2021 Week 23

 My gosh it's nearly half way through the year!  How did that happen???

Not much creating this week, as often seems to be the case!

I did get a bumper load of hexies tacked

And the are gradually being added to this: In my mind the curve would continue off to the right, but I clearly didn't think that through property!  I probably should have turned it through 30 degrees then at least they would have been a chevron  to give some interest to the right side, but the stripe effect is starting to grow on me, and I'm pleased with the non symmetrical-ness of it and I'm certainly not taking it apart to restart, so it is what it is!!!!

In other news I took up one of two bridesmaid dresses for Niki - sooooo stressful, the worst sort of sewing!  Anyway this one is done and I've found someone else to do the second one as it would be ever harder to do

Brian decided that as I wasn't sewing and didn't have much work on I could help with the new porch step!!!  A lot of sand and cement was mixed, 

a lot of old bricked were used up as hardcore (thank goodness)

And we now have a proper step for the first time in 32 years!!!!

(Tiles to be added later)

I also had a play date with two mums and three munchkins: making resin stuff, it was a great afternoon!

And BFF Jackie had her birthday and has opened her pressie.  Its about 16 months since we've seen each other - bloody COVID!  This was the closest thing to a hug I could send her!  Love you Jackie xxx

2021 Week 18

 Some random crafting over the last three weeks:

I've worked on my painting by numbers Christmas present - I cant wait to be on a beach again!

I created this for Star Wars Day (although to be fair I'm not sure she used a lightsaber!)

I actually visited a shop last week - such a strange experience, I'd forgotton what it was like to shop by touching things rather than looking at screen images!

I fell in love with this selection at Hobbycraft

and I bypassed the usual "I shall stroke this while I decide what to do with it" stage and went straight to adding from stash . . . 

 cutting and tacking . . .

 and starting to sew!

The greeny turquoise (teal?) didn't make the cut.  I found enough is stash for the first green round and while I was looking I found a pack of Hobby craft grey which I rtaher liked with the turquoise, so I've cut them and started another flimsey!!!

I have also finished the crochet blanket: apart from a few joins where I'd balled the wool too short I didn't want to sew in any ends so I not only left them but added to them so every colour chnage has rustic (as in no particular length) tassles which I rather like.

What to crochet next???

A few Saturdays ago I had a whole day to myself - I was tidying up when I found a donated duvet cover that made it's way up here as I thought it would make a nice tunic.  I dug out the pattern that I have used many times and made this

 

Looking for the pattern I came across another version that had been cut but then abandoned so I finished that one too - good job they are quick to make!

I finished the Oliver safari bunting and his grandma has posted it off to Canada

2019 Wk 24 - the last ten days

The "last ten days" in the heading has two meanings - the photos are of crafty stuff FROM the last 10 days and I have about ten days left at work (gulp!)  They have made me redundant and there isn't much work coming my way so I have been doing a bit more making than I would normally get a chance for!

I have planned the finish of my rainbow hexie flowers - not much more piecing to go, *just* assembling and quilting and binding after that!!!

Even though the weather is up and down at the moment I am sleeping under a coverlet that is just patchworked blocks quilted to a cotton sheet.  But I only made one coverlet which means I don't have one for the opposite laundry change! (This one, which I love 
http://slikstitches.com/2014/07/teal-on-tuesday.html?m=1)

Anyway I wanted something sunny and bright and found this FQ pack from Jackie

I chopped it into squares and sashed it with 2.5 inch strips and in very little time I had this:

I just need to find some binding (shopping excuse!) and some time to quilt it and then I'm all set!

The Chertsey Museum class last week was paper foundation piecing.  It's difficult to teach and the fabric sort of gets pinned in place inside out upside down and back to front, but it seemed to go OK even if there wasn't much ready for a photo opportunity by the end of the class!

 A number of the ladies did bring back their bowls from last month - looking good!

Teal on Tuesday

Today I have taught a class making puppets (pictures tomorrow) and have added borders and binding to my teal bricks quilt.

I got the perfect border (only needed for two sides) and binding last week, and got them added today 

Another one on the finish-the-binding-when-it's-not-so-hot pile 

Quite a lot of Quilting

I've been machine embroidering work designed by my year 4s (8 and 9 years olds) at school:

This takes ages and doesn't give me much to do expect change threads every so often.  I can't really wonder off as then it sits waiting for me to do the thread, so it's better if I can stay in the sewing room doing something else . . .

What to do?

Well this time it was easy

I stitched together the strips of teal brown and white,  and then (hope you are sitting down) basted AND QUILTED!!
 

The quilting lines may best be described as organic, but they are roughly 1.5 inches apart. I had thought of this top as Aqua, or Turquoise,but neither of those quilting threads matched at all, so this is a Teal top, quilted in white!!!!

Fab Fifteens

ten days ago I showed you this bit of strip sewing that was fifteen minutes worth

 
Added to lots and lots of other fifteen minutes worth of sewing and then some 15 minutes of ironing I got this

And then fifteen minutes of speed dating strips on my design bed, I got this

I am seriously in love with these fabrics!

And in other news ... meet Nina and Samuel - my great nephew and his twin sister

I'm seriously in love with these guys too!

Selfish Sewing

After another long day at school I came home tonight and actually sat in front of my sewing machine!

In between sewing more trousers for the school play (dress rehearsal on Tuesday, we're not ready!) 

and making covered books as a thank you to the mums that have helped 

I actually managed to sneak in fifteen minutes of selfish sewing !

I've started randomly joining strips from the aqua/ teal/ turquoise/ brown and white FQs given to me by Lisa and Jackie

Only in pairs so far, but it's a good start!  Gorgeous gorgeous colours!

Another 14 alarm clock mornings and the madness will be over for a while

Saturday Sewing

Another fab day with Jackie :-)

She helped with with some decision making: the rainbow charms

(now ready to be chain stitched)

Another decision made - the aqua fabrics have been cut ready to piece

And these cotton pieces have had their future decided, and they have been washed in case of shrinkage:

We made another two boxy pouches: so that's some Christmas pressies sorted,

Jackie learnt more tricks with my embroidery machine

And made a pressie for the new grandson!

Not bad results for one day eh?

Tomorrow ... Sandown!!!!