Ecclesiastical Embroidery
(It does sometimes get difficult to keep using alliteration for post titles!)
At church last Sunday, I was collared by the lay preacher, Beryl. She handed me a table linen that had been used in church for as long as I can remember.
It had been beautifully hand embroidered with this design
but either the mice, the moths or old age has taken its toll, and it is looking the worse for wear (and has done for a long time)
These things often get overlooked - but Beryl has now noticed the state it's in, so could something be done?
Not sadly with the fabric, and I felt that even if I could rescue the embroidery and applique it onto a new cloth it was still likely to perish sooner rather than later.
So I spent a lovely evening copying the design and stitching it onto a new piece of fabric so Beryl can make a new table cloth.
I bet when it was originally stitch by hand the stitcher could not have foreseen her design being photographed by a mobile phone, transferred to a computer, being copied and then duplicated with the help of a computer and a rather complicated machine that is still essentially a sewing machine!
At church last Sunday, I was collared by the lay preacher, Beryl. She handed me a table linen that had been used in church for as long as I can remember.
It had been beautifully hand embroidered with this design
but either the mice, the moths or old age has taken its toll, and it is looking the worse for wear (and has done for a long time)
These things often get overlooked - but Beryl has now noticed the state it's in, so could something be done?
Not sadly with the fabric, and I felt that even if I could rescue the embroidery and applique it onto a new cloth it was still likely to perish sooner rather than later.
So I spent a lovely evening copying the design and stitching it onto a new piece of fabric so Beryl can make a new table cloth.
I bet when it was originally stitch by hand the stitcher could not have foreseen her design being photographed by a mobile phone, transferred to a computer, being copied and then duplicated with the help of a computer and a rather complicated machine that is still essentially a sewing machine!
Teacher Training
I may have mentioned that I am doing a sort of teacher training course, nothing as grand as training to be a real teacher: but this will qualify me to do the Adult Education classes that I have been doing for a few years.
We all have to do a 'micro teach' - teach a twenty minute lesson on anything so the tutor and the other students can feedback on our teaching skills.
Rather bravely it turned out, I decided to teach them all how to make a fabric flower brooch, and get them all to make one. What I forgot to factor in is that my usual students are there because they want to make something from fabric. Last night's motley crew included a dancer, a guy who runs a Drink Driving awareness course, a business tutor, a student adviser and a chef, and none of them had any interest in sewing at all. They were all very supportive of me, but *everything* took much longer than usual.
Luckily, when the tutor called 'time' after my 20 minutes, they all begged to be able to carry on as they were enjoying it, so I must have done something right!
We did get 9 fabric flowers made, out of a class of 10, so that wasn't bad at all, and I managed to get pics of some of them
My feedback? Overwhelmingly that my timing was way off - it was!
We all have to do a 'micro teach' - teach a twenty minute lesson on anything so the tutor and the other students can feedback on our teaching skills.
Rather bravely it turned out, I decided to teach them all how to make a fabric flower brooch, and get them all to make one. What I forgot to factor in is that my usual students are there because they want to make something from fabric. Last night's motley crew included a dancer, a guy who runs a Drink Driving awareness course, a business tutor, a student adviser and a chef, and none of them had any interest in sewing at all. They were all very supportive of me, but *everything* took much longer than usual.
Luckily, when the tutor called 'time' after my 20 minutes, they all begged to be able to carry on as they were enjoying it, so I must have done something right!
We did get 9 fabric flowers made, out of a class of 10, so that wasn't bad at all, and I managed to get pics of some of them
My feedback? Overwhelmingly that my timing was way off - it was!
Super Stars
A day trip to Mum's today. As she has clear floor space i took all my Star of Africa blocks . . . A bit of star speed dating later and we had this arrangement.
Slik and Quick Chunky Chevrons
I love the yellow Chunky Chevron Quilt, so decided to make a few more - a pink one.
And then a blue one.
This time I took stage photos so I'll remember next time , so if you are interested, here are instructions for one of the quickest, cheapest and cuddliest quilts you can make. I really do mean quick - it took me 90 minutes to put this top together - from pulling the fabrics from stash, to sufficiently quilted, just 90 minutes!
