All Caught Up

Sorry - two lots of agendas, two virtual meetings and then two lots of minutes to write up, and audit documents to sort out rather took over the last two weeks, but now I'm back!

Several more Gingers have joined the Thank You window

And in close up they are:

(for more details on any of them visit my Coping With Covid Facebook photo album or message me)

I made a time lapse video of how they are made - it's not brilliant but quite fun

I've been hand quilting this in the evenings - I bought the fabrics in Australia in 201, so it is a a long term project.  Unfortunately both the dark red fabric and the fleece below are thicker than is ideal so my fingers are suffering a bit (I need to find a thimble) but I''m plodding through doing a few lines a night

Niki and I did a (socially distanced) art class last week.  This was the image I chose

Niki's came out well

Mine???  Not so much!  Each time I'd mix a colour I'd use it all then need some more and of course couldn't make the same colour again!  Also we were painting outside so the paint dried long before we could blend it in!

I shortened the potato-sack dress and now have a top that I rather like.  As this fab weather looks set to continue I might try a sleeveless version too

I tried speed dating the PFP blocks, but someone else claimed priority on the bed so that hasn't happened yet

I had a fab Crafty Catch up with Sharon, Lynne and Tara - show and tell and a cuppa and a lot of talking!  Great to see them all

And I am hoping I am coming to a natural end of masks: 91 made and delivered and a final 22 on the sewing table and I've used up all the t-shirts and shirt fabric that was prepared for the masks, and have delivered all that have been asked for

2020 Wk 19 - sorting stuff!

I have dug out various UFOs that have been stored in all sorts of places.  This pile is flimsies waiting to be attached to fleece

This pile is waiting to be hand quilted or hand finished

This one was a quick win - I quilted it whilst listening to an audio book this afternoon, whilst also attending to Lizzie with her embroidery, and the binding was already cut so that has now been attached - another hour or so in front of the TV and this will be finished.  I cant find that I've blogged about it before: I am fairly sure they are Aldi fabrics from Jackie.  Gorgeous bright spring colours

It can join the various piles of stuff in the sitting room: you might have thought I was content with having the biggest room in the house for my sewing room but that is clearly not enough room!!!

Lizzie has been working on pre-school polo shirts: It is really lovely not to be working on the burgundy for a change!

I have finally completed the last dark row of this and have decided to call it a day.  It is in the flimsie pile

A quick make: my niece in Norway had her second baby last week.  I made this quilt for number 1, Saga, and thoroughly enjoyed embroidering her name in usual letters and how it would be written in Viking runes, and also in runes type letters.  Her new sister is Theia, and Great Grandmother explains "Both names have a mythological background: Nordic and Greek, fit together well: Saga and Theia, it seems they have made a good choice."

So having gone Viking on Saga's quilt I felt I have the opportunity to go Greek on Theia's!  There is even a small patch of Greek fabric!

And I embroidered her name in Greek looking letters, normal letters and Greek letters! 

I will post it with crossed fingers: things are looking better on that front.  The first American quilt was delivered and well received (Step Mom's comment is on this post) and the Irish quilt has been received, and the second American quilt is being tracked.  The Aussie quilt - no news :-(

 Basil has been stitched back together and I made him a onesie to protect him for damage for a while

 I've been doing a bit of baking - Cheesie Marmite swirls went down well at the VE Day party, along with the bunting made for the Queen's birthday 4 years ago

And Kay and I made no-knead bread which was better than expected

And husband and I went out, together, in public, and saw people!!!!


Not quite a date night, and not breaking any rules ...


We went and gave blood!

2020 Wk 19 - the weeks blur into each other

I saw a meme about the days being renamed Thisday and Thatday and Theotherday - I can really relate to it - I know days are passing as more UFOs are getting finished off, but other than that each day is very similar to the next!

My lovely friend Lora popped round with a challenge more suited to the "Repair Shop"  We got a selfie which also shows the Gingers in the window! (Pics below)

Meet Basil (go, on, do the Sybil voice, you know you want to).  He is very loved, but is falling apart, so Lora has relectantly asked me to foster him for a few days and try and sort him out!

