ballyhack

I love taking a run over to Ballyhackamore (Belfast). There are a collection of charity shops, which I enjoy a good rummage round. I was really excited when I discovered a new shop there - The Textile Studio.

 



They stock a yarn which I have never seen before, its called Drops and is from Norway. The shop also has some fabric and haberdashery. There are workshops for crocheting and sewing at the moment, for more info see the website, click here. Ill definitely be having quite a few return visits.
Of course I could not resist buying a wee bun from the home bakery across the road to have with my cup of tea.

Bye for now, Ali

exhibition

The Belfast Met. have a few exhibitions on this year..........

Our City and Guild's class have our work on display next week. So if you are in the vicinity of the Castlereagh Campus, next Monday, Wednesday or Thursday go and have a wee look. Opening times are 9 am till 4 pm. The exhibition is closed on Tuesday as that is the day the Examiner visits, my work is up for scrutiny this year, so wish me luck for that.
Some photos of my corner.....



All the best, Ali

log cabin

One of my treasured possessions is a quilt which my nanny made and gave to me. It must be sixty years old. It's in my favourite patchwork block, Log Cabin. Its a bit threadbare now and in need of a little tlc, I must take the time to do some repairs.

 

 

The blocks are a bit haphazard but for me that adds to it's charm. The back is as interesting as the front, made up of pieces of old tea towels and shirts. Comes from a definite make do and mend era.

Traditionally the middle block of the log cabin is red to represent, the hearth or the fire. The strips represent the logs used in the construction of the cabin. These strips are usually contrasting light and dark - the light ones being the side of the cabin with the windows and the dark strips being the solid side of the cabin. Here's a sample I did a few years ago...

I have been meaning to do a log cabin knit for a while and have just started one for my TV project. The pattern for my winter blankie is "Curve of Pursuit" from  Woolly Thoughts. They have a lot of mathematical/illusion type patterns to see their website click here.

 

 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, everyone, Ali

drip drip drop

"Drip, drip, drop little April showers" as the song goes in Bambi. I know its already May, but I am pleased to announce that I have finished my April Shower felt panel.
A few photos......

 

 

A change of mind regarding the Wensleydale lock hyacinths they were replaced with strips of muslin which I embroidered into the felt.

 

and the tulips standing to attention

 

 

lots of raindrops

 

 

 

 





Now just the book and the employability units to complete.
Have a great Bank Holiday weekend, Ali
 

yellow tulips

I've been busy the last few weeks so have been neglecting my blog. In the last post I was working on my April Shower felt panel, progress has been slow. I'm having two flowers on the panel, grape hyacinths and tulips. Just finished the tulips this morning. Here's how I made them....

The research pages in my book

As for the flower, I dyed silk gauze yellow and with yellow wool made some nuno felt. I had great difficulty with the nuno, so if anyone has any tips how to make nuno felt I'd love to hear.
I then cut out six tulip shaped petals for one flower head.

 

I then gathered the base of the petals with tiny running stitches and joined three petals in a ring.

I sewed one ring of petals onto the stem (felt dreadlock). Followed by the other group of petals making sure they fitted into the spaces.

Once the petal bases were secured I needlefelted the edges of the outer petals (slipping a small piece of foam inside the flower), so the tulip kept its shape.

I wet felted some green wool for the leaves, machine embroidered it and cut it into blade shapes before attaching them to the stem.

Forgot to mention the flowers are silk side out, as I thought it looked more petal like.

Have a good weekend everyone, Ali.

felt panel

Work has started on my final City and Guild piece. I'm planning to make a felt panel and the inspiration is spring flowers - yellow tulips and grape hyacinths. I am going to call it April Shower, thus the grey sky.

First layer, starting with the sky.

Second layer, tufts were laid horizontally.

Third layer and the picture is beginning to take shape.

Now the fun part, starting to add the details of the picture. The clouds are silk tops and plastic fibre (made from recycled plastic bottles). The grape hyacinths are Wensleydale wool locks. On the bottom left of the panel I added a bit of colour by snipping yellow and blue wool.

