Completed treasure

You'll remember my post about the embroidery which came to me from my dear heart's Bridge partner. Well it is all done and made into a cushion just in time for Christmas. I had to do a bit of adapting as there were centering marks printed top and bottom and at the sides to take into account, hence the side borders here to achieve a square shape.

The fabric was some I just happened to have which does, I think, fit both the colours and the 70's vibe perfectly. 

I am particularly pleased with the piping, for which I had to learn both making a continuous bias strip and how to attach piping to a cushion. It is by no means perfect, I'm avoiding showing you the completed corners, but it was a fun thing to learn about and seems to have worked OK. 

Sadly the hoop ring mark has proved impossible to press out, even with a damp cloth, and is there because the embroidery had been left in its hoop for I don't know how many years - novice embroiderers take note!

It was interesting to complete this; not my usual sort of thing at all, but nonetheless an enjoyable project.

Now I have all the Christmas gifts out of the way, I might just go back to that tambour work which has been waiting for me to finish it since out Caroline Homfray workshop in October. More fun to be had.

little boxes

 I have been creating more little boxes. The first, another version of the one I created some time ago, the Foxy Loxy Boxy which now lives with darling daughter. The new box is the same construction technique and also utilised an embroidery from a past Sussex Stitchers workshop, many many moons ago; this time a little piece of blackwork which was finished at the time, but to which I have added a bit of gold just to give it a lift before putting it on the box top.

The box was lined with a toning red fabric (such a hard colour to photograph) 

and I was really pleased when I managed to get the pattern lined up on at least one side. The other three sides aren't bad, but not quite as happy as this one!

So, flushed with success, and given appropriate encouragement I thought I'd make another one. I had an old kit, picked up in a quilt show from a sales table I think, which included the pre cut cardboard and instructions to make a hexagonal box. It was a Dilys Fronks kit, and I have only just realised, having Googled the name, that I have admired her quilts at several quilt shows in the intervening years.

I thought this might be a quicker make, as glue was involved - none of that fiddly lacing of fabric onto inner and outer boards, but in fact it has probably taken just as long. First one glued the lining fabric to each of the sixteen rectangles of card for the sides, and the two hexagons for lid and base. Glue dried, the sides were stitched to the edges of base and lid, before flipping them up and stitching together to form the container. The lid top and bottom were then covered - more glue involved, before cutting two strips of fabric, turned in along the long edges, to be stitched around the "walls" of the top and the base. Sounds simple, and it was, but all that gluing, despite my being as careful and frugal with it as I could, meant that sometimes I was stitching through fabric firmly stuck to the card. Pliers were occasionally utilised. Fingers and shoulders got very tired. Several pairs of glasses were donned (sometimes together) and removed, and sometimes the stitching was so close to my face I nearly stitched my nose to the box! However, it is all done, and I am very happy with the result. I used a lovely Japanese style fabric for top and base

The inside is lined with oriental butterflies

Top and base match, but are not identical, and I'm very happy with the wisteria flowing down the side there.

The sides of the base are a rather nice deep red shot silk. It is repurposed from a shirt bought many years ago from a charity shop, just because I liked the fabric. Never worn, it feels new and is a much better colour than appears here.

I am particularly pleased with the gold thread, beads and sequins which I added to the fabric on the lid, they just lift it a little and give it a bit of sparkle.

It is destined as a Christmas present for my dear heart's daughter. I will pop some chocolates inside, tuck it into a repurposed shoe box and mark the parcel FRAGILE! I hope she likes it.