My Dad and hid wife became great grandparents again a few days ago - and in finding a quilt for the new granddaughter ...

I remembered that the 3rd GGC hadn't had a quilt, so I put Luke's name on another one.  They will go in the post today with fingers and toes crossed!

(During Lockdown I have sent one quilt to Bellingham USA which came back and has gone again tracked this time, one to Australia (1st April) which hasn't been delivered, and one to Ireland which hasn't been delivered!)

I've finished the May hexie flowers for the swap group

And used Kay to help bake a chocolate cake for husband!

There is a young girl in one of the neighboring houses who has been infected during lockdown - nothing to do with COVID 19 ... she's been infected with the crochet bug!  This project has not made me happy.  It started too wide, then got frogged and restarted, and has become horribly distorted and I have fallen completely out of love with it - so it has gone to Tilly to make something beautiful out of it!

Tilly's mum is a tutor with the Brush Strokes group.  She isn't working at the moment but when I signed myself up for an online class she lent me an easel and brushes and helped me sort out paints etc.  I have a lovely evening totally ignoring the world problems and painted this

I've got another one booked for a few week's time, and am really looking forward to doing a real class with Judi soon

The latest few Gingers have gone in the window: Someone in the village suggested a Zoo keeper

This is the lad next door who loves to bang his up-side-down saucepan on a Thursday night

And I have no idea how I would cope without Mr Amazon doing so  much shopping for me!

And finally - I had already done a postman, but he was generic - this one is "my" postman!!!!

Most of the family so far:

2020 Wk 18 - how to find your Mojo

I realised today what had enabled me to start sewing again after last week's slump: look at the computer and see that there is lots to do for the Parish Council (actions from the auditor's report, get quotes for new website and new insurance) the village hall committee (write agenda for and arrange a virtual meeting and finish all my actions from the last meeting), the vicar (safeguarding training and a list by month but not year of the parishioners who have died in the last 3 years, plus write agenda for and arrange a virtual meeting), and start a new post as hub lead for the Parent and Family Hub for the villages' voluntary group. (I cant believe I have never needed a procrastination label before!)

No idea where to start or how to prioritise these jobs (Amo feel free to organise me) so I did some sewing instead!!!

For the lovely Tara who comes to Crafty Church I made this (she is a scene of crime officer!  Hi Tara, thank you - SOCOs are still working and get to dress like this all year round, nothing to do with COVID 9!))

I made this guy in army camouflage, and a Mrs Mop - another two groups who are still working and doing a great job

 But now I'm out of the right shade of brown, so production has halted

I have had to stop making masks as I'm out of elastic too, but I have been giving virtual lessons, and helping out with fabric

I think I've has this 'Very Hungry Caterpillar' fabric for at least 10 years, with no particular purpose for it so happily gifted it to my friend Jane, whose daughter Polly (who you have met before on the blog) is a teacher in, wait for it, Caterpillar class!!!!

I managed to de-stash, to a good cause, and even better I got flowers and some of the world's best flapjack - still warm from Jane's oven!!!

And a lovely FB comment "With B’s guidance and fabric I managed to make these for daughter, a reception class teacher (caterpillar class!) if she has to wear masks when they go back hopefully she won’t scare the little ones any more than normal"

Also from FB: I made the bus Ginger to acknowledge our super 305 bus driver, but he wasn't on the group where I've been posting the photos.  Someone took a screen shot of it for him and this was his comment

"Just when U think life couldn't throw u another surprise u are immortalised as a ginger gingerbread bus driver.  Thank U very touched"

And yes there is more (obviously really struggling with what to start with for work)  Two nesting felt bowls (for useful stuff)

Delicious fluffy scones from plum's recipe

A super post card from Avril "We may be behind our door and windows but we are still connected"

I've started Hexi flowers for the May Hexi Swap Challenge, and have really enjoyed fussy cutting the fabric

And finally have repurposed a too big lining from a wooden crate into a useful big square bag for crochet or other "stuff"