Monday 6 January 2014

Happy New Year!

And an apology, as the blog has not been updated with the last sessions from December! Have been a bit busy...
Now this is a looooong post. So.make a cuppa and sit back..

To start with - There have been some Wednesday finishes starting with Liz's Atlas quilt

This will be displayed in a school

 Jackie was sent some fabrics from her friend in Germany, with a request to make a hanging headboard.

This is the front of the hanging
And just because she can, look what was put on the back!!!
A fabulous seasonal  scene
Well done Jackie!!
And she hasn't been slacking in the festive department either, as seen by this effective stained glass hanging that is nearly finished,
someone MUST be doing her housework!
 Gillian has been experimenting with different techniques, and this is her design piece using Mola work.

interesting piece

 On the last Monday session 0f 2013, Helen Spence joined us for a Bring and Share lunch, and showed us several different techniques to make Christmas cards
choosing the designs
 There were plenty of designs to choose from
lots of choice here
 Rubbish picture, but we have Somerset Folded

looks a bit Tartan
Festive florals

and rich reds

 Log Cabin, and Hexies
like the colours here
work in progress.
And some ribbon weaving
a way to go

Then Helen showed some ladies a painting technique to add to their cards
Celtic Gold
This style went down really well, and we may ask Helen to do a day dedicated to this technique.


I hope that all the lucky recipients of these cards, appreciated the love that went into making them.

Then there was the Bun Fight Bring and Share Lunch.

As usual, there was a lovely spread for a short while

starting a a lady like manner
ooh! that looks good

I want that!!
Seriously, it was a fine lunch, with all sorts of tasties that most of us shouldn't be eating, but could not resist.

Lots of busy going on during the day
drawing out a foundation

selecting fabrics


some smocked Christmas decs - love these
 And dear Therese is repairing recycling some of her sons jeans
some Sashiko?

a bit of crazy
 Apparently, he was approached on a famous London Street by some one dying to know where he had bought his terrific outfit. (He told them there was a sweat shop of old ladies in Higham Ferrers that worked on this sort of "stuff")
Cheeky little ********


Just a side note
really rough picture, but the piece that Maureen (the guilty looking one in the background) was working on looked VERY suspect, and caused much hilarity around the room.

The Christmas  Challenge was issued, to everyone this year. We all received a fat quarter of a red tone on tone fabric, a skein of red DMC embroidery thread and a little scrunchy of beads and the Challenge is---

To be completed by week commencing
Monday 24th March
Your Challenge this year --- Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Beginning of the 1st World War.  Use some or all of the fabric to make ANY item of your choice with the World War 1 in mind. You can purchase more of the fabric if you wish. You do not HAVE to use the beads or thread if you do not want to.  You may keep your finished item or we could donate some items to the British Legion for them to fundraise for their cause.  


We will see what wonders the ladies come up with this year.

I missed out the last Wednesday meeting pacing the floor waiting for news of this little lady


I know its not the place, but hey! I just want to show off and I do the blog so ---
  Olivia Rose born 18th December - Love her


Some of us were lucky enough to receive a Christmas gift from talked about in this post . Aren't those clocks just adorable!! I think that Jo may have dropped a clanger here. All of the ladies want to make their own clock. We will see what happens.

 ***********************
   And so on to 2014 ---


 Christine had made a bag from a kit purchased at the last Duxford show

Country and Cute
 And she has started a project from this book that uses embroidery and appliqué in the blocks
lovely colours
 Lynda is hand quilting her (huge) hand pieced sampler quilt

one block down, 19 to go!

Annette is also working on a quilt that has embroidered antique sewing machines in the blocks
this is cute
It was lovely to see Pam back with us after a very difficult year for her and her family.Welcome back to our fold Pam.x
more appliqué here
Ena was adding the finishing touches to a smock child's coat hanger
pretty colour

Glennys was cracking on with a lovely scalloped heart candlewick panel
such a fine design


and Maureen (her of the rude photo) is stitching a scissor keeper.

will show you this when finished, They are lovely
Bridget put the finishing touches to a pretty needle case

embroidered and appliquéd
Ellen and others have spent a lot of time during 2013 making pillowcase dresses which are distributed by this charity. She heard tales of the dresses being given to two little sisters that had been give a dress each, and not to leave their brother out, he was given a dress too. Now she is on a mission to clothe the third world with these little shorts. (I think she thinks that a dress will have some sort of "turning" effect on the little chaps).

These will be appreciated by the kiddos
Ellen has a pattern (very easy) if any of you are inspired to join her

Therese is ----- still on some jeans - and after THAT comment! Sweat shop indeed!
I would stitch the pockets closed - see how he gets on with that, tee he
 Linda has been using an arty piece added to a print to make a cover for her kindle.
nearly finished
Val has resurrected the blocks made at group when Lynda did the Block of the Month class (? 3 or 4 years ago?)  and is adding to them and will complete the quilt this year. 
appliqué on a star block
 Pauline is cross stitching an embroidered cloth
think its a table cloth
 And (Ann?) is sewing 2 1/2 " squares

Jan is quilting a block for a friend

little blue birds
Hazel is getting fed up  doing really well with her stitching. On the last leg now Hazel!
is the owl winking?

Marie is sewing a card (has she run out of fabric????)
golden trombone

 Around the room there are lots of Hexies being stitched together to make all sorts of projects. We will see the finishes later on


30's prints
florals

and pinks
 In two weeks - Jan 20th - on our All Day session we will be having a recap session on using the other feet that we have with our sewing machine.



We will set up machines with  Buttonhole foot
                                                 Rolled Edge Foot
                                                 Twin Needles
                                                 Cording Foot
                                                 Piping Foot
For anyone who wants to can take turns to have a go and practice .

We will also be making a cushion front using some of the feet.

If you want to make a cushion here are the requirements-
Project to be cushion cover using twin needles and or cording foot.
Min 12in piece of fabric, self patterned or plain for cushion centre.
Material for back of cushion and border for cushion front.
Wadding and backing if you are going to quilt your cushion
Buttons and cushion pad.
Pieces of fabric to play with different feet on
Sewing machine with power lead, foot pedal, all feet and instruction book to be able to identify your feet!
Various threads to play with.

Shirley has a photo of the cushion if you want to have a look.

If you have sewing machine feet that you don't know what to do with, bring them along with oyur machine and we will see what we can do.

 ****************

That's everything up to date and I will (try) keep up  with the news this year

Did I show you what I had for Christmas?
couldn't you just eat her?

Happy 2014 to All!!
xx


4 comments:

  1. That was a two cup and slice of Christmas cake post! Such a lot going on. Its interesting to see all of the embroidered bits going into our patchwork quilts. Saying nothing about that gorgeous baby!!! :)))

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  2. The blog was worth waiting for,so inspiring to see the work in progress ,variety is the spice of life they say. Have you put gorgeous Olivias' name on the waiting list?

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  3. What a wonderful blog,gorgeous work but not enough hours in a day. Can we have Olivia on the Monday list.please

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  4. That Atlas quilt is just stunning, I would love that on my bed!

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