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!

2021 Week 37

I seem to be in a Necklace State of Mind!  

Carrying on from the shwe shwe necklace I made a few weeks ago there was rope left over so  . . . I made another

And there was some more left over, and I saw the box of embroidery threads, and I wondered if that would work (and it did!)  There is more rope left over - what next???

(to join the two ends I butted them together, and stitched long stitches about an inch from each raw end so they wouldn't separate and then wrapped the final fabric on yarn over the join)

I have been lucky to have some really great managers / bosses in my working life.  Having sadly lost one a few months ago it seems like a double blessing that another has welcomed a baby into his world!  James and Tanya, congratulations on the safe arrival of Lila

I haven't done much other making in the last few weeks but I have been tidying the sewing room, and I spent a whole afternoon working in the shed: I have got rid of loads of magazines and lesson plans, 5 big bags of donated fabric that I cant see I will ever use and have even labeled some of my boxes.  I clearly hadn't improved my photography skills but these two sections of the shed are much improved (just another dozen or so to go!)

2021 Week 35

 This has felt like a 'normal week - largely because Chertsey Museum was back for the first time in 18 months!!!  Woohoo!!!!

Limited numbers and only 2 to a table, but we were back . . .  and with three new ladies!

We were doing something based on what Jo Avery calls Modern Crewel (check out her book due out in November, no affiliation, just a big fan!).  I described it as colouring with thread!  My samples were the feather and this tote bag

A number of ladies started on the feathers (but I forgot to take photos!).  I also brought some funky fabric and some ladies did some colouring in modern crewel on this too.  There was a LOT of talking, so they've all gone home with their fabric, hoops and thread to bring something for show and tell next month!

I took myself out of my comfort zone and did some different colouring in - watercolours this time.  Inspired by 'the other Tara' I found Iris's box of watercolour pencils and painting this giraffe that she had helped me draw at Crafty Church in August

A friend's grand son starts 'big' school next week and she was feeling daunted by all the labels she's offered to sew on so I did them

He's a little dot but with a long name so I had to sew a lot of them on folded or he never would get his head through the neck hole!

I also made him a Ginger wearing the same school uniform!

A few posts ago (week 32) I showed you some fabric that the awesome Sharon got me in South Africa a few years ago.  The fabric is called Shwe shwe and it feel like a slightly waxed cotton.  I made myself a cross body bag (not actually finished yet - doh)

and with the strips I cut off to straighten the fabric, and a packet of sash rope (which did not work for the rope baskets but I've kept for the last half dozen years just in case!!!) I have made myself  matching necklace

There was also a  need for more Gingers!  I have been doing gingers based on my own take on Craftivism: they have been based on national days (blood donation, smear awareness, drowning prevention, chess, Samaritans etc): the latest ones have been for Teaching Assistant Day

And beach / world clean up day

And I'm all prepared for National Talk Like A Pirate Day!!!

And this chap is for a local pub

I have started sewing together some hexi flowers from a swap group ( flimsy pic to follow)

And Lisa's b/f Jim wanted cactuses (cacti?) for his birthday so I got him some seeds, a potted cactus, and (of course) a Ginger holding a cactus.

I didn't know he was going to repot the one I bought - I'd have bought one with fewer prickles if I'd known!  Here's the full WhatsApp post from Lisa

2021 Week 32

Hello lovely people in Blogland!  I seem to have quite a few finishes and WIPs for you today (you might even thinkthe to-be-done pile has shrunk but you would be wrong!!)

I was persuaded to the a scorpion Ginger for a bug train in the village!!!

I finished a crewel type feather embroidery (the outline was deigned on the PC and Lizzie embroidered it for me, so I js coloured in the sections with thread!!!)

I have opted in on a hexie flower swap for have July flowers coming in

And August flowers going out (a lack of fabric meant I didn't make myself a green flower)

Friends and I have been playing with resin

These embroideries were gifted to my friend Dalwyn when he was first ordained.  He sadly passed away recently - his partner Pete sent me this lovely photo from Dalwyn's study

I've tried not to refer to COVID on the blog, but I saw this and loved it - Tara will you now finally comment on the blog?????

The very kind and generous Sharon managed to travel from Dubai to UK - and came bearing gifts!!!

These amazing fabrics are from South Africa - they need the *perfect* project so I'm pinning idea here https://www.pinterest.co.uk/slikstitches/shwe-shwe-inspiration/ - do let me know if you have any ideas, they are stiffer than patchwork fabric, almost waxed

She also brought other goodies ...

And she didn't even know that I had lusted after Tara D's light box - and now I have my own!!!!

I have been very spoiled!!!

This hexie quilt is growing - slightly unusual dimensions as it's a hug rather than a bed quilt

And I grabbed this pic from Instagram - one of the tissue pouches I made for a wedding

 Hope you have managed to craft too!