Glass Class update

Good morning.  I'm up bright and early this morning, not through choice, but because my stepdaughter requested that I pick her up so she could talk to me about boys!

I haven't shown you a glass update for a while, I missed a class through migraine, then I just got too busy, but all the glass fusing is done now so it seems a good time to show you.

I've shown you the rose before, but here's a little reminder in case you weren't paying attention!

Above is the stem, three leaves and the square.  I mentioned in my last glass post that the tutor had accidentally slumped my square, then I didn't explain what I meant, just assuming you all know what that means.  You can create glass bowls by placing your piece on top of a form which is shaped like a bowl.  As it gets hot in the kiln, the glass slumps down into the mould and takes on its shape.

I love the texture on the leaves.  For glass fusing you start with a base shape of clear glass.  You then add your coloured glass on top.  I left a gap round the edge as these pieces will be encased in the lead strips to form the window.  I also left a gap in the middle as I like the effect.  I hope you can make it out in the picture above.  Fused glass is very tactile, it's smooth and rounded at the edges.

You can see above where the pieces fit onto my pattern.  The stem is made up of three fused sections.  The top and bottom sections are similar to the leaves, the middle section is made up of small squares of glass.  My colours aren't great in the above photo, it all looks a bit dull and flat, but it's actually more vibrant than that.

Now the fusing is done, I've started the long task of cutting the stained glass for the background.  This won't be fused, but will be leaded to join the parts together.  We only have 1 class left before the end of term, then there's no more classes until September.  I've ordered a glass cutter and some pliers and I've picked out some pieces of glass so I can get the cutting done over the summer. 

I'm afraid you'll have a long wait until you see the next step which is the leading!

I'm going to spend a couple of hours catching up on my blogging, then I think I'll spend the rest of the day sewing.  I have a Zakka Style project to do and I agreed to be a pattern tester for a bloggy friend - it's due to be finished tomorrow but I'm really not sure if I'll get to it.

Hopefully bloggy service will now be resumed, but please feel free to link up your LANT projects in the meantime in case I run out of things to blog about!!
Oh, I saw that one of my projects had been pinned, it was my post about Ungar and the pinner had commented that my blog also has really cute pictures of real life bunnies.  I thought I'd better live up to that.

Here are Colin and Ellis, contemplating going upstairs, but not sure if they have the energy!

And here are Harry and Tiff, wondering why a massive bag of rabbit poo is sitting outside their hutch...

Don't forget to enter my Something Old, Something New competition.  The deadline is 31st July and there is a prize!

Lanting

Wow ladies, it's been a long time since I did a LANT (Learn A New Technique) feature.  I'm sitting at home on Thursday afternoon.  Why, I hear you cry?  Well, around 10am it started raining.  Around 11am it was absolutely torrential - the sky was black and the rain was thundering down.  Suddenly, a colleague screached and jumped up, water was coming in on him and his desk.  Not dripping, mind, we're not talking tap-you-haven't-quite-turned-off-properly, we're talking waterfall.  All of a sudden, it spread.  Water was cascading down through the ceiling along the entire window wall of the office.  We all jumped into action and I went to check the MD and Sales Director's office as they were out.  Ceiling tiles were falling and the water was a couple of inches deep. 

We're on the first floor (that's second floor to you Americans!) and the water was spreading out from the walls and dripping downstairs into the design studio.  Everyone and everything was drenched.  The power cut out.  Water started to come through the factory, people were rushing everywhere and alarms were going off.  Talk about drama! 

I'd already asked my lovely boss if I could come home early today and work from home as the Olympic torch is passing through Nottingham.  Not that I want to see it - I know it may sound crazy to some of you but I have NO interest at all - but because there are only 2 bridges taking you over the river from the direction I work, to the centre where I live and both are closed from 4-8!  Is it a snail bearing that torch???  When the flooding occurred and after we'd cleaned up as much as possible, I came home.  It rained on the way back and I could barely see, I was going through huge pond-like puddles, scary.  So, anyway, I thought I'd knock up a quick post and as I haven't made anything, I thought I'd do a long overdue LANT round up.

