Cloud Nine

Hellooooo!!! Monday afternoon already, yikes where do the hours and days disappear to?
Did you enjoy a lovely weekend? Ah, we did, it was a really happy weekend here at Attic24. Lots of pottery weekendy stuff like baking buns, sitting in the sun drinking coffee, losing myself blissfully  in magazine Wonderland (the latest CL mag, such bliss!), and of course indulging my affair with BigBlankie, affectionately known as BB. 
We also had out of the ordinary weekendy stuff in the form of the towns Annual Gala, which involved a street procession and a large, noisy  fairground in the park (Dodgems, carrousels, hook-a-duck, candyfloss, goldfish-in-bags). Yes, we now have two new small Golden coloured, rather nervous fishy residents at Attic24. Say no more.
The Gala day was rounded off at 10pm with a big firework display, and amazingly the Little People managed to stay up until this time buzzing with energy and excitement (no doubt fuelled by all the sugar from the candyfloss). It was a lovely, if full-on day.

So I've been up here in the Attic today, enjoying the peace and quiet. Having a little tidy up, re-aquainting myself with my little sewing corner, looking through my coloured sewing threads and stroking my brightly coloured cotton fabrics. You know, gently contemplating the business of cutting and piecing, stitching and creating.

Following on from my last post on Friday night where I tentatively offered up my textiles for inspection and consumption, my life has suddenly taken quite a turn. To be quite frank, I didn't really think things through very well there, it was all quite spontaneous and very slapdash wasn't it?
Find a few little pieces of work lying around.
Photograph them.
Stick them on the blog and offer them for sale.
Wait a week or two, then if they don't sell, try them on Etsy.
Nothing to lose.

But what actually happened was so unexpected, that I have had that feeling all weekend of floating on a cloud. Thank you all SO VERY MUCH for the tremendous response to my work. It has been the very best antidote to the rather odd low feelings I've been suffering from of late. And I thank you enormously :: its rather nice up here on Cloud Nine!

So yeah, what actually happened was that all seven pictures sold over night within 10 hours of being in cyberspace. And there have been many, many more of you all wishing to give a happy home to some Attic24 Stitchy Goodness.

I'm in the process of working my way through your emails, so if you did wish to purchase a little Stitchy Picture and have emailed me, you will be hearing from me very soon. I think I'm going to be a busy bee making lots of new stitchy pictures, and I am more than happy with that.

This is my trusty, beloved Bernina, I thought you might like to see her. She's a solid old metal thing and I love her dearly. I bought her in 1992 after I graduated from college, with money very generously given to me by my Grandparents (I was so poverty-stricken in those days, I could hardly afford to buy food, let alone a bit of Swedish machinery). I am eternally grateful for their generosity. It was my Mum who actually found this Bernina for me through a small  local dealer In  Dorset, I am her third owner. I also have the original case and instruction booklet for her too, she is roughly 50 years old. She has no fancy stitch patterns, just does straight stitch and zigzag. But ooohhhh she loves free-motion embroidery very very much!

I found some of my little designs yesterday look, drawn out on scraps of paper as and when ideas and images have sprung to mind. It's how all my  pictures start out, as simple line drawings in black pen. I use these drawings like "patterns" to help me cut and assemble the collage of fabrics which make up my little pictures.
When I am drawing them, I never know quite how they are going to turn out, how the colours will work. That bit comes when I begin snipping and piecing the fabric itself, when I start playing with colour, hopping from foot to foot having heebie jeebies over it all.

So I shall love you and leave you for today, I've got quite a lot to be getting on with up here on The Cloud.
Oh, I've just had a thought...if you'd like to see a little more of my textile work, there are a couple of archive Attic posts here and here.
See you tomorrow my lovelies

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PS I'll be sharing my trip to Bruges with you soon I promise, I've not forgotten xx

Comments

[Marie]

I thought you had forgotten about Bruges, very glad I and all your other readers can look forward to some lovely tales from there tomorrow. Great news about your sell-out textiles. I'm not surprised though, they are lovely :-)

[Shelley in SC]

Dear Lucy-On-Cloud-Nine ~ ~ Oooh, I'm so thrilled for you!! I can't wait to see the creations you come up with. I still don't understand how you can go from pen and paper to perfectly-stitched-fabric adorableness, but I'm quite content to sit right here in awe and enjoy!!

[Jules]

Hey Lucy
I have really enjoyed seeing your Stitchy Pictures here on the Blog - they are FAB and I have sewing machine envy - I have an inherited New Home machine with a sticky pedal, despite a trip to the Sewing Machine Repair Man (which means that I can only really do straight lines, long ones and so little teeny tiny free stitching is hard). I learnt on my Mum's Bernina, which she still has and I miss it :-(
Am SO glad that your pictures all sold out so quickly! Cool!

