slow stitching

I've really taken to slow hand stitching over the last year, the rhythm, the connection, the imperfection.

Repetition and exploring the cloth, simply going with the flow, keeping the colours to a minimum and letting the texture of each simple stitch be enough. It's been a liberating experience and fitted in well with a challenging year. 

The many ups and downs of life  can be tough, and sometimes just changing our habits in the smallest ways can be enough to get us through to the next chapter, one stitch at a time.

These are made from offcuts and misprints that I can't bear to throw away. I have patched them together to create a simple piece, basted it onto cotton quilt batting and hand stitched into the patchwork. Sometimes with just a few sparing stitches, others with dense running stitch to create a wonderful texture.

These are mini pieces that I've hung as display work, but they would make beautiful placemats. As they're made of scraps there's no need to be precious about them if the become marked with wear. 

Love them and enjoy them, surely that's why we create.

 

print and stitch part 2

I've continued to work on the project I started last January, printing and hand stitching linen squares. Each square is a new canvas and I approach it with no vision in mind. I'm led by my mood to choose a colour and pattern and I'm enjoying the freedom of play with this, I don't need to consider repeats and I let the design evolve naturally. Once the ink is dry and heat set I can begin the hand stitching, most of them are fairy simple, the patterns are quite bold and an uncomplicated stitch brings the piece some harmony.

My intention was to make a quilt with them all, I think this will still be the case, I just need to work out how to make it a little calmer. There's a lot going on here.

Perhaps sashing with some coloured linen would help, I feel the squares need some space to breathe.

The lighter colours look great in real life, though they're very tricky to capture in a photo.

I may make a couple of quilts, I'm not sure I could handle all these colours and patterns in one piece.

I will continue to make up squares as I'm really enjoying the process and starting something without a plan has been very liberating. Even though it is creating a challenge to make something cohesive with such a varied selection of squares, I hope to be able to pull them together to create something pretty special in time. 

If you're on instagram, you can follow the progress of this project with the hashtag #cmprintandstitch

print workshop round up

The print workshop that I ran with Ruby earlier in the month was a great success. As this was our first one we were a little apprehensive, but needn't have been. We had a lovely group of creative people eager to try their hand at screen printing on fabric and Gelli plate printing onto paper and card. 

Both of the techniques are very different and our students enjoyed creating their individual pieces with different mediums.

Gelli plate printing is a form of mono-printing. You can add texture to your prints using a combination of techniques, with which you can create multiple layers of colour and pattern. The uses for your finished designs are endless, greetings cards, bookmarks, gift boxes and tags can be made, or you can really work into a piece to create an original artwork to frame. 
Once you have gained confidence with your skills you can also print onto canvases or fabric, which opens up a whole range of new projects to print.
 
We screen printed using acetate stencils that I had pre-cut. On this small scale you can print the same design several times to build up a repeat pattern, arranging the layout to create an individual piece of fabric or tea towel. 

As time was limited during the workshop most of the students did a one colour print, but some added an additional colour by block printing. This is another technique for printing on fabric and is fairly simple, but very effective.

This wonderfully vibrant combination was created with two of the screen printing stencils.
 


We're busy planning our next workshops, so stay tuned if you'd like to come along and try out these printing techniques! 

New Year - New Print Workshop!

Happy New Year! I'm so excited by all the things to come this year, I have plans to expand on my handmade wardrobe, new designs I'm itching to print up and many family adventures to be had.

2015 whizzed by in a flash of excitement and opportunity. I am so thrilled that the year was a turning point for my little business, thank you so much to everyone who bought from me, left comments and generally cheered me on, each and every one of you made my year! 

I have many plans for this year, the first one being a Print Workshop that I am hosting with Ruby of Gelli Arts Workshop London and this happens on Sunday!! You will get to try your hand at screen printing onto fabric and Gelli printing onto paper and card. It will be a fun packed afternoon where you'll be inspired and learn new techniques. New Year - New Skills!

I'm working on some new designs that you'll be able to print up onto a tea towel and fat quarter, more to come soon!

The workshop is at Harrow Arts Centre and there are a few spaces left, if you're interested, email me to book up!

Giveaway - 13 spools

Giveaway now CLOSED, thanks for entering!

