Smartie Blocks

Last month I started a brief post on just a few of my new blocks. Today I’m going to talk about my two smartie blocks.
Both from Guy Morse-Brown in England, the smaller one was a birthday present to myself last year and the larger one was a birthday present from my family this year.
The 4” one I have created my own ‘puller’ to remove it simple from underneath a stiff blocked piece as the edges curve inwards. The ribbon I used is thin enough not to create a raised mark on the outside of the piece. Its knotted tightly over and over underneath to provide something to hook your fingers inside and sharply pull it out.
I’ve made some of my most popular pieces as well as competition winning pieces from it.
Old Gold Birdie Mini.

The Vintage Bride

Union Jack Mini

Dainty Miss Leopard Mini  Freshly Picked Calla Lilies

Very Vintage Chocolate Lattice
Stars and Stripes Mini

Very Vintage Red Petals

Origami Waterlily Mini

And the competition winning Fame and Glory Ascot mini.

Royal Ascot Ladies Day

Today is Ladies Day at Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire England. This year is the 300th year of the prestigious event, attended annually by members of the royal family. Ladies Day is when the fight is on for who can wear the biggest, best, most outlandish hat to win best dressed of the day. The event of the day is The Gold Cup at 3.50pm.

Our Milliners of Etsy team set the last team contest as Design a Black & White Hat for Ascot. It was judged by the milliner Mark T Burke, the closing date was June 1st and the winner was announced a week later. You can see all the entries here as well as Mark’s comments on each one.

And my entry Fame & Glory was the winner!!

I named it after the favourite to win todays Gold Cup race.

I mixed and matched materials rather than making it all out of sinamay. The base is a simple small black wool felt smartie with a white sinamay saucer perched on the front edged with grosgrain and finished with a swirly twisty knotty length of black and white striped grosgrain ribbon.

I had only just got the 6” saucer block (along with an 8” one) the week before so I was super excited to get working with it at the first opportunity, and so pleased when it helped me win!

……now I just have to hope that the horse it is named after wins this afternoon…….

*Update* Fame and Glory won the Gold Cup!