Monday 17 January 2011

Stumped


I had a lovely day on Saturday, when I went to a stump work workshop at a local village.  It was so pleasant to be sitting and sewing with friends.  It was just a short, one day workshop where we learned how to do the above 'Funky Flower.'  I loved learning this, but have decided I hate the colours!

I shall just leave it as it is and put it on a shelf in my workroom.  The sewing isn't as neat as I would normally do, and the thread we were given was, well, cheap and nasty. Most of us spent half our time re-threading broken thread, as well as it just falling apart.  It was such a shame as there is so much work involved in this - each petal is outlined in buttonhole stitch, over wire, before pushing the wire through the fabric.  Then, the back of the wires are sewn over to catch them, and the front, centre of the flower is covered in french knots.  Oh, and the buttonhole stitch is sewn using only one thread of the skein!  Luckily, the french knots use all six threads. 

We could choose to either use the plain pink fabric for the flower itself, or, as I've done, reverse it and use the own (the tutor's) dyed fabric.  I think I chose the best version.  But, you can tell from my tone and moaning that I'm not overly impressed.  However, I am pleased with this new technique and most pleased with the company I kept!

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In other news our little nanny's lolly-dolly-pop has been right poorly with the tummy bug which has been doing the rounds, it seems.  Poor wee thing! She's been sitting about, all pale and interesting - very different from the jumping-bean we are used to. 

Bless her.  Sadly, her last childminder recently died from a relapse of her cancer. There has obviously been no way any of us can explain her demise to our three-year-old.  The other day, however, we were travelling along in the car past some fields.  N's l-d-p says,

"Sheila and I went to a field on an adventure.  We saw a frog, and the grass was wet."

She told me she does like her new childminder, but she likes Sheila better.

Bittersweet.

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2 comments:

Penny said...

Poor little lolly-dolloy-pop. I hope she feels better soon.

Frustrating about the materials at the workshop. It's surprising how much difference it makes.

tea and cake said...

Hi Penny, thank you, lolly-dolly-pop is now eating a little more, and keeping it in, as it were!