No idea what I'm talking about?  I'm trying to encourage crafters of all disciplines to try something new.  Whether it's a completely new craft or a new technique within a craft you already do, I want to hear about it!  You can link up here - it's ongoing.  Need some inspiration?  I'm trying to work my way through my master crafts list.  I'm not trying to do it in a year or anything crazy, just at some point in my life!  Oh, and if I'm missing any crafts, let me know!

Pam at Threading My Way had a go at shirring, and was very successful!

Good Golly Miss Molly tried crochet for the first time and made some lovely snowflakes.

Dotty tried her hand at bookbinding - spectacular!

Fiona at the Celtic Thistle made polymer clay buttons - I have to try this!

She also tried paper piecing.  I have some patterns for this but it scares me.

And the most recent list-joiner, the one that sparked me into writing this long overdue post was Fiona at Bubzrugz who made her own soap!

I hope these adventurous ladies have inspired you to try something new, and when you do, come and link up!

I haven't LANTed too much recently, there's: fused glass that I've been doing as part of my glass course (I'll post about that later), brickstitching which is a form of beadweaving, blackwork, copper foiling which went so well but ended so badly, and needle felting which I desperately need more practice at!

I have other LANTs in the pipelines though.  There's a bead embroidery piece I've been working on for a while that I keep forgetting to show you and I'm also making a stained glass window so I'll link that up when it's finished.  I'm also booked onto several course.  I'm going to attend 4 at the Bead Shop Nottingham with my mum - designing wire jewellery with a wig jig, mixed media jewellery, polymer clay and silver clay jewellery.  I've also bought myself a Craftsy course (they were a tenner!  I'm surprised I stopped at one!) to learn shuttle tatting.  I just need to find the time! 
If you're interested in learning to make jewellery, Oksana is doing a free series for beginner jewellery makers, go and check it out.

That's not all for me though.  I bought this.

Yes, that's right.  I think I can learn to draw.  To be honest, I'm so crap at drawing I'm not convinced, but it's about time I tried!  I was also gifted the following sharp crochet hook for crocheting borders on fabric from a lovely blogging friend.  Lovely blogging friend!  I didn't know if you wanted to stay anonymous or not - if you don't, I'll link you up!

See how it's sharp?  I'm dying to have a go at it, but it's a time thing.  So why aren't you crafting now?  I hear you cry.  Because I'm working!  Obviously!!

Don't forget to enter my Something Old, Something New competition.  The deadline is 31st July and there is a prize!

The ever-growing to-do list

I realise I didn't show you my glass class progress last week, I remembered this morning as I was putting my glass box in my car.  The thing is... I only have 3 little leaves to show you.  I had also made another fused piece, but the lady at the studio accidentally slumped it!  I'm hoping to get it back, unslumped, tonight and I can show you that piece, the leaves and the stem which I finished last week and left to be fired.

Thinking about this rather large work-in-progress (my glass window... I'm not sure if that train of thought carried out of my brain onto the keyboard or if you'd all be sitting there wondering what I'm waffling about now) led me to think about all the other work in progresses hanging around.  I really need to get some of them done as they're stressing me out a bit.  I don't even know why.  Why should a half-finished doily bother me so much?

Anyway.  I decided to share.  I know you've all been going crazy wondering exactly what is on my WIP list and so I thought it was about time I put you out of your misery.  I know.  I'm good like that.

1. 5 more babygrows for Jacob out of my brother's t-shirts.  Not technically a WIP as I haven't started... but I said I'd do it and I have the pattern cut out.

My very talented graphic designer brother actually designed this one himself:

I'd better not much that one up!
2. The granny square bathroom curtain.  I'm going for 3 blocks of each of the 4 colours.  That makes 12.  I think I only need 9.  I have plans for the others if they're not needed.

