2023 March

I think back on the bloggers I used to follow, and many have stopped blogging: I guess some have gone to Instagram, or Tiktok or whatever else is 'hip' these days but I am in my comfort zone here and find this is a great place to be able to find photos of things I have made if I want to show someone an example of a technique or something I have made.

So here is March's roundup even if it's just for me and maybe a few lovely followers!

Chertsey Museum class made Japanese Rice bags, but I forgot to take photos until nearly everyone had left, so we just have one pic for evidence!

I got a thank you card from a little munchkin who received this quilt

And I am making for for this little munchkin who arrived a month early so I wasn't ready! (yes that's my daughter cuddling her, but not it's not her baby :-(

But this *is* part of her crochet: she is making two, one of for this baby and one is for another one due in April

I managed to get the Chertsey Meads wall hanging commission finished, and it is now up in the Museum (although this pic is from our Centre Parcs villa where I finally finished it!)

My lovely S-i-L got me some Tula Pink Parisville fabric: I stroked and loved it for a while then went shopping for some suitable solids . . . watch this space: I have a cunning EPP plan that should showcase the fabrics, fingers crossed

I have been commissioned by the Mayor of Runnymede to make a banner that she can gift to the towns Runnymede is twinned with around the world - this is the first draft and I have been given the approval to make a final version

I was gifted a whole load of kite fabric and didn't really have a plan for it so took it to Crafty Church: we cut loads of red, orange and yellow into triangles and have been making bunting with it

These are Twist and Go pots that I have created for Chertsey Museum for April's lesson - they are big enough to hold a project and thread and twist down to about 1.5" high

Then we went to Texas to see dad and Eileen.  While we were there we went to Eileen's great grandson's 4th Birthday party: he's into bugs!  I couldn't find anything suitable in WalMart but picked up a plain t-shirt and fabric pens. and was able to gift him this buggy t-shirt

Luckily it was a success!

2023 February

 It's been a funny old month - we were finally able to hold M-i-L's funeral, and I've been on and off sick with a 'lurgy', and HRT has finally kicked in: the main side effect is that while I'm no longer overheating my toes feel like blocks of ice!

Any way, I have some photos (as always!)

The Chertsey Museum group had a choice this month - pretty much the same pattern can be used for a small jewellary pouch or a sewing kit /pin cushion

I started a crochet shawl, the colour change is very subtle, but it's starting to show!

I was commissioned bu Chertsey Museum to help with a Go Wild project: depicting the flaura and fauna reored on a site called Chertsey Mead.  I roped in my friend Hayley and she helped design the (originally) 2 part wall hanging

which then became this

I guess I have a moth problem although I have cedar wood coathangers, and have never seen moths in the house, anyway, an evening's darning fixed two jumpers.  Not quite invisable, but at least they won't get any worse!

I have a few pairs of thick knitted socks that I use as slippers, but they wear out.  I have a few pairs that have been darned several times but one pair had been better looked after ... until ...

I thought I'd try something different this time, and got some felted soles and stitched them on: so far so good, and they are even warmer than they used to be!

Hayley and I then went to Chertsey to teach some family learning sessions.  We did explain about suggested sizes, and how while we weren't looking for perfection we were hoping for reasonable colour represention.  Some people really got it, and we had some great creations

A few failed to quite grasp the concept

Anyway, we had so many attend that we have ceated a third wall hanging too.  Now all these flura and fauna are all being sewn on

 

The shawl has finished

and here is being compared to Yve's far more technical crochet shawl.  I made the mistake of upping the order as the wool was on special offer - my shawl took 1 ball - does anyone want another 3???

 

2023 January

What did your January look like?  This is my January in photos!

The Stitch group packed lots of kits for Days For Girls

The Chertsey Museum Fun With Fabric ladies made Japanese knot bags

I was gifted this awesome pig in a blanket

I made badges for the scouts who delivered Christmas cards locally

I have been posting Gingers onto facebook - they are based on the National Calendar - this was for the 3rd Monday in January, known as Blue Monday, and the penguin was for Internation Penguin Day - who knew!!!

I also made a pregnant Ginger each for two of Niki's friends who are expecting,

An a couple of dozen 'naked' gingers for the Richmond and Kew Quilters ladies: I'm doing a talk about the gingers at the next meeting, then they all get to take one home and have a go at 'dressing' it

I dont think I showed you my lovely Christmas pressie from Plum:

Which came in its own sleeping bag (actually a FabWrap!)

Nor did I share the fab slippers Lisa crocheted for me: 

I went on a course with Stacey (ooops, have forgotton her surname), who had us FMQing designs to be put together as a tribute to the Queen

The lovely Debbie made me Buddy all ready for next Christmas, thank you Deb

And my awesome sister-in-law got me a whole stack of Tula Pink fabrics that are just at the stroking and loving stage, not the cutting stage!  Thank you Lisa

And talking of s-i-l: we actually got the whole gang together in the middle of January - my brother and his family from Australia, all 6 of us, and mum.  I hadn't seen him or his family since 2011, and Niki had never met her cousins so it was a great treat to spend time with them

Talking of cousins, this is Brian's cousin's granddaughter on her I-Spy quilt - isn't she a cutie!

Our Community Coffee Morning celebrated its first birthday at the end of January, and seems to be transforming into a Knit and Natter group too!  I think there were 6 of us knitting or crocheting and enjoying this a-maze-ing cake!

This is my project: it is actually changing colour but it's a very subtle change

Hope you had a good January and wish you all the very best for February!