The very first piece I saw that inspired me is this one by Priscilla Jones. I figured even I could do that. (Now, having tried a couple of things, I am not so sure if I have the necessary imagination).
I joined a craft class hoping to get some help and encouragement but unfortunately all the people there are doing more traditional things like cross stitching old fashioned pictures, making quilts in the traditional style and knitting babies’ clothes etc. I wanted something different and modern. At that time, I lived in a 770 person town in a very conservative part of New Zealand, which is a small country anyway, so there is not much chance of finding like-minded people nearby. I still go to the classes, because I enjoy the company and it means I have to make time for my craft, but effectively I am on my own so the internet is very helpful. I started off with a “raw edge appliqué” picture of our previous house in France with the sunflower fields next door, the sky above and the Airbus A380 test flying overhead. It is very rough but I like it and it got me started. It looks great on our blue dining room wall.
The detailed parts look like this:
The house looks a little crooked so I need to put some sort of backing on it to keep it flat.
My brother had a 70th birthday so I made an envelope to put my present into
Then I bought Rose Hughes’ Dream Landscapes
I made one “deliberate mistake” but then I think everything should have a bit of quirkiness to it anyway, so what the heck. A perfectionist would be horrified at the standard of sewing but then I am not a perfectionist and I am only starting out anyway. The reflections on the water could have been a lot better. I should have joined strips together before cutting out the piece. It is all a learning curve though.
What will I do next?