Welcome Wilkommen Bienvenue

Thanks for visiting ! Please leave me comments, I love to read what you might think about the boutis (which is also known as "Broderie de Marseille"), please share with me what you have seen, what you love, how-tos, good museums to visit, pattern origins, and so on ..... you get the idea !

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Spoiled !




I have been lucky enough to have received two gifts this week - wonderful handknitted socks from http://www.onlyangelika.blogspot.com/ Angelika, and a beautiful book from Nicolehttp://www.boutis-et-cie.blogspot.com/ with lovely projects I can use some of the Rouenneries fabrics with. Thanks so much, it has really cheered me up. What would we do without the kindness of friends, the world would be a sadder place !

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Rouenneries Fabrics




I am so delighted with the new fabrics I ordered and just received - they are absolutely to my taste and just gorgeous ! The line is Rouenneries by Moda, I have been thinking about ordering these since about November, but with all the holidays, etc. it wasn't a good time. Now I have got them, I want more ! In my opinion, these are the best and most authentic looking French designs I have seen in a new collection, and the fact that they have a cotton-linen blend toile that is wider is very French. I should probably say that I have no affiliation, etc.etc. LOL

I think a pieced quilt would be great for these, and I have been looking at all the wonderful patterns Bonnie Hunter shares on her website http://www.quiltville.com/ Bonnie has a great system for scrap quilts, and if you visit her site you will see what I mean - be prepared to spend some time reading about how best to use scraps !
Ich bin vollkommen begeistert von den neuen Stoffen die ich gerade bestellt und gleich erhalten habe, sie entsprechen ganz meinem Geschmack und sind sehr schoen. Es handelt sich um Moda Rouenneries, und ich habe schon seit November vor, diese zu bestellen, aber mit allen Feiertagen usw. ging das nicht. Jetzt wo ich sie habe, will ich noch mehr ! Meines Erachtens sind sie die besten und authentischsten franz. Muster, die ich in einer neuen Kollektion gesehen habe, und ich finde es sehr franzoesisch, dass es sogar einen breiteren Baumwoll-Leinen Stoff mit Toilemuster gibt. Vielleicht sollte ich noch sagen, dass ich keinerlei Verbindung zur Firma habe LOL !
Ich denke, ein Patch waere am besten, und ich habe mir Bonnie Hunter's viele Muster angeschaut http://www.quiltville.com/. Bonnie ist die Koenigin der scrap quilts, ihr werdet sehen - frau soll einige Zeit einplanen, um durch die vielen Beitraege zu stoebern.

Voici mes nouveaux tissus Moda Rouenneries - c'est absolument mon gout et je trouve qu'ils sont tres reussis, enfin les nouveaux tissus dessin vraiment francais. Je pense un Patch serait tres beau, et je suis allee voir http://www.quiltville.com/ les bons patrons de Bonnie Hunter - la reine des scrap quilts ! Il faut rester un peu chez Bonnie, lire toutes ses astuces a propos des scraps, et voir beaucoup de jolis patrons.

Happy Sunday - hope everyone gets some time to sew today !

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Boutis Show Pierrefeu du Var

If you get the chance, please go to this wonderful show in Pierrefeu of boutis exhibited by the ladies of Lei Roucas dou Barri - I wish I could go, but I am participating by sending a heart for the mur d'amour du boutis exchange. These ladies do very beautiful work, and I am sure you will not be disappointed if you can go. If you have questions, contact Henriette at mame83@free.fr.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Boutis heart - revised

I have redrawn the leaves and I like them better. Now it looks like something is missing at the bottom of the heart. I will have to think about that !

Boutis Heart for Pierrefeu du Var exchange

I have procrastinated long enough about drawing a heart for this exchange (for details visit Henriette's blog - see the link boutis de mame 83 at right) and I was quite happy with this attempt until I took the picture ! I don't mean about it facing the wrong way (I am a bit edit challenged) but the whole balance does not seem right to me now I have seen it. Those leaves stick out too much and look stiff, I think they should curve downwards, possibly upwards, and I will try that next.

I am really glad I took the picture, because I was going to start stitching tonight - but have to fix the leaves first !


Saturday, January 2, 2010

Antique Needlework Tools

I love small needlework tools in silver, and I do wish I could have a large and varied collection. However, these things are hard to find, and of course are expensive. This first picture shows everything together, I do have two contemporary thimbles and their cage in this picture, as well as a reproduction silver needlecase, the rest are antique. The front needlecase is Dutch silver, which I have had for many years and was my very first purchase of this kind,
These are the new thimbles, thimble case and needle case I added to my collection for Christmas. I was delighted to be able to find them, and just love them for what they are - I do not have a system of types or manufacturers, just what appeals to me at the time - most of all, I love those that have been used - paradoxically, these are not as valuable generally as the pristine examples, but, as my friend Sharon says, they already know how to sew, and that is why I love them.

Here are some close ups - the needlecase on the left is from Birmingham, England, hallmark dates to 1899. The thimble in the middle, also Birmingham hallmark 1891, is my favorite, as it is the most worn along one side, just the way I stitch myself.


Aren't they beautiful ?



I hope you are enjoying the start of 2010, I went shopping yesterday with my friend and am now set for the New Year ! As with most people, I have a vague list of resolutions, but have purchased calendars, to-do-lists, and notebooks because I am determined to be better organized this year. Of course, I have a long list of works in progress and UFOs, at the very TOP of this list is finishing my large boutis, which has had no attention for some months now. Hope you all get some sewing time today !





Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year Bonne Annee Prosit Neujahr

Happy New Year 2010 to everyone, wishing you health and success the whole year, and plenty of stitching time !