Catherine Daniel Ceramics

Hello and welcome to my blog where I share some of the thought processes and textile/quilting inspirations behind my ceramic art, and occasionally other random topics!
For more details and pictures of my ceramic creations, please see my website -

catherinedanielceramics.com



Thursday 1 November 2012

It's a Personal Record .....

.... and not an achievement that I'm very proud of, but this is the longest I've ever gone between blog posts!

'What is this life, if full of care we have no time to sit and blog', as the poet said?  My excuse is that I have been busy doing this:
and this ....  at first I had WILD Blue Yonder, but the Mister corrected me just in time.  I think maybe we're both right, but I went with Wide in the end.

These framed wall pieces have gone to Potter and Dibble at Thornham in North Norfolk, along with lots of other goodies.


It seems strange doing sea-sidey things in November, but maybe people will buy them as Christmas presents for their coastal homes.

 And I have been turning this lot

into this lot, so that they could all be delivered to Anglesey Abbey along with some larger bowls.

It can be a bit tedious putting the finishing touches on to all these little bits, the hanging wire, ribbon, buttons, etc and then laying them all out to count and check them for delivery ..... all time-consuming but all now DONE!


And so, having finished all that lot and much more besides, (which I will post about in due course), it's time to get started on my first ever quilt!  Regular readers will remember back in August when I bought myself a little fabric stash from the Quilt show in Birmingham?  

Well, I have pondered long and hard about hand-stitching the whole thing, imagining myself sitting through the winter evenings in my rocking chair by a roaring log fire stitching a square at a time, thinking of it as a labour of love to be handed down through the generations of little Potterjotters to come .....  and then I woke up, got real, and got out my new machine, which I was recently given as a present (Thank You!) and, now, once I have perused the Instruction Booklet, I shall begin.  
(Lynne - prepare to be pestered for online help!)

 
If you want to wish me luck, feel free, as the words 'out of depth' spring to mind here!  

The little sweeties in the top left of the picture are left over Halloween 'Treats', but I'm really not going to eat any, really I'm not!

x Cathy

13 comments:

  1. All your work looks amazing and beautiful!
    You are very brave I think to start with a quilt...
    I love them, but I never had the guts to actually make one!
    Good luck, love from Mirjam.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your completed works are beautiful Cathy. Good luck with your quilt. I would love to sew but I am a little scared of the machine :)
    Victoria xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. Best wishes with the machine quilting. I think I might have started with something small and hand-sewn, but then, you know me and handsewing...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Cathy! Thought you had dropped off the edge of the planet! Love the new work....regardless of the season! And of course give us a shout for any quilt-related chat. Personally I NEVER hand -sew my quilt tops (unless they be hexagons, and they haven't been for years) as there is no reason to, get the machine out, girl! BUT I do love hand quilting and do much more of it these days. If you are not onto a deadline to finish I'd certainly recommend hand-quilting for its therapeutic value and the lovely finish which results. I've done the complex free-machine quilting - did quite a bit of it, and sold a lot of them too, but never again, I'm more into the leisurely process. I now use a bigger stitch and heavier thread than I used to, unless I'm doing a small stippled piece.

    Looking forward to seeing the top! Lx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love the new pieces you have been busy with- if you want any sewing advice ( you are absolutely right about the necessity for sweets when sewing,just isn't the same without) don't hesitate.Personally I like to piece with the machine and quilt by hand.Unless you are doing tiny things and hexagons, the machine is just better and faster for piecing!I'm with Lynne on the hand quilting- it is so good for the soul, such a deep pleasure.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Isn't it strange how we feel a little guilty if we don't blog for a while...which is silly really....anyhoo, your work is lovely, and I am jealous of you having a machine...although I suspect if I had one I would be scared of it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I do like the wall pieces, and the little houses :D

    Happy sewing :D

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love all your seasidey bits and bobs, they are SO pretty, good luck with them. I personally think they are timeless, the seasons don't make a difference to them if you like things like that.
    And good luck with the quilt... looking forward to photos of it in progress!
    www.hometalesfromanorfolkbroad.blogspot.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wow you have been very productive during your missing weeks!
    Loving the seasidey plaques, and all those hangers are gorgeous, the details and colours are perfect as ever.
    Good luck with your first quilt - Lynne is the perfect person to help with quilts, hers are wonderful!
    I have a bit of catching up to do here, sorry I've not made it over your way for a while, and thanks for visiting me Cathy.
    Have a good weekend!
    Gill xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. OK, we'll let you off with a warning for not blogging as you have created some very beautiful pieces.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I do so like your pottery, it's just my cup of tea. I also have a new sewing machine and am working out how to use all the different knobs! Look forward to seeing your progress on your quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You will do it really well and be brilliant at it so you don't need any luck. Those pieces are fabulous and I am really glad you are selling your work so well.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow, you've been quite busy! I love the starfish with the pebbles as it brought back such good memories of beach combing while living on Okinawa.
    Machine quilting is a nice way to go, especially if your quilt is rather large. And given your creativity, you'll have great fun playing!
    Enjoy,
    Judy

    ReplyDelete