3. These tea wallets have been languishing in my craft room, almost finished, since the day before Mother's Day.  They were to be Mother's Day presents, but I messed up the binding on one of them trying to sew it on by machine both front and back.  It has to come off and both bindings have to be hand sewn.  I knew I wouldn't get it done in time so it got shunted.

4. 5. 6. 7. Not technically WIPs again as I haven't started them, but they're at the top of my to-do list (meaning I'll get another 85 projects done before I get to these!).  The Joel Dewberry herringbone is for a pattern in the bottom book, dungarees for Jacob.  There's something I want to make from Pretty Little Projects, can't remember what it is right now.. a potholder?  Then there's a lunchbag tutorial I've printed out and I can see two marked projects in Sew and Stow.  Wonder what they are?!

8. My project for my Something Old, Something New competition.

9. I last mentioned my giant granny way back in September when I was on round 36.  I hadn't touched it since then until the weekend when I had it as my in-car project.  I've now completed round 45!  It's no where near finished though, it's too small!

10. Another crochet project I haven't mentioned in a while is my giant doily rug.  I got quite far, then put it aside to work on something else and when I came back to it I had no idea what I was doing!  The pattern I used was only for 10 rounds but I'd carried it on.  I intend to do the same things again.  Yes, I did have to rip it back to the very first round!

11. So far I've frogged and recrocheted every single round of this doily.  I'm not sure why it's still languishing as I love crocheting it.  When I look back on my evenings of the last month or so, I don't seem to have done much crafting at all.  I hate being too busy!

12. The one thing I have been working on is this cross stitch.  I showed you this a couple of weeks ago and asked if you could guess what it was.  You couldn't.  Or perhaps didn't want to.  That's fine!  I hope you can tell what it is now though?

It's a pattern I'm testing for Beverly who sells her amazing cross stitch patterns, though I can't find a link to her shop on her blog - Beverly!  I'm hoping to get it finished soon.  It's been worked on a lot as I've been getting home so late and I'm so tired that cross stitch is the only thing I can do.

12 WIPs isn't bad at all, is it?  Well, it wouldn't be but I actually have a lot more than that... they just managed to escape the camera this time!

I'm hoping to get back into regular crafting again very soon, and I've also got a selection of craft courses to look forward to.  I'll tell you all about them later this week.



Don't forget to enter my Something Old, Something New competition. The deadline is 31st July and there is a prize!

Fluffy Sheep Kona Solids Challenge

So, I'm sitting here, working away and I decide to have a five minute break and see what my blog buddies are up to. Hmmm, half an hour later, I'm still making mosaics for this excellent competition over at Fluffy Sheep. Make a mosaic of 8 Kona Solids colours that you like together and link up. Much better instructions and rules can be found at the post!

I'd like to introduce my entries:

Splash Out

I love blues, and currently I'm making my bathroom curtains so I'm loving blue and green together. What could be more summery?

1. PEACOCK-215x215, 2. Kona Turquoise-215x215, 3. BAHAMA BLUE-215x215, 4. AZURE-215x215, 5. Not available, 6. Kona Jade Green-215x215, 7. TEAL BLUE-215x215, 8. Kona Snow K001-1339-215x215, 9. Kona Lime K001-1192-215x215

Sunburn

Unfortunately also an unavoidable aspect of summer for me! Well, when I leave the country anyway. I love red and I love this combination.

1. Kona Canary-215x215, 2. Kona School Bus K001-1482-215x215, 3. Kona Red K001-1308-215x215, 4. BANANA-215x215, 5. Not available, 6. Kona Tomato-215x215, 7. Kona Corn Yellow-215x215, 8. Kona School Bus K001-1482-215x215, 9. Kona Tangerine-215x215

Hombre

That's meant to be a clever title - it's ombre shades suitable for a man's quilt!

