2021 Week 52

Happy New Year to all

I must have been a good girl in 2021 as I was very spoiled at Christmas:

My little gang of Ginger Fans in the villages outdid themselves!  Look at the awesome Gingers I received from them!!!!

This cross stitched card from Niki

These awesome goodies from Jim, Plum, Jackie, Niki and Kathy: things made for me and things to make!  Thank you all so much!!!!

And this advent calendar stocking from Sharon (must take a pic of the finished version)

In other news: Niki and I helped with Meals on Wheels on Christmas Day - and she got cuddles with Monty and that made her day!

Lisa was trying to finish Niki's Christmas pressie: a heavy (t-shirt yarn) crochet blanket but the cats had other ideas!

(Niki loves it !)

And so does Thor!!!

Photos of this years' (and last years') Julenissen flooded into my inbox and social media - it makes me so happy to see them!

  

  

  

  

Thanks to Alice I have now sussed crochet "magic circles" and have started on squares for a blanket using up oddments from my previous blanket

And I made a decision about my not-enough-wool-to-make-a-big-shawl-but-not-enough-money-to-buy-more-skeins problem. I overlapped the ends and stitched them in place so I have a cowl/scarf and I might have ordered some variegated wool and a pattern to make a big multicoloured shawl at far less cost than even the skein I bought so far of the original plan!!!

2021 Week 38

This week showcases holidays and stuff - yes: for my family it was a real holiday: paperwork to the nth degree and Covid tests then a plane to Malta where they had a great time

I went to Swanage with girlfriends instead - we also had great weather and actually went swimming in the sea too, although I did think my heart stopped when I went under!

We stayed in a lovely airb'n'b with patchworks on the sofas in the bonus room - pretty darn prefect I reckon!!!

I completed my hexie flowers for the monthly swap (striped flowers for September)

And received these back (plus another one but it must have been camera shy!)

I thought I'd share my FAVOURITE type of phone - a munchkin sitting on a Benta patchwork!  Thank you Janine, she looks gorgeous!!!

This one hasn't gone to it's munchkin yet, but has been collected by his great aunt so is on it's way

I really am rubbish at taking photos but this gorgeous necklace arrived for my birthday.  It's fob watch repurposed into a sewing themed necklace

It arrived accompanied by these gorgeous goodies too

And possibly the best bit of all is that they all came in the arms of BBF Jackie who braved the red tape, the mask for hours, and the plane to visit

(and I can't even add a decent photo!)   We had an amazing weekend, so much sewing and chatting!!!  We made almost a dozen zippy pouches (semi circular and boxy) but I've just realised they've nearly all been gifted before being photographed!

2021 Week 35

 This has felt like a 'normal week - largely because Chertsey Museum was back for the first time in 18 months!!!  Woohoo!!!!

Limited numbers and only 2 to a table, but we were back . . .  and with three new ladies!

We were doing something based on what Jo Avery calls Modern Crewel (check out her book due out in November, no affiliation, just a big fan!).  I described it as colouring with thread!  My samples were the feather and this tote bag

A number of ladies started on the feathers (but I forgot to take photos!).  I also brought some funky fabric and some ladies did some colouring in modern crewel on this too.  There was a LOT of talking, so they've all gone home with their fabric, hoops and thread to bring something for show and tell next month!

I took myself out of my comfort zone and did some different colouring in - watercolours this time.  Inspired by 'the other Tara' I found Iris's box of watercolour pencils and painting this giraffe that she had helped me draw at Crafty Church in August

A friend's grand son starts 'big' school next week and she was feeling daunted by all the labels she's offered to sew on so I did them

He's a little dot but with a long name so I had to sew a lot of them on folded or he never would get his head through the neck hole!

I also made him a Ginger wearing the same school uniform!

A few posts ago (week 32) I showed you some fabric that the awesome Sharon got me in South Africa a few years ago.  The fabric is called Shwe shwe and it feel like a slightly waxed cotton.  I made myself a cross body bag (not actually finished yet - doh)

and with the strips I cut off to straighten the fabric, and a packet of sash rope (which did not work for the rope baskets but I've kept for the last half dozen years just in case!!!) I have made myself  matching necklace

There was also a  need for more Gingers!  I have been doing gingers based on my own take on Craftivism: they have been based on national days (blood donation, smear awareness, drowning prevention, chess, Samaritans etc): the latest ones have been for Teaching Assistant Day

And beach / world clean up day

And I'm all prepared for National Talk Like A Pirate Day!!!

And this chap is for a local pub

I have started sewing together some hexi flowers from a swap group ( flimsy pic to follow)

And Lisa's b/f Jim wanted cactuses (cacti?) for his birthday so I got him some seeds, a potted cactus, and (of course) a Ginger holding a cactus.

I didn't know he was going to repot the one I bought - I'd have bought one with fewer prickles if I'd known!  Here's the full WhatsApp post from Lisa

2021 Week 31

 How is it August already???

Next month one of our two village summer fairs will be returning after two years - the theme is Hatland so I thought a ginger with lots of hats was a good way to while away a few hours!

Lisa finished this awesome crochet blanket and promptly gave it to Niki on long term loan (she's fed up with it but knows she will fall in love with it again so they'll swap next time she finishes something!)

Lynne gave me some rhubarb - a better crop than mine!!! 

Together they made a delicious crumble

Stitch started back on Saturday - so lovely to meet people in real life!!!  Not many pics, but lots of organising and sorting, and a little bit of chatting!!!

 

Crafty Church also started back on Saturday (and some of us had a picnic between!) Again, fab to see so many people and an amazing show and tell (and disgracefully no photos)

We had patchworking, embroidery, knitting, crochet, painting . . . and funnily enough a load more chatting!

An embroidery for one customer

 

And a label for another

And a Hug for a young Ginger fan who has COVID so cant have any real hugs

And this one (on the right) was bridesmaid again at another lovely wedding . . . 

So a few more gingers and tissue packs

And finally another #Craftivism Ginger for World Drowning Prevention Day