Challenges

Kevin's sister has been staying with us for the last week, so I have found it a challenge to get into the sewing room.

I did go to Designing Women yesterday. We also had a challenge. It was to bring along stuff we had in the cupboard that we had either not used or wanted to use more of. It was interesting to see what people had brought along.

Juliet and Iris had the same idea: they brought their embellishers. They bought them at Teena's closing down sale about 2 months ago, but have been too busy on the Melville Textile Art Project to even unpack them. They had a lovely time playing with bits and pieces.

Loraine brought along a Flower Stitcher. Hers must be an original - it was in Janome packaging. She said she had had it for years and had never used it. Margaret had brought hers along too, so Loraine watched while Margaret had a play. She hadn't brought her machine so couldn't play herself. She had also brought along a small packet of Pellon RainbowSpun.

So had I, as well as a packet of Sizoflor. I used some of the Sizoflor a few months ago to make a fantasy flower and wanted to make some some more as well as try out the Pellon. I used the same technique as for the Sizoflor: two different colours, cut into 5 petals with zigzagged edges and meandering over the petal, then wire applied up the centre before zapping with a heat gun.

The Sizoflor flower with beaded stamens

The RainbowSpun flower - no beading as yet

There are definite differences (apart from colour!) I didn't have enough time to make another Sizoflor flower, but I made one complete one, plus petals for another from the RainbowSpun. The Pellon gummed up the needle (which I don't remember happening with the Sizoflor) and also stained the bed of my machine. I also think it reacted differently to the heat gun, but I want to make another flower from each material and zap them at the same time. A project for next week.