Wardrobe Landscapes and a Flower Power Embroidery

It’s been a while since I had a project in a magazine but now, just like buses, two have landed at exactly the same time. One is quilting and the other is embroidery which adds a nice balance to this post.

The first one is my Landscape Wardrobe mini quilts as featured in the latest issue of Love Patchwork and Quilting – number 107, out now in the UK. They even made the cover, right at the top there.

I’ve been going on about sustainable sewing for a while now and last year I made big efforts to shift away from making new quilts with new fabric to thinking up projects that would work with pre-loved fabric.

This meant taking on less magazine commissions but didn’t stop me completely. The editor of LPQ was very keen on my idea to use old clothes in a project and commissioned these little pieces of wall art that I am calling Wardrobe Landscapes.

Regular readers will recognise the styles and techniques involved here as I have used them before in other projects. They both involve improv piecing and turned edge applique, but I have added a different twist here to the applique, it’s actually achieved by top stitching on the machine using Aurifil 80wt thread. I explain my methods for preparing the leaf and pebble shapes prior to stitching in the magazine.

The first one I think of as ‘To the Sea’ and uses my Freehand Curves Landscape techniques to create the waves.

I’d never tried this with anything other than craft cotton but it was surprisingly easy using denim.  I have been collecting up old jeans for a while and the legs worked very well for this.

The pebbles are made from old blouses, shirts, scarves and some of my great neice’s baby dresses. I used Aurifil 12wt cotton to both machine quilt the waves and then hand quilt around selcted pebbles.

I made a very similar piece as a sample for my Aurifilosphy Workshop, though it’s a bit smaller at just 15″ (the magazine quilts are 20″), it uses all sorts of fabric (and felt) and I use all the threads in my Aurifilosophy thread box as a way to teach about Aurifil thread.

I call the other mini quilt ‘To the Woods’ and this is a new mini version of my Autumn Leaf quilt from my New Patchwork and Quilting Basics book. It’s a simpler quilt for piecing (no curves) but the leaves are a little trickier to applique.

I’m really pleased with how both of these turned out as they were a bit of an experiment.

I had quite a few small offcuts from making these and decided to cut them all into 2″ squares and make the first Patchwork Pony from them!  So those clothes are still being used and nothing is wasted here!

I do hope I will inspire others to look again at their cast offs before heading immediately to the fabric store. Head to Love Patchwork and Quilting website here to find out how to get hold of this issue.

And now for a brand new embroidery!

This is Flower Power, my latest Modern Crewel Embroidery design which you can find exclusively in the new issue (135) of Stitch Magazine.

The design evokes the natural abundance of a summer meadow combined with a 1960’s colour vibe.

The idea came to me on one of my late summer walks as I gazed at all the wildflowers growing beside the path and became transfixed by all the different shapes.

My idea was to create another sampler type design (similar to the recent Scattered Stars or almost everything in my Modern Crewel Embroidery book) using flowers as the shapes. In the end it didn’t really work out that way as I only managed to use my three favourite stitches (satin, chain and colonial knot) rather then the plethora needed to make it a true sampler. But it took on a life of it’s own anyway full of bright vibrant colours against the grass green background.

Of course I chose all my favourite cheerful colours from the Aurifil 12wt wool thread range and the result is fresh and bright with an amazing texture. Stitching this will be a real ‘pick-me-up’ at this time of year!

I’ve also produced a kit which includes the green Zweigart linen, Aurifil 12wt wool threads, 10″ wooden Elbesse hoop and my favouriet Millwards needle.

But NOT the pattern which is only available in the magazine. This latest issue of Stitch has so much to offer: “delve into all things bright and beautiful with the latest issue of Stitch. There’s an abundance of fresh, vibrant designs and countless clever tips to add zing to your Spring stitching.”

Issue 135 of Stitch Magazine is available as a digital download now or paper copies will hit the newstands on Thursday 27th (in the UK). Head over here to order either copy or for more info.

The kit is available to order now to UK and European customers (sorry rest of the world! Shipping too expensive and difficult right now). Head over to my website here for more info or to buy.

I do hope stitching these happy summer flowers will help get you through the remaining dark days of winter!