Remember remember the fifth of November ...

It's late on Sunday afternoon, the sky's dark and the neighbour's dog is howling. I can't blame it as someone down the street's letting off noisy fireworks. I mean, I like the sparkly whoosh and cascading glittery colour as much as the next person, but they do terrify pets and wildlife. Maybe it's time to restrict fireworks to organised displays only?

Anyway, it's been a good weekend. No more rain, instead it's been bright and beautifully autumnal. I decided that after messing with paint and paper so much lately I'd switch to fabric. I'd first begun making blocks for a Terry Rowland style quilt months and months ago, so got stuck into that again. My stack of completed blocks is steadily mounting up, but I can see gaps in my colour selection. Lots of blues, pinks and reds, but not enough yellows, oranges or greens. A few more rummages around charity shops are called for, so I can add to my fabric stash. Mens shirts are ideal for cutting up for patchwork, especially if you can find them in larger sizes. I don't bother buying polycotton ones, but always check the label to make sure they're 100% cotton.

Anyone else attempting one of these colourwash quilts? I previously made a mainly-blues one for a family member's birthday, and that seemed to be well received.

Okay, that's all for today as I'm becoming immersed in a Scandi Noir box set on the Channel 4 iplayer, and I'll drown out the sound of fireworks with some murky crime drama! Have a good evening.

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Sari scraps, PVA, a couple of books and a necklace

I'm typing this as snow's falling, and has been steadily all day. It's not settling to any great extent, though I bet by tomorrow morning the paths will be slippery with ice. Which always makes me paranoid about falling over and at the very least looking undignified, but at worst breaking a bone or twisting an ankle. Oh well, it's ideal weather to stay inside and craft, isn't it? I finally got around to listing packs of sari scraps on Etsy this morning. I only made up six bundles as I've no clue whether they'll sell or if I've set a reasonable enough price point. Time will tell. This is a link to the listing, if you're interested. This vaguely pink fabric isn't from one of my Etsy packs. It's from a bit of experimenting I was doing yesterday. I'd seen a post on Instagram showing how a DIY version of batik could be done without using hot wax. The Instagrammer used PVA instead, and I wanted to try this out....

In praise of wool

Just a quick post today. I'm offering you a short but peaceful break from the overwhelmingness (is that a word?) of Christmas. By now you've probably eaten your bodyweight in sweets//roast potatoes/pigs in blankets/cake/After Eights ... whatever your festive indulgences are. You're under-exericsed, over-stimulated, feeling broke and possibly guilty about an argument with a relative or friend you've never entirely got on with. So, here's something to take your mind off all that. I've two videos to refresh and revive, and they both concern wool. Interesting fact. Well, I found it interesting. About 1% - yup, one per cent - of the world's textiles are made of wool. Out of curiosity, I also googled how much is made of cotton. That's higher, but it's only about 24% and that's heading downward instead of up. Synthetic fibres are the bulk of all textile manufacture. Anyway, back to woolly wonders. My firs...

HOW TO MAKE: these decorative birds

I suggested yesterday that I'd run through how to make a fabric bird wall or window hanging (can't think of a snappier title for it than that!) so here goes. I'll start with the first decorative hanging I made. It's something you could make in any colour combination you want, and would look good hanging at a window with translucent beads that'd catch the light I used five birds for this, but you could make it longer if you prefer. (Incidentally, if you're wondering about what's hanging off the bottom on this, it's a metal Christmas decoration, shaped like a lantern. For some reason I thought it looked appropriate to leave it there, looped over the end.) WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO GATHER TOGETHER: Assorted scraps of fabric for the front of the birds - aim for a mix of colours and textures. Silk looks good, as does anything with embroidery or intricate patterns. You might aim for a hippy-ish boho look, or maybe you're ...

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