Penguin Terrace

So here is what I did with the tiny improv houses that I showed you last week.  Last week it was all Jo Avery.  This week, after an inspiring talk by Anne Kelly, this is what it has become - with fabric, lace, gimp and lots and lots of stitching!

The additions were laid on as raw edge applique.  Tree-like flowers were added in front of the houses, along with a few penguins that I found in my scrap drawer.

I paid attention to Anne's stitching.  Not only was it dense, making good use of decoration stitches, but it also changed direction to add extra interest.

I did that too.

I may not have reached Anne's quality of work, but, my goodness me I had fun!

So, here are a few details from Penguin Terrace.

I hope you enjoy seeing how it has transformed from last week to this week.

Now hanging on my wall.  Approximately 17" x 12"
 

And now for something a little different!

I took an (online) workshop with Jo Avery last weekend, courtesy of my Miniature Quilting Group - part of the Quilters Guild.

It was called Tiny Improv Houses.  Great workshop, and we were taught how to make town houses, mansion houses, different roof styles, how to add chimneys, how to make an improv tree (I still haven't made one yet - but I've got lovely notes on how to!), and finally, how to turn projects into pouches!

It was quite a day!  Very productive and lots of fun.

I'm not sure that I'd call the houses tiny (but I was making ones that were fitting into a two inch square a couple of years ago, so perhaps I don't have a 'normal' view on this), and the houses were finishing between 5" and 7" tall.

By the end of the day I'd made this short terrace which will become a small wall hanging (I've got plans to embellish and stitch on this!), and two pouches.  The lower one was made in plain fabric to make sure that I was understanding the ideas as there are a couple of twists on how I'd usually make a pouch.  The upper one (you get to see both sides) used two of the mansion houses that I made.

I love taking workshops like this!

So much entertainment and inspiration in just one day, plus it feels like a luxury to tell the rest of the family not to interrupt me, and just play for a day!

 

The next four blocks

 The next four in my Bobbin Challenge.

These are my blocks for Lace, Gold, Crystal and Tea / Coffee.

The tea / coffee block is one that may change - as 'china' comes up in a few blocks, so this might be swapped for that.  I'm considering sewing a coffee bean for this block instead - I'll let you know if I change this one!

I'm almost half way through the challenge now!