2019 Wk 35 - Dresden Plates and other stuff

In my last post I showed a "blades" Dresden plate made using this method

I thought I ought to be able to teach petal edges using the EPP method as well, (gathering the curved bit separately to tacking the fabric to the template) so I made this one

I had real problems finding on-line templates that actually fitted to make a circle, so many attempts later made my own templates.

Also this week I've made cushions for the lovely ladies at Windsor Baptist Church (I wasn't going to do hidden zips so I went colourful instead!)

And I had a stall at the Church fair - which was attended by a real unicorn!!!

I sold a few things at the fair but the bigger success was  the baby embroidery machine embroidering names on flannels.  I sold at least 4 to girls who are now at university (and one is a new mum) but still have the named flannels they bought from me a dozen years ago - and were delighted to get fresh versions (but still wanted to come and type in their own name and press the 'go' button!)

And I have been tacking hexies (just for a change)

and loving seeing them sorted in a Tupperware box

 And finally a friend, Hayley, and I have been silk screen printing.  A few disasters, but this cut from a Tescos brown paper bag worked really well.

We are meeting again next week to twist the stencil and turn the 4 leafed flower into an 8 leafed flower

2019 Wk 22 - Lizzie has been busy!

Our village fair is in a few weekend's time.  (OK not actually our village as we are too small but our sister village has a cracking summer fair!).  One of the Crafty Church ladies organises a Craft Show and I try and enter something most years.  This year there is a theme of The Big Top, so one of the classes is 2m of Clown bunting.  I had a great time designing then stitching these clowns

They are all slightly different but use the same 4 fabrics in different combinations.  I alternated some so their hands rise and fall as you look along the length.

I then used the rest of the pink, red, orange, yellow fabrics to make a Stitch banner

Which fits perfectly on the display until Husband made.  I can hang quilts, or with S hooks we can hang boomerang bags - and here we are hanging just some of the Day For Girls sanitary kits going to Kenya with Niki in a few days time

I entered some embroidery items in a craft auction to help a friend get back on his feet.  He moved into a new studio and set up all his equipment as he was working through his to-do list.  Unfortunately a neighbouring unit went up in flames before Darren got to the 'pay for insurance' bit of his list - and all the units were consumed by the fire.

4 people have bought tote bags embroidered in a design of their choice.  These are the first two customers

And patchwork labels for another two customers

And finally some hand sewing - a few more flowers added to the EPP Rainbow flowers - which the cat seems fairly positive is hers!!!

2017 Wk 17 - Mostly Trees and Orange

I've been working, on and off, on my Wendy Dolan treescape.
I attacked my naked appliqué with paint

Hmmmm, not feeling the love!

This has taken me right out of my comfort zone, but I have been encouraged by Plum's version of a more architectural themed design

(Stolen from Plum's blog - hope she'll forgive me!)
So I started with FMQ

And some hand stitching, and now it's looking like this

More flowers are growing on the hill!
Meanwhile the embroidery machine is *still* working hard - the dark red tops have been done, and I'm now on the orange ones!

I'll be back when there is something other than flowers or embroidered orange tshirts to show you!
UPDATE
The flowers are finished! Good night

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2017 Week 15 - mostly out of our comfort zone

We started the Wendy Dolan treescape but then found ourselves hindered by the lack of paints, so these have been put away for another day

So instead we started work on the next section of Jackie's Small World.
Let's just take a minute to love what she's done so far ...

The next section needs mini hexies, mini dreson plate pieces and FOUR mini New York Beauty blocks! Gulp!

These, plus two more became this . . .

and will go with these on the final panel. (We are rather pleased with ourselves)

I can't wait to see the end result!
Now sadly I'm at the airport ready to fly home. Thank you Jackie - as always I had a wonderful time! Love you xxx

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2017 Wk 14 - Mostly 15 Minutes of Fun

Hope you love this as much as I do!

I've had a busy week working at both admin jobs, and a big delivery of polo-shirts and sweatshirts to be embroidered, so no dedicated sewing time, but in 15 minutes of sewing most nights my black and white charm squares progressed from this

to this (stitched in pairs) (I love love LOVE my "cutting gizmo")

and then to this

and then I have established they can progress to this

I wasn't sure if it would work as it involves a bit of a bodge with the embroidery machine, but I have proved to myself I can make perfect circle porthole applique without the struggle of sewing any circles myself - yippee!!

I just need to finish all the customer embroidery (and join all my two square blocks into four patches) then I can start to plod through my own embroidery and make this fun quilt I have in my head

Other People's Crafts (and One of Mine and a Question)

I've been really impressed with what some of my friends have been creating!

The lovely Tara from Crafty Church made these free motion raw edge applique blocks at a course in Dorking, at Gillian Gladrags

Lots of the Crafty Church ladies had a go at screen printing last week

And Jackie is making this fab quilt:- I LOVE the way the colours pop against the grey, I think I need to find my grey fabric!

And as for me, I *really* hope I've got this quilt right - after Ely's error I'm starting to doubt myself! A friend a school has a new grandson - I wrote the name down and got her to check it, and I've kept the paper safe to check against!

Inspired by Helen's quilting of her Christmas Cherry (over at Archie the Wonder Dog) I decided to quilt this in a sort of orange segment design

Maybe easier to see on the back?

 I'm really pleased with it - thanks for the idea Helen x

And finally - I went to my drawer of rainbow charm squares as I fancied starting something new . . . and  I found this message that I left for myself a while ago.  I'm guessing it's cutting info for a quilt top - anyone got ANY idea what I'm supposed to do next?

Seaside and a Swap and a Soporific Subject

The Lighthouse quilt is progressing.  It may not look any different than in previous photos, but its now all attached rather than just laid in place

I used Katy's suggestion, and  stitched the applique down with a machine blanket stitch - it's all lovely and crisp.

I'm now thinking about borders and the possibility of getting this long arm quilted.  I can see in my mind how the rocks and the grass and the sea and the clouds should be quilted, but I know I don't have the skills.

Postie brought me a super squishie this morning - Sue had decided to make some too, and by swapping we all get more variety of fabric - thanks Sue, I'll get yours to the post office early next week

This weekend sees the 800th anniversary of the signing sealing of the Magna Carta - a charter agreed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. (taken from Wiki). 

Legend has it that it was sealed on an island in the Thames, near Runnymede.  Since then the Thames has moved south west, towards Runnymede. . .

. . . and therefore the island must now be part of Wraysbury. . . so claim those in Wraysbury who are interested.  Runnymede has its own claim, and so does Old Windsor and a lot of other local villages.

They all seem to be ignoring the fact that the charter was good for the rich but not so good for us common folk, and the one sealed 800 years ago was so rubbish it was replaced a year later and in 1217 AND 1225 and 1297.  There are probably hundreds of event celebrating this anniversary - in Wraysbury we have had a flower show and are having tea parties, theme village fairs, concerts etc.  Runnymede has a big event which needs this enormous construction

There are flotillas on the Thames, a visit from the Queen, all sorts of riverside gardens being opened to the public, serving cream teas, and at least two fabric related creations.

The Magna Carta Quilters have created a huge collection measuring 30 foot by 7 foot.  I'm sure it is beautifully made, but I have to say I prefer our Wraysbury Wall hanging which is now hanging in St Andrew's Church.  I haven't seen it framed and up myself, but was sent this photo

Hope you have a good weekend!  Apart from the village fair I'm hoping to avoid anything that has the MC words associated with it!