2024 November

I'm working on a great project with Chertsey Museum: they have been collecting memories of Chertsey Hospital, including inviting people to decorate a square of fabric ready to be made into a wall hanging:  the squares are all still mounted on backing paper at the moment but they are looking great!

We had a lovely Willow Weaving session at the hall:

Lizzy made some quilt labels for a customer:

and I did some trial embroidery on a boot (I think I see more of this happening!)

Lisa and I are making a patchwork for Niki and George: mostly bee themed fabrics as Grandma Eileen donated the fabrics (she keeps bees) so we thought we'd make a new home quilt for when they (hopefully) move in the spring.  Difficult to see yet but it will say New Hive!

All the fabric has been cut so it will be as big as it will be!

Meanwhile Lizzie has been busy - Gingers in the uniform of the local senior girls school for their PTFA

Gingers holding Christingles for the volunteers who have offered to help make the Christingles just before Christmas Eve

And gingers holding traditional Norwegian Christmas hearts for friends and customers

And finally a very belated house warming for Lisa and Jim (Google maps don't show quite the same angle, and the roof over the front door has now been painted!!)

2024 October

Hi

I rather feel that someone has stolen a couple of months - I don't believe it can actually be November already!  

Not much to show for the month of October, but here's a few pics:

Kawandi projects at Chertsey Museum

Finished papoose pouches

I bought the centre wool in Texas, but ran out before it reached a reasonable length.  I thought I found the same wool on ETSY but clearly not 😕.  I've fallen out of love with it but at least it's finsihed!

Another finished was two Grandmother's flower garden quilts for this lovely lady's new great grandchildren.  She started the quilts in the 1970s and gave me the flimsey about a year ago and I reduced it to 2 cot sized quilts and quilted and bound them and gave them back - she was delighted!

And I was delighted . . . I love this enamel jug but the ice would all fall out in the first pour.  My lovely repair cafe man, Peter 3D printed an ice stopper insert from squishy plastic so now the ice remains in the jug.  Roll on next summer

I held a class at Windsor Baptist church making willow weaving stars  - aimed at children the adults had great fun too!

I just wanted to share this Lego envy: Jackie's daughter S has sorted by colour and it's a dream to find the right pieces!

I asked my cousin in Norway if she would knit me a traditional cardigan, and oh boy has she delivered!  I love, love LOVE this, and even a hat from the left over wool!

Well that's it for October: although I've managed to scrabble together a month's furtle* it doesn't show much that I've made . . . hopefully I'll do better next time

("Furtle" is a word that means to rummage around or search through something, often in the hope of finding something overlooked.)

2024 September

 Hello again, I hope you are well

At Chertsey we made papoose pouches: I called them this as they made me think of a papoose for a Native American baby.  These are based on a design I saw on Facebook but it bugged me that it wasn't symmetrical so I redrafted it.  If you want the instruction PDF click here

My crochet project has been restarted a number of times, but I'm finally really pleased with the result, except I don't have enough wool!  Mr Amazon has been dispatched to get me some more, but for now I have to wait 

However the red to go with this bright rainbow yarn has arrived so I have started this.  However I doubt my ability to maintain the slight offsetedness each line so this needs to be frogged and restarted!

I haven't done much making myself, but friends and I made willow stars and lavender pouches

and generally had a great time on a girly weekend away (we worked out we've known each other for over 35 years!)

Back to the papoose pouches: I gave Plum the instructions on Monday and by Tuesday she's made this!

Hopefully more making next month!

2024 July

Welcome to my July in photos: also known as The Wedding Month

I didn't have much to make for Niki's wedding, so I could make fun things.  I made 50m of white bunting (that I never got a photo of!)

I made sashes for the bridesmaids as they weren't wearing traditional bridesmaid dresses

So I could make Gingers for them too!!!!

I made sashes for the Bride and Groom . . . 

. . .  for the same reason

"Most" of them wore their sashes 😂

I made a Guest Book by sectioning cotton lawn into 7" squares and providing fabric pens

  

And I finished the binding while watching Dirty Dancing - a perfect combo!

I think most people signed it

Chertsey Museum saw us making felt cottage pin cushions, and Peter Rabbit came in for Show and Tell from last month

    

A few photos from the wedding: I resisted the temptation to show you ALL of them!

The following week I booked myself in for a few classes at Gerrard's Cross Summer School - I can thoroughly recommend it if you are local.  I did needle felting . . .

. . . Silver Clay jewellery . . .

. . . and then willow weaving (prizes will be offered for anyone who can correctly guess what the middle one is!)

The Coffee Morning / Stitch and Crafty Church regulars decorated the hall for the borough's Gardens in Bloom

And then at the end of the month I had a playdate with our youngest Great Niece: in 24 hours we did (deep breath) lots of needle felting, kit sewing, colouring, bag making, weaving, waffle making, embroidery design on the computer and stitching a cat in a box (which was too shy to have a pic taken!)

 

 

 

 

I was exhausted but looking forward to her coming again!!!