SO COLD - some work done!

It's so cold and I am cold. Perhaps I should do more baking to warm up?? Thanks for your comments yesterday. I would so love to be home all day - I'm sure the inspiration would come in waves but at least it would be here and I could do what I want, when I want, I could go for walks or visit galleries, or hold work days in my studio or or or or or or .........- You can tell I am not looking forward to going to work again next week.

Anyway I have just finished the morning blog surfing so it's off to art work now - hooray!! I did do art work/homework yesterday afternoon, some is still drying - I can only show you a tiny couple of samples. One of the projects is to look at Applique on Net (OK so it is homework from the first weekend - I am so far behind!!) - this was one of the first 'free machining' skills ladies did when domestic machines were created. The method is to cover the net with the 'fabric' stitch round it, cut away the fabric where you wish the net to show and then edge the design with cord (as shown below from the Singer Instruction book)

Trying to recreate a piece is very hard - they must have been so skilled and patient. The purple piece is my attempt - using purple twinkle nylon and net.

The hard part is stitching the cord around the shapes - it is an absolute nightmare to do!!
We are meant to do some 'modern' samples and that is difficult too. I have tried using calico and hessian as the net.
The hard part again was stitching the cord around the design. So I gave up after one shape. I then placed the pieces I cut out onto another piece of hessian and edged these. This was a little easier.

We have to create a 'resolved sample' in either this technique or velvet applique brought up to date. I think I will have to try velvet before I come up with an idea!! This net stuff is just too hard!!