First Day at Mimmis

Yesterday Alan and I travelled to Forest Hill for the opening day at Mimmis. We left home early and set out toward Esk. Yes, we went the long way, Alan decided to combine the trip with a sales call to Twilight Crafts in Esk.

Our drive took us out past Somerset Dam. It was a magnificent sight, full to the brim after many years of heartbreaking drought. The road then dropped down to Lake Somerset where breathtaking Jacarandas were in flower. Their purple flowers littered the hills side.

Finally we arrived in Forest Hill and Mimmis. Miriam and Nicole Lacey were on hand to show us around their  lovely shop filled to the brim with all things handmade. It was thrilling to see my creations on display in somebody else’s shop.
Our Kumihimo Friendship Bracelets.
Christmas Puffs.
And the Dorset Christmas Decorations.
Thanks girls for my lovely Birthday surprise. I realised when I got home that i will be forever sharing my birthday with Mimmis. I hope we both have many more. 

Mimmis Here We Come

Our first ever consignment order is on its way to Mimmis

Dorset Button Christmas Decorations in every conceivable colour. These are only available at Mimmis. You can’t even buy these in our shop at the moment. Christmas Puffs and Kumihimo Bracelets are also on their way. I will have a small selection of Christmas puffs at the BrisStyle Indie Eco Market this Saturday but the largest selection is at Mimmis. Get in quick. Mimmis opens 11th Nov

Progress

I’ve started working on this years stock of Christmas Decorations.

This is a finished one from last year.

All lined up. These have been bound and are waiting for the next step, the weaving. I posted a tutorial on how to make these last Christmas. Click on the Dorset Button category in the right nav bar.

I’ve got that many again all ready for embellishing with beads. I need to dye some more red thread as it is the one Christmas colour I am missing. I’ll post the finished images when I’m done.

These are based on the Christmas puff from last week but are MUCH smaller.

I’ve used a 3cm diameter circle for these ones.

A little fiddlier to make but still quick & simple.

A tutorial on how to make these will be published in this week’s Messenger column. I’ll post it to the blog on Sunday. 

Yo-Yos, Bottle Caps and Comics

It's very blowy and wet outside, courtesy of Cyclone Olga. Good day to stay inside.  I thought that it was the perfect opportunity to get my head around the book I'm planning. The home computer wasn't in the mood for starting. I think that it was just having a hissy fit because I haven't been on it much lately. While I was waiting, waiting I started cutting some more junk mail up for beads. I needed to replace all the ones I sold on the weekend plus create some longer ones for a project.

Did a good couple of hours on the book. Started to feel a little confused so I thought I needed a little fun. These  are Suffolk Puffs in the traditional manner, made from preloved clothes. Any ideas what the necklace cord is made of. Hint: it's preloved clothing too. And then onto experimenting. Could I make Dorset Buttons from the plastic rings around plastic bottle caps. Yes I think I can. I've just done the outside buttonholing but they certainly seem to be working.

And now for the exciting news. Motor Racing season has started again. Well sort of.It's the 24 hour race from Daytona. It is not V8s, Nascar or Indy but as Alan said they are going round in circles. Me? I can drive in circles. I want them driving fast. I think I will wind a few more beads while watching the last 3 hours. 

Dorset Button Christmas Decoration

This time last year I posted about the Dorset Button Christmas Decorations.










I made them for a Blog Swap.












In the original post I briefly explained how I made them.












And then finished the post with a promise to post a step by step tutorial.

As we are all starting to think about the holidays now is a good time to deliver on my promise.

Step 1: You will need a wooden curtain ring with the screw eye attached. Thread, tapestry needle, beads(optional), ribbon to hang.

Step 2: How much thread you will need depends on how big the curtain ring is and how much filling of the centre you plan to do and type of thread. For the orange one I used 2.5 skeins of Stranded Cotton. Unravel the skein so the thread pulls freely. Hold the tail of the thread as in the picture.

Step 3: Make a loop over the tail of the thread. Pull the remaining thread through the loop (imagine a button hole stitch).

Step 4: Pull the "knot' firmly capturing the tail of the thread securely.

Step 5: repeat this step a couple of times then cut off the excess tail.

