Should've worn a lot more clothing!

                                         (shopping in Leeds can be a glamorous business!)

THURSDAY:    

I thought I was well wrapped up yesterday, but obviously not.  I've always been one of those people that feel the cold, but maybe that gets more deeply felt as we get older?  Anyway, I could've done with a few post-menopausal hot flushes as the weather was dry but flipping freezing  when I hopped on an early bus to town for an art class.  It was held at the city art gallery, a free two hour taster session about lino cutting.  I've played around with lino printing years ago, but was happy to be re-introduced to the craft.  The group of about a dozen were all women, and given the session was held during the day, it was mainly 'Women of a Certain Age'!  Though there was a young woman in her early twenties who was there with her mum, which was very sweet.  Firstly, we were shown the latest gallery hangings and then it was a brief explanation of how to come up with a simple design, and how to use the cutting tools.  There were some photocopied images to inspire us - poppy seed heads, leaves, that sort of thing.  The lino we used wasn't the kind many of us would've encountered years ago.  Those hard red clay tiles with hessian backing.  The ones where you had to soften them up on a radiator, otherwise they'd be a struggle to cut into.  These new versions were pale, softer blocks, much easier to carve shapes in.

I went for a stylized teasel, though it kind of ended up looking like a spider or some weird sea creature!  The cutting around the teasel was done with scissors, as I hadn't a craft knife, so the overall teasel was fairly crude, but it was only a practise piece after all.  To print with we used oblongs of simple calico and tubes of Speedball fabric paint, and I was fairly pleased with how my teasel turned out.  

Unfortunately we ran out of time, the session going over its two hour slot, so there wasn't a chance to do any embroidery, apart from the tiniest bit of running stitch.  But I might turn at least one of these teasels into a pincushion.  

Enthused by this, I couldn't help nipping into Hobbycraft afterwards and buying my own lino cutting tool and a couple of small tiles.  

Back home and slightly de-frosted, I carved into the teasel shape some more, and a sharp craft knife definitely worked way better than scissors.  Printing on to paper, this version looked more teasel like.  Though the acrylic paint wasn't ideal for the purpose, so I'd need to buy some printing paint when funds allow.  

FRIDAY: 

Well, I meant to post this yesterday, but my photos were taking ages to upload, and I didn't end up getting it done.  Friday's arrived and the day's weather forecast reckons it won't rain.  In a spirit in optimism I've pegged washing out on the line, hoping some of the moisture might be dried out of it before I drape a load of damp laundry over the radiators.  (No tumble dryer, you see.)  

This morning I had a sudden urge to make a brand new quilt, so I began pulling out fabrics from my stash, going for a range of blues.  Then, I deliberately put the brakes on.  Nope, not a sensible idea to start yet another quilt when I've several in various stages of construction.  With heartfelt sighs and rolling of eyes I decided to make progress with my existing unfinished pieces.  I dragged out this denim quilt that'd sat on a shelf for ages.  I'd made the patchwork top, then wanted a tomato red fabric for the backing.  However, I didn't have anything tomato red and never got round to buying any.  

Which was probably a good thing as I really need to use up the material I've got instead of constantly buying new.  If I don't, then I'm just being consumerist.  Acquiring more, not out of need but because I want it.  Of course, anyone who quilts wants a decent stash of fabric from which to work, with a variety of colours and patterns.  But there's no use buying such a volume of stuff that it merely becomes clutter and goes un-used.  

Anyway, I picked out a pretty print for the backing, with orange foxes that actually look good along with the blue denim.  

I sewed the backing on, and am tying the three layers of denim, wadding and backing fabric together with red embroidery thread.  Which unfortunately I've run out of.  But I'm pleased to have got within sight of the finishing line with this project.  

This is the other quilt I've made progress with today.  It was complete except for the binding which was pinned but not stitched.  To my annoyance I discovered a few pins had gone rusty - it must've been where they'd previously come into contact with glue and the moisture had caused the rust - so I've had to improvise to cover those small marks.  I rummaged in my button tin and gathered together several white buttons, the size you'd get on men's shirts.  I've been sewing these on to disguise the marks and that's worked out well.  Note to self: be more careful with your dressmaking pins!  That's a lesson learnt, believe me.  

Finally, as if this wasn't enough, my sitting room carpet is currently half-covered by quilt blocks, from what's intended to be my second Chris English inspired scrappy quilt.  I'm in the process of pinning the individual blocks together in twos, then in blocks of four.  Maybe that'll be my occupation for this evening?  Unless I've run out of creative energy by that point.  Hmm, let's see what today brings.