November Bag and Other Bits

This is my bag for November, a Messenger bag. This was made of half square triangles pieced for the flap and as alternate blocks for the body of the bag. The strap reached to the bottom sides of the bag to form a gusset. I took the photo during the evening so although it looks blue/purple it is definitely a blue and used this with two other fabrics for the blocks. Turned out quite well though I wouldn't be in a hurry to make this again. I've now got to see what December's bag is, which will be the last one for this year. I'm pleased that I've seen this challenge through with this I've always had something finished at the end of each month. Others that have fallen by the wayside have been adding onto something in progress so never finished off.

Friday was my birthday, but not a good day, less said the better. Having moved I haven't anyone to share it with, so feeling a little down about that. However on Saturday DH and I went out on Saturday to the African Fabric Safari in Meltham, near Holmfirth. Nice small show, bought some fabric, bought a Christmas present, saw a demonstration of free machine quilting and a nice journey through the Yorkshire dales to get there, too.

Sunday saw us going to the Wakefield Model Railway exhibition
which is quite a large exhibition in the area. DH doesn't have a railway at present (it's still packed in several boxes in the garage). Wherever we've lived there has always been a model railway usually in a loft or garage, but this time when it's rebuilt it will have to be portable. It is amazing just how many children and adults are fascinated by the trains and how much detail goes into the detail of these layouts.

That's our weekend done, tomorrow will be Christmas shopping. It has to be done, so it's off to Meadowhall in Sheffield tomorrow.

Pontefract Castle

I visited Pontefract this afternoon and took time out to see the castle (hadn't been that way before). As it was about 3o'clock the sun was quite low in the sky so some pics are dark as the sun was behind the ruins.

The first pic is of the main tower (or what remains of it) as I went into the site

This one above is the Constable TowerAnd this is the view to the town and the church through the window.
There was a lovely pink sky looking out of the back bedroom window as the sun had set. Couldn't resist taking this, bit wonky isn't it, tried to get as much of the lovely pink as I could

Magic Carpet

When we moved in I received a Magic Carpet from Jean but of course wasn't online so hadn't posted a picture of it so must put that right. Mine to Jenny was posted a few days ago here. This is Jean's Magic Carpet.It's a lovely sparkly piece with lots of lovely yarns embellished on it, really colourful.

Yesterday at Harrogate

Yesterday I went to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Harrogate. The first hall had a giant piece of knitting hanging over the doors leading into the next hall with the question "Have you seen my knitting?"
As a lot of the textile artists did not want photography though it was encouraged with the Committed to Cloth exhibit I then didn't know if I should put this on the blog. So here are pics of an exhibit called the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef, organised by the Crafts Council and was still being added to by people sitting and crocheting at the exhibit.

I bought a few bits and pieces though of course it is tempting to spend more. I bought several magazines and looking though this lot it does seem an eclectic mix. Stitch (embroidery), Lets Knit, Cloth, Paper, Scissors (mixed media) and Quilting Arts Gifts. The books were Transfer to Transform (a bit arty) and Easy Does it for Friends (a bit cutesy). I'd also got some roving, an embellishing pack in pinks and mauves, a cross stitch pattern, purple sock wool and threads from Oliver Twists. The only bit of fabric was some calico because I was running short of that!

I'd also had a chance to meet up with Chris and Lesley from Durham in the morning and later in the afternoon, so if you are reading this it was lovely to meet up with you both and hope that you had an enjoyable day.

A really great day out and having wandered from the station through the town I'd like to visit Harrogate again sometime.

What I've made and what I've received

Last week I received the West Country Quilter from Region 4 of the Quilter's Guild as my new address appeared on their mailing list. Jenny, who organises the mailing of this, sent me a lovely postcard made from a workshop day last month. I've now contacted the Guild and they've now put me in the right region.
I made two of these cards below as a challenge appeared on Arts In the Mail Yahoo group for this month called the night sky - with the fabric that I received from Penny it just spoke to me. So one for Penny and one for the challenge. I used mottled blue fabric, a thin layer of Angelina fibre and the starry organza on top. Although it can't be seen well in this pic I quilted this with some metallic thread stars.
The November bag for BQL is in progress, must get on with that, it's nearly there. Off to the Knitting and Stitching show at Harrogate tomorrow. Wonder what I'll get there.

I'm now online!

Only into our third week here, but after much faffing about, first to have the phone line, then the broadband sorted I'm now back online and now able to update my blog. I haven't been idle however as my needlefelting machine has made a Magic Carpet which I posted to Jenny in Llandudno (which I mentioned in my last post) and can now show the pic below.

It's a layer of pinky/purple scrim on a felt background, with strips of yarn, knitting tape, organza ribbon and silk fabric (I like the ruffled effect that the silk made when needled down).

I've also started making some postcards, which I'll share in a few days and it's good to get back to making them again. The November BQL bag is also in progress, just the last and difficult bit to do. Then I've also been doing some knitting, I've done the back and most of one sleeve of a cardigan, haven't taken a pic of this yet but I found the pattern on Sirdar's website

At the weekend DH and I were out and about. Went to Leeds to see the Christmas lights there, which were really spectacular and I'll some pics of that next time. On Sunday we went to a Christmas Fayre at Wentworth Castle near Barnsley, then had a drive around the dales and stopped at Holmfirth for lunch at a cafe on the backstreets of the town. Of course it's well known for the Last of the Summer Wine and I could not resist taking a photo of Sid's Cafe below

except it's now Beatties (!). Even though it was a cold, but sunny Sunday afternoon, there are still a fair number of tourists around.

Last of all, many thanks to those who left comments in my last post. It was lovely to hear from you, ladies. We are gradually settling down here, not been easy being transplanted from the south coast, but we are discovering new places up here and getting to know my way around.

We've moved!

We’ve now moved to Hemsworth, near Pontefract and arrived last Friday 31st. Not had much time to explore the area yet but have got most things unpacked from boxes but of course it’s trying to find homes for our things!

I will get around to getting my sewing stuff out but I have managed to get the embellishing machine into action and made a “Magic Carpet” for a swap by the UK Embellisher Yahoo Group and this will go off to Jenny in Llandudno. Looking forward I’ve ordered my ticket for the Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate later this month and also signed up for a postcard swap with Arts in the Mail for the beginning of December.

I’m currently using a mobile internet so no piccies as I don’t want to download too much, but will be online next week, so I may take the time to do a few changes to the blog then.

This is my hundredth post and I feel I ought to have done something special for that, but that can wait until next week, so do bear with me.