Lovely Ladies

Wow!  There are some lovely ladies out there in the fabriccy regions of blogland!  I got two surprises in the post in the last few days, and I am not only delighted with the contents, but touched and chuffed that the senders thought of me!

From America came a load of Hexies found at a yard sale by the lovely Kathy (http://runningwithrocket.blogspot.com) who thought I'd enjoy using them ... Yes Kathy, I will, thank you so much

And then, postie came again, this time with a package from the gorgeous Amo  (http://viewfromourhill.blogspot.com) - she'd been sent a magazine but didn't think she'd use it so sent it on to me - thank you, Amo, some great projects there and perfect for classes!

Did you notice the cards that came with both packages?  Kathy lives in the edge of an airport - and has a plane in a hanger at the end of her garden (how awesome is that?). And Amo? Look at her blog to see some of the astonishing things she's made, and then look again at the photo above to see the kingfisher she painted!!!! Yep, the card is a print of her own artwork!

Oh I am luck to have such fab friends, especially given that I've never met either in real life!

Blitzing the Binding

I had a whole load of quilts needing binding: I bought the bindi g last weekend (and went back in the week to buy the rest after my previous miscalculation!)
So this weekend I have added binding and more binding and more binding:
One shirt quilt

Another shirt quilt

The rainbow 'floating squares' (LJ 7R) quilt

A boy's ISpy quilt for a friend

And another boy's ISpy quilt for the same friend

A "just in case" ISpy bricks quilt

And an enormous Lone Star quilt

That'll keep me busy for a while!

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2015 January (middle)

 

Update on Lisa

Lisa's been gone now for over 2 weeks: Sydney first and now she's on her way to Melbourne with friends - a long drive but they are taking it slowly: sleeping in the cars

I thought I'd share a few of her pics and messages:

 Doesn't it look and sound glorious

 But I wasn't quite so impressed when this message arrived a few hours later

And it's some consolation to know the weather isn't *always* perfect!

Still, it sounds as if she's having a great time - and doesn't miss us half as much as we miss her (if at all) . . . but I suppose it's meant to be that way eh?

What's a Girl to Do?

I had a bit of a "bleugh" afternoon yesterday, and left a friend's feeling a bit down, so I needed cheering up.

 

Can you guess what I chose?

 

I needed something very cheerful - and preferably calorie free!

 

I bought these three:

I pondered for a while, then used one of them with some stash Kona solid to make this:

 

Her husband still has cancer, and I still feel a bit bleugh, but I made something pretty, so that helps a bit

 

And I have the bright stripy fabric to make something else, probably lined in yellow. :-)

Concluding Consequence

We have reached the final swap in the Richmond and Kew Consequences Round Robin . . . And I can't show you what I'm going to be working on!

 

I've finally received a quilt started by someone that I know, that I adore, and whose work I really love, but who I know checks in and reads my blog, so much as I'd like to show you the (fab!) strips that have been created by the previous ladies, all I can show you is the scrummy fabrics I can work from

 

Hi Plum - you didn't really think I'd spoil the surprise did you? You have to wait until the first week of February, and so will any other visitors to the blog!

Great Gifts

Yippee, Jackie is here for a long weekend - we've been shopping and baking and discussing sewing plans! And sharing (belated) Christmas goodies.

 

My pressies for her . . .

 

And my goodies from her . . .

 

Lucky us eh?

Saturday Shopping (Binding Bought)

There is a possibility that I have plenty of fabric, there are people in this house that suggest I even have too much . . . But I did need some binding fabric for some of the quilts done over the Christmas hols, so Jackie and I felt we had a legitimate excuse to go fabric shopping!

Binding for this quilt

And for this one

And for this one

So I'm now ready to bind :-)

One Thousand Posts

Thanks to all of you who entered my little giveaway: the winner has been randomly thingied and (lucky for one) number 13 came up.

Congratilations Pricilla -  have emailed you - let me have your address so I can send it off.

Ah yes, 'it', the prize? Do you want to know what it is? It's this little sewing case.

It's based on this from Pinterest:

I couldn't find instructions but I reckoned I could work it out: Cut card in heart shape and half heart shape for inside of each section, and for the outside of each section, plus the pocket

 

 Use the card pieces as a guide to cut wadding for outside of each section

 

Use the card again to cut fabric slightly bigger than each piece of card
 

Glue card (to wadding where applicable) to fabric, gathering the curved edges to ease smoothly around the curve.

Start sewing together with whip stitch, shoving lace between the sections as applicable to create the hinges

Heave a sigh of relief that it's finished!

I do hope Pricilla likes it!

Weekend Workshops

OK, maybe not Workshops in the usual use of the word, but last weekend Jackie and I did teach each other stuff, and tried some new-to-both-of-us projects and methods.

I will later add the Pinterest links so you can see the inspiration if you're interested, but it's far too complicated to do so when posting from a phone!  Just ask in a comment if there's anything you want to know

We made some zippy vinyl pouches

Jackie's is finished and in use!

We made some felted flowers (wet felting)

We made some bags with internal pockets and faux leather (pleather / leatherette ?) base and handles, (thanks Liz for the encouragement!!)

And two folding notions easels from a Craftsy pattern

At least as good as a workshop eh?

