2021 Week 38

This week showcases holidays and stuff - yes: for my family it was a real holiday: paperwork to the nth degree and Covid tests then a plane to Malta where they had a great time

I went to Swanage with girlfriends instead - we also had great weather and actually went swimming in the sea too, although I did think my heart stopped when I went under!

We stayed in a lovely airb'n'b with patchworks on the sofas in the bonus room - pretty darn prefect I reckon!!!

I completed my hexie flowers for the monthly swap (striped flowers for September)

And received these back (plus another one but it must have been camera shy!)

I thought I'd share my FAVOURITE type of phone - a munchkin sitting on a Benta patchwork!  Thank you Janine, she looks gorgeous!!!

This one hasn't gone to it's munchkin yet, but has been collected by his great aunt so is on it's way

I really am rubbish at taking photos but this gorgeous necklace arrived for my birthday.  It's fob watch repurposed into a sewing themed necklace

It arrived accompanied by these gorgeous goodies too

And possibly the best bit of all is that they all came in the arms of BBF Jackie who braved the red tape, the mask for hours, and the plane to visit

(and I can't even add a decent photo!)   We had an amazing weekend, so much sewing and chatting!!!  We made almost a dozen zippy pouches (semi circular and boxy) but I've just realised they've nearly all been gifted before being photographed!

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 33

 A few Gingers this week : I was asked to do one as a mascot for the local lunch club (they already have one for their coffee morning)

National Photography week came and went so a Ginger supported that under the Craftivism hashtag, along with Read a Book week

and our neighbouring village has a village "Garden Party" (church fayre) coming up soon,  with a theme of HatLand - everyone has been asked to wear a hat - I made this one as a raffle prize - the Ginger who can't decide what hat to wear!!

I made a nappy clutch for a friend's daughter and she asked me to make another one for her niece - my side kick is stuck in Ireland so I had to Make. It. On. My. Own - shock horror!!!  It's not quite straight and the corners are square not rounded and I totally made up the Velcro bit and the number of pockets . . .  but it's made and posted to her anyway!  Let's hope she likes it!

Another friend has commissioned an I-spy quilt for each of her 8 great niblings - I love that word even though no on else seems to use it! (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/nibling)

And now one of the nieces has announced another baby is under construction - so here is quilt number 9!  Just waiting for the name

I finally got back to the hairdressers after 12 months - it really was like straw at the ends!  4" hacked off and the very faded pink replaced by a subtle purple!!!

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!