 

 

After a little rubbing to form prefelt. I stitched some green Filz it wool to form the stems of the hyacinths. I also added some sewing threads in various shades of green to add interest.

 

 

I'm hoping to make some 3D tulips. Now I have to do the felting so I better get rolling.

Bye for now, Ali.



 

ooooh i must not

oh I must not

oh I must

oh I

oh

 

Surrounded by so much chocolate, its hard not to give into to temptation. I have to admit to having one or two, or quite a few nibbles of chocolate today.
A few images of the chocolate egg eating day....

 

 

 

 

Hope you all had a great Easter Sunday, enjoy the rest of the holidays, Ali

easter

There weren't too many brave souls walking in Barnetts park today, when I went to find some twigs for my Easter tree. There was a bitter wind, so I quickly collected my twigs, took some photos and left.

 

and the hope that maybe things will turn a little spring like soon.

 

Last year I wrote instructions on how to make a paper leaf tree - if you want to see how click here

Have a very Happy Easter, Ali.

 

 

 

 

 

 

painted dolly pegs

what you need

wooden dolly pegs
acrylic paints
sandpaper
clear gloss varnish
paintbrush
string or ribbon






how to

• Sand the pegs to smooth any rough or uneven surfaces. If the sanding has caused a lot of dust, wipe the pegs with a cloth dipped in white spirit.

• Paint the background colour with acrylic paint. Paint the inside and bottom part of the peg first, leave to dry then paint the top part. Several thin coats are better than one thick coat. Acrylic paint dries quickly so no need to wait a long time between coats.

• Once the inside of the peg is painted and dry the pegs can be supported on a shoe box.

• Paint a pattern of your choice on the pegs such as flowers, spots

• Once dry varnish pegs. I used yacht varnish which I found in the garage. It took 24 hours to dry and brushes had to be cleaned in white spirits.
• Tie pegs in a pretty ribbon or string.

 

• If you have problems keeping the pegs in place while tying the ribbon, use and elastic band and then tie the ribbons on top
 
I'm not sure it would be a good idea to hang your best silk blouse with these pegs but they look pretty.
 
embroidered peg bag bought in the Cath Kidston shop




new pattern

I have finally finished (started last summer) my new pattern - Sweet Treats.

It is four patterns in one, containing instructions on how to knit a slice of cheesecake, cherry pie, chocolate cake and birthday cake. I have had comments regarding my birthday cake/gateau pattern, that the slices when knitted up are too large. Taking this on board these slices are a smaller version.
You could even knit yourself a whole cake if you wanted as eight slices make up a whole chocolate cake.

The pattern is for sale as from today on my etsy shop or if you are a member on Ravelry.
Oh dear I feel the need for a cuppa and a sugar binge! Ali.
 

urban garden

 

My love of rummaging through charity shops takes me all over the place. One favourite spot is the Newtownards Road. Driving up the road I pass the spectacular vertical garden, the only one of its kind in Northern Ireland. It is part of the Skainos project and was commissioned by the East Belfast Mission.

I like it, its a bit of an oasis in this part of the town.

 

I wish my own garden was as maintenance free. It's a bit tatty and neglected at the moment and there is a scene of carnage where the trees had to be cut down.

To look on the bright side we will have a years supply of logs! The only prettiness at the moment is the brave little tete a tetes.

 

Although I have not been tidying the garden, I have been working on some samples for my City and Guild felt book.
This one was tied, dipped in acid dyes, then steamed for thirty minutes to fix the colour. I then embellished it with hand embroidery.

 

This sample was white felt, painted with food colouring (a form of acid dye), then embellished with machine embroidery and beads.

 



For this one I made a piece of felt with different colours of fibre for each of the three layers. When it was still wet, I distressed it my ripping and poking it. Once dry the felt was singed with a candle and a soldering iron and then free machined.

 

Till next time, Ali.