Tsundoku and slow stitching

I learnt a new word today/ Tsundoku. Apparently it's when you buy lots of books and pile 'em up with the intention that one day you'll get around to reading them. Yup, I know that feeling. I've books that've been patiently waiting their turn for ages, while others get consumed straightaway. I'm currently reading and really enjoying a bit of magical realism. 'The Thief on the Winged Horse' by Kate Mascarenhas.

Sometimes stories based around magical realism can be way too cutesy and 'ooh, look at me, aren't I quirky?!' but this author's judged the tone just right.

I spent some of this morning packaging up sari/boho style fabric for my Etsy shop - link here - then felt at a loose end. I wanted to do something crafty, but couldn't settle and get stuck into any one particular thing. I took a second look at this fabric postcard which I wasn't totally satisfied with, so I pulled the cardboard off the back and added some detail.

I'm still not 100% happy with it, but it's better than it was. I think I'll just send it to someone as a postcard and then I don't have to see it anymore! Yesterday evening I also added more stitching to this slow stitched piece.

Finally, here's the blue fabric postcard I completed yesterday, and the first I'm entirely happy with.

The silk was beautiful to stitch into, and I wish I'd more of the batik. If I was ever lucky enough to come into money - not that I ever play the Lottery or have rich relatives about to pop their clogs and leave me a massive inheritance - I wouldn't waste the cash on a flashy car or a top-of-the-range designer kitchen. I'd buy fabric. A whole roomful of it. Silk and batik and Kaffe Fassett and Liberty Tana Lawn, Anna Maria Horner and all the other material I covet. I'd hoard Chinese brocade and Indian block prints. Oh, and wool. Mohair, angora, Rowan kid silk, nubbly tweedy yarns, handspun yarn in sumptuous colours.

Oh well, we can all dream, can't we?

Comments

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....

What are you watching? Part One

Another cold, bright day, and I spent the morning indoors, reluctantly dragging a vacuum cleaner around before getting down to the nicer task of adding wadding to the back of this patchwork. Backing fabric's now tacked on, and it's ready to be stitched. I also squeezed in some reading. I'm currently immersed in 'Transcription' by ever-excellent Kate Atkinson, who can be relied upon for a well-written book. The book I recently finished - hmm, not so good. I'd fancied a lightweight cosy crime, something easy, quick to read, and picked 'A Pen dipped in Poison' by J.M. Hall. Oh my, I've never come across a story in which so many people sigh. Characters sighing all over the place! There's a fair amount of frowning too, and one character is constantly depicted as stirring a cup of coffee, supposedly to indicate thoughtfulness. Seriously, if I was in a coffee shop with her I'd be snatching that spoon out of her hand and yelling 'For g...

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 ...

rubykittyruby

Search This Blog