Is Ombre the right word? Now I'm doubting myself!
1. Kona Purple-215x215, 2. BASIL-215x215, 3. Kona Navy K001-1243-215x215, 4. Kona Dark Violet-215x215, 5. Not available, 6. PEACOCK-215x215, 7. Kona Magenta-215x215, 8. Kona Lime K001-1192-215x215, 9. Kona Turquoise-215x215

Right, got to go, can't sit here making mosaics all evening!
Voting opens on July 9th for a week and is a public vote, so feel free to vote for my mosaics, or whatever colour combination floats your boat.



Don't forget to enter my Something Old, Something New competition. The deadline is 31st July and there is a prize!

Fluffy Sheep Kona Competition

So, I'm sitting here, working away and I decide to have a five minute break and see what my blog buddies are up to.  Hmmm, half an hour later, I'm still making mosaics for this excellent competition over at Fluffy Sheep.  Make a mosaic of 8 Kona Solids colours that you like together and link up.  Much better instructions and rules can be found at the post!

I'd like to introduce my entries:

Splash Out

I love blues, and currently I'm making my bathroom curtains so I'm loving blue and green together.  What could be more summery?

1. PEACOCK-215x215, 2. Kona Turquoise-215x215, 3. BAHAMA BLUE-215x215, 4. AZURE-215x215, 5. Not available, 6. Kona Jade Green-215x215, 7. TEAL BLUE-215x215, 8. Kona Snow K001-1339-215x215, 9. Kona Lime K001-1192-215x215

Sunburn

Unfortunately also an unavoidable aspect of summer for me!  Well, when I leave the country anyway.  I love red and I love this combination.

1. Kona Canary-215x215, 2. Kona School Bus K001-1482-215x215, 3. Kona Red K001-1308-215x215, 4. BANANA-215x215, 5. Not available, 6. Kona Tomato-215x215, 7. Kona Corn Yellow-215x215, 8. Kona School Bus K001-1482-215x215, 9. Kona Tangerine-215x215

Hombre

That's meant to be a clever title - it's ombre shades suitable for a man's quilt!

Is Ombre the right word?  Now I'm doubting myself!
1. Kona Purple-215x215, 2. BASIL-215x215, 3. Kona Navy K001-1243-215x215, 4. Kona Dark Violet-215x215, 5. Not available, 6. PEACOCK-215x215, 7. Kona Magenta-215x215, 8. Kona Lime K001-1192-215x215, 9. Kona Turquoise-215x215

Right, got to go, can't sit here making mosaics all evening!
Voting opens on July 9th for a week and is a public vote, so feel free to vote for my mosaics, or whatever colour combination floats your boat.



Don't forget to enter my Something Old, Something New competition.  The deadline is 31st July and there is a prize!

Ungar and his half-sewn friend

Good evening ladies!  It's Sunday night, we've just got back from visiting my beautiful little nephew down in Bristol and hubby is in front of the footie, so I've got free rein to blog for a couple of hours - yay!

We actually left around 2 for the 2.5/3 hour hour drive home, but ended up for 2 hours at a standstill on the M5.  There was a crash involving a coach and 3 cars.  Everyone was out of their cars as it was red hot and people were strolling up and down the carriageway.  I sat in the car, door open, reading my book.  Then we moved again and passed the crash site.  Around 8 ambulances had gone racing up the hard shoulder and at least 6 fire engines.  The remains of the cars were still there.  It must have been pretty horrific and it was very sobering. 

Anyway, upsetting as that was, I'm not here to bring you down, I'm here to introduce Ungar.

Ungar is Finnish.  He was made using this tutorial from The Long Thread though I actually used the pattern from the 2011 Sewing Calendar.  Ha ha, another Craft Book Challenge completed. 

Ungar has a tube of beads inside him, his neck is the perfect size for 4-month old hands and apparently his ears are delicious!  So where did he get the name?  I always name the toys I make for Jacob, and assign them a nationality.  We've had Pedro who's Spanish, Gunther - Jacob's little German friend and Brian, who's English.  Poor old Ungar arrived at his new home nameless!  My brother suggested it should be something easy for Jacob to say.  I asked what he could say (bearing in mind he's 16 weeks old) and learnt that he often says Ungar.  So Ungar it is.  Sounds Finnish to me.  Jacob did indeed say Ungar rather a lot and we a little confused when each time he said it Ungar was thrust into his hand.

