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

[louise]

Congratulations on all the sales, I had a similar boost on Friday when I took my work to a fair and had the most wonderful response from customers who bought and ordered so much, it made me wonder if I had dreamt the credit crunch!
Louise x

[Marianne]

Wow, Lucy. Congratulations on selling all of your brilliant textile art pieces. They are so beautiful and bright.

[Lisa]

Many congrats on your fabulous news!!
Lisa x

[Kim]

Oh I like to see the process you go through to make them, thanks for sharing!

[Sarah]

Way to go Luce!! I can only think how much fun you are going to have spending the proceeds. Those pictures were truely works of art. Well done!

[Sona Jacob]

Hi!

So happy for you.

Look forward to more stitchy goodness.

Sona

[Louise]

Love your trusty sewing machine. I learnt to sew on an old Bernina back in high school. I remember they were very patient machines for us rowdy teenage girls to learn on. Can't wait till your shop is stocked and I've saved enough pennies for one of your fab pictures.

[cathleen]

Well done, Lucy!! Very, very pleased for you!! Love the photos....your spools of thread and bright-colored fabrics look beautiful. Especially when I think of all the future lovely stitchy pictures you will be creating from them. Do you think you will be stepping down from that cloud nine anytime soon? Just teasing you, I am just really happy you are feeling much better about life.

[Anita]

She's a beauty! Those old sewing machines are the best. And so are your mini quilts, they are beautiful too.

[Maddy]

While at high school we learned free motion embroidery, it was amazing fun. One young girl had black velvet and did this amazing flower picture. Wild flowers using metallic threads, it looked like an old English cottage garden. She was a natural and is now a florist, go figure. I love the name "Cloud Nine", have you considered that as a business name? Your work is very good Lucy, you too are a natural, it's going to become a very successful cottage business.

[Alice C]

Err..I am late to the party but if there is a waiting list I would LOVE to have a stitchy picture...specifically a lighthouse...I don't mind waiting...

[Alessandra]

Can't wait to see the new creations!!!
You're awesome!

[vicki]

Oh my! All that stitchy goodness scooped up so quickly! Wow, so nice! Fantastic! I wish you much happiness stitching these awesome works of art...truly beautiful, from conception thru finish quiltlet. I can't wait to see some more. I love your sewing machine and story...so much more than merely a sewing machine when it came to you that way. I have a great fondness for mine too...given to me by my sweet Dad...always, always in my heart.

[BeBe Edwards]

I am so happy you sold all your pictures..they are gorgeous!!! You could make lots of those and keep yourself in yarn for life!!! I love the colors! Have a great week. BeBe in Florida

[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...

[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

[Jacqueline]

Fabulous!!!!!!

[Fiona]

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

[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.

[Angie]

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

[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!

[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 : )

[Heather]

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

[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.

[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