2017 Wk 21 - Mostly Weaving

It was Niki's birthday in the week, and she wanted a tortoise for her birthday: we talked her out of it, but Lisa decided she could have a tortoise of sorts . . . and crocheted this little chap

You can even take his shell off if you want to as its attached to his waist coat!!!

I've taken my first weaving off the loom (no, I have no idea what to do with it)

And Lisa gave me her left over wool for the next threading of the loom!  I threaded a patterned warp

And started to weft with the same pattern (until these last few rows went wrong - I can tell you that unweaving is as much fun as unsewing!)

Anyway - an hour or so later I've achieved this

Ad to be fair I dont know what I'll do with this either, but its fun to make . .  I wonder if you can make zippy pouches out of weaving?

2017 Wk 21 - Mostly Embroidery

The embroidery machine has been earning its keep today. The handyman needed two more sweatshirts, and had shown the first ones to a couple of friends . . . Could I also please . . . for two friends

I'm actually not very pleased with these, so I'll do some tweaks tomorrow
Next weekend I'm away with friends (friends from my first job - 14 years at a bank) and one of them has asked for some more luggage tags:

In between hooping and trimming the embroideries I've been using some ultra bright. Next month I'm going away with another group of friends, from another job - we all worked at the village school together, and 14 of our children were all within 4 years of each other. We've been going away together every year for I think15 years! This year it's a summer trip, and we all like cold water, so I've made insulated bottle holders for us all

Pre-assembly

And post-assembly

I made bags for one trip with this group, and have made patches for each trip to sew onto the bags. I'm a bit behind, so as well as Gibraltar patches (2015) I've made the Kraków badges for 2016. I couldn't decide whether to do the dogs or dogs on patches, so in the end I made both and they can choose!

And hopefully another sewing day tomorrow! For those of you in the UK I hope you enjoy the long weekend

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2017 Wk 20 - No More New Crafts, no more new crafts - ooooh look, a new craft

I really wasn't going to try any thing new, really I wasn't, but then Lynne messaged that her school was throwing out ... did I want ... and now I seem to have a loom!
Really, I have no idea how it happened!
But isn't she beautiful!

I've threaded her (twice - the fluffy wool didn't work well!)

and woven and woven . . .

14 inches so far

Already I'm looking to see what gadgets I can add! Oh dear!

AND I didn't show you my little tray made at a mini class with Plum

And here are some of the others - thanks Plum

and I made myself a new crochet hook holder

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2017 Wk 20 - more than I thought

I didn't think I had much to show, but a few projects have been finished, so maybe I do!
From the felting class a few weeks ago . . . Made into (of course) a zippy pouch (blinking zip went a bit wonky though)

And I made another version of the tunic

Have you had your DNA done through Ancestry DNA? I got the kits for the fires and Brian for Christmas. The girls got 50% Scandinavian (Lisa) and 30% (Niki). And Brian got an unexpected 28%! So they decided to get me one for Mothering Sunday, and the results arrived. I expected 100% Scandinavian, but I'm actually only 68%: family history does not suggest these results, but I'm delighted with the 6% Irish!!!!

Back to creating - I wanted to make the möbius wrap from Pinterest. I learned how to make this holey crochet, but the instructions said to cast on 64 chains, that was much too small - this is 164 chains!!! (I know I'm big, but I'm not THAT Big!!!!!). Anyway, I thought I had finished it, but wanted help from the crafty churchers

Lynne took these pics for me (not as bad as usual!)

And also showed me how to finish it off

Tomorrow I'll show you what else Lynne is responsible for!

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2017 Wk 19 - Mostly Quilting

I've finally finished the 115 tshirts for the preschool (just need to do the best bit - raise the invoice!) -

I've been working upon the Boyfriends Brights quilt in snatched five minutes and rewarded myself for finishing the embroidery by quilting it:

I used a variegated thread that looks really dull on the spool, but lovely rich colours on the fabrics

And now the weekend is nearly over :-(.

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2017 Wk 19 - Mostly Random!

A very dear friend of mine is training to be a Methodist Minister. He is training at The Queen's Foundation in Birmingham. He has asked me to look at doing a machine embroidery of the Cross at the Foundation
I sent him this embroidery . . .

. . . based on this photo - it needs a bit of work, but I'm pleased with it - and so is he!

I have finished and framed my Wendy Dolan landscape picture, and managed to lose the bit when the green grass bled into the sky!

I had a plan with some cone thingies from jewellery making, combined with a pack of dangly whatsits (I've got all the words today!) bought when mobile phones had a cut out to add a strap or dangly charm, and some Tibetan silver charms and hair scrunchies

You may be asking yourself "what in earth???" (And you would be justified) but there is a point ...(pardon the pun)
To protect your pocket or sewing pouch, or to protect the points of the scissors!
And last but not least ... my lovely Chertsey museum ladies spend last Friday afternoon making felt pictures - combining felt sheets and roving and sewing to make the most amazing pics (some seen here with their inspiration)

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