Summer Delights

 

EAT:

Just had my first mango of the season with my fave yoghurt of all time!!  Yummeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The tarty creaminess of the yoghurt and the sweetness of the mango was a pleasure to the palate. How I love the tropical fruits we are so lucky to avail ourselves of at this time of year

PLAY:

The following are pictures of beach scenes from our recent holiday escape.

These pictures following are in a National Park and we were the only ones on the beach – had it all to ourselves.

QUILT:

Now for the quilt part of this blog, not a lot happening I’m afraid.  There was some secret santa sewing going on before the holiday, and now there is just a few finishing touches to go onto those items. (Show and tell after the items are delivered).

Finishing work is still going on with my long drawn out crazy quilt and I am planning to have it finished in the New Year and ready for the big reveal on this blog.  It has been more than 7 years in the making – called ‘slow quilting’.

Until next time………………..Dianne

TAST Embroidery 2013 & More Dyeing Fun

 

There has been some frantic stitching going on here at Eat Play Quilt.  Christmas is looming fast, and, of course, the ‘last minute girl’ has just realised this.  There is always good intentions in the New Year to be more organized but, alas, it is just the make up of the girl.  There is a lot of Secret Santa stuff, so I cannot show at the moment.

As the stitches come on to Pintangle each week I have been trying to keep abreast of my TAST i.e. (Take a Stitch Tuesday).  You can check it out HERE.

Here is the latest sample I have finished:

The little coloured ones are Raised Cup and the pink one underneath is Turkman Stitch.

I enjoyed doing the Turkman stitch very much.

Week 68 – 75

top to bottom:

Slipped Detached Chain

Buttonholed Double Chain St.

Crested Chain

Bullion Buttonhole

Wrapped Coral

Portuguese Stem Stitch

Zig Zag Chain St.

Woven Zig Zag Chain

Week 63-67

Top to Bottom:

Scroll Stitch

Top Knotted Buttonhole

Buttonhole Bar

Coral Stitch

Fancy Hem Stitch

 

Week 76 – 81

Vandyke Stitch

Woven Cross Stitch

Cloud Filling

Chained Cross Stitch

Raised Chain V1 ( L )    Raised Chain V2 ( R )

I have really enjoyed doing these samples but I will definitely have to refer back to the instructions to repeat them.  So many interesting ways to use needle and thread!!!

My friend, Joan, has just returned from a marvellous holiday around England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and parts of Europe.  Lucky duck!  She brought me back these goodies.  The little reindeer decoration is wooden and carved by hand in Austria.  Thank you Joan.

Shirley has been a bad  good  influence on me and I can’t go past a second hand bookshop anymore without checking out their old embroidery books.

I was lucky to pick this wonderful book up from Lifeline for just $4.  The book says it is about colour, but most of the illustrations are in black and white.  There is quite a bit on colour theory at the back of the book which is very informative.  There are also many design possibilities for creative embroidery.

 

There has been some more attempts at botanical dyeing.

Firstly I tried some bark.

“mmm What’s for dinner dear?” 

The fabric came out a beautiful deep rich caramel colour.  (no photo yet – too boring)

Next, I decided to try the bouganvillea flowers as they are so rich and steeped in colour at the moment. Here are pictures of the plants.

Lilian & I plucked the blossoms ready for the boil up

This is the fabric soaking in the pink bouganvillea juice.  It looked very promising – smelt disgusting.

Alas, the bouganvillea experiment needs more work.  Must get some mordant of some description.  Anyone got any ideas??

The fabrics from both the orange and pink bouganvillea came out pretty, but very insipid (no photo – boring again).

I will keep trying.

Until next time……………………..