I started this blog for me - it expanded to show BFF Jackie what I was doing - and a few others have invited themselves too - everybody welcome! Mostly about patchwork, with random comments about embroidery, family and life in general, come on in, put your feet up, and I'll put the [virtual] kettle on.
Wednesday 31 December 2014
Fabric Festivities
Tuesday 30 December 2014
Friends and Flowers
I *had* to shop for supplies. It was difficult to choose a supplier when I'd never bought felting stuff before, but Gillian's Glad Rags didn't let me down!
These colours are soooo lush - aren't they awesome!
Then we met up and created: I had a few inspirational photos:
but they weren't even needed as we got stuck in and made these
A fab evening!!! Thanks ladies
Monday 29 December 2014
Measuring Time
A wait for a hospital appointment . . .
51 basted hexies
The drive to Portsmouth:
34 hexies
but I don't mind these waits . . . Look how they are going together:
And one final photo - it was pointed out that you couldn't really see the Red Linen quilt as child and cat had obliterated most of the view, so here it is in (most) of it's glory:
Sunday 28 December 2014
Quicker than Quilt As You Go
I know the result is a Coverlet rather than a Quilt (two layers rather than three) but it is just as long lasting, much cheaper, and MUCH quicker than the conventional method.
So I have my blocks in strips (in this case just 'bricks' of fabric joined into strips the same measurement as the width of the fleece)
I have already done the middle ones (numbered 16 to 21) and I am now joining the next two (15 and 22). I have pinned them to their next door neighbours, and to the fleece below
Then I stitch through 15, 16 and the fleece, (and 22, 21 and the fleece). I press 15 and 22 open, and repeat with 14 and 23 etc.
I'm not a great fan of heavily quilted patchworks (unless its quilting in the negative spaces - Jen, you rock!) so I'm very happy with there being no visable quilting on the surface and there is no crawling around on the floor stretching, taping, pinning, or tacking the flimsey.
And I managed two and a half tops today!
Saturday 27 December 2014
So Long Lisa
She's a light traveller:
and she left her room SO tidy
I felt a bit sorry for myself, but then husband sorted out a silver lining:
And I managed to cheer myself up a bit by sewing, and have finally assembled / basted / quilted this onto a fleece:
Just a few more quilt blocks in strips to go!
Tuesday 23 December 2014
Gifts from Girlfriends
Sunday 21 December 2014
Linen Love
Tuesday 16 December 2014
Internet Interrupted (2)
and all fifteen:
Sunday 14 December 2014
Internet interruption
We have now returned to the 21st century and I can be a blogger and a bloggee again at last, and can catch up on Christmas shopping the "traditional" (clickitty click) way
There have been lots of small projects happening here:
I added initial tags to some lingerie bags pressies as several of the recipients share a girly weekend once a year:
I made some mug caddy wraps for Christmas pressies for colleagues,
I cut a whole load more kona solid into triangles for a group quilt
There has been more too, but that can wait for another day, this post is (almost) photo heavy enough!
Wednesday 3 December 2014
Advent Fun
Now they are older they aren't as interested, and Lisa isn't here for half the month anyway, so I haven't got it out of the loft this year.
But
An Advent Calendar still feels like the start of the build up to Christmas! I went to a website to buy some wool tops, and saw they had Advent Calendar Buttons (badges) - somehow they jumped into my shopping basket, and arrived a few days ago.
Today I managed to create an advent calendar that uses the buttons (and was inspired by Hadley's Countdown Quilt) and will do just fine :-)
Tuesday 2 December 2014
Speed Dating with Stars
I'm really pleased with the final arrangement - and am just looking for the time to stitch them together!
Sunday 30 November 2014
My Cousin and a Consequences Coincidence
For "Africa" this machine embroidered extra block could have been easy: elephants against the sunset, a lion's face . . . but I had an idea nagging in the back of my mind, and I was trying to see if it would be OK
Meanwhile I got on with the more traditional patchwork block. This lady could have been paper pieced, or foundation pieced, but I created her by adding roughly shaped scraps of fabric together in strips (apron then dress then sides, bodice then arms then sides, face then hat then headdress then sides) then the strips added.
(inspired by a block seen on Pinterest, but I don't know where it originated from)
Meanwhile the 'other' idea kept nagging away. My reluctance was due there being a long explanation behind it, but finally I thought sod it, it's an amazing story, and people can choose whether to read it or not!
I have a cousin called Kire: as well as being gorgeous on the outside (hang on I'll show you what I mean, guesses as to her age are welcome) she's gorgeous on the inside, and oh so talented. Meet Kire Godal
She is a film maker, working with Discovery Chanel and National Geographic amongst others, and living, by coincidence, in Kenya. She recently made a film about Lion Guardians, and it was nominated for a Wild Screen award ("considered the equivalent of the “Oscar” by wildlife film makers worldwide") The film, a campaign film, is used to train Maasai Warriors who are becoming Lion Guardians. Lion Guardians is an amazing conservation programme, re-educating the Maasai Warriors into a new relationship with lions
So my second Africa block tells the story of the Lion Guardians:
It's a fairly subtle embroidery: goldy orange on stone fabric, but it reads:
I hope she likes them
Saturday 29 November 2014
Pretty Perfect Pumpkins
If practice makes perfect, I must be close to perfect at stitching the Pumpkins Pre-School logo onto shirts and sweatshirts - I've done loads this week!
We've changed the logo slightly, I'm really pleased with this version
At last released from that design, I made a gift for the Richmond and Kew quilters Secret Santa Lucky Dip. With a limit of £3 it was either going to be cr@p or hand made - I hope the recipient doesn't think it's both!!
My last job today was to man a craft table at the St Andrews church's Christmas Tree Festival. It meant I got to spend two hours colouring with kids - don't mind if I do! The church was filled with trees created or decorated by individuals, families, groups, or classes in the village. Crafty Church & St Michaels's Sunday School created a star themed tree
But ours was very boring compared to some of the others: the badminton club used shuttlecocks to make angels, and one of the preschools had penguins from footprints sliding down icy slides on their tree!
Now I'm home for the evening and thinking I just might bind the red linen quilt - Amanda at MonkeyButtons has found me some dark red for the binding