Parting of the ways :(

Joan and her crew

It was a bit sad today. Joan Bates (Centre Back- photo position not five a side football!) is leaving us to move to Hampshire to be closer to her grandchildren. I am sure that she is looking forward to being a more involved Granny!
We shall be sorry to see her go, but she has promised to keep in touch, and I hope that she will join a local group. I know she has enjoyed her time with us and I hope that we have been able to help her in her patchworking endeavors!

lots of sewing

Work was still being produced, Pauline busy busy busy - looks bright and cheerful.

Bright and cheery of pencil cases

She is making these lovely pencil cases for a friend a BSK who travels to (somewhere between Russia and Mongolia!!!) to support a local orphanage.  What a lovely idea!

Fran is busy completing her beautiful needle turned applique blocks. I think this may be the last one.

 Sheila was sewing tiny beads (can you see the tweezers!) onto her seascape, very pretty

And Jan was stitching a design of her own - this looked a bit like a Knot Garden

Angela was piecing scrappy squares, I hope she managed to keep them in order

 

Joan finished the day with a chocolate bar for everyone!! 

Good Luck Joan

Happy Stitching!


We have a regular visitor from Mountain View, (what a lovey name)  California. We would love to know who you are!  Please leave a comment?!

I really enjoyed today.  It was once again our 'back to basic' day, and I was absolutely thrilled to see how you ladies have been getting on.  

The idea today was we would sandwich, quilt and then bind the bits we had made, and I have to say I loved seeing the work that had been going on to make these beauties...  Yes we even give homework.

This is going to be Ellen's sewing machine cover

Ena is making a table centre

Ena took the pattern for her flower from some wall paper (I just love it that ideas come from all around us) and she used a 'needle turned' technique whereas Ellen's had used 'bondaweb' to applique her sewing machine.  Ann also was making the table centre, and she decided to enlarge the cup cake pattern, but she was a little behind the others, so she had a quick update from Lynda on bondaweb, then she sat and hand appliqued.

Once we had sandwiched the quilts, the fun began as everyone was willing to play at free motion quilting.

practice run

Its always worth using a practice piece before you actually put your work under your needle...... but what do you think of this for a first attempt..

Diana had played at home, but what a result.

The Chrysanthemum flower shape was again inspired by wall paper.....me thinks we should all be taking notice of walls.... or at least what's on them.   Well done on your first free motion quilting Diana.

While 'we in the corner' were playing, lots of sewing was going on around the room,  A number of quilts were being pieced or appliqued, unusual cushions were also spied (we might ask for a tutorial on those later), and of course we had out famous CRAP RAFFLE.

Most gifts hidden in bags

What a good idea Ena had ....yes, she asked each of the raffle prizes be put into bags so we had a surprise once we had chose our bags.  I believe £38 was raised........ well done Ena. 

Thanks also to Lesley, she showed us how to make continual bias binding.  Another string to our bow.

 

Just a Reminder

Just to remind you ladies that have been doing the 'back to basics' on our "all days", this week we will be sandwiching your quilts, sewing machine covers, table mats or whatever you have made.

You will need to bring your backing fabric, as well as some batting.  If you have some 505 glue, that could be handy, but of course if you are using the glued batting this won't be needed.  Pins (safety type pins) and tacking thread may also be  helpful.

If you are going to play at machine quilting and have not done this before, perhaps you could find any extra feet for your machine, (the one that works for free motion quilting is the darning foot), also the instruction book for your machine, just so we can help if you need to drop your feed dog or need any other adjustment to your machine.   We found that some machines can't drop the feed dog, but have a separate plate that goes over the feed dogs, so you would need to bring this along with you.  Hand Quilting can be done with your normal quilting thread, or you could try using some perle thread or something similar to give some extra detail.  Remember to bring sewing needles.

Not rushing you, but once you have quilted, you will then need to bind your work, so please bring fabric that can be cut into strips for this.

See you all on Monday.

Monday 2nd April (apologies for the delay in posting!)
At our meeting on the 2nd April we were working on our Christmas wall hanging.  This is being completed over a number of months with the ladies all designing blocks that will fit together to make a festive hanging.

Some foundation piecing going on here

open up to show the magic!

A cute applique Reindeer

And some serious hand quilting here!

Things are moving along nicely  and they should all be completed in plenty of time for the Christmas season.

Sunny Days

It was great to see so many turn up to sew on such a sunny warm day when you could so easily have stayed at home and sat in the garden .....well maybe it wasn't quite that warm, but it was beautiful.

I unfortunately did not get my camera out and there were a few things going on.  Lynda was finishing off a baby quilt for her new granddaughter that arrived on Friday.  Perhaps if she gets a nice photo we can add it in here at a later date.  I also saw the 'block of the month' that a few are making has brought out the next pattern, so a few were working on that.  The Christmas wall hanging will be working on their next block next week - Decorated Diamond and Wreath.

