Taliesin book #1

 This one has been a bit of a journey...

...but a very enjoyable one!

Number 1 in a series of tiny books...

...for the Near & Far group expo ...

...that is (supposed) to be happening at the NEC in March 2021.

(Fingers crossed)

Based on text from the Book of Taliesin...

...I printed some of the Battle of the Trees...

...and used leaf printed fabrics with some stitching,

Enjoy the piccies :-)

Front cover and "pointer"

Back cover

Collage and stitched leaf print

Illuminated letter and Battle of the trees text

Leaf print and collage

Collage and stitch

Rubber stamping and stitched panel

More stamping and collage

I now have the bit between my teeth to get on with the rest of the series!

x  C

Old Amsterdam....

 ...hand stitching begins!

I decided to do some "window box" stitching on this one.

Starting with the variegated pinks...

I will do the "foliage" in green later on.

Just as well I have plenty to be getting on with...

...it's only DAY 2 of our 2 week "lockdown"!!!

x C

Playing around with colour and stitch

I will have to apologise for not being around here much lately...

...but having piles of things to do...

...and most of those things for books/publications...

...I simply can't show you too much right now.

One of the books that I'm working on requires gazillions of samples...

...so that the photos will make you all want to stitch!!

So...

...I have been playing around with different colour combinations...

...just to see how they work together.

I can show you some little strange "corners"....that's all! :-)

There will be a few more of these in a while...

x C

More stitching .....at last!!

I know I haven't been showing much lately...

...but there's still a lot going on behind the scenes here.

Much is to do with a book in progress....

...so, sorry, but I can't reveal anything to do with that.

I can show some more Sashiko/Japanese Inspirations work for the two Summers Schools ...

....in Yorkshire this year. NE Region and Yorkshire & The Humber in June and July

This is a Sashiko Sampler that I have enlarged...

...machine-stitched done in different colours...

...and then added hand-embroidery.

I like it!

You'll notice that I added some applique and lengthwise binding too.

(...have to admit that it's quite rare for me to finish something off like this!:-o   )

Have a good week folks...

x C

Enjoying my stitching time....

...doing teeny tiny stitches and beading....

My bathroom is currently full of canvas panels...

...either being covered in tissue paper...

...being glued.....

...or being painted.

Glazing and stencil work to follow...

xC

Brooches! Brooches! Brooches!!!

...and even more Brooches! :-)

Here is one of my famous "piles"....

...all ready for Aiguille en Fete in March.

There are many, many more besides these....

...so that's a LOT of stitching and beading!!

x C

Gelli Plate samples for Busy Bees

It was a "play day" around here yesterday...

...messing about with Gel Plates....ink pads....brayers....and polymer stamps...

...making some samples for my workshop at Busy Bees on the 9th of Feb :-) (Sorry it's full!)

I had already done some 6 inch round pieces...but wanted to do some a bit smaller...

...so these are 4 inches (10.12cms) and have turned out rather well methinks.

I brayered the background on the plate...

...transferred this to some Empress Mills Egyptian Cotton... (which is soooo fine that you can hardly see the grain!)

...then used some of my delightful Lavinia Stamps to put on top.

After everything had dried...

...I put some stabiliser and a backing fabric in place...

...and did my stitching using a hoop - yes.....a hoop (not normal for Chrissie but necessary for such tiny stitches).

This is just Number 1

...so keep tuned for the rest...

x C

Colour fix...printing...and stitching...

So...

...out we went in the cold...

...for a very welcome "colour-fix" at Doughty's in Hereford.

I have never been to their Fabric Warehouse before...

...but, I can assure you...

...I WILL be going again!!! :-)

Yesterday I cut some strips of my lovely batik purchases...

...and got some kit-printing done.

I've ironed on some Bondaweb and will begin trimming later on today.


I've also been doing a bit of stitching on some previously printed pieces...

...samples for my shows in France (that will be upon me before I can say "Winkie"!!)

I love the bright colours in this one...

...reds and jade greens....

...mmmmmmm...

x C

Candle Band #4

...the last one for now...

...but I'll be preparing loads of backgrounds to go into kits...

x C

Candle Band #3

...piling up...

I am so enjoying these...

x C

Candle Band #2

I'm feeling Happy....Happy....Happy...

...still more to go...

x C

Candle Band #1

...on a roll here!!

A while back I printed a load of small pieces...

...for small projects.

I've been working on some "Candle Bands"...

...and this is the first one to get itself finished....

There are quite a few more to go.....

x C

A thread keeper .....finished!

I pfaffed about with this one a bit.....

...before deciding to use a round ring instead of a "D" ring.

The embroidered piece is soooo pretty...

...and because I put a thick core in there...

...it can be used to keep pins and needles too!!

Another one ticked off the (rather long) list!!

x C

Kindle cover.....finished!!

I don't manage to do something purely for myself that often...

...but when I got my new Kindle a couple of months back...

...I decided that I would make a nice cover for it rather than buy a plastic one :-)

Here it is...

...finished ...... and in use!!

Another UFO sorted :-D

x C

Another small box finished....

This is another wooden box from The Works....

...a round one this time...

...with a piece of embroidery now secured on its lid.

So sweet.....

I'm happy...

x C

Time to begin putting things in order!!

After an afternoon visit to Busy Bees yesterday...

...where I had the use of a huge worktable to spread all my UFOs on...

...little did I realise just HOW MANY things need to be finished off!!

Having been away from home for about 4 months in total this year...

...I made sure that I prepared plenty of stitching to carry me through periods of travel.

I knew that I'd done quite a lot...

...but, seeing it all laid out made me realise just how much I have actually done...

...despite being on the road teaching workshops all over the place!

So...

...this morning...

...one piece has (finally) been finished...

...and to my satisfaction I might add :-)

This is a wooden box that I bought at The Works...

...cheap and (not very) cheerful...

...but with a coat of paint and some printing & embroidery...

...it becomes a lovely thing to store bits'n'bobs.

It is a sample to inspire for my stand at Nantes.....

Here's a closeup of the top...

...and the finished box...

It makes my heart glad to have something actually DONE!!!

Now for the rest........ :-o

x C

ps

Anne and I talked yesterday about more workshops at Busy Bees next year... both of mine in November and February are full....but it looks like more will be in the pipeline soon..... :-)

Inspiration galore......Thank You....Professor Tolkien!!

We've just got back home (again) after a few days in Oxford......which is always inspirational...

...but this time even more so...

...because of the Tolkien - Maker of Middle Earth exhibition at the Bodleian!

I picked up a few bits and bobs...or course...

...like this notebook, a few pencils, a bookmark and a couple of button featuring Tolkien's artwork.

I also got this lovely little tote bag with a drawing from the Hobbit on it....

...which I intend to use as a soft cover for another small book inspired by his doodles and artwork...

...and, of course the languages and letters.

I had already cut a load of templates and stencils of Anglo-Saxon runes before we went....

...used Markal Paintstiks to put them onto batik fabric...

...then stitched around them with metallic thread....followed by teeny tiny french knots and seed stitches.

These will take me a while...

...but winter is coming...

...and they are a divining set for my story character "Caria" in "The Near & Far Creative Textile Group" on Facebook.

I have been soooooo busy this year so far that this project has had to sit on the back burner for way too long......but, thanks to Professor Tolkien.....I have been inspired to get back to it at last!! :-)

More to follow as and when...

x C