As part of 13spools's Up and Coming Designer Program I'm giving away a set of 3 of my screen printed fabric panels. If you're visiting from 13 spools, hello and welcome. If you scroll through you'll see that besides screen-printing and designing, I love improv quilting and dressmaking. 

In Amy's latest post you'll see how she's paired up my fabrics with those already in her stash, I love how she's mixed them up! 
You can read my introduction here and find out more about my background and inspiration here.

Which colours would you add to your stash, juicy Raspberry?

Cool duck egg blue and stone, or maybe sunshine yellow? My Etsy shop has other colours and designs too, take a look - which are your favourites?

The lucky winner will be able to choose 3 panels of their choice from my Etsy shop. 

In return I'd like your opinion, I'm considering putting together sewing kits using my fabrics as I often get asked for them, is this something that would interest you, and if so what kits would you like to see? e.g. bag / purse, bunting, cushion making kits...? 

To be in with a chance you need to be a follower, either here on my blog (with GFC / Bloglovin / Feedly etc) or on Instagram (ColetteMoscrop) or Facebook and tell me what type of sewing kits (if any) are of interest to you. 

So to enter the giveaway leave ONE comment telling me where you follow me and what sewing kits would interest you (if any). If you're a no reply blogger please include your email address otherwise I can't contact you if you win!

The giveaway ends on Saturday 23rd May, 9pm UK BST.

Good Luck!

p.s. if you're not here from 13spools, pop over there and pick up the discount code for 15% off in my shop when you spend £10 or more!

Edited to announce the winner....

Thank you for entering and leaving comments, your thoughts on kits have been very useful.

Congratulations Sylvia, I'll be in touch and you can choose your fabric panels.

Sew Mama Sew Winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the Sew Mama Sew giveaway. I really enjoyed reading about all the projects you have planned, in many cases multiple projects. You are a talented  bunch of ladies!

So onto the winner of this bundle of mini panels of my screen printed fabric...

Congratulation Dawn who is the lucky winner, I'll be emailing you for your address very soon!

If you didn't win this time, there will be another giveaway and a discount code for my Etsy shop very soon, so keep a look out!

Up and Coming Designer Program - and yes, that includes me!!

A while ago Amy Garro of 13 spools got in touch with me and asked if I'd like to be part of a new Up and Coming Designers program she was running. Of course I jumped at the chance, and I'm really excited to be featured over on her website this week.  As part of the series you can read about my background and inspiration over on the Craft Buds website.

Keep an eye on her website over the next few weeks, there are other designers featured in the program and it's always nice to discover new talent and add some original hand printed fabrics to your stash.

If you're new to Amy's website you'll find it packed with block and quilting tutorials, it's a real inspiration, I know I've seen plenty of projects I'd like to try!

everyday best

Do you keep things for best? I do, or did. I'm trying to break the habit of a lifetime and use all those favourite objects, in particular fabrics.

I have a stack of beautiful fabrics I'm too afraid to cut into, which is ridiculous. I bought them because I want to use and see them, not to open the 'suitcase of fabric' and just stroke it now and again.

So I'm on a mission, to use my favourite fabrics in projects I will use and enjoy regularly.

First off the work bench is this Ruler Cosy, for storing and protecting my quilting rulers. I'm always afraid of dropping and chipping them, especially when transporting them. This does the job perfectly and uses lots of favourites from my stash. 

My new 'everyday best' rule applies to essentials too, my old Liberty peg bag finally fell apart after 11 years of good service. So I've made a new one, this green on natural linen makes my heart skip a beat, so I have something to make me smile whilst hanging out the endless amount of laundry.

Now it's time for a cup of tea, in the fancy vintage china I rarely use, well it is Friday after all!

celebrate with 20% off

I have been busy lately building up stock and attending local craft markets with my hand printed fabric and small items made with the fabric. 

This has been great fun, I have had a wonderful response and met lots of lovely new people. When you work from home it's very nice to actually get 'out there' and meet real people!

I have gradually been adding some of the stock to my Etsy shop, there are some new designs and colours and I'm pleased to say I have sourced a beautiful new natural coloured linen to add to my basecloth range, things are looking good!

To celebrate finally getting to this stage I'm offering 20% off in my Etsy shop until Sunday, just enter the code Make20 at the checkout.

