2021 Week 5

Well that was a week and a half!

This single Ginger was designed to promote A children's mental health campaign in the two villages.

 

The design was approved . . .

The felt was delivered . . .

And I was in a different sort of lockdown for about 9 days

I treated myself with being allowed to do something different every 50 Gingers

This was the half way point (I didn't photograph the full number: as soon as the last one was finished I delivered them!)

Some of my 'rewards' were also Gingers LOL!  These two netball players

These prizes in a village Valentine's competition

And these to represent this month's challenge: 

We had a live cook along session where we made chocolate chip cookies

Yum!!!

And future bake offs cover pancakes,

cakes,

and around the world dishes, so this one has Norwegian waffles (served with whipped cream and jam made from lingonberries)

Another "between the Gingers" project was to use this up: It's a twist of sari scraps: mostly between 2 and 3 foot long.  I bought this at the last quilt show I went to (shows how long ago LOL) and I finally untwisted it to see what I'd bought.  I think there was a plan to make pompoms, then a thought about a crochet basket.  It turned out they weren't separate strips, but rather were joined end to end to make one long strip.

So I sat opposite Lizzie (tending to her needs every 4 or 5 minutes), wrapping sari strips around rope and zigzagging the whole lot together . . . and I love the result far more than pompoms or a small crochet basket!  I now have an ideal basket for my crochet when I get it back (I did try to cast on but I'm useless at it, so one of the church  ladies is doing it for me!!!)

2017 Wk 50 - Fun with Kids

I taught a great bunch of families yesterday! I think there were 30 people in today - mums with kids, and dads with kids. The theme was Christmas decorations and I told the adults that this was for the kids to make something, using their own imagination, and we didn't want to hear a single "no, not like that" type of comment - and on the whole they behaved!

I didn't get pics of them all but they were all amazing! I think the polar bear on a sledge is my absolute favourite - all her own idea!

And here they are all hard at work!

Meanwhile I have broken needles quilting through too many layers

Thank goodness for grippy scissors that can put the broken bits out (and thank goodness it was stuck in fabric this time!)

But it was worth it - I have quilted

And finally finished, God-Daughter's selvedge quilt

I've also embroidered a whole load of pre-school uniforms but that's too boring even to warrant a photo!

And I've progressed a bit on an I-Spy quilt for a cousin of this one (she arrived last week)

I had the triangles cut, and some joined back into squares. I finished the others. I planned the design and then realised I'm out of light grey spraytime so this one will have to wait

I had an order for a Christmas sack. I generally don't do these any more, but Magnus has three siblings and three cousins who all have one so it seem very unfair to say he *couldn't* have one too! (Just need to hand stitch some buttons to hold the ribbon in place)

And finally - we've manged to put up the Christmas tree and room decorations - It's starting to feel Christmassy here - jut 4 more working days yippee (I have Wednesday off. Double yippee!)!

Posted with Blogsy

The one where we Made Monsters!

I was asked to teach a family learning class today.  We decided it would be a monster making class - using felt for the bodies and all sorts of stuff for arms, legs, eyes etc.

These four were my samples, and as usual, I told the kids I expected they would have much better ideas than me

And oh boy, they did not disappoint!!!

My absolute favourite was this one!!

Done in December

How many sleeps until Christmas?  Really?  It still feels like about October: partly as the weather is so mild, but also the time is going past soooo quickly!

I have managed some sewing in the last week or so:

I did some secret selvedge sewing

from this magazine

I did some machine embroidery: A friend bought three identical stockings for her three daughters - could I stitch their names on.  Its really difficult to sew onto a completed stocking, so we discussed alternatives, and name tags seemed the best alternative:

 And I made some replacement medical bags for school.  4 years ago I made these

One for each class: to keep inhalers and EpiPens in so they can be easily grabbed when needed, and can go with the class on trips etc. One bag was falling apart, and another was now too small (so many more children with inhalers) so I made a new set using Svetlana's design

Today's project is the perfect pillowcase!  I used this 'Hotdog' method yesterday, and whilst her instructions are excellent, and I ended up (will end up) with a fab pillowcase with no raw edges,

It also doesn't have that extra bit of fabric that keeps the pillow inside the pillowcase.

Sometime over night I thought of a way to combine this design with what I want - watch this space.

I also have a Christmas sack to make for a customer - better get cracking!

Boxes of Bags

We have a Secret Santa arrangement at the Christmas party with my husband's family:  the names are allocated when we meet up in the summer, and we exchange gifts on Boxing Day.

However I also like to get a little something for everyone.  Usually something pretty for the girls and something silly for the boys (all the girls get the same thing and all the boys get the same thing)

This year one of the girls has asked for fine liners, so I thought I would make her a pencil case as well, but that idea grew until that became the 'all the girls' gift!  Boring blue on the outside, with their name and a zip in a bright colour

 And then a funky lining in the same bright colour

 I finished them today

and they are all boxed up ready for wrapping

But I still had some more time free, and Jackie asked me to do plenty of sewing for the two of us as she's not able to sew at the moment, so Jackie - I made a whole load more!  These are grey with red zips and red lining . . .

. . . for a whole load of colleagues at school!

I think it's safe to say I'm happy doing zips now!

Super Saturday

British Schools know how to put on a Summer Fete!

It was my school's turn this weekend, (along with thousands of others I'm sure) and we had a great day: Pimms, burgers and about a hundred different types of cakes with tea and coffee were on offer, and stalls were selling plants, toys, books etc, as well as numerous tombola stalls.

Nearly all the stuff had been donated by the parents, who then came out in their hundreds to let the children buy or win it back!

I had a stall and had a few quilts and bags on display, and had my baby Brother embroidery machine set up with a basket of brightly coloured flannels (wash cloths) by my side

I embroidered over a dozen flannels there, and came home with orders for another 9, plus bunting,

 

and I even sold a quilt - the pink zigzag one!

I've now spent the evening at the bigger Brother finishing the orders, and reckon its now about time for a celebratory glass of wine!

Finished, Nearly Finished, and a Friday Fail

A friend has just become a grandmother, so a special quilt was called for: I made a bright sunny bricked I-spy quilt for baby Sophia

With her name on too

The binding has been stitched since these pics, so it's ready to be delivered.
I've also added the binding to the Red and Numbers quilt, so that can move to the-sewing-in-front-of-the-TV pile.  I think this may have a home to go to when it's finished

And the kids (big and small) at school were very excited about the expected eclipse on Friday. The children came to school with their heads down, having understood how very dangerous it was to risk looking at the sun, the science had been explained, trays had been filled with water so the reflection could be viewed, but no one remembered to tell the clouds to take the day off!

Finally, we had another lovely day at Crafty Church on Saturday: Cushions, cross stitch, tapestry, beading, felt Easter eggs, and a young man making masks, along with plenty of chat, a lovely cuppa, and even muffins - thanks Lynne!!

Posted with Blogsy