Step 6: Repeat this step until the entire ring is covered. Make sure that you roll the 'knot' to the inside.

Keep going.

Just a little bit further.

Step 7: Now we are going to make the spokes. I thread the needle (with this thread) before starting this step as its easier than stopping a doing a bit later. Wind the thread around the outside of the ring, down the front side, around the back. You need to be careful here that the point where the threads cross on the top is centred. Ignore the back for the time being.

Step 8a: The photo below shows and even number of spokes on the top. You need an odd number.

Step 8b: Bring the thread from the back onto the front side. Instead of winding completely around push the needle down to the back at the half way point.

Step 9: Now you are going to secure the centre point and at the same time bring the back threads into alignment with the top threads. With the needle threaded criss cross across the centre point pulling the back threads into place as you go. Continue until all are aligned. This is important. If you don't make sure that they are aligned before beginning weaving your button will be off centre. Try and keep the centre neat but don't stress too much as it can be covered by beads or sequins.

Step 10: Now we are going to starting filling in the centre. This is a basic over, under weave. This is why you needed an odd number of spokes. I always start at the top near the scew eye.

Over.

Under

Continue over, under until you get back to the top. The odd number automatically makes sure that the next time around the moves are the opposite.

Step 11: Now is when you get to start to personalise you decoration. There is no need to completely fill in the centre. You can see by the samples that I decorated all differently.

I sewed beads on to the front.

Don't forget the back.It will be seen hanging on the tree. Add some ribbon through the screw eye and pop it onto your tree.



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Christmas Ornament part 2

I made these for my Swap Partner Lee

Basically they are large Dorset Buttons. I used Wooden Curtain Rings and Hand Dyed Silk Thread. Its the same principal, Wind thread around ring using button hole stitch.

Then create your cross threads. The start weaving under and over.

Here are some detail images.

The beading is added last.

I added beads to both sides so that when they hang and twirl there is little glitz showing at all times.

The beading is different on the other side.

I think the photos Lee has on her blog are better. Pop over to have a look.

We're Celebrating

Today I finished my part time job to concentrate totally on TRISHALAN DESIGNS. To celebrate we are holding a prize draw at the end of October.

Here's how to enter.

1. Leave a comment, making sure that your contact details are there. Your Email or User Name with a link is fine.

OR

2. Send me an email

At the end of October, there will be a random draw. The lucky winner will receive not 1 but 2 of our gorgeous hand dyed fabric 3 pks. Click on the online shopping link at the top of the page and start deciding which colours you would choose.

I promise that I will also add the new colour ranges over the next few days.

These are the flowers I received from one of the campus'. Aren't they gorgeous?

If anybody knows what the small green berries might be please let me know. The residents and I had no idea yet they really added a lift to the bunch.

I was also given a copy of the Lonely Planet Japan. This will so come in handy when I'm there for the Kumihimo conference.

Working with the Residents, Staff and Volunteers to develop the Volunteer Program has been rewarding and a whole lot of fun. Some days it was hard to believe that it was supposed to be work. I'm really looking forward to now designing new fabric and thread ranges. Stay tuned I might even find time to work on some of those Cross Stitch charts floating in my head.

Don't forget to comment or email.

Wheels and Wheels

I've had such a busy weekend. There has been so much motor racing to watch. We've had Nascar, the Indy 500 and Formula One. I've been in heaven. The good thing about watching the races on tv is that I can also justify sitting and stitching etc at the same time.

I've been playing around with some more dorset wheels. Both of these have been made using my hand dyed Cotton, Linen, Viscose thread.


This first one is made using a 1 inch ring. Its a basic dorset wheel, I have just left some of the spokes uncovered to add a lighter, lacy effect.

The second wheel is a little more indepth but still using the basic principle of dorset wheel construction. For this wheel I have used 2 rings. The inner ring is a 1 inch ring.

The outer ring is a 2 inch ring. Both rings have been covered in the buttonhole stitching. I have then layed the spokes down over both rings to join them. The next photo shows the wheel as I begin winding thread around the 2 rings.

The wheels have now been covered completely, leaving the inner spokes free.




I then partly covered the inner spokes with the back stitches. Note that I didn't completely cover the inner spokes.

Small seed beads were stitched on in a random manner and a brooch fitting attached.



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