Mid Week Update

Wednesday saw Lynda appliquéing stars and hearts on another baby quilt. This will be for a grandchild due shortly. Lots of favourite fabrics in this one.

pretty fabrics

Eileen is hand-quilting  a piece for her spare bedroom. We will see this one when it is finished.

 There were more Dorset buttons being finished and projects to use these have been discussed. You can read about Carol's progress here

 And Brenda's all matched!

lovely random threads

 Beverly bought a kit when we went to the show at Uttoxeter and is hand stitching the design before she makes the cushion,

Ena is adding beads to a smocked bauble. These look so elegant when finished

lots of tiny beads

This is a great selection of prints being made into a baby quilt

 

Its a scrappy design sashed with the plain white

And this funky tea towel is being converted into a bread bag - as you do!

And if any locals would like to join Brenda for afternoon tea. 

She is fund-raising  for The Nystagmus Society

I can recommend the cakes!  

Call to book a place or you may be seated on her doorstep!!

 

Clay and Dorset Buttons

 Diana (brave lady) came along again to show the Monday ladies how to make Dorset Buttons, Felted Buttons and clay buttons (using Fimo)
 We started off with the clay buttons, as these need baking in the oven when they have been moulded.

all listening attentively

 You use several strings of clay and wrap them together (a bit like making a stick of rock!)

wrap and roll then slice the separate pieces

 Depending what size buttons you want - or you can make these into beads too - you just press them flat with your finger .

 Push a cocktail stick in to make the holes

some tiny ones!

And bake in the oven for 30 mins to harden

Et Voilà

 The ladies assured me that we will see projects with these buttons as embellishments soon! (*Grin)

 Someone in the room (and we all know who) started playing with the clay and produced a decorated pin!

better at these than the simple round things!!

 We then went on to the felted beads

 Which were quite simple to make and look very effective. They will make a great closure for a project that we are testing out at the moment for a future date. Don't loose your instructions girls!

 And then more Dorset Buttons, simply made by wrapping Perle thread around a brass ring

 and a bit of weaving through the spokes.

 Really quite effective - and a photo of a bracelet will be shown soon. (*Big Grin!)

  Diana had a lovely display of goodies that we could use

We still have some Fimo left so if you want to make more, then just ask.

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Meanwhile there was some patchwork going on around the room,

Appliqué cushion being quilted

 Ellen, Ena Maureen  and the gang have been making pillowcase dresses for a charity to send to little girls in Africa, and they have also been making shorts for boys 

( you can download the pattern here )

 We have been using the over-locker to join sample pieces together to make scrappy shorts. Cute or what?

The next shipment goes off in August so if you want to make a pair or two, Ellen would be delighted. Don't forget that we have a group over-locker in the store cupboard.

Don't forget that we have another Bank Holiday next Monday

 

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As a side note

My very good friend who works for Save The Children is desperate for donations of clothes for six (From Northampton to Stafford) Save The Children Shops that she helps with. 

Can you all have a quick look in the cupboard, and you now the rule, 

If you haven't worn in in 18 months you probably won't

 so if you would like to bring a bag up to group I will pass them along.

(If you have lots - I can arrange collection)

 

They will not be distributed locally so you will not see someone walking around in your clothes!!

Even if they are not saleable, they recycle the cloth for cash.

Thank you.xx

Dorset Buttons

 We had Diana Turner with us this evening, showing three different methods of button making.
Dorset Buttons, Rolled Felt Buttons, and Clay Buttons.

Most of the ladies started off with Dorset Buttons, using a brass ring and Perle thread.

covering the ring with thread

a nice rainbow effect

and a plain version

 The thread knots need to be pulled closely together

 You then criss cross the threads across the circle

using a clock formation

 Then weave in and out of the cross threads to hold them in place and create the button centre.

And if you have done it properly, you will end up with cute buttons like these

We had a go at the Rolled Felt Buttons too

Felt is wrapped around a stick, and then threads wrapped around to secure, with some beads to make it pretty

some clear instructions given

One quilt finished too! A lovely Paddington Bear child's quilt

Appliquéd "Good Night"

I cant' show you the clay buttons tonight, but hope we will have some to view on Monday

Lots of Finishes!

Starting with Carol's Sheepdog ( note - Sheepdog --- get it?) who is so cute. Carol is now on a mission to make a complete litter of these little beauties before Christmas. Have you see Carol's blog? You can find her here  just scroll down her page and see what she has been up to lately

Yes? Sheepdog!

 Christine has made a rather nice handbag in Faux leather

 And completed an appliqué quilt for her grandson

shame they aren't taller!

 And (does she do anything else???) a very pretty Sampler Quilt made "quilt as you go" which she says she does not really like!!

Just the binding to sew down

 I think that this is lovely, but maybe we shall have to find a good home for it?

So to Sue - She has finished a large and very colourful Disappearing Nine Patch using Kaffe Fasset fabrics

Fab Colours!

Sue has also finished a smaller and equally bright Batik quilt

 Bridget - Well - at last Bridget has completed her little Handbag needle case!  Well done Bridget!

Annette is busy paper piecing a bright quilt called "Windows into my World" a pattern designed by the lady who writes this blog. She has some great patterns on this site. Pop over an have a look.

this will end as a sphere

 Watch this space for her progress

 June has pieced some denim scraps and is now decorating this Crazy work

 Brenda is sewing some hexagons on a project that if I told you about, I may have to kill you. (its a secret challenge). We will see this project completed later

what do you think it will be?

 Barbara is working on a BIG Baltimore Bird style appliqué quilt. she was stitching a chicken, but was more keen to show her lovely Blackbirds and Strawberries

this will be superb

Kay is putting the Barn doors on to a "quiet book" though she wasn't working that quietly! 

cute appliqué and a little purchase?

 The pattern is Farmer Joe's Quiet book from Kids Quilts . It really is coming on nicely.

 We have a couple of Sun Bonnet Sue's  from Pauline and Pat

Pauline's

Pat's - one of the seasons

Eileen is also using appliqué to decorate a table cover for her kitchen 

posh cover for the kitchen

 Tuula is using some very bright colours . She had an idea from the last Exhibition, and we will see this progress.

On Wednesday and Next Monday (All Day)  we will be button making with Diana Turner.  We will be providing the Fimo Clay to share.  Requirements list have been given out.


Starting today its Give Away Day over at Sew Mama Sew . All you need to do is add a comment as per instructions and you may be a lucky winner of a handmade item or some supplies. Worth a try.

This is a great blog that has lots of sewing ideas, Tutorials and Sew Alongs. 

Jo & Lesley have joined in on one of the latest projects, a Mini Medallion

Not quite completed but these are their attempts

Someone is better at using the correct lighting with their camera! Lots of tiny pieces and the whole quilt measures 24" . Both need to be quilted and I will show them again then. Still time to join in if you dare!!!

I have been blessed with the new camera that I have been whining on about for the last couple of months. Still have to work out what all the buttons are for!