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.

 ***********************

   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.

 ****************

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