You will need 1.5 yards assorted fabrics equalling 10 strips of fabric - width of fabric (minus the selvedge edges) x 5 inches, You can get more 5" strips from a FQ than from a thin Q, unless its very generously cut. If you want to, pre-join into one long strip for each fabric.
And you will need a piece of fleece about 80cm x 110 cm (30"x44" ish) I used an Ikea one, cut in half with the fancy ends trimmed off. You can make this quilt as large as you want, but this size works perfectly for a child.
Finger press a triangle at the end of one strip, matching the edge like this, and neatly cut along the folded edge.(this gives you a right angle isosceles triangle)
Place the triangle, right side up, long edge along one edge of fabric. Anywhere. Really! Maybe anywhere except close to the middle, now you don't have to worry about it being symmetrical!
Take a strip of a different fabric, and place it on top, matching one side (right sides together), pin and stitch in place, flip open, and press (plenty of pins as fleece stretches)
Repeat, along the opposite edge
And again, and again and again
Trim any excess as you go along (These cuts will be at 45 degrees, and to use them economically some strips can be started at the edge of the quilt rather than at the tip of the chevron)
Continue until the fleece is covered. If it gets bulky in the throat of the machine (to the right of the needle) roll the excess fabric to make it easier
You can now quilt it: perhaps echo quilt some of the chevrons
But if you don't want to, it's no problem. By using the fleece as a foundation piece you have already quilted the layers together
so there wont be any movement, so you can go ahead and bind.
There should be some 5 inch strips left over. I made them into 2.5inch strips - perfect to join into a strip and use for scrappy binding. (If you cut your binding wider or narrower than I do, I suggest you cut your strips at double your binding width)
The quilt police will tell us that is it NOT a quilt as a quilt needs to have three layers, but any child will tell you that this is super soft and cuddly, and the clock will tell you it's really quick
And then a blue one.
You will need 1.5 yards assorted fabrics equalling 10 strips of fabric - width of fabric (minus the selvedge edges) x 5 inches, You can get more 5" strips from a FQ than from a thin Q, unless its very generously cut. If you want to, pre-join into one long strip for each fabric.
And you will need a piece of fleece about 80cm x 110 cm (30"x44" ish) I used an Ikea one, cut in half with the fancy ends trimmed off. You can make this quilt as large as you want, but this size works perfectly for a child.
Finger press a triangle at the end of one strip, matching the edge like this, and neatly cut along the folded edge.(this gives you a right angle isosceles triangle)
Place the triangle, right side up, long edge along one edge of fabric. Anywhere. Really! Maybe anywhere except close to the middle, now you don't have to worry about it being symmetrical!
Take a strip of a different fabric, and place it on top, matching one side (right sides together), pin and stitch in place, flip open, and press (plenty of pins as fleece stretches)
Repeat, along the opposite edge
And again, and again and again
Trim any excess as you go along (These cuts will be at 45 degrees, and to use them economically some strips can be started at the edge of the quilt rather than at the tip of the chevron)
Continue until the fleece is covered. If it gets bulky in the throat of the machine (to the right of the needle) roll the excess fabric to make it easier
You can now quilt it: perhaps echo quilt some of the chevrons
But if you don't want to, it's no problem. By using the fleece as a foundation piece you have already quilted the layers together
so there wont be any movement, so you can go ahead and bind.
There should be some 5 inch strips left over. I made them into 2.5inch strips - perfect to join into a strip and use for scrappy binding. (If you cut your binding wider or narrower than I do, I suggest you cut your strips at double your binding width)
The quilt police will tell us that is it NOT a quilt as a quilt needs to have three layers, but any child will tell you that this is super soft and cuddly, and the clock will tell you it's really quick
Ooops
Previously I have had a resources allowance for the Adult Education classes, so I have just claimed that and then supplied everything from home. Now I have to submit receipts and claim what I have spent. So that gave me an excellent excuse to go shopping.
