2023 August

 Well this is another month where I have been astonished by the number of photos I have to show you!

I have been painting flat wooden beads to match two colourful dresses

There was a great variety of show and tell at Chertsey as the ladies brought in projects they had finished

I finished two EPP (hexies and pentagons) balls

These are made in two halves: 10 hexies and 6 pentagons in each half, sewn together like this

I then experimented with other alternatives: One central hexi surrounded by pantagons (x2) makes a flattened ball

but a pentagon surrounded by pentagons (x2) makes a very satisfying little ball (I think these were 1/2 inch sides)

that with the help of a wooden base and a hot glue gun becomes a sweet little pin cushion

I managed to get to Jackie's for a few days.  We had a go at making pouches with an internal pocket, 

but I think I must have not been concentrating as I was handing her stuff to sew that had been assembled incorrectly so some handles were on the inside

We also mode some bags that would hold projects but I maganed to pin the zipwrong on one of them too😱

These two vinyl zippy pouches weren't too bad

I'm making a quilt for a friend from her B-i-L's shirts.  I don't have space to spread the blocks out at home so take advantage for the village hall. All laid out

and the rows all stitched.

My Tula Pink EPP just about fits on the sitting room floor, but not much longer!  I've got some purple to go in the triangles

And I have been working on a smaller EPP travel project.  I've been making the flowers on and off this year and have now decided it's going to be a flower garden (my first).  I found some 'grass' fabric and have started  preparing grass hexies to be added to the flowers

Once they all have the grass I can lay them out and speed date them

Still on the subject of Hexies - I received the August swap flowers, and got mine posted just before the end of the month

2019 Wk 10 & 11 - a bit of a catch up

Just a quick whiz through some photos from the last two weeks, then we'll see what I've been up to!

I've been stitching patches for people who join the Windsor Homeless project sleep out in a few weeks time - and stitched the design straight onto a sweatshirt for myself and other colleagues who are doing the Sleep Out (if you are able to sponsor us the link is https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/bentahickley2019
Many thanks to those who already have!

The pile of EPP plus blocks is growing (another 27 to go!)

And the girls at Crafty Church wanted to make reversible tote bags  . . . so they did - not bad for 10 and 8 year olds!!!

 And I made myself a linen dress!  I love the colour - just need some warm weather to wear it now

Pocket and hem trim in this beautiful print.

Richmond and Kew saw a couple of charity quilts being made.  These blocks were made with some fabric from a FQ bundle and other fabrics added - everyone made a block - some great variations!

 And these are string blocks made using flip and stitch onto a square from an A4 sheet (so paper foundation).  Lovely cheerful blocks

And finally my friend Linda finished a quilt made from blocks we cut from her late Dad's shirts - it's brilliant, well done Linda!

2018 Wk 41 Finishes

I have been frantically finishing the quilts on the rail of shame as they will be on show in two week's time at the Richmond and Kew quilters exhibition

Finished but need sleeves:

Also being finished is a quilt both Jackie and I have worked on - it's being finished in Ireland ready for the show . . .  My Small World.  I am SO looking forward to seeing it in real life!

I got this pack of lush fabrics from Lisa's Jim for my birthday - he's a good boy!!!

On Saturday I attended a wet felting class at Chertsey Museum - and made this poppy

And on Sunday my oldest friend (should I rephrase that?  The friend I have known for the longest time) came over with a suitcase of her late dad's shirts.  Linda and I have known each other since school age and I knew her mum and dad very well - a lovely couple.

Anyway, she and mum have cleared out dad's clothes: most have gone to a homeless shelter, some jumpers have gone to the grandchildren and the rest came to my house.  We turned a lovely jumper into a cushion

And are in the process of turning the first 1/4 of the shirts into a patchwork for mum (and will gradually work on the rest for Linda, her sister and her daughter)

It was an honour to be allowed to be involved and lovely to catch up with what the two families have been up to!