The one where Chertsey ladies made zippy pouches

I had a break from the 9-5 today and made my way to Chertsey museum - first we had a bit of show and tell - just look at this smocking! (Well done Anne)

And Kay's oven gloves:

Then we had a go at making zippy pouches.  We had some great results and they will be finishing these for homework! 

This evening I spent (ok wasted) a bit of time on Facebook and found a lovely message from a May bride this year:

I know we all know people who don't appreciate made gifts - but clearly some do and that makes it all worth while!

Back to School

Sadly the week's holiday is drawing to an end and I'm back to alarm clocks and 40 hours weeks at schools from tomorrow!

I've finished the embroidery, and I've trimmed and actually quilted the Sweet 16 quilt

I've machine washed (40 degree wash) my Blue Glue Batik and I'm loving the vividness of the colours

Once it dries I'll join the ends and see how it feels as an infinity scarf

Finally I've sorted half a dozen London themed fabrics

A member of a quilting group on Facebook was asking for some i-spy fabrics for a quilt for her children. When she sent me her address I realised she lived in the same small town as the lovely Kathy from Running With Rocket - what a small world - I've now introduced them to each other!

Sweat Shop and Sweet 16

I've been embroidering uniform for a local transport company.  Each item takes 7 minutes to embroider.  There is no point in going off and doing anything around the house as I'll need to be back soon; there is no point in starting anything new, as I'll get distracted and forget to set up the next item . . . so . . .

I dug out all my sweet 16 blocks (some of them shown here)

and started assembling them in strips.  Using my Quicker Than Quilt As You Go method I've got it started yesterday

And have them all assembled today

The embroidery?  Two big Ikea bags filled, another 14 items then I'm done!

Slogging and Sewing

I'm slogging through the pre-school uniforms: 45 down, no idea how many to do, but plenty still in the box!  Also a delivery of four dressing gowns, and two PE kits, and a few school jumpers - not sure I'll have time to go back to work in September!!!

The pre-school embroidery is fairly routine, and I can generally hear a change in the sound if its going to play up, so I've been taking the risk of multitasking

I've made myself a thinner version of this credit card wallet (original instructions here)

The museum added a cover for a Guest Book to their order, so I did the embroidery, and then covered a ring binder

The plan is that they can reuse the ring binder - I can just make them a new cover each time

I made some more sweet 16 blocks - thanks Wren for most of these fabrics!

 

And I spent a bit of time on the computer - I received these lovely photos of Samuel and his I-spy quilt (and mum and dad looking very happy parents!)

Bits and Bobs

I've been off school for a week now, but haven't managed half the sewing I had hoped for!

There have been relatives to collect from one place and take to another, walls to unpaint and then paint (his job, not mine), the shed to de-clutter and tidy, and coursework to be done

Inspired by Pinterest!

 but I have managed to intersperse *some* sewing!

I have finished the Dotty Tumblers

And made some bunting for a friend from her girls' old school uniform

I've done some customer embroidery

And I've made some more Sweet Sixteen blocks: some for me and some for Jackie

I've also made a start on a woven quilt using fruit and veg fabrics I bought, and used half of, at least 4 years ago.  I'm doing pretty much the same thing again, but annoyingly I've run out of black so I cant make the missing blocks

Oh dear - I might have to go fabric shopping!

Seaside and a Swap and a Soporific Subject

The Lighthouse quilt is progressing.  It may not look any different than in previous photos, but its now all attached rather than just laid in place

I used Katy's suggestion, and  stitched the applique down with a machine blanket stitch - it's all lovely and crisp.

I'm now thinking about borders and the possibility of getting this long arm quilted.  I can see in my mind how the rocks and the grass and the sea and the clouds should be quilted, but I know I don't have the skills.

Postie brought me a super squishie this morning - Sue had decided to make some too, and by swapping we all get more variety of fabric - thanks Sue, I'll get yours to the post office early next week

This weekend sees the 800th anniversary of the signing sealing of the Magna Carta - a charter agreed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. (taken from Wiki). 

Legend has it that it was sealed on an island in the Thames, near Runnymede.  Since then the Thames has moved south west, towards Runnymede. . .

. . . and therefore the island must now be part of Wraysbury. . . so claim those in Wraysbury who are interested.  Runnymede has its own claim, and so does Old Windsor and a lot of other local villages.

They all seem to be ignoring the fact that the charter was good for the rich but not so good for us common folk, and the one sealed 800 years ago was so rubbish it was replaced a year later and in 1217 AND 1225 and 1297.  There are probably hundreds of event celebrating this anniversary - in Wraysbury we have had a flower show and are having tea parties, theme village fairs, concerts etc.  Runnymede has a big event which needs this enormous construction

There are flotillas on the Thames, a visit from the Queen, all sorts of riverside gardens being opened to the public, serving cream teas, and at least two fabric related creations.

The Magna Carta Quilters have created a huge collection measuring 30 foot by 7 foot.  I'm sure it is beautifully made, but I have to say I prefer our Wraysbury Wall hanging which is now hanging in St Andrew's Church.  I haven't seen it framed and up myself, but was sent this photo

Hope you have a good weekend!  Apart from the village fair I'm hoping to avoid anything that has the MC words associated with it!

Woven Windup

A few days ago I assembled the woven blocks quilt, and (since this photo) got the binding machined on, so it just needs the second side hand stitching down.  I used a new fleece from Ikea, a lovely marl grey

 I'm really pleased with the effect of it, although some seams didn't match too well

I actually had enough fabric that it could have been a bit bigger, but I'd run out of fleece so it stopped at Ikea's standard size: 51x67", but that left me with fabric, and I'm trying to finish project fabrics.

Having enjoyed making the white Sweet Sixteen blocks I decided to start one with the leftover Woven strips

I joined together quite a few strips, pressed them, and cross cut them

I'll need to arrange them a bit more randomly, as my *actually* random attempt has too many fabrics near their twin.

I shall have to used Avril's planned random method - she calls it Randoku - random, but not repeating in a block, column or row!

Sweet Sixteen Scrappy Blocks

I may have got a bit carried away making these sweet 16 scrappy blocks:

I made five pairs . . .

 Than another five . . .

And I have some single blocks plus lots of strips left over

Don't they look fab together!

Ive made 30 odd so far and have plenty of scraps left, and Jackie is making some too,  and Sue is sending some over to be swapped with duplicates, so by the time Jackie comes over in early July we'll have enough between us to make a top each

Sweet Sixteen Scrappy Swap (and Stupidity)

Jackie had a really good idea - we should do scrappy blocks, but make two of each and swap the spares.

We discussed various blocks, and finally decided on a 16 patch where alternates were white ish, and the others are using up whatever we've got - it would be fun to see if we can have each patterned square as a unique fabric.

Jackie started yesterday with this one

and I had a play this afternoon (rubbish day at work so I needed therapy!)

I rooted through my far-too-full strips box

And paired a whole load of strips with fabric that was white or certainly low volume

And joined them together and cut them up and rejoined them:

So a 16 patch needs to be 4 x 4 yes? And I need to think double to make one for Jackie too?

Well in my mind that was a lot of doubling. It was only after I'd joined each one to white and pressed them that I realised I had enough not for TWO sweet 16 blocks, but FOUR!

Anyone else want to make and swap some sweet 16 blocks????

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