And then there were 65...

...beads - I really think I am starting to get the hang of playing with fire!!

I have grouped them into spangle sets, with a couple of 'spares' in the bottom left corner.

The top 3 bunches will even spangle a pair of bobbinsVBG!

I am going to make as many as I can over the next week and a half, then take them to the tutor to get them annealed in the kiln, before they are put on bobbins.

I still have to decide what I will make for my final bookmark in this round of the 25 motif challenge, but I dare say I will sign up for round number 3 after I am done...I am looking at a collection of coaster sized motifs...Christmas gifts for next year maybe??

Short and sweet today...please enjoy!

Bobbins, shutles and flames

I really have been busy this week!

I have completed another 10 pages of FIL's Christmas scrapbook...may show you highlights later!

Work and lace classes have beeen full steam ahead (not that I have been getting much lace done there...:)

But evenings have had a little lace content...

Here is the wire lace butterfly I am making for a friend...I want 3 in total.

The design is by Lenka Suchanek.

This bobbin lace hankie is also a Christmas gift...I think I am safe to show you here :)

The design is redrawn from Rosemary Shepherd's Intro to Bobbin Lace book and completed in Perle 8 thread - feels like rope after recent efforts, but the effect is nice.

Next for the shuttles...
2 more installments of Stumpy...the left in my favorite thread for tatting - Lizbeth 20, colour shell, the right in the perle 8 again. These are 25 motif challenge number 21 and 22!

This gorgeous design comes up on Gumnuts occassionally! I finally give it a go and love it!
I can't find the link at the moment, but will wrestle this infernal machine later this evening when the daylight in the shed is not calling so strongly!
The left one is perle 8 and the right Lizbeth 20 threads and tallies 23 and 24 in the 25 motif challenge....just 1 to go!!!!

Yesterday I had my other glass making class! It seemed a looonnnggggg wait between Saturdays, but now I have to wait until May next year!!!

I made 2 beads, some twisties and lots of stringers in class, but there were a few other things demonstrated by the teacher, so I just had to come home and get my workstation organised!

Here are my beads...left to right...made with a twistie at home (love the christmas colours but the green did not do as I thought it would - like the effect anyhow, especially on this second attempt), the original first bead from last week, the first try with the twistie (made in class), the first attempt at adding dots (also made in class), my first attempt at swirling the dots (love this bead!!) and another go at dots made at home.

And the other side of the above!

Finally, I made a twistie at home with more than 2 colours. This was great fun, and I think it is the technique that sounds like it should be a drink first thing in the morning, but I will have to look up the name, and check it first.

Now all I have to do is put my boots on and I can go and play some more! today I want to try a couple of other techniques from class, and make some smaller beads so that I can begin spangling some bobbins with my new beads.

The wire lace is also on the agenda and then some scrapbooking...

Thanks for reading my loonnnggggg post...catch up soon, and don't forget to let me know what you think :)

Fabric, glass and thread

Fabric...

After completing the single sail squares for DS2's quilt, I started on the next installment...

These "fish" sets are half done now, but here is a small sample...

Glass...

Yesterday I attended a glass bead making class. The beads are made using flame fueled by a BBQ gas bottle.

We learned lots of safety points, then we each had a go at making a stringer and some frits.

Next, we each made a donut bead. Here is mine! I picked a piece of glass that was constructed of transparent and opaque sections which gives the bead some depth.

I am wearing it on a plaited cotton bracelet at the moment, but it will become a spangle in the near future.

Next week, I will learn how to decorate my beads...til then, there is a looonnngggggggg wait for supplies to arrive so I can make some more of these cool donut beads!

I will soon be able to design some wire lace to decorate my beads!!!!!!!

Finally some threads...

This hankie edge will be a baby bonnet/wedding hankie for my new grand baby due in February.

It is Bucks Point and I will be taking some pins out on Tuesday, so I will show you the design then :)

I also have some more bookmarks for my 25 motif challenge to show you in the next post.

Til then TTFN :)

A little bit of lace and...

I have now finished my Withof scroll that I started at Yvonne Scheele-Kirkhof's workshop in Melbourne several weekends ago :)

I have taken the picture of both pieces with an Australian dollar to show you the sizing...

maybe I also need to grab a measureing tape?

Let me know what you think...

Next I want to try one of the smaller pieces in her book...Dutch Bobbin Lace Patterns...

I have also been getting on with some quilting. This one is pieced onto card by hand and was introduced to you in this post.

When it is finished, I will be giving it to D.S.2 and his lady...there are 42 of each of 4 different squares. This is the first lot of boats with a single sail...stay posted to see the next batch of completed squares.

A change of pace now...

Every second Monday evening I go to a quilting/sewing/craft group. The ladies are very skilled at machine quilting, and as I can do the hand sewn ones at home, I have been trying my hand at the machine constructed variety.

My first attempt can be seen here...BTW the quilt measures 110 cm (43 inches) square.

Now it is time to get on with a new project?!?!?!???

My gorgeous little grandson turned 1 year old yesterday. Unfortunately I do not get to see him these days, but that does not mean I have forgotten him!

Although this will be very late, I am making him a quilt for his bed.

I have put together the applique pictures featuring wheels...what do you think?

Now they have to be placed on calico backgrounds, stitched and then the quilt can get going.

I will decide next week if I will hand or machine stitch the blanket stitch.

With Christmas coming fast, I had best get back to my work...so many gifts to make so little time!!

Hugs for now...

First, I have some wire lace bits.

These are designed by Britt of stitchety grub fame.

The larger design is the main pendant and the smaller is supposed to be the earrings, but I like it as a pendant too.

With the arrival of new colours in the wire today, I can't wait to play :)

Next, I have some more tatted bookmarks.

Bookmark number 18 in the 25 motif challenge is one I have been working on for some time. After starting Sharon's design class, I started experimenting and here is one of the results...I am not entirely happy with it, but there may be a pretty good basic idea hiding in here...somewhere!

Number 19 and 20 are more stumpy's.

Like Diane from lace lovin' librarian, I love this design and have been using up those little bits of thread that are not enough to make something with...I messed up with the one on the right and had to change threads half way through so will probably keep it myself, but I kinda like the effect anyhow.

I will post again over the weekend...I have a pic of my finished Withof pieces and have been busy with some quilting projects. Thanks for letting me share, hope you have found something of interest :)

Hugs for now.