Too busy to blog!
I have been busy making stuff, and busy being lead down dead ends trying to revive the SLIKstitches blog. The making has been fun, trying to get to communicate with someone at blogger reminds me of the saying "the impossible I can do at once, miracles take a little longer!
Anyway, enough whinging - I've mostly been working on blocks for the texture quilt, just 4 more to go, then I need to work out how to arrange them. Here are some photos
Suffolk punches from A at Stitching Science (thank you A)
Not sure if this is smocking or pleating, but it seems to be called honeycomb smocking
This block is four squares of corduroy with the nap in four different directions
This is a very loose woven fabric given to me
This one is ripped fabrics with some extra threads pulled out. The strip is made by alternating back and front of the fabric
and finally a pleated one where I have stitched the pleats down so there is a twist
Anyway, enough whinging - I've mostly been working on blocks for the texture quilt, just 4 more to go, then I need to work out how to arrange them. Here are some photos
Suffolk punches from A at Stitching Science (thank you A)
Not sure if this is smocking or pleating, but it seems to be called honeycomb smocking
This block is four squares of corduroy with the nap in four different directions
This is a very loose woven fabric given to me
This one is ripped fabrics with some extra threads pulled out. The strip is made by alternating back and front of the fabric
and finally a pleated one where I have stitched the pleats down so there is a twist
Where did the mojo go?
I still haven't really got my blogging mojo back: I really would rather be blogging at SLIKstitches, but still blogger ignore my communication attempts, so I have no idea what to do next :-(
I'm having a generally bleugh day anyway, as school have finally told me that although they have the funding, they are not going to extend my Extended Schools Co-Ordinator contract, so that leaves me with just three hours a week from September, so for the first time in about (gulp) 25 years I am actually looking at the vacancies section of the local papers. Until now I've been lucky enough to hear about a job that I wanted - at a time that I was ready to work those hours - and get it, so this is a whole new ball game!
Anyways, enough of the whinging ... I HAVE been sewing! I have pieced together some 8" squares to make an I-Spy quilt, just to have for when it's needed:
I have also taken this fairly simple flimsy,
and with the help of my little template
have turned it into this yummy Whirly Gig or Square Dance flimsey.
Annoyingly I did type out 90% of the instructions about a month ago ... and saved them on the old blog, but I think I can copy and paste so if you want them just let me know.
I have also been doing some lesson planning for Fun With Fabrics next weekend: The ladies asked for Stained Glass, and I had three methods in mind, so I have done samples using two methods and am half way through the third. I chose owls for the image, and wondered how best to display them
When I next checked in at Hadley's blog (Flying Blind On A Rocket Cycle ... What does that mean?) I got inspiration, so here are two of my owls, just waiting for for number three. (Pink is created using the cut-away method, and Yellow is made using the fusible bias binding method. Red hasn't fully hatched yet, but will be made with the mosaic, or needle turn method)
Instructions are available if you are interested
I'm having a generally bleugh day anyway, as school have finally told me that although they have the funding, they are not going to extend my Extended Schools Co-Ordinator contract, so that leaves me with just three hours a week from September, so for the first time in about (gulp) 25 years I am actually looking at the vacancies section of the local papers. Until now I've been lucky enough to hear about a job that I wanted - at a time that I was ready to work those hours - and get it, so this is a whole new ball game!
Anyways, enough of the whinging ... I HAVE been sewing! I have pieced together some 8" squares to make an I-Spy quilt, just to have for when it's needed:
I have also taken this fairly simple flimsy,
and with the help of my little template
have turned it into this yummy Whirly Gig or Square Dance flimsey.
Annoyingly I did type out 90% of the instructions about a month ago ... and saved them on the old blog, but I think I can copy and paste so if you want them just let me know.
I have also been doing some lesson planning for Fun With Fabrics next weekend: The ladies asked for Stained Glass, and I had three methods in mind, so I have done samples using two methods and am half way through the third. I chose owls for the image, and wondered how best to display them
When I next checked in at Hadley's blog (Flying Blind On A Rocket Cycle ... What does that mean?) I got inspiration, so here are two of my owls, just waiting for for number three. (Pink is created using the cut-away method, and Yellow is made using the fusible bias binding method. Red hasn't fully hatched yet, but will be made with the mosaic, or needle turn method)
something pretty
Lisa suggested I sew something pretty, just because!
I picked up this jelly roll from Fabric Freedom (Aunt Grace, Circle of Friends, SOOOO pretty! It reminds me of summer dresses from childhood) and pulled out some white to go with it.
Did I want to do nine patch blocks?
Or scatter the patterned squares randomly amongst the white?
I started stitching each strip to white, and then had a brain wave. I cut 8" off each pair, then stitched the remainder together. At one end I added the patterned to the white to make an 8" strip of patterned / white /patterned which I cut off, then I added the white to the other end (making white / patterned / white) so i made enough for two nine patches and left enough for 6 or 7 white / patterned pairs. (Makes sense to me anyway!)
Yes Mum, I know I'm supposed to do Hilary's textures first, but I needed some therapy! I've had to stop with the circle of friends because I ran out of white fabric, so I did this one for Hilary: woven strips.
