It's been a while...

But life seems to have taken over any free time that I have.
At group however, they are still producing some great pieces of work, mostly with a Seasonal theme.

We have had a workshop day making these rather splendid Santa Tabletoppers

Just love the swirly beards

and his tiny face!

 There has been quite a bit of crochet too

What are these?

It's him again of course

And some knitting, this is Olaf, who will mean as much to you as it does to me, but if you have small people on the family, you will know this film and so will know Olaf

he is a cutie

Ena and Ellen have been hard at work, producing items for a local bazzar

they are both looking a bit puzzled...

 And we just have to show this lovely Bunny - Glenys made him, over quite a while, at a Candlewick embroidery group that she goes to. Well done Glenys, he was so worth the wait

 a real beauty

 I am not much into making New Year Resolutions, but things are happening at work, a big change with me and time may actually be something I have a bit more of, (jealous eh?)  so I am going to promise to keep up with this little blog so much better next year. 
You can hold me to that!!

Stunning Stitches

 Diana Turner  has been with us at the Wednesday and Monday meetings, teaching a little workshop "Stunning Stitches"


We began with a piece of batik fabric, then chose some complimentary threads and couched these down by machine.   Then we used the fancy stitches on the machine with some pretty threads to run alongside the couching.

Add a bit of quilting to bring the piece to life and then we had the opportunity to hand stitch between the rows, or to continue with the quilting.

The result is a very decorative piece of fabric that we can then make an item of our choice


This is Brenda's - she has added the Dorset Buttons that Diana showed us a couple of months ago.

 Rosemary is seed stitching hers.

 There was a hive of activity

 On all sides of the room

With some pondering over the choice of stitches

 And a fair amount of "reverse" sewing

An Umming and Ahhing over the choice of threads

But what started out as a pretty piece of fabric 

 Ended up - in this case a a spectacle case

We will see lots of Book Covers, I Pad covers  , bags and purses over the next few weeks as these pieces are completed

A really good day, you couldn't go wrong. We all used parts of our machines that we didnt know we had!
Diana was run ragged around the room.

Thank you Diana for all for all of your help.

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The lovely Ellen popped out at lunchtime for a meeting with the Bishop of Peterborough, she was tasked to show him how to make a pair of shorts!  Long story. The meeting was to thank Ellen and some other ladies  for all their contributions to the "Dress a Child". Remember the shorts and pillowcase dresses that we have seen popping up from time to time?  Ellen has just this quarter sent 40 dresses and 20 pairs of shorts, so has her place reserved --------- you know where!!!

some of the donated shorts

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The Angels for the up coming Festival are coming to life with hair and faces being added. Just a sneaky peak of the Glory

And even a fallen angel with his own wooden shoes!!

I am looking forward to seeing these all in situ at the end of November.

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The programme for December says about a "small gift and Christmas party" . 

We have been asked to organise a "Secret Santa"   so the small gift will be provided by ..........  YOU!! Please make something that will be donated to the Secret Santa, It should be wrapped, and then popped into the box to be passed to another member of the group.  Then a our Party meeting we will all have a little gift AS WELL AS this years Christmas Challenge.  (Like to keep you busy!!)  If you really can't make a gift, you are allowed to buy one, but please less than £5 to be spent.  

If you think you are too busy, just think of me and a few others that attend both sessions. We will have to make two items!!! 

It would be really nice if everyone joined in.

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We have a few regular people popping into our blog from all over the world. It would be lovely to hear a comment from these followers. Tell us a bit about yourself. 

Pretty Pretty

 Lots of projects being worked on this week. I feel like we are all gearing up for the satrt of PANIC season!! Or maybe that is just me??

 Annette was working on another stitched antique sewing machine, this is a block of the month that she is taking part in with three friends.

Maureen is making Mug tidy's  - I think these are for gifts, so she has got a head start!

