward to the pleasure your course will give you!! and seeing it alldocumented here!
Jackie said…
Happy New Year and Happy New chapter. Which C&G course are you doing? How exciting. It was the best thing I ever did. You'll love it.
Jennifer said…
Sounds like you have lots to look forward to, I hope you are able to get it all done. I'm trying to get more organized and have lots of work in decluttering. Can't wait to see your progress.
Jude said…
Looking forward to watching your progress..
Jackie has also asked the same question..which course are you doing...
jennyflowerblue said…
I am doing the certificate in Stitched Textiles with Stitchbusiness. It should take two years and I do hope that afterwards I'll be able to go on to do the two year diploma. Thanks for all your encouragement!
Happy New Year Jenny,

hope the head is feeling better today???

All the best and warm wishes for the bright and shiny new year,

take care and loads of hugs to all,

Nina xxxxx
wonderwoman said…
a very happy new year to you!! sounds like you are off to a good start! your course sounds brilliant - is it at a college or on line - i would love to do a course like that.

xxxx
Daisie said…
Happy new year!
I am looking forward to qualifying as a little angel and having a cracking party for my graduation some time in February. I am looking forward to running the baby clinic I have been asked to start. I am looking forward to watching my babies grow a bit bigger. I am looking forward to getting into my smaller jeans (maybe....). I am looking forward to reading another year of your adventures!
xxx
Lyn said…
All sorts going on over here we hope!
Happy New Year to you and yours,
love
Lyn
xxx
Sarah said…
Happy New Year Jenny! A new year alway brings lots to plan and look forward to. I have an endless list of house and craft projects which is exciting - let' hope I achieve some of them!
x
JaneDoeThreads said…
Thank you,

I take it that ironing is the distressing, been doing some reading here and there. I am going to use for later projects berries, saw that on another blog--just not sure if I'll have to use a mordant [think that is what its called] or not,

I want to not use chemicals, though I have fabric paint here, [kind you find at craft stores] bought from one woman going out of business years ago, she used various mediums, etc. But I saw this blog too on using berries, and lol, I used to wonder about that, when using blueberries, thinking, wonder if that would dye fabric and if it would set,

LOL, well, gonna try it. Maybe wine too--see what happens. But, first, I'll do some samples, think that would be wise, before sponging/painting the laptop sleeve sections.

Dyeing is new territory for me so will be interesting--Your Water Lilies, came out just beautiful, I like the watercolor look of it. Its amazing at what women are doing with dyes and thread.

Jane
FairlyGirly said…
Just become your latest follower, look forward to your progress over the weeks.

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