I think it's just a few more to go, so I think log cabin (maybe uneven log cabin? and maybe ticker tape (raw edge applique)
I'm also doing some liberated sizteen patch for Block Lotto, so I'll show those when they are done.
I picked up this jelly roll from Fabric Freedom (Aunt Grace, Circle of Friends, SOOOO pretty! It reminds me of summer dresses from childhood) and pulled out some white to go with it.
Did I want to do nine patch blocks?
Or scatter the patterned squares randomly amongst the white?
I started stitching each strip to white, and then had a brain wave. I cut 8" off each pair, then stitched the remainder together. At one end I added the patterned to the white to make an 8" strip of patterned / white /patterned which I cut off, then I added the white to the other end (making white / patterned / white) so i made enough for two nine patches and left enough for 6 or 7 white / patterned pairs. (Makes sense to me anyway!)
Yes Mum, I know I'm supposed to do Hilary's textures first, but I needed some therapy! I've had to stop with the circle of friends because I ran out of white fabric, so I did this one for Hilary: woven strips.
I think it's just a few more to go, so I think log cabin (maybe uneven log cabin? and maybe ticker tape (raw edge applique)
I'm also doing some liberated sizteen patch for Block Lotto, so I'll show those when they are done.
9 patches and Block Lotto
I have done ten blocks for the July Block Lotto. I loved doing the blocks (each pair is done together, and one is the opposite of the other) but the ironing was a pain.
Having not done enough squares for the day (!) I then made up a whole load of nine patches. Lots more summery fabrics waiting to be used as soon as I get a chance to go the the shops
Having not done enough squares for the day (!) I then made up a whole load of nine patches. Lots more summery fabrics waiting to be used as soon as I get a chance to go the the shops
When one door closes ...
No photos, and just a brief post today. I've had car problems (thank goodness for extended warranties) and work, and planning for stained glass owl lessons , but have also had an interesting week workwise.
I was told that the school have decided not to extend my 5.5 hour a week contact as an extended school's co-ordinator. It's a shame, as that has seen me raise two grants (totalling £12500) for a refurb to the swimming pool area, arrange extra curricular activities for 19 free-school meal children (which I have evidence that their interest in learning, self confidence and behaviour has all improved as a result), and produce a newsletter with about 20 free or low cost activities nearby over the summer hols. This does leave me with a 3 hour a week contract to files papers for the SENco (special educational needs co-ordinator) but this isn't as rewarding either by money or by stimulation.
Anyways
I was told that the school have decided not to extend my 5.5 hour a week contact as an extended school's co-ordinator. It's a shame, as that has seen me raise two grants (totalling £12500) for a refurb to the swimming pool area, arrange extra curricular activities for 19 free-school meal children (which I have evidence that their interest in learning, self confidence and behaviour has all improved as a result), and produce a newsletter with about 20 free or low cost activities nearby over the summer hols. This does leave me with a 3 hour a week contract to files papers for the SENco (special educational needs co-ordinator) but this isn't as rewarding either by money or by stimulation.
Anyways
less than a week later I have been approached by the adult education department at the borough to ask
whether
I
would
like
to
teach
patchwork
once a week
next year
...
What do you think I answered?????????
less time per week, better hourly rate,
and P.A.T.C.H.W.O.R.K.
...
I came over all unnecessary,
and I may have offered to have the co-ordinator's babies
Can you see me doing a happy dance?
Chertsey Museum - Fun With Fabric
A lovely afternoon with 7 ladies at Chertsey Museum, making stained glass patchwork.
Most of them used the cut away method (thank you so much to Doris for teaching me :-), while two used the fusible bias method, and one tried the needle turn method. They all took home notes and materials for the other methods.
We seem to have evolved a bit of show and tell at the sessions too, and some brought back their smocking from last month.
We seem to have evolved a bit of show and tell at the sessions too, and some brought back their smocking from last month.
Jenny is a very accomplished needlewoman anyway, and always brings something with a WOW factor to show. She has decided that everything she starts is to be finished, and with than in mind made her smocking into a hat pin pin cushion:
Prepare to be wowed!
Texture Quilt and Pay It Forward ideas
I have finished the woven block for the texture quilt, and have made a log cabin. I think there is just one needed now, and that will be raw edge applique: a sort of ticker tape block. Then I might iron and square them all off before arranging them
I also started playing with ideas for the PIF gifts
... I was thinking of using one of these fabrics
or maybe one of these
or this one
Hmmm, time will tell.
I did make a prototype of my PIF possible project - but Lisa said it was exactly what she wanted, and she loved the fabric - that was such a compliment, I had to give it to her! I didn't even get a photo, but as both my PIF's read the blog I wouldn't have posted the photo anyway!!!
I also started playing with ideas for the PIF gifts
... I was thinking of using one of these fabrics
or this one
Hmmm, time will tell.
I did make a prototype of my PIF possible project - but Lisa said it was exactly what she wanted, and she loved the fabric - that was such a compliment, I had to give it to her! I didn't even get a photo, but as both my PIF's read the blog I wouldn't have posted the photo anyway!!!
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