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

Easter List - day 3

I didn't manage everything on "The List", but I did manage to get a few things done, in between helping husband put in a new loo!

This is going to be a sample for Chertsey Museum - nor sure what to do next, felt and a button?

I started embroidering tshirts for the local pre-school

And then I started working on my plan for the Star Of Africa "House" block for Fiona.  Fiona wants houses.  My house is too boring for words, and I did think of doing Windsor Castle, but Nicky said she was planning on a castle.  So have I got anything else local that I can use for inspiration.

Well yes I have!  It's probably ironic given that I was thinking of a castle, but we have a lot of 'settled travellers' living in our village.  There is a long historic story involving the village church's graveyard, (particularly the lack of restrictions on grave decorations in the 'extension' graveyard) and this has resulted in a number of travellers settling here.

Although they mostly live in static or touring caravans, they do occasionally bring out the beautiful traditional caravans (or 'vardo') that traditionally would have been home to a family

Well, it's not finished yet - but here is the start of Fiona's block

10 minutes here, 15 minutes there. . .

10 minutes here, 15 minutes there . . . does add up to some sewing and embroidery!

I did these embroideries for a customer, for her son and his fiance's wedding.

I made these scissor tags for the Mug Rug swap goodies

And this is the starting of a mug rug for a partner who likes autumn shades: hope she likes it

Museum Session

 I had a great afternoon at Chertsey Museum today - 8 ladies all having a go at smocking!  Luckily I had prepared 8 sections of fabric ready to be gathered and smocked, and they all got stuck in.

 Most managed to get two lines stitched, generally top and bottom of the gathered area

 some started on a third row

 while others just worked from the top

I confess I completed very little, but largely because I didn't have a spare piece stitched ready to be gathered, so I thought that was a jolly good excuse!

I have, however managed some embroidery - machine embroidery on another block for Hilary's texture quilt.  This is four squares filled with a programmed fill stitch, so nothing technically impressive, but it feels lovely!

 

and this block is an embroidery of a Labrador puppy - must be Dixie!!!

Do you believe in coincidences?

Do you believe in coincidences?

Consider these facts

I eventually managed to get hold of a copy of a new craft magazine, Molly Makes, as recommended by Hadley, and I read it in a couple of evenings.  Then I remember putting it on top of the laundry basket to take downstairs to the sewing room.  Now I cant find it anywhere



Fast forward a few days, and look at this photo of my garden =>

Yes, it was taken today, 28th May 2011

No: it hasn't snowed.







Now take a look at the clothes that came out of the washing machine
 
 


 (...this photo was taken after a further two washes)





Regrettably I think the answer is obvious, these facts are NOT coincidental

Somehow, without noticing, I have filled my washing machine with dirty clothes (intentionally) and with my Molly Makes magazine (needless to say, unintentionally)

I now have 4 bras, several pairs of knickers, two pairs of trousers, and a number of t-shirts covered in a fine dusting of scraps of paper.  Two t-shirts escaped the worst of the paper ... and they were his!!!

Pleeeeease don't ask me how I managed not to notice - I have no idea, but I am expecting the men in white coats to come for me any minute now!

(Can I justify blaming Hadley?  No I didn't think so, but it was worth asking)






While I waited for them, I embroidered 8 of these hand towels for a friend's customer.  At least I didn't put any in the toaster, or in the CD drive!  I have delivered them to her tonight just to protect them from any inexplicable whim!

Ooops, I spent some money

My Brother Embroidery machine has been playing up, and a couple of times has locked and I've had to talk very nicely to Brian to get him to take it apart and get it working again.  I finally decided that it would be better to get a replacement, maybe with an extended warranty; a machine that should be reliable.  My current machine is a combination sewing and embroidery machine, but since I got a new sewing machine a few years ago I haven't used the sewing element of the combined machine at all.  So I've today bought a new Brother 750e (practically the same as the 1200, but embroidery only), and it should arrive on Wednesday.

The man tells me that there is nothing to learn as it will work exactly the same as embroidering on the 1200, so I can just plug, and play!


He did offer me £100 (1/12th!) in part exchange, but we decided that we'll keep it and Brian can take it apart and try and get it going - when I have got a big order on another machine would be a bonus, I just hesitate to confess that I'll be up to six (keep it small so it doesn't seem too bad!) sewing machines by Wednesday.  In my defense one has gone to Lisa, one is a hand crank machine that is about 70 years old, and is just kept for it's beauty, and one will be Brian's project, so that's only really three machines - and one of them is just for embroidery ... that's OK isn't it?

                                                                                 Thank you Uncle Geoff!