Wednesday Showcase

Wednesday evenings meeting saw three new ladies  join us. We hope that they enjoyed the evening and will not have been scared off by our expertise!! One lady had received a new sewing machine for Christmas, and needed a bit of guidance as she had never sewn anything before! We will sort her out

Sue had begun to add the borders to a rather nice panel to make into a baby quilt. I think the fabric range is called Oink Oink Moo by Moda

Love those piggies

 Carole is making a baby quilt for a friend of hers, using appliquéd teddy bears

all tucked up in bed

 Susan is making a sewing tidy and hopefully we will get a pic of the completed piece next week. I rather like the tape measure ribbon trim.

neat zip insertion too - impressed!

Brenda and Eileen have got a heads start on making Linus quilts - Brenda is piecing, and Eileen is appliquéing

vivid colours

Twins anyone?

Elizabeth has just completed a quilt for another children's charity Love Quilts UK  
and if you are up to it (need a box of tissues)  pop over and have a look at their site and see where these quilts go. Makes our aches and pains pale into insignificance.

Elizabeth has made quilts for Love Quilts UK before.  All of the blocks are cross stitched on a theme for a particular child.

each quilts has a cross stitched label attached

I will get Elizabeth to snap another shot so we can see the full glory of this quilt.

On a "world" theme?

Ena is also doing a bit of embroidery/cross stitch. Looking good so far Ena. A most appropriate subject me thinks.

what is it they say about red hat ??!!

Our Annual General Meeting

That took about 15 minutes, thank you ladies.

And a big thank you to all of the committee members that have helped to make the past year run so smoothly.

Thank you too, to Louise, Maggie and Ann who have stepped down from the committee and are handing over their positions to Kay, June, Barbara, and Amanda. The new ladies will find out what they have let themselves in for at our next committee meeting, (28th April ladies)

And then things returned to normal, with (what seems like) a lot of knitting, embroidery and other assorted crafts as well as SOME patchwork!

Lynda kindly went around the room to take some snaps

still messing about on crutches!

 Muriel had just finished crocheting a little jacket for a grand daughter

pretty scalloped edge

 Do you remember the purses that we had made here. Well Christine has made a very pretty candy stripe one with the addition of beads around the frame, and brings her threads and needles in it instead of carrying around all the stuff that we seem to think we will need!.

Neat

 Carol is experimenting with table mats. But these are actually covers for her cork mats so they will be heat proof

Cork mat insert

 Val is stitching a cute panel. I think this will become a cushion

is that variegated thread?

Pam is still plodding though her "Be Attitudes" quilt

Yes - its a Christmas one - but STUFF just got in the way last year!

she has done the "Be Patient" one!

June has been making a kiddies quilt using some lovely snuggle fleece fabric

Mrs Beal had "fluttered" away when the pic was being taken. Some lovely batik fabrics for this appliqué

love the purple and turquiose

Sheila and Janis were working on hexagon projects

lovely contrast

pretty floral - Liberty?

Pauline was busy machining half square triangles. This is a new project and we will see more of this over the next few weeks.

Therese is hooking a Hessian piece. I think that this will be a waistcoat. 

using lots of scraps

Angie has excelled hersef and was adding the finishing touches to a Japanese Folded bag

Nice quilting Angie

This year is the 600th anniversary of Henry Chichele becoming Archbishop of Canterbury. (He of Higham Ferrers fame) The town is putting on a play and Pat is going to play the part of Mrs Chichele.  She is making her costume and this is her cap and collar.

Dedication!?!

I am not sure what Alison is going to do with her embroidered bra but I promise to show you the finished results lter.

and I promise that Alison won't be modelling the bra!

Ena has completed her embroidered "stump-work"  (there must be a nicer name for this technique?) box. It is beautiful - well done Ena

gorgeous 3D pansy

At last- Patchwork!
Di is making a lovely Carolina Lily block.

soft pinks

Annette is embroidering a panel that will go into a cushion. This is a gift for ---- (just in case he/she looks)

fun idea!

And Bernice has obviously worked up a thirst as she embellishes a pieced and machine embroidered panel. Cheers Bernice.

 Lynda is smocking some panels, to make new cushions for her lounge. Jo (our smocking guru) is away on holiday and Lynda is hoping for the nod of approval if Jo peeks at the blog whilst in the sunshine. If its wrong, she will be made to "take it out"

can you see the error?

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Linus evening will be Wednesday 12th Feb, all day will be Monday 17th Feb.

We will be concentrating on incubator size (18" x 20") but if you want to do an alternative size- then just go ahead. All quilts will be welcomed by Project Linus

Have a look at Project Linus website for info, patterns and stories

All About Feet!

 Carol has recovered enough from her tutoring session last Wednesday to come along to help out with the Sewing Machine Foot Day.

Twin needling and cording were Carol's favourites

Angie had a one to one with Christine with the buttonhole foot. Christine also showed how to use the Button sewing on foot. Never tried that myself.

