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!

Very New and Very Old

I made an I-spy quilt for a new baby:

And the Magna Carta wall hanging, celebrating the sealing 800 years ago, has been finished, and is ready for framing

I can boast about how fab it looks as my input has been minimal!!!

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A Few Finishes

Its been cold here for a while so I've spent more time than usual watching TV with a quilt on my lap - no, not slacking, but finishing the binding by hand.

That means I actually have a few finishes to show:

My Rainbow floating charms (or LJR7 ) quilt

And the first of three quilts from shirt fabric

 I've also finished another dozen named fleece jackets

 

And I've finally done the Magna Carta 1215 2015 embridery panel

In other news I've had three creative classes this week.  Hopefully you can see photos if you click on the SLIKstitches Facebook page, please let me know if the link doesn't work for you.

In short we have a nearly finished baby changing bag from Monday, a cushion made from our transfer paints fun in January, a proggy owl and some faux cathedral windows from Chertsey and a great two hour session with kids dipping in and out of all the craft resources boxes at church yesterday

Recent Round Up

Life seems to be about choices - do I choose to sew? Or choose to blog? The choice has been "sew" for the last few days, so I thought I'd show you what I've chosen to sew:

I made some bags for a friend who runs a weekly raffle at a club she runs (slimmingworld, slowly but getting there, thanks for asking)

And I joined the Magna Carta ladies - we started putting the blocks together:

 isn't it looking fab!

And I made a basket

In other news, Lisa is having fun being a tourist in New York

Same choices next week . . . Unless I can choose not to work?
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Magna Carta Wall Hanging

I don't know if I've blogged about this before: it isn't my project but I'm involved in a few bits with the ladies who are creating it.

Next year is the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta: it was signed on a island in the Thames, and the neighbouring borough of Runnymede has always claimed the fame, but the Thames has moved over the last 800 years, towards Runnymede.  So any land previously in the Thames must now be the other side of the river - ie in Wraysbury, so the Wraysbury ladies are making a wall hanging to celebrate.

Shields (cross stitched) round the outside

And applique (slightly 3D) in the centre

Isn't it fab!

My job is to work out how best to attach the shields together (anyone got any ideas?) and to design a machine embroidery to represent this

this is the embroidery plan so far :

 

The attaching of the shields isn't going so well:

This is the 'bounce' or 'dryer sheet' method, but as they want a fusible bias binding outline I think it's probably too raised

 

 This is the start of the 'plonk' method (!)  the edges will be hidden by the fusible bias

And this is the porthole method from a recent copy of Popular Patchwork, but again I think the height difference is too much.

 I shall be badgering Plum (the applique queen) for ideas when I see her on Monday, otherwise it may have to be the highly technical 'plonk' method

PS Thanks for the pins, Jackie, I love them!