Please remember the sign up for the trip to Hemingford Grey will close at the end of this month.  At the moment there are only 16 people signed up for this trip, so the thoughts at the moment are to hire a mini bus rather than a coach, so if you have not got your name down and you want to go, DO IT NOW.

A program of events was put on the notice board, so its worth having a look and making notes in your diary's of speakers.  Please remember that all of our meetings are open to Monday and Wednesday ladies.

Round Robin

This evening was the first round in our "Round Robin" challenge. Those that have joined in brought in their block (min 12" max 18")

Lots of different styles

and we each took away someone else's block to add the first border.

Some interesting ideas

We were allowed to say what we liked and dislike, but cannot stipulate what is added to our block.

Even some pictorial blocks

The next round has to include triangles. We are all using the same "rules" but we will all have our own ideas.

We won't see our blocks again until the end of the swap.  Watch this space!

A big thank you to Chris who has sorted this all out for us. She will be making sure we stick to the rules!!

Good Luck girls!!

March All Day

To day was our 'Back to Basic' day.  

Carol started by showing the ladies how to use the Rota cutter and the cutting mats.  Simple you might think, but it is surprising how many folk out there don't know how to make sure you are cutting straight, how to square something, and also how to cut multiples.  Carol did a great job and sent everyone off to practice.

O.K. O.K.  So Lesley knew how to do it, but she still had some cutting to do.

Once some strips and squares had been cut those that needed it were shown how to make sure their machines were  sewing a 1/4" seam ...even if you have a 1/4" foot its worth testing it occasionally.

Ena and Ellen have got it.

Barbara and Lynda had offered to show all how to applique.  Angie and Jan spent the morning with Barbara so they are steaming away with  the flowers.

Looks like they have picked up some useful hints and tips

Every body paying attention... now we will begin.

Lynda not only showed how to use bondaweb, but also how to make it stick to the backing again Wow!!! how handy is that..... I certainly need a refresher in that technique.   So, Cup Cakes, Sewing machines, and flower appliqued fabrics are to be brought back for our next 'all day', all finished and ready to be sandwiched into a ...... well choice is yours ....sewing machine cover, table center, cushion etc etc.

Other works in progress were being worked on.  Remember the Christmas wall hanging, some more of those blocks on the go, and is this Larry the Lamb times 2.

Doves and Reindeer look almost finished

Lynda with the two Larry's

Now these were not sewn in group, but just got to show them.  

Spicy Spiral Table Runner.

Remember the challenge that Lesley made here .  Some have been showing up 

Challenge - New York Beauties

I think everyone had a good day today, whether you joined in with the basics or did your own thing, so Thanks go to all especially Carol, Barbara and Lynda for helping Jo.  See you.

Monday Monday

Let me first tell you I was very lacking today, as I was on my own mission to get someone to show me something, and therefore I did not get many photos, and I have to confess that I even forgot some important information about Maureen's Quilt.

Talking of Maureen's Quilt, this is it..

Stunning don't you think?

Stunning don't you think

Maureen used a jelly roll to make this quilt, and her label (which I forgot to photograph) explained the name of the quilt and the fabric used.   I do know that the quilt mentioned the '1600 quilt', when I asked Maureen about this she explained that it was the total number of inches of all the jelly strips that were used in the quilt.  I believe she enjoyed making this so much that she has started on a second one......... so watch this space.   

Heads down working hard

All busy

There was lots  of work going on as you can see, but I am afraid I needed help myself, so I feel today was a bit me me me.  Firstly I had a computer question  or perhaps more truthfully, lots of questions, and secondly I had seen a pattern that I would love to attempt, but just could not work it out.  Luckily we have friends in high places that know a bit about patchwork quilting and stupid (my words) patterns.  If ever I get this made I promise to bring it in to show you all.  

I also forgot to take a photo of the first block of the New York Beauty Challenge .......... shame on me.  Perhaps Lesley will add a picture, but I can tell you it was lovely.

Monday Group day

Bit of planning going on today as well as some of the Christmas wall hanging blocks.

It seems that 'Doves' was the block being worked on this week, and here are some of them.

Doves and Daffs.

3D Doves, some folk are too cleaver for words 

Crumbs!!!  Doves, Reindeer and Angel

Mmmm this one's different.  So cute.

Working hard.  Shame we can't see it all.

Maggie and Jo had a bit of a chat about things for the coming year, so hopefully we should have a couple of speakers and a couple of workshops as well as the block of the month and the Christmas wall hanging, so this year could be a busy busy busy, and have you seen the post below???? Yes a bit of challenge.. come on ladies lets get sewing.

A Little Challenge?

Hi there girls.  Do you fancy a bit of a challenge?

 

How about joing in on the New York Beauty Quilt Along via the "button" on the side here?  One block a week, all paper pieced, easy peasy and would be an "extra" to what we do at group.  Lots of help will be at hand, and a bit of fun to see how they work out.  Just click the link and away we go.

I'm in!!
(Some ideas to tempt you)