2018 Wk 31 Lizzie

I have worn out a couple of embroidery machines - apparently they are designed to be used a couple of times a month, and the 15 million (!) stitches I've done is excessive.  I needed to replace the current one, but it seemed crazy to replace with practically the same machine just to knacker that one too.

The industrial ones as bigger (and more expensive) than I have room or budget for, but with some help from Mummy I have bought a semi industrial machine - currently known as Lizzie.

The problem is that there isn't really room in the sewing room for her.  Husband has been helping find a solution, including finding two lengths of kitchen work surface to work as a work bench.

I took some evolution photos:

A while ago

Wardrobes taken out, Lizzy in a temporary position, and the computer has moved off the workbench onto a desk, one bookcase moved out

Old workbench and bookcases moved out, one kitchen work surface moved in and balanced on a couple of Ikea storage units

Second work surface liberated from a friend's school skip (thank you Barbara!!!)

Once Lizzie gets moved onto the new workbench (definitely a two man job; she weighs a ton!) and the room is tidied it will be perfect!  And just in time for Jackie to come next weekend

2018 Wk 30 - Misc stuff

A few finishes (or nearly finishes)

This machine pieced hand quilted mini sixteener quilt just needs the binding stitched down to the back

This EPP quilt has been finished (and cursed when the red thread ran; I might learn eventually) but I love her anyway)

A few quilts have been hung in Jackie's room ready for next weekend, and the sixteener will join them when she's bound

This I spy quilt has been finished including binding, just waiting for a little person who might want it.

At Stitch we finally assembled our first kits: lots of ladies working

and four of my favourite girls assembling kits

 I received this lovely pic of Amelia Rose on her I spy quilt

And I made this memory box for the girls (thank you Tara for all your help!)

The hearts for the Untangled Thread project need to be with the organisers by the end of July

Tara started our involvement and made this one

I just used pins and beads (and help from daughters) to create mine

And two other friends in the village joined in too -
and WOW!!!

Lindsey embroidered the Welsh Fusiliers crest

And Jane felted poppies in a field

I am reminded of my Grandfather's expression : Those that can, do, those that can't, teach - now we know why I teach crafts!!!!

2018 Wk 29 Happy Holidays

I didn't post while I was on holiday as the iPad doesn't seem to like blogging, and life has been a bit busy since then, so today you get a couple of posts!

The holiday was fab - an apartment owned by friends of ours with a private terrace and a shared private pool - the beach was 400 steps away and bars and restaurants were not much further, so there was a lot of sitting here

Or swimming and sunbathing here

And there may have been a fair amount of food and drink!

But at times it was too hot to sit outside so I worked on this, finishing all the EPP (except one triangle top right - I didn't take quite enough LV fabric

and quilting with the 4 thread I brought, and finishing it with a round of EPP in the backing fabric to maintain the shaped edges

There was also a fair amount of hand quilting these blocks from the Gillian Travis Interchange Applique class

Even some ironing - but only blocks, not clothes!!!!

And I learned that how ever lovely my sharpied beads necklace looks, if I wear it all day when the weather is very hot and I'm sweaty . . .  there is a risk I may look very bruised where the colour has come off!

Then the holiday ended and we sadly had to come home - however, within 24 hours this beauty had come to live with me, so it's not all bad!

2018 Wk 27 Beads, EPP and Inchies

I've been wanted to make a rain necklace out of coloured wooden beads . . .but couldn't find what I wanted, so I bought plain wooden beads and attacked them with sharpie pens.

The colour wash didn't come out quite as I envisaged so once they were stacked by colour on these sticks shoved into corrugated card I did some speed dating and these are the ones that made the grade.

I made three strands and the gave them a bit of a twist, using a stick and circle thingy as a fastener

And I'm rather chuffed with the result!

 I'm coming near to the end of the hexi and triangle EPP that I'm making at M-i-L's . .

just these last 31 triangles to be added then it can be backed and quilted

The templates will be glad to call it a day!  I only go through the template on the first and last stitch so you can see how often these have been used

I was at Chertsey Museum on Friday: a few ladies had finished their patchwork baskets and brought them for show and tell

And Friday's class was inchies: As usual, a huge variety of gorgeous creativeness - Well done ladies

  

2018 Wk 26 - a bit of a catch up

 I've been having problems getting photos from my phone to the computer, so I haven't blogged for a few weeks, but today it worked - so here is a quick catch up

Niki's colleague's colleagues all attacked her chemo quilt with fabric pens- and my concern that it was too white has been blown away - doesn't it look great!

I went to Ireland for a few days this last week.  Officially it was to see Jackie, but (shhhhh) there was another person I was eager to meet - this little beauty, Leah, my honorary granddaughter!  We spent lots of time with her big brothers too - D in the pic and A who was at school - my gosh . . .  boys are exhausting!

We made a few bits for Leah (or possibly her mum!): this changing clutch

 and changing mat (it did get finished before being handed over)

And her I-spy quilt was finished and handed over too (pic to follow).  Jackie had been on a course and made this fab elephant pic for Leah's room

We made ourselves some great project trays too, by coincidence we had instructions for two: different sizes, different designers and different methods but very similar result.  They have Peltex 72F (I think) in them which makes them really firm, and the closure action from tray to storage is really satisfying

A friend decided to join in the Untangled Threads art installation to commemorate WW1 - I am totally in love with her heart - she needle felted these poppies in a field and it's beyond awesome!

And Jackie and I bought some pickling jars.  For pickling you ask?  No - of course not - for beautiful buttons!!!!

2018 Wk 22 Old Men and New Babies

I'm taking part in the Untangled Thread art project commemorating the end of WW1.  The pin cushions are based on an original design which was used at occupational therapy for wounded solders and they made something they could send to their mum or their sweetheart. 

We don't know much about Brian's granddad, but we know a Henry Channer was enlisted in 1916, and we know Granddad was known as Harry.  He married Rose in 1923, so it may have been him, so I (with help from Lisa and Niki) stuck a couple of hundred pins through the same number of beads to make this

We have had a spate of babies amongst neighbours and friends: A neighbour who used to babysit our girls when they were little has moved back in a few doors away from her mum and dad, and had baby William

Another neighbour has become a Grandmother to baby Amelia Rose.  I just need to finish the binding on these and I can deliver them

And Jackie has become a Granny again with baby Leah (but her quilt is being delivered in ten days so I'm not showing it here yet!)

My old boss and friend Dalwyn starts his new career as a Methodist minister in the autumn and I was delighted to be asked to make a stole for him.  Just in the draft stage at the moment but the stained glass rainbows have been posted to him to look at - does he want near solid or solid colours

And does he prefer hand stitched binding or twin needle stitched on the sewing machine?

My step mum sent me a memory box from my father's belongings:

I remember the hat - or one like it - he always wore one when he was sailing

Brian was really happy with the plane (bottom right)

A whole set of nautical flags will look great as bunting in the garden - really cheerful!

 Some photos of him, and of me from childhood

And my favourite of all - lots of photos of the girls that I have sent him over the years - all had been propped up on book shelves or stuck on walls!