[Julie]

Your pictures were absolutely beautiful, I wished I could of had one but I'm sure they have gone to happy homes, but you have inspired me to get on and create!

[lucy@theantidote]

Looking forward to the holiday pics. That machine looks like a proper bit of kit!

[Jackie]

Well Done Lucy! I am not at all surprised that all your lovely stitchy pictures sold because they were fantastic little pieces of stitcy art. It's does sound like you are going to be a very busy bee indeed :O)

[Meagan S.]

Oh Lucy...you are simply amazing! Your stitcheries are extrodinary. Good for you having sold them overnight! A great boost if you were feeling low. I can't tell you how excited I was to read a comment from you on my blog. It brought a real smile to my face. I am trying to start a business and it is in it's infant stages...lots of things to consider when starting a business!!! I am feeling so overwhelmed, so it gives me great hope when I see the possibilities that you share. Love to have you hop over to my blog at any time. You seem like a dear friend that I share my coffee with every morning. By the way...your dear friend, your Bernina, reminds me of the old metal, trustworthy machine I learned to sew on. I loved that machine!
Have fun on cloud 9 today -
Your cyberland friend,
Meagan S.

[Nina - Tabiboo]

Hi Lucy, looks like I missed all the excitement on Friday though it all sounds like it was fun!

I love Bernina's and not just from a name point of view either!! They are lovely solid sewing machines. Well done on your stitcher sales,

Nina x

[Ann]

Hi Lucy,
I enjoy your blog! We took the family on a picnic the week after one of your jaunts - your neck of the woods is much prettier than ours though. Congratulations on the warm response you received with your stitcheries - they are wonderful! Perhaps you could do one on what it looks like perched atop Cloud 9. :)
Ann

[simone]

Congratulations on the sell out and wishing you continued success. x

[Wendy Wager]

I loved your pictures and not at all surprised they sold quickly.Would it be too much to hope you can give us a tutorialette, so we can have a go? Cloud Nine must be very crowded, because we're all on it with you. Thank you XX

[Liz]

WOW excellent news!!!! I'm not surprised you are so happy! (I wish I could sell my knitted toys etc that quick!!)

Can't wait to see your next creations!

[Jennifer McLachlan]

i love your sewing machine, lucy!!!!!!!!

your work is amazing! x

[Lucy Locket-Pocket]

Lucy, I'm not surprised your pictures received such a rave response - they truly are gorgeous! And very inspiring too!

Lucy x

[sally]

Hello Lucy
I love your designs and colours, and would love to own one of your fab pictures! Are there any plans for any more of Robin Hoods Bay - (it's one of our favourite places), I loved the earlier one you did?
A bit late perhaps (!) but I have at last (in response to one of your posts a while ago) posted my photos of my granny squares on my blog, so would love you to take a look.
Best wishes
Sally x

[jeane]

lately im not able to respond much to your posts, june and july is super peak for me at work. wanna congrats u and so happy that u found something to indulge yourself besides crochet. also glad that you found yourself back again at the attic24. and by the way, u do own an antique!!! its was such a blessings.

[Heather]

you know, I think that fishy one you have pictured there is my absolute favourite :)

[Michaela]

that's fantastic, lucy! i was given my great grandmother's sewing machine the other day and i could burst from excitement. the antique metal ones are amazing, aren't they?

glad things are so sunny in the attic : )

[Lilea]

I understand your love of your "solid old metal thing". I have a solid old metal Necchi machine that I love. In fact, when I was faced with a scare that it may have a problem that couldn't be fixed (thankfully a false alarm), I went searching on ebay for an identical replacement. I have three now! I use two and one is my daughter's. You can never have enough of a thing you love!

[Angie]

I love your sewing machine! I also have a Bernina and have used it for 20 yrs now. Love it.

[alisonb2]

When things are a little difficult it is good to be able to come and look at such beautiful vibrant work! Thank you Lucy.

[Fiona]

So so pleased for you. I knew you would sell, sell, sell!

[Jacqueline]

Fabulous!!!!!!

[bex]

im soo happy for you that the gorgeous pictures flew off...it is the best pick you up isn't it? i love your old bernina...its that lovely cream colour...i have an old neechi which will be moving into a shop im about to open...i'll do any home sewing on my more modern basic brother one i reckons...anyways
well done again!
xx

[kp]

well Lucy - your work is just beautiful so don't be surprised and definately don' undersell yourself. Wishing you lots of luck and happiness as you stitch away...