More pebbles

I have been trying to find time to develop my Pebble range a bit more, I have loads of ideas and have been busy sketching and developing ideas on paper, but what I really need is a few days sat at my sewing machine.

I made this tea cosy sample at the weekend, fairly happy with it, but there is quite a bit I will be changing.

I have also been trying out my pebble design on various fabrics, including handmade felt which has then been put into the washing machine for extra textures and bobbly effect. Really please with this, but as this shrinks the felt it could be a very time consuming and expensive way of going about things.

I have also been trying out linen as I think it might be better to embroider pebbles directly onto a fabric rather than onto handmade felt and then attaching the felt to something. Today I have treated myself to some beautiful organic linen fabric in some very gorgeous mutted tones.

In my real job I was sent a sample of padding PCV, or 'Pleather' as we call if (Plastic leather), I really like the way this has turned out and really like the contrast of textures. But not sure if wipe clean fabrics (especially cushions) is the market I am going for!!

So the plan is to continue making some product samples over the next week or so and hopefully I will then have a small range, which I can continue to develop.

Difficult

Its funny how you can work on an idea one day and everything falls into place, ideas spark other ideas and you are pleased with everything you do. You then pick up the same project a few days later and nothing goes right and its a real struggle and something that was really exciting two days ago has become difficult. Well that was me and my new pebble project on Friday.

For once I was very sensible, and decided to put it down and work on something else and then come back to it another day, in the end have produced another cushion cover, which although I am pleased, its nothing like the original design and was very hard work to get it to this stage.

I wanted to try and combine some patterned fabric with the pebble embroidery panel, but I could find anything to go with it, I think I am normally quite good a combining colours and patterns, but it just wasn't happening. Maybe it was just a rubbish idea, maybe its just wasn't right in this particular piece, maybe I should just stick to plain fabric?.....

Pebbles

I have been working on some new ideas, based on my afternoon sketching whilst sitting on a pebble beach in Suffolk. At the weekend I did some samples using handmade felt and machine embroidery.

I was really please with the initial ideas, so made a cushion cover. This is now available in my Folksy shop. I am in the process of making another pebble cushion cover which is slightly different, I will let you have a peak when I have finished.

I have lots more ideas based on this theme so need to do some more samples. Its nice to do something a bit different, I love doing my bright flower pieces, but for a while have been wanted to do something more muted and adult. I can't wait to get back on my machine and do some more.