Projects in Progress

I'm working on Plum's round robin, but can't show you as she visits here regularly, so instead here is pixelated proof that I'm doing *something* with her fabrics:

That's all folks!

As for other projects - if you can work out what needs doing here, you're a better detective than me!

Actually what clearly needs doing here is a LOT of tidying up!  So that's a plan for tomorrow!  

Good night x

2015 January (first part)

 

Piet Mondriaan Mission

Have you heard of Piet Mondriaan? I didn't think I had, but my recent Richmond and Kew Consequences Quilt challenge had me looking him up for inspiration.

I didn't know the name, but I certainly knew the images:

The request was for solid fabrics in geometric blocks: a wider scope than the traditional rectangles, and a bigger variety of colours: I went for paper pieced (EPP) hexies, whilst sticking to the traditional colours

However . . .

For all the other Consequences Quilts I have also completed a machine embroidered block, and I decided to keep the tradition going, and designed and stitched this very traditional one too

And all the contributed blocks so far:

Doesn't it look fab!

Happy New Year to you all :-)

Work (and other 4 letter words)

I know plenty of people didn't get two weeks off over Christmas and New Year, and I know I'll (mostly) enjoy work when I get back, but . . .  really, do I have to go back tomorrow?

I've had a lovely sewing time!  As well as the stuff I showed on 27th, 28th and 29th December . . .

 I also have these three iSpy quilts now ready to bind and finish for a customer:

And I have a  new bag for my travel ironing board (for classes): thanks to the amazing Bag Lady,  Liz for the straps lesson

And I have another iSpy, this time as staggered bricks using the off cuts from the larger squares, which will sit and wait until a baby needs it

And I have this zigzag quilt which has been waiting patiently for ages to be bound:  I was peeved because two deliveries of Kona Cornflower came as two different shades and I didn't realise until too late, but I had to chuck it or complete it, so I choose the 'complete' option!

Nearly 1000 Posts (and a giveaway)

My Blogger page tells me I'm nearly at 1000 posts - Yes One Thousand!

I thought I'd do a little give away to celebrate that I've stuck with this since June 2010 and that at least one person has commented on each and every post!

I've made something - it's useful, a bit old fashioned, small enough to fit in a handbag, and incredibly labour intensive - I wont be making another one!

This is all you get in the way of clues!

Do you want a chance of having it?  With maybe a few extra goodies thrown in your general direction?  No hoops to jump through: just add a comment and I'll randomly select one of you!

I think this post will be #991: I'll draw the winner's name on post #1000 which I guess will be middle of January.  Good luck everyone

(If you are a no-reply blogger please make sure I can get hold of you)

Christmas Post (and giveaway reminder)

Our local scout group run a Christmas Card delivery service on the Sundays leading up to Christmas.

The scouts, cubs, beavers, guides, Brownies (and any others I've forgotten) design a stamp: one is chosen and printed onto stickers.  You can buy these stickers in some of the local shops, stick them on cards with local addresses, post them in boxes in the same shops, and they get delivered by the kids.

This year the exec (the adult leaders) decided they wanted to award the delivery boys and girls with a badge to go on their uniform . . . tonight was to be the first meeting back after Christmas, could I design and make 30 badges in time?

Luckily the answer was yes!

One was approved . . . and the other 30 created and whisked away for tonight's meeting before I got a chance to photograph them!

 

If you haven't yet entered my 1000 posts giveaway you might like to leave a comment on this post.  (If you are a no-reply blogger make sure I can get hold of you)

Harrow Hexies (and giveaway reminder)

My lovely Mother-in-Law lives in Harrow, about 20 minutes drive away from us.  We usually pop over and see her every other weekend: husband does whatever odd jobs need doing, and my responsibility is to drink coffee and listen!!!

For a long time I've had a hexi and triangles project stashed away by "my" seat at her house.  One was finished 18 months or so ago, and is in daily use

The replacement project is again iSpy fabrics; this time with pale triangles.  It's slow progress, but as I haven't done much other sewing this week I thought I'd show you how far its got

The rough plan is concentric rings of light and of dark fabrics, around the blue owl in the top right corner

As well as having stitched all those pieces together, I have a box of tacked hexies and triangles

With plenty more cut hexies to keep me busy!

And as I've talked written about "The Duchess" (also known as "the package"), here she is: the other Mrs Hickley saying hello to you all

And a final reminder that there is a giveaway : scroll back to last week, or click here to register your interest!

Chertsey Creations

I didn't take any photos of the making we did at Chertsey Museum on Friday as there really wasn't much to see - but Show and Tell in February should be very exciting!

We were working on Proddy Rugs - being taught by one of the students, Ann.  Given that she had made this she was deemed to be well qualified!

It's made from 3.5" strips of fabric, so is about 1.5 inches thick - really lush and tactile

It even looks fab from the back!

So we've all started - lets hope ours look as good!  We've got an old fashioned Dolly Peg - albeit slightly modified - as our proddy

We also made some plans for the next few sessions: February and March will look at Cathedral Window blocks: the real way, and the easy way

April will be a chicken (or patchwork) basket/bowl

May will be a felted fairy (dry or needle felting)

with help from Kaye, and this book

While June will be felted flowers (wet felting)

 

And in July we are going to have a go at painting hessian bags, like this one that Stephanie brought in:

And finally a few more photos - a bit of Show and Tell from Christmassy making: (well done ladies)