Sampler and beyond

Do you remember before Christmas I posted a photo (which I now can't find) of my new secondhand Bernina 1630 sewing machine? Although it was bought by the original owner in 1998, she hadn't even taken the plastic off the somputer screen and had hardly used it. I was so thrilled to see all the stitches available, but I have been very frustrated as I have extreme difficulty seeing what is on the computer screen. I have bought extra lights, tipped it this way and that, but finally I seem to have found the answer - a small torch, but one with an ordinary bulb, not the new led lights. I tried them, but they are useless for me.

Anyway, now that I can actually se what I am doing, I have been trying out some of the yummy stitches available - this sample is not even half of the available stitches, and that is before I start playing with the balance control - when I manage to learn to programme the thing!!
I stitched these onto calico with a gold thread, then I sprayed the piece with various sprays of colour.

The colour is not right in this photo, but I can't manipulate it any better. The red end has more of a violet tinge to it and the other end is much bluer that this picture shows. The sparkle doesn't show, but it is there after I sprayed plenty of pearl glimmer mist over everything. The stencils don't stand out quite as much in real life either. I used Interference green Opulense paint. I am very happy with the fabric, which will now go to making up more souvenirs for the Gardens shop.

Have you checked out some of the other handwritten blogs today? Jackie says it will be a character study, I think she may be right, but it is fun.

We have had a thoroughly miserable day here weatherwise, rained all day with only 2 mm to show at the end of the day! That is English weather, not tropical Queensland weather at all. I would just like to see a couple of weeks of brilliant sunshine to let all the ground dry up.

Now I have had my whinge, I am off to bed.