All new and the first....

Went for a walk this morning with a friend to a local
park. It was a morning for new life and the first of the
year. We saw a male swan attempting to see off
any thing that went near his new babies. This is mom
and two of her babies. There were another two but it
was impossible to get them all together.
Next a female mallard swam by with her three babies.
She probably had more but this is all she has left.A few yards further on we spotted this coot on her nest.
We sat on some convenient rocks and watched and
waited. She seemed restless and eventually out
popped a couple of chicks - the red blobs are their
beaks. One made it into the water and back. She was
probably sitting on lots more eggs so these two were
very young.

These next three were taken in my garden. The chives are

just starting to flower.........

The double purple poppies will probably flower in a

couple of weeks...............

And this is the first 'Love in a Mist' flower this year........

And finally, this is one on my old tin tubs plantedup

with salad leaves. I've already had a weeks worth of

salad already..........

What's new?

I saw this the other day - a field of dandelions, half the
clocks had blown away. So many dandelions this year!
I want butterfly spotting yesterday without leaving my chair
in the garden. I saw this orange and white butterfly shortly after
I'd seen a small blue one. I went to get my camera but it had
gone by the time I got back, that's when I spotted this one.
I then saw this one, looking rather battered. It actually looks
as if something has taken a chunk out of its wing.
Don't know why the photo is small....
This is a new doll, much more delicate looking than I've
done before. The face is Angelina fibres pressed onto a
face mould and heat fixed. I find 'shiny' doesn't photograph
very well.
The body is made from fleece - I find it easy to work with
and forgiving! It's used as a base then wrapped with other
textiles - strips of fabric, lace, ribbon, threads, then
stitched to hold everything in place. Other embellishments
are added before limbs and wings. I always have to
remind people these are not toys.

I've been working on a series of small pieces based on

a lino print of a tulip. This was a green print onto green

hand dyed cotton sateen. Strips of different green polyester

organza were layered over the top with a pink piece for the

flower head. I wanted to try some rayon thread which can break

easily, and did, but then can stitch for ages without breaking,

and did. I have yet to finish off the ends but here's a look.

I used my favourite (only because I do it without thinking) free

motion quilting pattern. I usually use an ordinary polyester sewing

thread but I'd just read this.

In June a sewing group my mum goes to is having a tea party

for Marie Curie and they are madly making tea cosies to

raffle, I think. Anyway it set me thinking, I've never made a

tea cosy so I thought I'd have a go. This is it so far, my first attempt.

With this I really just wanted to test out some practical ideas

before gatting decorative. The wadding is polyester fleece (again)

and the usual quilting pattern. The fabric is a tea towel I've had for

ages, I bought it because I liked the fabric. It wil be more

decorative and it will be washed to see what happens to it -

fabric, wadding, decoration.

I've also agreed to do this http://www.prayerflagquilts.blogspot.com/

which was initiated by Helen Conway. Done some thinking and

research but nothing on paper or fabric yet.