A Finish - Dr Who Messenger Bag

Earlier this month it was my eldest granddaughter's 13th birthday.  I sent her a card but I couldn't gift her present until we saw her on Sunday.  She is growing up fast - always listening to music (sounds like punk to me!) and spending time in her room - she is a teenager alright!  She enjoys Dr Who and by chance a local fabric shop, Lovely Jubbly Fabrics stocked some Tardis themed fabric, which fitted the bill.

So here's the bag that I made her

 The front and below, the back

It has an open as well as a zipped pocket inside

For the zipped pocket I'd only made a practice one hours before I made the one above. so I was pleased how that turned out and may use this method of making inside pockets again.  The bag pattern was a free one on Makower UK's website designed by Janet Goddard called a Walk in the Park Messenger bag.

I also made a vinyl fronted zippy pouch (sorry didn't turn the photo first).  This is loosely based on the pouch from Aneela Hoey's book as I didn't round the corners or make the bias strip.

The strips at the side did stretch a little so I should have backed these with Vilene, but other than that it went together ok.  I thought it would come in useful as a pencil case (or she may have other ideas).

There is still some of the fabric left so she may get something Dr Who themed for Christmas too (sorry, didn't mean to mention that so early!).

August

August usually means one thing - the Festival of Quilts.  I go there most years and this year, being the 40th Anniversary of the Quilters' Guild of the British Isles and a lot of things linked to this event.

I didn't take part in any way at all though - I didn't make a party hat block or make a mini quilt to celebrate the Ruby anniversary.  I did make a couple of thread catcher containers for the Tombola and also won another!  I didn't book a workshop as there weren't any that appealed but I did book the Jenny Doan (of Missouri Star Quilt Co) lecture, which was really brilliant.  She is such an entertaining speaker.

I really go for the competition quilts and the galleries.  I take photos - not that many this time compared with previous years. There are so many on social media sites - Facebook and Instagram and when I've taken photos I don't often look to them for reference.  There has been some retail therapy as well, but more of that later.

Before then there was a hashtag titled helloFoQ on Instagram and I posted my photo and trying to get a selfie right in front of my Dazzling Diamonds quilt took some doing, with arranging myself, getting the phone in the right place and it still wasn't a flattering pic!

The star of the show seemed to be the Red House Quilt.  The original was with the curated collection of the quilts in the Guild's collection and in the new book about the collection called 'Forty'.  There is also a Block of the Month due out soon to make a modern version of the quilt.  Below is the Modern one.

I tried to take photos of the winning quilts but the quilts are displayed under a single spotlight which highlighted the middle of the quilts but made the outside edges dark.  The pic below is called Who Will Tell the Bees  by Mary Palmer and Anne Kiely and is the Best In Show.

This pic is "Hermanas por el mundo" by Naroa y Nahia Sevilla.  The description was in Spanish in the catalogue but I think it is about a cultural exchange between the Spanish and Japanese girls and was in the Young/Quilter Embroiderer (10 - 13 years).

 You can see what I mean about the lighting in the pic above as this was the side of the quilt in the pic below show the colours better.  This was the winner of the Group category "Over the hills and far away" by 4 group members from Cowslip Workshops.

The pic below was a Traditional Quilt but unfortunately I didn't take one of the number so I can't tell you what this is and I thought I removed the person's arm (oops)

I will do some editing and share more photos soon.

Late July Furtling

A bit late linking up for July's Furtle Around the Blogosphere hosted by Archie the Wonder Dog.  After a busy weekend for Festival of Quilts and a catch up on household stuff yesterday I'm just catching up.  (Confession here - I have spent a couple of hours this morning and this afternoon working on some EPP - though more about that another time.)

July has been about going out and about - a TG trip to Lyme Regis and another long day trip to Tyntesfield near Bristol, then another to Guernsey for the day from Poole (link to both here).

There has been some time, however to sew, crochet and knit too.  I started on an Instagram Challenge called 100 Hexies 100 Days and as at yesterday I've posted up to day 36.  Each week has had a theme and on week 6 this week it's Adventure.  Each week I've posted the 7 days worth of hexies and well as posting most days. So here are a few pics

Week 1 - Me (and yes, there are 6 days in this week)

 Week 2 Summerlicious

 Week 3 - Teeny Tiny things

Week 4 - Starts with B

Week 5 - Rainbow

Until last week I've been working on a scrap busting challenge with is hosted by Sugar Bowl Crafts.  That had gone on the back burner while I've been working on a bit of secret sewing, which I hope I can share next week.  For now, I've joined my scrap strips into blocks but not joined the blocks as yet.

I have done two more blocks since that photo was taken and hope that the end of this week I can join together.  I quite like how this blocks look but there may be a change of arrangement.  Who knows.

On the theme of using scraps, I've used skinny scrappy strips to make fabric twine.  I've made this into a coaster and a small bowl, rather like the rope bowls.  They've come together really well, although the little handles I made aren't symmetrical but I think it adds to the charm.

I've also finished off a cardigan, though not blocked or buttons added and also a granny shawl.

Phew, that was a busy month!

And August is going to be all about the Exhibitions, having been to Festival of Quilts, yesterday to Dorset Arts and Crafts annual exhibition.  To come will be Happy Patchers and the West Country Quilt Show.

I'm pleased that I don't work - I'd never fit it all in!!!

As I said earlier I'm linking this post with Mini Archie's Furtle Around the Blogosphere.