 Shirley has also got a start on the Christmas projects - a folded ribbon tree ,

 And is also crocheting a tree decoration

 Ann is making a cushion - also a gift. She spent some time choosing the Ellie fabrics - they are cute aren't they

 Pauline is appliquéing a "naive" Nativity scene using a pieced background

 Sun Bonnet Sue has made another appearance with Eileen stitching this pretty autumn scene

 Liz is making named Christmas gift bags

 And Alison has kindly given Ellen two Cushion panels to sew for her Bazaar later this year.

Bit of a competition here ( no prizes - just for a laugh information). Can you guess how long these had been stored in Alison's studio?  I remember them very well. I made these cushions in another colourway for my two children when it was "S's" second Christmas.
This is S now .....

 But I think we still have the cushion!!

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Hopefully next time we will have a report from The Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace that we visited on Sunday

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Don't forget Ladies that we have Diana Turner coming on the next All Day Session 

20th October 

to teach

 Stunning Stitches

(times changed to 10 - 4)

The Requirements are over on the Diary Page

Wednesday Round Up

 Lots of different things being produced on Wednesday evenings. Numbers at the group have risen slightly, maybe its the end of the summer holiday or maybe people getting ready for the silly season.

Beverley is making a silky scarf, embellished with beads

not fun fabric to work with

 Carol is smocking, this will be a coat hanger .

 Elizabeth has produced another fine piece. This is a quilt for a football mad boy

favourite club badge

More smocking from Ena, this time the finished item will be a Christmas tree

very festive

 This week Nesta was working on a woolly duck.

 Last week, she was working with some exotic fabric brought back from Burma by her lovely son, (a doctor) who travels out there to give aid to local people. She was not keen on the fabrics but they are looking great now.

 Lynda has finished another block for ....... I can't tell you just yet.

 One of our newcomers has started an appliqué piece

 Nikki & Sue have continued the scrappy theme with these bright cushions

 Susan has been working of some hand embroidery projects and this is the latest one

neat stitching

 This is the bag that has just been finished. A Lynnette Anderson design, and using her fabrics too

nice combination of colours

Next week, we will have Diana Turner showing us how to use the fancy stitches on our machines to make an arty type item. Check the Diary Page for details and photos of the items to make.

A Bit Late

in posting, but as they say, better late than never!!

I am not quite sure where we are up to, but at the last all day Monday we were continuing with the scrappy theme.  Collapsible  Thread Catchers were the most popular item being made with a couple of "Fishy" bottle holders being tackled.
Oh! And Alison was making a rather elegant beaded bell that should have taken an hour or so but took all day!  She discovered belatedly that the beads that she was threading onto one end were dropping off the other! Bit like the forth Bridge?

pretty decoration - rubbish photo

 Jo sewing her bottom in

if only it was as easy as that!

 Ellen on a production line

 Carol's finished thread catcher

Here we have a "fish" being sewn

 And one nearly finished

 Lynda however decided to put the time to good use and cut all of her odds and end of white and cream into squares (5", 3 1/2" and 2 1/2 ") ready to us as a pieced background in a future project.

all neat and tidy

 Liz was appliquéing a gift

 And more angels being born. We should have a good display at the Angel Festival in November

 This was being made into a hanging for Stanwick Lakes

 Try as I might, I couldn't fathom WHY Barbara would spend so much time knitting nursery rhyme characters  and bags for them to go in!  She told me they were for a Grand Daughter who teaches pre school and they were for the children to choose the rhyme and create the story. 

we all know this one!

 I take it all back Barbara, there is reason to your Rhyme!!

 Meanwhile our World War 1 creations have been doing the rounds

First at Finedon Flower Festival

 Then at Great Doddington Memorial Weekend

 not such a grand setting but a really good exhibition anyway

 Thank you all who have let me trawl these items round the county. Those items that are being donated for sale will be passed to local British Legion this week, for them to raise funds for the legion

I have missed today's group meeting ( playing with baby O ) and I am not sure if anyone else has taken photos.


Exciting things are planned for next year, so keep an eye out for an updates Diary page