Shell sections

The shell sections are actually quite stiff, as they're two layers of fabric, a layer of felt, heavy machine stitching and a lot of beads, but still not stiff enough - they need to be mounted on something.

The finished sections need to curve, so card is no use as it'll just bend, so hunting through cupboards (I'm trying to do this project from stash, remember), turned up some heavy weight Vilene.  I don't think it's quite pelmet weight, but it should do.

I cut out Vilene shapes to match each of the nine shell sections, each one the same size as the stitched area:

They were each placed on the underside of the matching shell section:

The fabric hem was folded over and stretched over the Vilene shape, using herringbone stitch in a linen thread:

I tried to pull the fabric sections taught but not too tight, as I didn't want them to be pulled out of shape.

Here's the same section from the front:

And all nine sections, mounted onto the Vilene:

Next, the backs of the sections need to be covered.

Beading completed

In between scrubbing the kitchen after the builders, I've been stitching a few beads on here and there, and have now added the beads to all the sections of the shell form.  There were a lot more than you'd think - a lot more than I thought, at least!

Here's the final section, with all its beads:

It's in a 30cm (12") hoop, which given an idea of the scale.  It also shows the colours rather nicely, though not the sparkle from the silver beads and machine stitching.

Here are all nine sections:

Each one needs to be cut out, but to try and prevent fraying and to keep the silk dupion background fabric and the cotton lawn lining together, I zigzag machine stitched rouund the edge of each one, leaving a small margin:

Once that was done, I could cut them all out:

I've kept all the silk offcuts for use in appliqué or something in the future.  I just couldn't bring myself to throw them away!

Next, I need to mount them on something, to stiffen them a bit.

For anyone who's interested, the extension is coming along fine, and I'm now half way through the build (two weeks out of four).  Apart from a frozen water pipe in the first week it all seems to be going as well as could be hoped and is all on schedule.  The basic blockwork structure is up and the roof joists in place, so the coming week should see the roof finished and a start made on the interior.

News roundup

Bringing you up to date on a few odds and ends:

The local paper, the Sunderland Echo, ran a feature on me, published last Friday, which was quite exciting.  I did an interview and a photographer came to take pictures!  I would link to the piece so you could read it, but I can't find it on the Echo's (rather poor) website anywhere.  If it turns up, I'll let you know.

I thought the photographer might want pics of me sewing, and indeed she did.  As the current beading project is quite unrepresentative of my work, I started a new goldwork project specially, though in the event those photos weren't used, so I needn't have bothered!  I'll write more about that project at a later date.

And I've got the builders in.  I'm getting a small extension built, replacing an old, poky and dilapidated utility room with a new, larger one, featuring such such modern conveniences as windows, plus a brand new shower room/cloak room.  They just started work yesterday, and while it's all quite exciting, it's also very messy.  They're nice lads and they're doing their best to be tidy, but building work is just inherently dirty.  I'm not sure I'm going to get much sewing done for the next few weeks, as I'll be spending much of my free time scrubbing things clean!

Recycled runner

Mum and I like going to antique fairs, on the lookout for bargains!  There don't seem to be as much in the way of textiles as there used to be there, but it's always fun to see what we can find.

At the last fair we went to, I bought a hand-embroidered linen table runner for just £1.  It's an unbleached linen, and I would guess the design is from the 1970s, though if anyone recognises it, do let us all know!

The design at each end is the same, and here it is in close up:

However, I've arranged the photos carefully to show you the good end.  The runner as a whole was absolutely filthy, and was badly stained at one end.  I washed it well and did my best to get the stains out, but not only did I not entirely succeed, where some of them had been went into holes:

There didn't seem much point in trying to get the remaining marks out as not only might that cause more damage, but there wasn't anything to be done about the holes that had appeared already, so it was now useless as a runner (I have standards!).  Most of it was fine, however, so I decided to use what I could and make a cushion cover out of it.

I got a rectangular pad, but it was too long to centre the design on, so I did my best to get all the feather filling at one end, and machine stitched a line to hold it about 8cm (3") in:

The line of stitching's a bit wobbly as it wasn't the easiest thing to manoeuvre through the sewing machine!

I cut off the damaged end, and cut the remaining fabric into sections - one for the front, and two which will overlap for the back:

I want to use as much as possible of the embroidery, so I'm using the undamaged part from the damaged end on the back.

I overlocked the cut edges, and hemmed the edges of the overlapping back sections using bright pink thread and a fancy stitch on my machine:

Pinned, tacked, machined round the edges and turned right side out - from the back, showing the overlap I'll use to insert the cushion pad (no zips!):

And from the front:

And with the cushion pad in, on the armchair:

Nice and comfy!

Beading

I'm making rather slow progress on my new project, mostly because I'm not putting anything like as much work into it as I did the Banner.  It's rather nice having a few evenings off!  I am making some progress though, as you'll see.

In my attempt to do something as unlike the Banner as possible, I'm going to add some beading.

This is completely free, with no attempt at a pattern or overall design, other than more or less pointing in the same direction:

As you can see, it's just random, with bugle beads and seed beads in the same iridescent blue, and silver seed beads too, over the top of the free machine stitching.

The iridescent beads are very pretty, with quite a bit of variation in the colours:

There's quite an area to cover, with all the sections of the shell shape, so I could be on with this for some time!

A big day for the Banner

The biggest day of all will be its dedication at Durham Cathedral on 20 March, but yesterday was the biggest so far.  For the first time, all the parts of the Banner - the Banner itself, the silver bells, and the carrying pole with its mounts and fittings plus a harness to be worn by the carrier - were brought together.

This took place at Fashion and Design building at Northumbria University, which was a nice light spot for it.  Several members of the Northumbrian Association committee, the other craftspeople involved and a few journalists were there.

The Banner was taken out of its calico dust sheet, the first time most people there had seen it:

The silver bells, made by Les Howe, were attached to the bottom:

It was then hung on the pole, made by Trevor Duncan - first the cross-piece:

Then the vertical pole:

You can see how the two parts fit together here:

The finial in the shape of St Cuthbert's cross was added to the top:

It was carefully picked up:

And carried outside, where the project's sponsor, John Cuthbert, already wearing the harness made by Ian Corrigan, got ready to carry it:

From the back, you can see how the pole fits through the loops on the back of the Banner, stopping it from flapping about:

It was a bit breezy, so I was glad I'd added them!

And here it is, as it was meant to be seen:

I have to say I was thrilled with how well it looked (and a bit relieved, if I'm honest), and everyone else seemed to be very happy with it too.

I was interviewed by several journalists, and pieces on the day appeared today in the Newcastle Journal, the Northern Echo, and the Sunderland Echo.  It was all quite an experience!

And the winner is...

...going to be announced in a moment.  Before then, I'd just like to thank everyone who took the trouble to comment or email me with an answer, and everyone who has commented or emailed or read the blog ever.  Your encouragement and support means a lot.

So, to recap, the competition was to guess how many hours St Cuthbert's Banner took to complete, and the prize was an extra Banner flower, mounted on some of the velvet I used for it:

The correct answer was...

802.5 hours

A lot of the answers were much higher than that, which made me think I ought to have put more work into it!

There was one answer that was very close indeed, with an estimate of 800 hours, so I am happy to announce the winner is songbirdgifts.

Congratulations SongBird!  Email me with your postal address, and I'll send the flower to you as soon as possible.

Thanks again everyone!