Hello December

Winnie the Pooh and the blustery day

I love this weather, as long as it's not too cold.  Either sitting inside drinking hot chocolate and stitching/reading or being out walking and crunching through the fallen leaves or them swirling around your feet and your hair being blown in all directions....lovely!

To be honest it's been all go here these last few weeks, mainly getting our Indigo Moon Shop stocked up and prepared for Christmas.  There's always those last minute worries about whether we have enough stock or if we have the right things, we always find it difficult...however, it always turns out to be ok and so far this year there's no exception.  The shop has changed drastically over the last year and it's definitely for the better.

As you know, i've been concentrating on Japanese 'Boro' style stitching projects, something that i'm really enjoying at the moment.  I've made two 'experimental' scarves:

This one was made from an old linen tablecloth, it was quite thick and heavy.  It works as a scarf but i knew i definitely needed something lighter and more luxurious.  The blue was a bit too bright for me too...

I set about picking out vintage fabric patches to sew onto it and having already used reds on the other one i decided to stick to different shades of blue.  I love this aspect of design, my workroom became a mass of colour (not to mention the mess!).  

 The other one was also a fairly heavy duty linen too, lighter in colour and easier to work with regarding the 'Boro-ing' as any combination of colours would have worked.

It was still a tad too heavy for my liking though so i bit the bullet and ordered some gorgeous 'washed' linens from 'Merchant and Mills'

The colours are amazing and here's the beginnings of a scarf i started making yesterday:

I can't wait to see how this one turns out.

I'm stitching away here in the shop today, although not getting much done as it's rather busy (not complaining though), but i can carry this around with me to stitch wherever and whenever i get the chance

XOXO

Boro Scarf

In my last post i mentioned 'rainy day reading', well there's been plenty of that over the last week or so.  It's been very lovely as my living space here at the armoury is at the top and we have roof windows...there's something so nice about sitting curled up with a book and a hot chocolate listening to the pattering of rain on the windows.

There's also a lot of stitching going on and some ideas and preparations for new things happenings here at Indigo Moon.  More on that soon.

The beginnings of a new 'Boro' scarf, this was at the stage where i was trying out colours/designs.  I wasn't entirely happy with the stitching colours and wished that i'd stuck to just plain white, but once it was done it was too much work to undo.

Inthe end i went for reds, browns and some stripes and it worked for me.  The linen i used is too heavy for a scarf so i'm experimenting with different types.

Overall, i'm happy with it.  It's completely hand sewn in the 'boro' style and very wearable, despite the thicker linen.

More soon

XOXO

Rainy Day Reading

It's a day of rain and gale's here in Montgomery and i'm snuggled up on the sofa with a coffee and some books/computer for company.  Perfect really. 

My thoughts are currently drawn to the success of the Indigo Moon Creative Workshops venture and to next years programme (found here but continuously being updated), my beloved father (who is always on my mind, i miss him more than i can say) and ongoing ideas for an art gallery/shop to be incorporated here somewhere.  It's all rather exciting.

As it was my birthday recently, these books arrived, i've not fully looked at them yet, i have a strange ritual to undertake before i can even open them, i devour the images back and front, and there's a touchy/feely/smelling thing that goes on....i still love my kindle, but these type of books are in a different league!  Anyway.

"Fabric Pictures".  Janet Bolton's artwork is soul stirringly wonderful, just looking at the cover inspires me no end.

Claire's book on slow mindful stitch is right there in my zone at the moment, i seem to be doing a lot of this is spare minutes, it's very cathartic.

I really like Cas Holmes' work and her thought processes for creating, i think i'll learn a lot from this book.

All i need now is to get all my chores done and snuggle up and open the pages...

so looking forward to it.

XOXO

A few people have recently emailed me to ask if i've given up on my blog! 

The answer is definitely 'no'.   

I know many have defected to faceook these days and indeed i maintain two facebook accounts, but i am of the opinion that 'Blogs' are a tad more personal with more information.

  I still read a lot of blogs (I don't always comment like many people) but i read them.  For me it's like picking up a magazine and leafing through the things you're interested in.

So i'm back after a short break following a family bereavement.  

My gorgeous father passed away on the 16th September after his battle with cancer. I am heartbroken and will miss him more than i can say.

Whilst i've not managed to create much recently, my workshops have taken off splendidly.  Many of you will know that I have spent most of this year preparing rooms here at 'the Armoury' for my new venture "Indigo Moon Creative Workshops" and the first was to be held on the 19th September with artist Christine Kelly.  Despite the grief and with much help of the practical and emotional sort from my dear friend Nichola Hulmston, i managed to go ahead as planned.  Both Christine's and the following workshop 'Daisy Moon' have been a great success.

I have now held two and have another one booked for the 7th November (with artist Viv Sliwka of Hens Teeth).  It has all been amazingly successful so far...and long may it continue.

for more information on workshops:

www.indigomoon.co.uk/workshops

XOXO

My Shop...Indigo Moon

I have no makes to show at the moment having been still busy with getting the workshop space ready and gallivanting off to the Festival of Quilts and various other places, so i thought you might like to have a look around my beautiful shop Indigo Moon (Montgomery) with me.  It's been a while since i posted photos on here and some of you will notice a huge change:

Enjoy, and please visit if you're in the area

XOXO