embellished fabric book - project6 - autumn

After a fairly mild autumn the temperature is dropping, the weather man has even mentioned the word "snow"! I hope this applies only to the north of the country...

After growing up with snowy winters of the central Europe, it took a long time for me to get used to dark and wet English winters. But now I actually prefer them, however nice it is to see the the first snow. Living in the country as we do and the management of the roads here as it is, snow usually means being stranded....It is however fun for the children, and it also means that the schools around here remain closed in such times and the children can enjoy the brief spell of snow. I just hope that we will not get the repeat of the last winter, which was also very cold, for a very long time.

The pictures here are views from our upstairs window. I love the mist above the river which is flowing through the valley.

I collected some beautiful leaves, which were blowing around our garden, a couple of weeks ago, before the rain changed them into a wet mush. They made a lovely picture. The nature produced some spectacular colours this autumn.             

The photograph gave me an idea for another project for my fabric book.

what am I stitching now?

I have had this book for a long time and every time I looked at it, I just wanted to get stitching, but then I looked at the details... and I put it back on the shelf.
But last night I actually started. It is going to be a slow work, because quite a bit of it is new to me.
Schwalm embroidery is of a German origin, very similar to Hedebo from Denmark.
It incorporates various surface stitches, pulled fabric, drawn thread, needlelace and needleweaving. Traditional design is based on 'tree of life', which include hearts, tulips, the sun, pine cones, flowers, fruit, leaves, dove...
To practice as many stitches as possible, I have decided to make a sampler.





And there is the Fabric book cover, which I have been collecting bits for, but at the moment I just don't seem to have any inspiration as to the design. It would a shame to spoil the lovely piece of silk I have chosen for it.


I am also working on Tail Feathers quilt, see post 9th April.

hapazome stitchery becomes project5-embellished fabric book

My embroidery on the hapazome sample has become a stitch sampler, so I have decided to treat it as another project for my fabric book (when I eventually put it together). Also, the size is just right. I have enjoyed this little embroidery and I look forward to do something like this again later in summer, when plants with stronger colours will be around.
While I was taking pictures around the garden, I managed to catch this lovely bee on the phlox.

embellished fabric book-project4-treasures from the attic

This is just a little fantasy from my lace stash. I seemed to have accumulated a quite a lot of bits of old lace from various places, some from antique shops, some from my kind friend who was trying to reduce her stash! I need to do a large project to "deal" with all that lace.

embellished fabric book-project3-box of chocolates

Another page for my fabric book. I got inspired by a birthday card I saw in a shop and wanted to have a go at reproducing it in some form of stitchery.
Perhaps it's the time to start working on a cover for my book. I have a peace of nice green silk I want to use for it, I just have to think about the design. Small detail!?

embellished fabric book-project2-waterfall

This is second project, the two projects, stitched back to back will form a first page in my fabric book. I am very please with this one and it was a great fun to do. And again, because it is a such a small project, it did not take long to make.

I am also taking a lot of inspiration from a book "Mixed Media Exploration" by Beryl Taylor (see my links), an English lady, now living in USA. The book has lots of small projects and also instructions on how to bind the fabric book. Very, very good.

embellished fabric book-project1-secret door

This is something completely new to me. I went to this workshop not knowing, what to expect or if I am going to (or want to) like this. All I can say that is that I got hooked! It can be very addictive. The possibilities are endless. The attraction is, that it is on a small scale, ( my pages will be 6x6in - 15x15cm),a page can be completed in a day or two. The individual projects can be used in various ways, even as postcards to send to your friends.
I like the idea of making a book, and again it is up to you what theme you choose, if any, for your book, even just a sampler of stitches.
I am not working to any theme, just looking for a next inspiration. I am also looking forward to make a cover for my book.

embellished fabric book-instructions