 A little peak my set up, can't wait to do it again soon!

a tale of two quilts

Last September I started to plan a quilt each for my girls. I asked them separately to choose one fabric from my stash and I would plan a quilt around their choice. Remarkably they each chose the same fabric in different colourways, this Kaffe Fasset design Tile Flower. 

I decided on a simple square design and I used colours to complement their fabric choice. I wanted to include lots of fabric I had printed and slowly built up enough in a range of colours to make two single bed sized quilts. 

I gave the girls three blank squares each and some fabric pens and let them draw or write whatever they wanted to capture their 6 and 8 year old selves in these quilts. 

Missy Big did a self portrait, a drawing of her sister, her favourite teddy and doll and a heart.

Little Missy put all her favourites in one square, bunnies, a rainbow, butterflies and all our ages, in another a heart and the other one is a crazy ramble of jumbled words and numbers, which sums up her active mind and jump before looking attitude perfectly.

These squares make my heart ship a beat when I look at them.

I'm hand quilting these, so it's slow but happy progress. I'm using perle thread in a bunch of cheery colours and wiggling lines across the quilt.

I am loving making these, but I can hardly wait to see them being snuggled under, used to make dens and dragged across the floor like I didn't spend a gazillion hours making them.

Throughout the process of making these I made a new friend in the school playground. She was so inspired by all my quilt talk she made her first quilt for her Mum, a double sized quilt, in about a month and took it to her in South Africa over Christmas. 
We had lots of frantic "how do I do..." chats at pick up time and somehow she got this finished in time, I'm so impressed! There are two embroidered hand shapes and a drawing by each of her children in this. Needless to say her parents were thrilled.  

Stunning isn't it! I love her almost 3 year olds contribution. She most definitely has the quilting bug now and is planning her next quilt(s). 

Linking in with My Creative Space, so glad to see this back again, I missed it so!

goodbye 2013 hello 2014

Goodbye to a crafty and happy 2013, I know I haven't shared a whole lot on this blog, I discovered the super speedy Instagram and have neglected this space somewhat. 
Anyhow here's a little look at some of the Christmas presents I recently made for the family. 

A jumbo sized zipped project pouch for my Mum, using fabrics I have printed mixed up with some of Blueberry Park's handprinted fabrics. I used the noodlehead tutorial for a wide open pouch - it's so handy, you can see right inside!

A bow tie for my Step Dad, he wears them all the time, and Liberty fabric seemed like the perfect choice. I love how this turned out! I used this free Burda pattern, but made it a whole piece to the overall size required.

He wore it immediately.

And these two sisters, Miss Poppy and Miss Maggie Rabbit for my girls. I was inspired by Gillian and Charlotte's beautiful creations, I only wish I'd started sooner, these were finished off on Christmas Eve with my Mum knitting the capes as I can't knit and was cutting it a bit fine to learn.

I have a whole wardrobe planned for these two, they are going to be well dressed rabbits!

2013 was not a very bloggy year for me. I lost the flow, the connection and quite frankly wondered, shouldn't I be 'doing' something instead of reading about what other people were actually doing?! 

But lately I have been missing it, missing seeing what online friends have been up to and I've missed discovering other people's stories and adventures. 

So the new year is full of promise and new beginnings, plans and dreams. I have a long list of things to start / finish / try out. 

I hope I'll be better at sharing them with you!

Happy New Year everyone!

A winner...

Thanks to everyone who entered the SewMamaSew giveaway, I loved reading all your comments. Lots of you out there love blue and green, and orange was mentioned several times too I was thrilled to see!

I won't keep you hanging, if you're anything like me at the moment you're knee deep in Christmas gifts that still aren't finished...  or maybe you're more organised and started ages ago, have finished all your making and are now sitting back and scoffing mince pies? 

So anyway, there were 260 entires before the deadline, and the winner is....

Danbury Quilter, who blogs at Modern Cozy - congratulations! 

I'll be emailing you soon.

To say Happy Christmas and thank you for entering, you can get 15% off my handprinted fabric in my Etsy Shop with the code HAPPY15 which is valid until the end of 2013, happy shopping! 

Now, I'd better get back to those unfinished projects... x