Ungar was supposed to have a friend.

I'd almost finished stuffing him when I found a split seam.  I'd ran out of time before going down to see Jacob, so I'll get him finished for next time.  I suspect that by that time Ungar's ears may have disolved...

Curtain update

The witty blog post titles just keep on coming, don't they?!  I'm at work, I'm mega busy.  I' ve got so much to do but I realised after lunch that it's never going to get done by the end of the day and so I've kind of given up - not a good attitude!!

Well, the bad attitude is prevailing so I'm going to go and make a cup of coffee, then I'm going to come back and show you what I've done so far for my bathroom curtains.

I'm back.  I also ate a small piece of cake that I found in there.  Working here is rubbish for my diet.  I'm pretty rubbish at dieting at the minute, it's not going well and I need to get back on track.  I also need to get back on the track of this post as my attention seems to have wandered!

I have been admiring the lovely granny squares made by the equally lovely Katherine for ages, I've also been threatening to make some.  Well I have.  I know, most unlike me, I usually say I'm going to make something and then don't as my to-do list is so ridiculously long not even a pack of WI women would be able to get through it in a lifetime.  This is one of my to-do lists.  I have about 6 in total. 

It all began with a massive pile of 2.5 inch squares that I randomly cut out weeks and weeks and weeks ago.  I had to get them all out and have a look what I had.  I divided them into 4 rough colour groups - green, blue, aqua and brown.  Now, I know what you're thinking - Brown! Urgghhh... but remember, my bathroom suite is brown.  It looks a lot better in there since we painted (I know, I know, I promised photos!) but the brown is still there and I thought it best not to try to deny it

I cut a whole load of white squares, then started laying them out.  Katherine talked about colour values when she was showing us her stunning solids quilt and I tried to think about values when I laid out these squares.  I'm not sure if I've got it or not though?

These are the greens all sewn up.  I used the tutorial at Blue Elephant Stitches - it's excellent.  Even I understood it.

My blocks are far from perfect.  Lots of wonky seams and mis-matched points.  Some I took out and redid, but a lot of them I just left.  I'm not perfect, I don't sew perfectly and these are my curtains, so who gives a monkey's?  Want to see the back?

I did follow the pressing directions suggested in the tutorial, but some of them twisted and shifted as I sewed the rows together.  I will be lining these curtains so it shouldn't matter.

People talk about being addicted to making a certain block and I've never understood it.  I do now.  I LOVE making these.  I had a single solitary hour to spare at the weekend and I was straight upstairs, piecing grannies!

Pressing the seams open would have been impossible without my mini-iron.  I love this tool, it really is invaluable.  I only burnt myself once and that was on the main iron when pressing the finished block.

There are all kind of scraps in these blocks.  I recognise some Hideaway, there's some Amy Butler Lotus in there too, and I spot some Hushabye... anyone recognise the rest?  I'm rubbish at remembering what my fabric is!

The centre square above is a little puckered, I'm not really sure why.  I haven't trimmed any of the blocks, I'm not even sure how many I need.  I thought I needed 12 so was going to do 3 of each colour, but now I think I need 9 and I'm not sure how I'll lay them out.

I don't even know how big they are!

I have made a couple more since this photo shoot, so I'm nearly there, then just some sashing and then I actually have to turn them into curtains.  I've never made curtains before!  They're going to be tab-top cafe curtains so it can't be that hard!  I've already decided that any left over blocks will be the front of some storage boxes for the shelves I've yet to pursuade mr CA to put up.  I did only tell him about them 3 weeks ago so I'm thinking they'll be in place by Christmas 2015.

Yum, love you grannies!