I showed you my sewing space in my last post and although the room isn't pretty at all, it is functional and it is in use. It is bliss to have everything together and because the room is away from everything else, I can spent time sewing without distractions. The disadvantage though is I'm not within sight and sometimes hearing range of the kids. You know the saying...when the cat`s away the mice will play, or in this case kill each other or break something or spill entire cups of juice on rug etc. So I`m finding it impractical to sew when the kids are home and hubbie is not.
I`ve been doing less sewing, but I`ve been knitting more. I attended a monthly knitting group and had such fun and was inspired by the easy ruffled and fluffy scarfs the ladies were knitting. So I`ve been knitting scarves. Since it is October and Breast Cancer Awareness month, I bought the Bernat Ruffelina yarn to make a ruffle scarf (proceeds to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Canadian Breast Cancer foundation). I`m almost done an eyelash yarn scarf using Bernat Boa in Parrot (purple shades) and also for another ruffle scarf I bought Red Heart Sashay in Tango (no need to guess my favourite colours, as I seemed to choose purple shades again).
The other hobby I`ve worked on is my fabric painting. I haven`t painted for about 4 years and I looked through my Painting UFO`s (unfinished objects) and found a painting I did of a Guinea fowl, a bird found in South Africa. I decided the colours would work well as a seat cushion for our outdoor furniture, so I made up a cushion slip with dark denim backing, added ties to attach to the chairs and within 45 minutes, I had that project completed. I have an unfinished table cloth using the same guinea fowl design, so I will either finish the table cloth and paint more for the cushions or I could cut up the table cloth and make more cushions from that. I also have a frog design painted in roughly the same size (which I cannot find to take a photo?) and an unfinished parrot. I could make each cushion in a different animal with the same bright colour scheme.
I also finished up six paintings of apples in a bowl which are destined to be placemats. I just need to sew up backings and finish them.
Once upon a time (about 7 years ago) I was planning to start a home business doing fabric painting and selling the paints I use, but then kids and moves with the military cancelled the plans. But I did order a whole bunch of the paints from South Africa, so I now have a great supply if I wanted to paint more often. It's actually a testament to the quality of the paint that they are still usable after such a long time. I sealed them up well with tape and they remained in a sealed tote in a closet so no air or light exposure. The paints in question are Crisitex and are available in South Africa and a limited few places stock them outside the country. These paints are brushed on using a paintbrush and just the outliners are in paint pen format.
I've taken photos of some of the projects in various stages of completion (excuse the creases, they've just been pulled out of boxes):
My completed cushion with guinea fowl
A set of six mats. Painting completed, must still sew up.
Detail on the apple placemat.
Parrot, possibly for outdoor cushion. Detail painting still to be completed.
Birds originally intended as a wall hanging, not my style anymore, but could work in the kids room or playroom. Lots of background painting to finish.
Tablecloth, featuring a cow, lily, pig and pumpkin in each corner.
Corner detail on tablecloth. Detailed painting still to be completed.
The paints I use from South Africa, Crisitex.
That's enough for now, I'll try to find time to post pics of my completed scarves and other other tidbits soon.
As a last thought: I'm changing my blog to pink this month in honour of all those ladies battling breast cancer past, present and future. Think about doing the same. SAVE THE TA-TA's
