I've had a busy week and consequently my workshop with Ruth Issett last week seems ages ago. On Monday I managed to pull my back untangling a thread from the vacuum cleaner brush and then I had to take the car to have a new clutch fitted. I had a bit of a walk into town to catch the bus home which helped ease my back and a routine visit to my chiropractor on Tuesday sorted it out and it is fine now.
I started the straight machine quilting on my quilt last weekend and began some of the hand stitching. It has been so dull that I have needed to work under my daylight bulb. I set my ironing board under the lamp and I could adjust it to just the right height for sitting upright while sewing.
Marvin likes to sleep in my workroom and keep me company, his favourite spot is on the chair just in front of the radiator.
Last Friday I order a secondhand copy of Ruth Issett's Colour on Paper and Fabric and it arrived on Tuesday which gave me something to read while waiting for the call to fetch the car. While resting my back too!
I had also ordered four Karisma Colour pencils which are no longer made, however this company specialises in end of range pencils - 1buy1pencils so I ordered four of the colours I would use. Sadly I have worn out my yellows and would love to get hold of some. I saw a new box of 48 pencils on sale on ebay for £150!!! But I'm not that desperate.
On Wednesday it was time to visit the hairdresser. Consulting my calendar pages I realised it was two months since I have been, no wonder I couldn't see where I was going.
Wednesday afternoon I managed to finish the free motion quilting so I can put the sewing machine away for a while and get on with hand stitching.
My vermicelli stitching isn't too bad, but I'm inclined to move the fabric quickly on the corners so the stitches get longer.
Today a friend and I went to Childwickbury near St Albans to a Christmas Fair held at the home of Christiane and the late Stanley Kubrick. Christiane is an artist and many of her paintings were on sale and she was there painting a beautiful still life, what a treat! I have long admired her colour filled paintings but did not realise until very recently that she had opened her home to the arts, holding two fairs a year. The work on sale was of a very high standard with several textile artists, printmakers and painters showing their work. What a shame it was pouring with rain.
She also holds an Art School in the stables and runs many courses over the year - guess who is going to keep an eye open for next year's dates?
Well that it from me for now! I seem to have another busy week coming up so I'd better get on with some stitching. You must be getting fed up with photographs of this quilt! However I think it is going to be with me for some time yet before it is finished.
Fingers crossed for a bit of sun in the coming week, I hope things are bright with you.
Jill
