2022 Week 2

So we start a new year with a new blog post - and some actual finishes!!!!

None were quite as smooth as they should have been though!

The Janet Claire sludge fabrics got added to a fleece backing with a lot of flaffing and measuring: I like clams but I dont see loads of them in my future!

I decided to use the sewing machine to blanket stitch them down: sometimes she was very happy, 

Other times she was a right pain in the neck!

Anyway: quilt got joined and bound, and was delivered on Wednesday - juts two weeks late, and she's very happy with it!

Another finish has been posted to Norway for a cousin's newish grandson.  His name, Sverre, is an old Viking king's name.  His mum is cousin to Theia and Saga's mum, so although I made a different type of I-spy quilt I wrote his names in the same style

Annoyingly I managed to trap some loose fabric on the back when I embroidered one of the names, but I added a strip of the blue spraytime to the back to match the front and the binding and that hid the problem!!!

I stitched badges for the scouts and other uniform groups that delivered the village Christmas cards

And I got to the hairdressers for a trim and a bit of colour!!!!

With a bit of help from Lisa my stack of granny squares . . . 

Is starting to become a bloanket

I have completed the January Hexi flower swap hexies

And received all the December ones

Lisa's Jim got me a fabric pack for Christmas: mostly mustards and teal.  He is colour blind so I know he sometime struggles to choose colours but he said he bought these because they must go together as they came in a pack, and I overheard him say that he chose a pack he liked in case I made him something from it.  This is the problem with having daughters - it honestly never occurred to me that Jim might want something patchwork!!!!  Also he lives in a house with a number of quilts I have made for Lisa over the years and a fair number of blankets that she has crocheted, so I don't know that making him one would have occurred to me . . . well now it has!  He has the box room as his 'play room' where he plays computer games, and there is a small mustard sofa bed in it

This was the pack he got for me

I ordered a few more mustards and a replacement teal, cut them into 2.5" strips

And now I have a flimsy round-the-world in mustard and teal!

I need to find the right colour fleece for the backing but I rather like it - hope he does too!

2021 Week 42

We actually managed to get away for a family holiday!  6 of us went to Center Parcs.  We did loads of activities (tennis, badminton, squash, kayaking, walking, cycling) and a load of eating, but the only photo I have is 4 of us in the hot tub LOL

We then came home to a weekend of cuddles with the grandkitty - hello Penny!

With all the activities I didn't get much hand sewing or crocheting done but I did manage to tack and press a whole load of 8" clams.  I was at Knitting and Stitching show ten days or so ago and had some sludge green fabrics that I wanted to add to so they'd be usable.  A friend I was with said she really liked the fabrics so I not only found some dark blue to break up the sludge - but I've also found a home for the quilt when it's finished!

She also likes random, so I think I can manage that!

I've done 40 so far and my rough reckoning suggests I need another 54 then I can start the speed dating and the assembling - her birthday is end of December so I might have a chance!

And confession time - my haul from K&S show: I was fairly restrained and actually have plans for everything!

2019 Wk 8 - what a lot of sewing!

I tend to look at the last week's photos to see what I need to post on the blog - and this week there were a lot of photos - so hold on tight while we whistle through last week  . .

Clam shells were quilted while we watched series 8 of Game of Thrones (I did not expect a blue eyes dragon!.. And how often does a girl need to say "I can't get pregnant" before you realise that somewhere in the next two series she *will* get pregnant?)

(The pieces of fabric set behind the outer clams has worked well)

We had LOADS is visitors to Crafty Church last week - I think there were 22 of us!  Most came to learn crochet so Daisy and Carolyn were holding master classes!!!

 Lusy (who only learned last month) brought her two projects to show and tell!  I think she has the hang of it!!!

The few non-crocheters were using the sizzix to cut EPP hexies, and felt flowers ready for Mother's Day

I finished the binding on the M-i-L hexies and triangles quilt

And I designed two crosses for Dalwyn - they've gone in the post for him to choose which one he wants on his next stole

Two taggies got made for a colleague and an ex colleague with little boys

And I have crossed two Pay-it-forward gifts off my list.  The infinity scarf with a secret pocket was delivered in time for a skiing holiday, and this zippy pouch was delivered on Thursday

This  Saturday was Stitch: a lovely treat for me, both daughters came!  As did a whole load of others - very productive morning

And today I just wanted to play.  But sadly now I'm completely out of washing line!

Hope you had a good week

2019 Wk 7 - Confused by Clams

I'm loving the way my clams are lookings, but not so much sewing them!

I've been randomly sewing and then trying to get the templates out and I've *eventually*  realised there seems to be an optimum method.  I'm sharing here in case I ever get the urge to sew clamshells again, although frankly I doubt it!!!

I have pressed the circles and taken out the template, but for the now the template is still in the clams as the concave curves are snipped to help them curve and I *really* don't want them flattening themselves out.

So first I should have sewn the red sections.  If there were no circles this would represent the bottom of the piece.  This holds the snipped pieces in place

Next I would sew the first light blue (on clam #1): once I'm halfway round the convex curve I can take out the tacking and remove the template and then stitch the dark blue.  Next I'd stitch the light blue on #2, remove the tacking and template, then stitch the dark blue, and so on

Those 'blue' stitches hold down the snipped curves of pieces 5, 6 and 7, so once I've finished that row, I can now stitch the green of #5, remove the tacking and template and stitch the yellow, going straight up again to stitch the green of # 6

Clear as mud?  Well today's Benta hopes that future Benta never does get the urge to stitch another load of clamshells, but if she does - please look here first!

I stitched two rows of clams above and two below the circles.  Once I'd nearly finished stitching them I realised I was going to have to sacrifice a lot of the outer clams to make a usable rectangle

But if I added fabric behind the still loose outer clams I could possibly claim another row.

It was too late for the bottom but I think I've fudged the top OK.  Looks a bit funny now but should look ok when it's quilted and trimmed

*IF* I ever do these again I will plan this stage in!

But for now these will be put away as I've been fabric shopping *twice* this week and want to play with the new fabrics!!!