Angie was impressed with herself

 My foot is still on the mend, so I didn't get around the room to take more pics, but other group members showed the Rolled Hem foot, Cording, Piping, Blind Hemming and others too. This was a great exercise for all of us. How many feet do you have that you have never used? 


Meanwhile around the room we had lots f projects going on
Di was foundation piecing a monkey wrench block.

will see more of this another day

Lynda has three baby quilts to make before July - another grandchild due and a couple of great Niece/Nephews too

pin-wheels for the border

And look at this ---

Ena is sharing some of her wealth of knowledge with Annette

or is it just GOSSIP!!??

We would like as many members to attend the Annual General Meeting on Monday 27th January at 2pm (during group time). We have Election and re Election of Officers that must be completed. It won't take long. The committee are very efficient.

 Just a Heads Up regarding the Linus sessions next month. We thought that this year we would aim to make as many incubator size (16" or 18" x 20") this year. If you want to make some other size then go ahead, they will all be very welcome. We have purchased a box of Linus labels so that they can be added during the making, rather than us sewing them on later. That should save us a great deal of time. 

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We have a seed of an idea about adding a Tutorials page to the Blog. We could start simply, with binding a quilt (getting nice corners makes all the difference) or how to make bias binding, with photos as an aid. What are your thought on this ladies?

A Short Update and an apology!

 Remember this --

 Well apparently Jackie doesn't have a cleaner, because this was made by Louise and not Jackie. Sorry Louise!



 We have a couple of photos from the Wednesday meeting.

Brenda has been working on her House Blocks with Attitude quilt that she started at a workshop at her LQS when Katherine Guerrier was teaching.
Katherine teaches quite improvisational techniques. Not a lot of measuring, just cut and sew. It works, doesn't it!

love the wonky houses

 

Remember the photo of a guilty looking Maureen in THIS POST?

Well I have to apologise, it wasn't guilt, it was panic that the photo may be posted before the gift was given.

A lovely sewing companion for Elizabeth

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Have you bought any new books lately?

My New Years Resolution collapsed quite early



                                               

Nice book though!

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Have any of you seen the CRAFTSY website? There are some great free patterns for Quilting, sewing, knitting and Crochet. You have to "sign up" but that costs nothing. Its worth a look at  THIS FREE CLASS on Creative Quilt Backs.

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Don't forget we are experimenting with our machine feet on Monday. The requirements if you want to make a cushion with your results can be found HERE

We have posted the 2014 Dairy of Events dates on a separate page , so you can check out what will be going on. Changes to the Diary, will be posted there. Let me know what you think.

Monday 27th January will see our AGM - it will only take about 15 minutes, but we do need  couple of new committee members for a couple of positions.

Deputy Treasurer who will take over a Treasurer next year. Not too onerous as Carol will tell you, have a chat with her if you want to know more.

Programme Organiser for the Wednesday Ladies - the programme has been filled until the end of the year, so it will be sorting out next years diary.

Outings for the Monday Ladies. Ann has booked the outings this year (Uttoxeter in April and Alley Palley in October), but Ann will need someone to collect monies on a Monday.


 Please remember that without a full committee, we cannot keep the group going. We have 70+ members so I am sure that we will have no trouble filling the places. Two years on the committee is no hard task. Usually three meetings per year (because we are so organised!!)

If you are prepared to stand "with a friend" for one of the positions, that's fine the more, the merrier.

Please don't let me down :(((


No photos from Monday  as I have been dealing with a bit of this

Add caption

And was delighted to receive these today.

Stunning!

THANK YOU LADIES!!

Happy New Year!

And an apology, as the blog has not been updated with the last sessions from December! Have been a bit busy...
Now this is a looooong post. So.make a cuppa and sit back..

To start with - There have been some Wednesday finishes starting with Liz's Atlas quilt

This will be displayed in a school

 Jackie was sent some fabrics from her friend in Germany, with a request to make a hanging headboard.

This is the front of the hanging

And just because she can, look what was put on the back!!!

A fabulous seasonal  scene

Well done Jackie!!
And she hasn't been slacking in the festive department either, as seen by this effective stained glass hanging that is nearly finished,

someone MUST be doing her housework!

 Gillian has been experimenting with different techniques, and this is her design piece using Mola work.

interesting piece

 On the last Monday session 0f 2013, Helen Spence joined us for a Bring and Share lunch, and showed us several different techniques to make Christmas cards

choosing the designs

 There were plenty of designs to choose from

lots of choice here

 Rubbish picture, but we have Somerset Folded

looks a bit Tartan

Festive florals

and rich reds

 Log Cabin, and Hexies

like the colours here

work in progress.

And some ribbon weaving

a way to go

Then Helen showed some ladies a painting technique to add to their cards

Celtic Gold

This style went down really well, and we may ask Helen to do a day dedicated to this technique.


I hope that all the lucky recipients of these cards, appreciated the love that went into making them.

Then there was the Bun Fight Bring and Share Lunch.

As usual, there was a lovely spread for a short while

starting a a lady like manner

ooh! that looks good

I want that!!