So in the first shop . . . picture fabrics, more needles, more pins (where do they all go?) fabric pens and Dalmatian fabric for the classes
And binding for me for the yellow Chunky Chevrons, and for the pink and for the blue Chunky Chevrons
So in the first shop . . . picture fabrics, more needles, more pins (where do they all go?) fabric pens and Dalmatian fabric for the classes
And binding for me for the yellow Chunky Chevrons, and for the pink and for the blue Chunky Chevrons
Double Ooops
After buying up loads in my local independent store, I popped into the chain store we have locally, the one that has things for Hobbies and for Craft.
I got some bits on sale, but the best bit was the entertainment. The sales assistant cut me three lengths of Hungry Caterpillar fabric, and each time he picked up the scissors and put his thumb through the large handle section and his fingers through the small handle section, and each time he complained how bad the shop scissors were. I was biting the insides of my cheeks to stop laughing, so I couldn't even speak to suggest holding the scissors the other way
Great entertainment, not so good staff craft skills or staff recommendation for their own products. Good thing the prices and reductions were good!
Great entertainment, not so good staff craft skills or staff recommendation for their own products. Good thing the prices and reductions were good!
Finally A Finish
I don't feel as if I've finished a quilt for months, but at last the Baby Blue Chunky Chevron quilt has been bound
End of Education
Lisa (DD#1) started pre-school 19 years ago. Since then, with her, or her sister, or both, we've gone through learning alphabets and spellings, homework, 11+ exams, coursework, CGSEs (O'levels in old money, end of compulsory education exams to non UK residents) A'levels (post 16 optional courses), choosing whether to do a degree or not . . . And now in 19 days it will all be over.
Lisa, I am *enormously* proud of you just for sticking at it. (Having done 8 weeks I know I couldn't do three years!)
Not only did you stick at it, you attended every lecture, handed in every essay on time, existed on the student loan, worked to fund a social life, and even managed to put money into your savings account, (and found yourself a nice young man at the same time).
The result - well we will know in the summer. If all goes well it could be good, it could be very good, but for me, that you did it at all is more than enough, the rest is icing on the cake.
I love you Lisa xxxxx
Star Tree Block
I'm slowly catching up with the Start of Africa blocks - this is March's block for Brinda. She wanted trees. With a number of us living in the UK I decided not to go for an English tree. I toyed with the idea of going Norwegian, but then I saw this on the Urban Threads website, and decided this was perfect for an international Bee.
A tree, as requested by Brinda, but have you noticed the foliage clumps? All the continents are represented, and even better, Africa is pretty much the centre - hope Brinda likes it
A tree, as requested by Brinda, but have you noticed the foliage clumps? All the continents are represented, and even better, Africa is pretty much the centre - hope Brinda likes it
One Persons destash . . .
A lovely lady at church, Eileen, is moving and has been off loading her sewing room in my direction. The boot of my car is always full of crates of sewing stuff, but now the back seat is full too! Books, embroidery hoops, fabrics, board and rulers for rotary cutting, plastic template sheets, plastic embroidery sheets, more fabric, dress maker's dummy . . . and amongst other things there are these linen cotton fabrics. Almost certainly upholstery or curtain fabrics . . .
They are great for bags too
The faint suggestion of a horizontal line just above where the smaller stripes finish is a pocket, and I put the same on the inside, for sunnies etc on the outside, and purse, keys, phone on the inside.
Just how many bags does a girl need?
They are great for bags too
The faint suggestion of a horizontal line just above where the smaller stripes finish is a pocket, and I put the same on the inside, for sunnies etc on the outside, and purse, keys, phone on the inside.
Just how many bags does a girl need?
Wondering What This Is For
One of the things I got from Eileen's destash was this very flimsy possibly iron-on fabric, pre printed with squares and triangles, and another sheet just with squares.
I cant work out the squares version at all, but the triangles reminded me of something that Nicky sew and sow mentioned a while ago - Thangles?
