Pam Holland Designs and Productions

Bayeux Discipline

 

I mentioned that I was going to complete a small Bayeux quilt for each section of the quilt completed... That will be 25 small quilts in all and they will be in the book.

Each quilt will be a different genre and the one I'm working on now is a little irreverent, but I wanted to make a statement that this medieval work is relevant today... the designs penned by an unknown scribe almost 950 years ago still capture the imagination.

I shared the beginning of the design a few days ago... Bosham Church which features in the first 9 feet of the Bayeux Tapestry.

I love this quirky depiction of the church which still exists today.

If you go to the URL above you will get an overview of the Church. Jamie and I filmed it in detail making the documentary.

This small quilt is different. Using the vibrant colors available to us today. I've done it in traditional colors and as well as this whacky one.

Today's task is to quilt and embellish it.

Wake up to color.

I've got the chair.... and the fabric... I think I need to have one covered.

Working it through.

I feel like I'm so far behind with everything.

But today I was editing and filing photos, I've added an album  of textures to my face book site.

These images are of an antique Pakistani hat from my collection. I know very little about it... except that I really like the intricacy of the embroidery.

I have quite a collection now... I need to work out how to display them. Any Ideas

Bayeux Discipline.

I'm coming to terms with the 4.00 am start and it's working well right now. I need a break in the middle of the day and then I can keep going. I do other projects after 10.30 am...

I've not worked out how long it's going to take to finish... I don't want to put too much pressure on myself, but progress is good right now. I'm sure my body will adapt in time to the early morning start. (I hope)

Having completed four nine foot test pieces in the past, I have decided to change some of my methods now that the quilt is going to be in one piece. There will be different applique and more quilting.

I hit a snag today,  I wasted almost an hour trying to figure out pieces that I had put onto fusible web.

With fusible web, I'm working back to front and with the incredibly intricate pieces I was doing today... I got lost....it was frustrating.

So, with the intricate appliques, I need to draw each piece on fusible, decide on the color and assemble it straight away.

In the past 4 days, (24 hours)  I have made and assembled 236 applique pieces.

Yes, I do count each piece, and I know how many bobbins of the thread I use and how many needles I use.... when I change a needle.. but it's hard to work out the fabric...so to heck with that....

 

Whoow - working hard and I spelled Isabella incorrectly.!!!

But I have to go into another program to fix it... never mind.

Today I scanned my sketchbook and collected the images of Alice Isabella, the gal who lives in my notebook.

 

She joined me in April last year, so it seemed fitting that she feature in my April note book Quilt.

I finished this small quilt today... April.

The fabric was purchased at IKEA and I've printed my pen sketches on calico and stidched them to the quilt.

The lines are blue thread, and red thread.

I was in Nebraska and Cincinnati, New Mexico and Arkansas in April, but I thought that the invention of Alice was significant.

May's Note  will be from France.

 

 

Bayeux Discipline

I have to handle each piece of applique nine times.

1. Create the initial drawing

2. Reverse the pattern and trace it onto fusible web. (I'm using steam a seam lite, single)

3. Select the fabric and iron the pattern to the fabric. I iron twice to make sure the glue is adhered to back of the fabric. This piece is 263 feet long and the applique is adhered prior to quilting.

4. Cut out the applique pieces ...accurately..... I use 5" Dovo scissors from Germany.

5. Peel the paper from the back of the applique and iron in place onto the quilt top. That's a simple version... the placement has to be perfect and very accurate.

6. Illustrate the contours on the applique pieces.

7. Applique the image on to the quilt top. I applique and quilt at the same time... but I have to do the back ground quilting around the image.

8. Quilt around it.

9. Illustrate over the quilting.

 

I photograph each step... but I'm not sharing those....

But these are cute, I just unpacked them from Houston. Antique watch faces. to be sewn on to some of my note book quilts.

 

Note Quilts

Today was a day to recover from the past week or so... and of course Christmas day.

I have 12 small note quilts to make.

This is the beginning.

Christmas day is over

December the 26th.

I've finally got my sound sytem back into position after my boys changed it to accomodate their music needs yesterday.!!!!!

I came into the studio late in the evening to blog the day, but the internet went out on my main computer so, I went to bed instead.

I managed the 4.00 am start... In fact I was waiting for the alarm to go off so by the time I made a latte, it was 4.00 am exactly.

Now I need a snooze.

I hope you all have  - or are having a super Christmas Day like the one we had.

Jinda, our youngest son, donned my frilly apron to cut the meat.

Miss Lily, born on Christmas Day last year - Loved her first Christmas and was still tucking into Turkey in the evening.

and its such fun when you are beginning to walk.

Tilly and Mummy, Rachael in matching hats.

She loved her lamb shade from Bamma.

Savannah had her dolly strapped to her back and looked an Angel in her white dress....(that didn't last long. The craft boxes came out and everyone painted and (crafted)

So off came the dresses.

But Tilly kept on her bling and her hat!!!!

The boys love it as much as the girls....

Mr Kaiden just hung around, pointed to everything, smiled and ate.

Savanhah found it hard to contain herself when the presents were given out.!!!!

It was a fabulous day.....

The BD project is underway

 

Merry Christmas.

Good Morning blog friends.

It's Sunday the 25th of December and all is ready for Christmas day.

I'm in the studio and its 5.47, just tried to ring my buddy Lisa in the USA but she's out shopping I think.

This family is looking forward to a super day.

It will be 35 (about 95 deg) but there may be a small amount of rain during the morning.

I'm going to capture the day on film and photographs so I will share as the day unfolds.

I'm still sewing the place mats !!!!

Goodnes Gracious.

Goodness Gracious.

we've been home 9 days and fitted a month of work and drama into that small space of time.

Yesterday we rushed Tilly to hospital with pain in her right hip. Just going around a corner in the car caused her to cry out with pain.

Our hospitals are great, efficient and free, however, one still feels like a number in the process. It's sobering to see so many sick children. It bought back sad memories of a time in our life when we spent a lot of time there.

A day of scans, X rays, blood analysis revealed she had fluid on her hip but it wasn't septic (fortunately.)

Not surprisingly Tilly is an extremely active and inventive child, even in her physical play and could have damaged her hip at any time recently but wasn't aware of it until yesterday morning. Did she do it jumping off the play-gym in the yard at home, or being a commando in the new tunnel we constructed together...then it could have been when she climbed the small hill in the back yard and used the hose as her abseil link... !!!!!!

We got home at 2.00 am this morning with doses of "O" something, a mild form of morphine suitable for children and we saw the old Tilly back.

It's 7.00 am and the day has begun. It's going to be busy, the gardener has created an park like oasis for Christmas day..

The cleaners have been in and cleaned my carpets.... the tables ready, presents not even thought of a week ago are under the tree and a visit to the market today will finish off the process.

I think I'm going to have a celebratory drink (strong Turkish coffee) because I missed our office party yesterday. I'm going to watch TV tonight, finish editing and enjoy the day..

Hopefully today, Tilly and Rachael have a better day.

Thank you one and all for your well wishes for her.... you don't know how much it is appreciated.