2018 WK 50 - too busy to blog

Life has been a bit hectic recently - I've got a new job starting 2nd January so I have been making sure everything at my current job is up to date to be handed over . . . and I've been teaching and making gifts!

These were some of the Christmas Decorations created at a recent Family Learning class

As well as me leaving, my poor boss is losing his other admin receptionist as she's going on maternity leave.  I made a Mickey Mouse quilt and taggie for the baby

 I taught Suffolk Puff Christmas Trees at Chertsey Museum

And ran a stall at the neighbouring village's Christmas Fayre talking to people about Stitch (our Days For Girls washable menstruation kits)

One of the group had been busy making stuff to sell to put towards more fabrics and an overlocker - I got this fab fella

Richmond and Kew had it's Christmas do: We do a secret Santa and I got this lovely little pouch with an easy thread needle

I also did a little side swap with Cheryl - she makes these fab free range sewing kit bags

And was making me one, so I made her a zippy pouch

2018 Wk 44 - Teaching Families

I taught a family learning class today - each child using a pair of jeans as a starting point and seeing how they could recycle them into something else.- I really don't know why I make up samples as the kids are SO much better at coming up with ideas!

I suggested an apron, slippers, small shoulder bag or a drawstring bag

Bu no - we had a 10 year old making a summer top using pink jeans as side panels

Another one making a teddy bear

And a fab glove puppet

Along with monsters

Aprons

and shoulder bags with attitude

I thought that would be the end of my jeans stash . . . but clearly not!

And now home to a pile of Football hoodies to be embroidered

and a bigger pile of school sweatshirts - I might be finished by Christmas!

However, 'Im Indoors has finally pulled his finger out, and has hung a bar for a headrest quilt

and hooks for a pole for a wall quilt - just as soon as I find a pole I'll be putting My Small World up

A little bit of this and a litle bit of that

Being back at work means much less sewing time, but a few number of projects have benefited from half an hour or so sewing time this week:

I played with some ideas for two piece cuddly toys for a kids' class next weekend

 

And I made an I-spy quilt for our next-door neighbours who have just become grandparents for the first time, and I designed an in-the-hoop baby taggie for him too.

His was really a trial version, and here it is with two others which will be samples at next week's village craft fair.  Lets hope some people order them!

 

Books and Bunnies

Last Thursday I taught an adult education workshop in the evening.  I wasn't sure how many would come as it was enrolment on the night and the local authority hadn't advertised it much.

I put it on the Windsor Parents facebook page, and the Hive office (Military and Community information) put it on their facebook page . . .  and we had 11 ladies wanting to come!!!!!

They all worked hard

 and we had nine fab book covers finished by the end of the evening!

Well done ladies

And I've been making Easter Bunnies again!  This is another recommendation from the lovely Plum (the notebook are her instructions too).  The bunnies originated from Urban Threads - they are called Giving Bunnies, and you can read about they and the random acts of kindness they support here.

These are being made for the assorted great nephews and nieces as Easter pressies - the first batch are ready:

And I'd like to make some more to leave for children to find over Easter

Sample Sewing

I'm teaching an Adult Education workshop on Thursday, and am hoping that it will lead to a few more, so I thought I'd bring some samples to see what else the ladies might be interested in making.

I found a gathered round basket on Pinterest, and thought it might be popular.  The link took me to A Spoonful of Sugar, and her very comprehensive instructions led me to make this

Reversible too:

I think that should go down quite well!