So I ironed it onto fabric, and placed that fabric right sides together with another fabric
And stitched along the diagonal lines. I'm not a fan of triangles, but how much of that is due to the flaffing around? Using this method there are no stop start stitching requirements, I stitched across up to 3 squares at a time which is quite satisfying. Can you see the stitches?
Is this better?
Now I'm off to work up the courage to slice between the stitch rows, and the horizontal and vertical solid lines - I hope this works!
I cant work out the squares version at all, but the triangles reminded me of something that Nicky sew and sow mentioned a while ago - Thangles?
So I ironed it onto fabric, and placed that fabric right sides together with another fabric
Is this better?
Now I'm off to work up the courage to slice between the stitch rows, and the horizontal and vertical solid lines - I hope this works!
It worked
So yesterday I played with this iron on stuff, and today, pushed into action by your encouragement, I took a pair of scissors to it
I cut along the solid lines, cutting it into squares
I then cut diagonally along more solid lines
And with a little apprehension, I opened the block
And found a pretty darn perfect HST
Good job I made lots of them
I cut along the solid lines, cutting it into squares
I then cut diagonally along more solid lines
And with a little apprehension, I opened the block
And found a pretty darn perfect HST
Good job I made lots of them
So the next question is: what am I going to do with them?
And the question after that ... what was the stuff called in case I want to make any more?
Friday Finish
Hot on the heels of Blue Chunky Chevron came another finish . . . Pink Chunky Chevron!
Amazing how much sewing you can do in front of junk TV when really you should be doing college work!!!!!
Amazing how much sewing you can do in front of junk TV when really you should be doing college work!!!!!
Well Done Niki
Daughter #2 decided last year not to go to university: the cost was too high compared to her lack of passion to study anything further. Given that she got better A'level results than the rest of us put together it was definitely a choice rather than a lack of choice. 18 months previously she'd started working part time at a new bowling alley, and so she negotiated full time hours with them, albeit on a casual contract.
Since then during the last 12 months, she's gone from party host and receptionist, to bar staff, to shift supervisor, to licensee, to acting duty manager - all on the casual contract. She's bought herself a convertible (from savings) and has found herself a lovely young man. But after yesterday, my friends, I can confirm that my lovely Niki has taken her next step on the ladder, and is now a legitimate, permanent contract, Duty Manager . . . Still 18 and a manager!
Well done Niki, really pleased for you, and really proud of you! Love you xxxx
Since then during the last 12 months, she's gone from party host and receptionist, to bar staff, to shift supervisor, to licensee, to acting duty manager - all on the casual contract. She's bought herself a convertible (from savings) and has found herself a lovely young man. But after yesterday, my friends, I can confirm that my lovely Niki has taken her next step on the ladder, and is now a legitimate, permanent contract, Duty Manager . . . Still 18 and a manager!
Well done Niki, really pleased for you, and really proud of you! Love you xxxx
Huge Hexies
One of my ladies at Chertsey Museum brought this e-nor-mous paper pieced hexi top in to show me.
It measures over 3metres square, and looks to be made in the 1970s. There is a large variety of fabrics including some very, um, *something* crimpline, tweed, silk and some cotton - and the sewing isn't particularly brilliant.
Kay was given it by the daughter of the lady who assembled it, with a "you like sewing don't you" comment - the one we mostly dread.
So Kay doesn't want to use it, but cant bear to throw it away. I thought we could chop it into 6 children sized tops and finish them for Siblings Together, or Project Linus or some other children's charity. Other suggestions included draping it over a rope to make a play tent for the grand children, an enormous picnic blanket, or seeing if the Cath Kidston stores buy patchworks for curtains for their changing rooms.
Anybody else got any ideas?
Kay was given it by the daughter of the lady who assembled it, with a "you like sewing don't you" comment - the one we mostly dread.
So Kay doesn't want to use it, but cant bear to throw it away. I thought we could chop it into 6 children sized tops and finish them for Siblings Together, or Project Linus or some other children's charity. Other suggestions included draping it over a rope to make a play tent for the grand children, an enormous picnic blanket, or seeing if the Cath Kidston stores buy patchworks for curtains for their changing rooms.
Anybody else got any ideas?
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