Patchwork Inspiration

I have been struggling to find time for designing and stitching for weeks now. The time I have found has enabled to make and list one or two items, but other on-line activities have been temporarily on hold - including blogging, unfortunately.

I have recently been involved in a team challenge on Esty, in which participants submitted items for consideration, voted to choose one 'inspirational item', and then spent a few weeks producing and listing items of their own, based on the chosen design.

This lovely ipad cover, from Etsy shop WhimsyWooDesigns, was chosen as our first item:

I decided to felt and embroider a bookmark. I love the result and will enjoy using it myself, but I have decided not to list it since too many of the design elements are taken directly from the original item. Here it is anyway:

I enjoyed the process of making this bookmark, and, in the somewhat convoluted way in which my craft work tends to evolve, I decided to make a small embroidered hanging using the same techniques:

I have always enjoyed patchwork. Part of the thrill for me is the re-use of precious fabrics, combination of different materials and introduction of embellishments - I love crazy patchwork in particular. These mellow colours really appealed to me so I searched my craft room (ransacked it and, like a child with too many birthday gifts, left a trail behind me), as I assembled this combination of knitting samples and yarns, together with a sketched design for a larger piece - based on this small one:

I find myself fired with enthusiasm and I am knitting one of the elements whilst waiting for photos to load here etc. I fear this may be another day on which the house remains untidy and tea is late!