2024 February

Hi, here is this month's summary!

I finished my Christmas wool crochet blanket, I love the colours.  I ended up deconstructing the variegated wool as I wanted 123454321  rather than 1234512345 (if that makes any sense at all!)

I started a new one, from an old unloved one that I frogged, but I have since fallen out of love with this version too, I think it just wasn't destined to be a success 

I bought some new cutlery, with wooden handles.  The packaging said dishwasher safe but after I'd opened the packaging we realised the dishwasher proofing was 50 degrees or below, and ours doesn't go that cold.  We mixed up some resin and dunked the cutlery in the resin then left it to drip dry

There was some resin left over, so I coated some clay "toadstools" and hopefully they'll survive for a while in the garden

Jackie and I made these bags when she was here: I was delighted when I saw the same style in a shop window in Regents Street! Fancy us being trendy!

At Crafty Church I laid out my Paula Doyle blocks - I will get round to stitching them eventually!

At Stitch we had a fab production line packing kits - 53 packed and as soon as we can get them into big enough boxes we can send them off

These were made at February's Fun With Fabric - It was a bit of a challenge to attach the fabric to the plastic frame, but they persevered! 

And that was it for February - see you next month!

2024 January

 Not much to show for the start of the year

I made two panels at a workshop some years ago but I don't have room to hang them and the girls' don't want them.  I am *trying* to declutter so they were going to go but then I needed a bag for crochet, so I joined them and voila! 

We have finally done some work on our village hall:

The stage hasn't been used for years (decades?) so became a dumping ground

so we removed the stage and put up curtains to turn it into storage

and the library units and the (nice) chairs have moved to behind the curtain

Leaving a huge hall for people to use

I'm really delighted with it!

I've been bulk making I-spy quilts for a few months - too boring to have included in many blog posts.  I finally added the binding so I had 8 ready, then checked my lust and found I needed 11😳.

These have been named and mostly distributed and I'm back making the last 3!

Then my body decided I needed a break from work and sewing, well at least my appendix did, it decided we weren't friends any more so I kind of lost a week or two!  All better now!

It was lovely to come home to mini daffs sprouting in the garden: I wasn't sure they were planted deep enough in these colourful pots but they obviously are

I have done some crochet - this is the wool Lisa got me for Christmas - the colours seem very Northern Lights: I love it!

Hope you are keeping well, and I can show a bit more crafting next month!

2023 December

Happy New Year

I started December with some playing with clay with Jane and Hayley.  We used air drying clay and made toadstools

My finished toadstools drying

and then painted

We had a Christmas themed class at Chertsey Museum, making seasonal badges

I made a few samples for a future class - I put out a plea for glass pots and loads of lovely people turned out their kitchen cupboards

My Christmas tree decorations are almost exclusively  hand made by me or friends, or bought on trips - I think I know where or who they all came from

I managed to make a few Gingers with Christmas trees

I had a few requests for Gingers - for a stable where a friend's daughter rides (yes I know their zip is upside down - she wanted them anyway!), and the other daughter's trampoline team

and the cheer-leading squad

I got some lovely crafty Christmas presents - this sewing machine was one of two decorations, plus some wool for crochet, an embroidery project kit, and some fabric as well as a hand made fabric bowl and other bits and pieces

EPP balls were gifted to the very gorgeous Amelia and Freddie who seemed to like them 

I got started on a crochet blanket in this lovely Northern Lights wool

Niki had a clear out of stuff left at ours, and her karate belts from 20 years ago got the heave ho.  I nearly let them go into textile recycling, but then started playing

And then the year ended!  I hope you had a good Christmas, and have a very happy and crafty new year

2023 November

 Hi all

I started November with some of Mum's crafty stuff.  She likes doing long stitch embroidery, using wool, but isn't that bothered about putting the finished pieces on the wall so I changed these into zippy pouches - they came out well!

Then I finally finished this quilt for a friend's S-i-L from her husband's shirts.

I didn't have quite enough of the binding fabric so I thought I'd add 45 degree sections from left over squares

It didn't occur to me until I'd finished that by adding 5 inches I also lost 5 inches so I gained nothing!  I added some more at 90 degrees and it was fine but what a waste of time!

We had started these at Richmond and Kew Quilters: the lovely Plum had made the tiny trees so we could decorate them

I went to Windsor Baptist church to do some weaving with a children's club they run - I took various types of looms 

and a regular volunteer there had made me some loom frames from picture frames and nails

I finished this one at home (tshirt yarn, next time I'm going to try recycled tshirts)

And luckily the quality inspector approved

Stitch, Crafty Church and Coffee Morning ladies made these trees for the Wraysbury Christmas Tree Festival

A friend invited me to a wreath making session - just bring your own circle!  Her parents also live in the village and have a permanent marquee which was used - she had collected loads of pine cones, holly, ivy and other winter greenery

and served mulled wine while we created!  I used the willow obelisk I made in the autumn 

Not much else for November: now I'm panicking about the Christmas making I'd like to do, and where the time is going: I'll be back the other side of the seasonal chaos and in the meantime wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas