2021 Week 43

I had an Ikea blanket that I turned into a sort of shawl ( bolded in half to make shoulders and cut up the front so I could throw one front panel over my shoulder).  It was a place that I could sew on the badges I make for each trip I go away with girlfriends.  Well, I used it in Swanage and it didn't work.  The throw-over-the-shoulder but kept falling down so the shawl wasn't held in place.

I have attached a load of buttons so the front looks buttoned (it's stitched closed) 

And now it works much better (even though my phone camera is rubbish!)

I have designed and stitched this year's badge - Swanage is on the Jurassic Coast hence the ammonite, and the seagull is for the one that tried to nick our fish and chips on the harbour wall!!!

I finished my shwe shwe bag

And went on a painting class with the very talented Plum !  Very out of our comfort zone but a lovely evening!

I made a few Halloween Gingers

And made a second rope bowl from off cuts from a bridesmaid dress!  Both brides (and their mums) usually come here on Christmas Eve for waffles before the Christingle service.  No Christingle service this year but hopefully they will still come for waffles and can have their gifts - and if I get organised they will be filled with resin mementoes of their wedding flowers

Last year I started the Ginger journey by making a bin man and then a few NHS staff and a Tescos delivery Ginger and a postie Ginger . . .  they expanded to about 50.  These were auctioned off and the the neighbouring parish council asked for a full set - they have now been mounted and are on the wall in the new community building!

My lovely boss-come-friend, Dalwyn's passing left a big hole in many people's lives, including that of his partner's niece.  I was asked if I could turn his Christmas jumper into a big cushion for her . . . I hope she likes it!

2020 Wk 40 - One thing at a time???

 I really should work on one thing at a time . . .  but that's no challenge!!!

I've got a delivery of 80 sweatshirts due next week to embroider for my friend's pre-school so anything 'fun' that needs embroidering needs to be done now . . .

The Halloween quilt has been finished and delivered to a very happy aunty

There was febric left over, so now I've got a few Happy Halloween banners / flags on the go: so far I've forgotten to trim the ginger off the bottom half of one before adding the lettering, forgotten to change to orange thread for the pumpkin, put the black and the orange felt in the wrong place so there are missing bits, and run out of glow in the dark thread (the one I bought last week!) - that's going well LOL

Because they aren't stressful enough I'm also making a baby quilt from a hoard of fab brights (which only had 40 in the back not the 42 promised so I've added from stash)

And I ordered some Alison Glass sun prints fabric and spent ages auditioning them before I stitched them all together . . . wrong!  I have unpicked and re-sewn the dodgy blocks 

And I am now cutting them up to make a square dance / Lil twister quilt (like these) but forgot that I should add the border first (doh!) so am trying to that at the same time AND cope with questionable spatial awareness!

(just whisper it, but so far so good!)

Anyway, on the positive front, this insipid Trip Around the World (honest) is finished and in the Linus Quilt pile

The EPP triangles flimsy is growing

Lisa and Jim finally moved into their house (this was the stuff we couldn't find room for elsewhere!  I think this will be my favourite room when it's all cleared)

The Plus Quilt is also finished.  As it's hand pieced it's probably a bit fragile for a Linus Quilt, so it's waiting for a good home

I finally finished some little bowls that Jackie and I started years ago - they were possibly meant to have zipped tops but finished was better than perfect so no zip

And finally I've changed my Google profile picture . . . this sticker came with a McDonald's Happy Meal, and the whole family said it looks like me!!!!

2020 Week 39 - Gingers Galore

 Halloween is approaching!  The friend who organised the "We're all in this together" Facebook events in the two villages (that fueled the Gingers sensation) is now planning a Pumpkin Trail.  It's obviously not safe for the kids to be accepting sweets from residents who may be inadvertently passing on the virus so we are at least hoping to give them all a number of displays to visit.

Of course this means Pumpkin and Halloween Gingers!!!

About the same time I was commissioned to make a Halloween quilt, so I might have made some more Gingers but as applique rather than hanging ones

What you cant see is that for the spider's eyes and around the letters in the name I have used glow in the dark thread!!!  I couldn't do more as this was the last few foot of precious glow thread that I've had for ages, but it was such fun to use I've given in and bought other spool

The quilt is looking good, just need to finish the binding.

But it's not the only one!  There are three waiting to be done!

Continuing the ginger theme . . .  yesterday was my birthday - I got two hand drawn Ginger cards from little fans in the village, and 5 Ginger Birthday themed images and GIFs from friends on Facebook!!!

I've clearly got myself a reputation!!!

Other birthday pressies included a painting by numbers kit (and a promise of a painting session with the girls one afternoon as they have one each too), a note book with a hand made hexie themed cover from Plum, a rock with an ammonite fossil in it (found and gifted by paleontologist God Daughter) and a beautiful carved wooden candle stick from a 'pre-loved' furniture barn near Lisa's new house

And a gorgeous bunch of flowers from Jackie!