2018 Wk 31 Lizzie

I have worn out a couple of embroidery machines - apparently they are designed to be used a couple of times a month, and the 15 million (!) stitches I've done is excessive.  I needed to replace the current one, but it seemed crazy to replace with practically the same machine just to knacker that one too.

The industrial ones as bigger (and more expensive) than I have room or budget for, but with some help from Mummy I have bought a semi industrial machine - currently known as Lizzie.

The problem is that there isn't really room in the sewing room for her.  Husband has been helping find a solution, including finding two lengths of kitchen work surface to work as a work bench.

I took some evolution photos:

A while ago

Wardrobes taken out, Lizzy in a temporary position, and the computer has moved off the workbench onto a desk, one bookcase moved out

Old workbench and bookcases moved out, one kitchen work surface moved in and balanced on a couple of Ikea storage units

Second work surface liberated from a friend's school skip (thank you Barbara!!!)

Once Lizzie gets moved onto the new workbench (definitely a two man job; she weighs a ton!) and the room is tidied it will be perfect!  And just in time for Jackie to come next weekend

2018 Wk 30 - Misc stuff

A few finishes (or nearly finishes)

This machine pieced hand quilted mini sixteener quilt just needs the binding stitched down to the back

This EPP quilt has been finished (and cursed when the red thread ran; I might learn eventually) but I love her anyway)

A few quilts have been hung in Jackie's room ready for next weekend, and the sixteener will join them when she's bound

This I spy quilt has been finished including binding, just waiting for a little person who might want it.

At Stitch we finally assembled our first kits: lots of ladies working

and four of my favourite girls assembling kits

 I received this lovely pic of Amelia Rose on her I spy quilt

And I made this memory box for the girls (thank you Tara for all your help!)

The hearts for the Untangled Thread project need to be with the organisers by the end of July

Tara started our involvement and made this one

I just used pins and beads (and help from daughters) to create mine

And two other friends in the village joined in too -
and WOW!!!

Lindsey embroidered the Welsh Fusiliers crest

And Jane felted poppies in a field

I am reminded of my Grandfather's expression : Those that can, do, those that can't, teach - now we know why I teach crafts!!!!

2018 Wk 29 Happy Holidays

I didn't post while I was on holiday as the iPad doesn't seem to like blogging, and life has been a bit busy since then, so today you get a couple of posts!

The holiday was fab - an apartment owned by friends of ours with a private terrace and a shared private pool - the beach was 400 steps away and bars and restaurants were not much further, so there was a lot of sitting here

Or swimming and sunbathing here

And there may have been a fair amount of food and drink!

But at times it was too hot to sit outside so I worked on this, finishing all the EPP (except one triangle top right - I didn't take quite enough LV fabric

and quilting with the 4 thread I brought, and finishing it with a round of EPP in the backing fabric to maintain the shaped edges

There was also a fair amount of hand quilting these blocks from the Gillian Travis Interchange Applique class

Even some ironing - but only blocks, not clothes!!!!

And I learned that how ever lovely my sharpied beads necklace looks, if I wear it all day when the weather is very hot and I'm sweaty . . .  there is a risk I may look very bruised where the colour has come off!

Then the holiday ended and we sadly had to come home - however, within 24 hours this beauty had come to live with me, so it's not all bad!

2018 Wk 27 Beads, EPP and Inchies

I've been wanted to make a rain necklace out of coloured wooden beads . . .but couldn't find what I wanted, so I bought plain wooden beads and attacked them with sharpie pens.

The colour wash didn't come out quite as I envisaged so once they were stacked by colour on these sticks shoved into corrugated card I did some speed dating and these are the ones that made the grade.

I made three strands and the gave them a bit of a twist, using a stick and circle thingy as a fastener

And I'm rather chuffed with the result!

 I'm coming near to the end of the hexi and triangle EPP that I'm making at M-i-L's . .

just these last 31 triangles to be added then it can be backed and quilted

The templates will be glad to call it a day!  I only go through the template on the first and last stitch so you can see how often these have been used

I was at Chertsey Museum on Friday: a few ladies had finished their patchwork baskets and brought them for show and tell

And Friday's class was inchies: As usual, a huge variety of gorgeous creativeness - Well done ladies