Seriously, it was a fine lunch, with all sorts of tasties that most of us shouldn't be eating, but could not resist.

Lots of busy going on during the day

drawing out a foundation

selecting fabrics

some smocked Christmas decs - love these

 And dear Therese is repairing recycling some of her sons jeans

some Sashiko?

a bit of crazy

 Apparently, he was approached on a famous London Street by some one dying to know where he had bought his terrific outfit. (He told them there was a sweat shop of old ladies in Higham Ferrers that worked on this sort of "stuff")
Cheeky little ********


Just a side note

really rough picture, but the piece that Maureen (the guilty looking one in the background) was working on looked VERY suspect, and caused much hilarity around the room.

The Christmas  Challenge was issued, to everyone this year. We all received a fat quarter of a red tone on tone fabric, a skein of red DMC embroidery thread and a little scrunchy of beads and the Challenge is---

To be completed by week commencing

Monday 24^th March

Your Challenge this year --- Commemorate the 100^th Anniversary of the Beginning of the 1^st World War.  Use some or all of the fabric to make ANY item of your choice with the World War 1 in mind. You can purchase more of the fabric if you wish. You do not HAVE to use the beads or thread if you do not want to.  You may keep your finished item or we could donate some items to the British Legion for them to fundraise for their cause.  

We will see what wonders the ladies come up with this year.

I missed out the last Wednesday meeting pacing the floor waiting for news of this little lady

I know its not the place, but hey! I just want to show off and I do the blog so ---

  Olivia Rose born 18th December - Love her

Some of us were lucky enough to receive a Christmas gift from talked about in this post . Aren't those clocks just adorable!! I think that Jo may have dropped a clanger here. All of the ladies want to make their own clock. We will see what happens.

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   And so on to 2014 ---

 Christine had made a bag from a kit purchased at the last Duxford show

Country and Cute

 And she has started a project from this book that uses embroidery and appliqué in the blocks

lovely colours

 Lynda is hand quilting her (huge) hand pieced sampler quilt

one block down, 19 to go!

Annette is also working on a quilt that has embroidered antique sewing machines in the blocks

this is cute

It was lovely to see Pam back with us after a very difficult year for her and her family.Welcome back to our fold Pam.x

more appliqué here

Ena was adding the finishing touches to a smock child's coat hanger

pretty colour

Glennys was cracking on with a lovely scalloped heart candlewick panel

such a fine design

and Maureen (her of the rude photo) is stitching a scissor keeper.

will show you this when finished, They are lovely

Bridget put the finishing touches to a pretty needle case

embroidered and appliquéd

Ellen and others have spent a lot of time during 2013 making pillowcase dresses which are distributed by this charity. She heard tales of the dresses being given to two little sisters that had been give a dress each, and not to leave their brother out, he was given a dress too. Now she is on a mission to clothe the third world with these little shorts. (I think she thinks that a dress will have some sort of "turning" effect on the little chaps).

These will be appreciated by the kiddos

Ellen has a pattern (very easy) if any of you are inspired to join her

Therese is ----- still on some jeans - and after THAT comment! Sweat shop indeed!

I would stitch the pockets closed - see how he gets on with that, tee he

 Linda has been using an arty piece added to a print to make a cover for her kindle.

nearly finished

Val has resurrected the blocks made at group when Lynda did the Block of the Month class (? 3 or 4 years ago?)  and is adding to them and will complete the quilt this year. 

appliqué on a star block

 Pauline is cross stitching an embroidered cloth

think its a table cloth

 And (Ann?) is sewing 2 1/2 " squares

Jan is quilting a block for a friend

little blue birds

Hazel is getting fed up  doing really well with her stitching. On the last leg now Hazel!

is the owl winking?

Marie is sewing a card (has she run out of fabric????)

golden trombone

 Around the room there are lots of Hexies being stitched together to make all sorts of projects. We will see the finishes later on

30's prints

florals

and pinks

 In two weeks - Jan 20th - on our All Day session we will be having a recap session on using the other feet that we have with our sewing machine.



We will set up machines with  Buttonhole foot
                                                 Rolled Edge Foot
                                                 Twin Needles
                                                 Cording Foot
                                                 Piping Foot
For anyone who wants to can take turns to have a go and practice .

We will also be making a cushion front using some of the feet.

If you want to make a cushion here are the requirements-
Project to be cushion cover using twin needles and or cording foot.
Min 12in piece of fabric, self patterned or plain for cushion centre.
Material for back of cushion and border for cushion front.
Wadding and backing if you are going to quilt your cushion
Buttons and cushion pad.
Pieces of fabric to play with different feet on
Sewing machine with power lead, foot pedal, all feet and instruction book to be able to identify your feet!
Various threads to play with.

Shirley has a photo of the cushion if you want to have a look.

If you have sewing machine feet that you don't know what to do with, bring them along with oyur machine and we will see what we can do.

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That's everything up to date and I will (try) keep up  with the news this year

Did I show you what I had for Christmas?

couldn't you just eat her?

Happy 2014 to All!!

xx