New arrival

Following on from my previous posting about waiting for my new grandchild due on 4 July, he arrived yesterday (9 July). Born in Poole Hospital at 11.24 weighing in at 7lbs 13.5 oz, his name is Leo James Wild. His parents Jamie (my youngest son) and girlfriend Carly are over the moon. I went to visit them last night, so here's a pic of me holding my lovely new grandson.

New Quilt

I've started to make a quilt for my second grandchild who was due on 4 July, however we are still waiting! I bought a pack 5" square blocks from Strawberry Fayre in March which had mainly animal prints and added some of my own to make up the 25 blocks needed. I added strips to 2 sides log cabin style then the blue print sashing. In the top right corner are 2 of the green setting triangles that I've used as the quilt is on point. At this point I've still to added borders in the blue print. Seeing as I've only put this together in 2 days (last Saturday when it was tipping down with rain and this afternoon) I have to say its looking quite good. I'll take another photo when I've progessed further.

Picture Frame Postcards

I made four postcards quickly this weekend for a swap that I forgot about. I signed up to an "Arts in the Mail" Picture Frame swap which was due to be posted this week, before the Ribbon Weaving one due in July.

It was when I received a couple of cards from this swap from Kate and Evelyn that it fell into place. I already had the picture blocks attached to background fabric but never used them so I'd orginally made "picture frames" from Bondwebbed fabric. However when I went to the National Patchwork Championships at Sandown one trade there, Glitterati had a "loot bag" with an assortment of trimmings. The braids and ric-rac used made really good picture frames and finished of these picture blocks nicely.

All are now in the post to London (Kate), Germany (Evelyn) and USA (Kaye and Sue)

Holiday in France

Last week David and I have been on holiday in the Loire Valley. Last Tuesday we returned home to Poole from Cherbourg on Brittany Ferries ship the Barfleur. It has to negotiate going through the narrow channel leading into Poole. I could not resist taking some photo's (although it was getting dark) but have managed to get them in the wrong order, so here goes.

This is a view of Brownsea Island with its castle and cottages near the landing bay. The island is famous for the first scout camp run by Lord Baden-Powell a hundred years ago this year.

The pic to the left is of the Purbecks, the area around Swanage in Dorset. It was a lovely site to see when coming home.

Our time in France was spent in the Loire Valley, visiting chateux and other sites. A lovely time, lots to see, lots of walking and we did get some nice weather though a lot of rain too. I might seek out some pics later to post.

Ribbon Weaving

Some postcards that I've recently completed and will go in the post tomorrow. Two of them are off to the U.S. adnd a third to New Zealand. Hope they get to their destinations, while we're off to ours. Good to be ahead of some things as these aren't due to be posted until 7 July.

The them of this swap is ribbon weaving, which I quite enjoyed doing. Various types of ribbon are woven over felt. Black tulle was placed on top and then free machined. Ric rac tidied the edges and finished with sequins. Lots of glitz here. Great fun.

Tissue paper printing

I've not posted for a little while and will be away for a week on holiday in France, hope to post some pics when I get back.

Today, I thought I would have a go at tissue paper printing. I had an assorted pack of coloured tissue paper and dampened calico. I laid the tissue paper on top and dampened a bit more with a spray of water in the first picture. The colours bled out onto the calico and this is the result, in the second picture when dry. Like it, not sure what to do with it.

Latest TAST stitches

Having fallen a little behind with the TAST stitches in recent weeks I took time to practice the Woven and Whipped Wheels, even made a few "roses" from this (but don't look too closely at the leaves of one of them!). I also tried the Basque stitch too, which I found easy to pick up. This was edged with up and down buttonhole stitch to hold the front and back piece together. Made a nice little bookmark.

Trying to get creative

Today I'm on holiday the day after the Bank Holiday. After doing the chores I thought I'd get down to a little expirimental stuff which I'd normally not have the time to do. In Arts In the Mail Yahoo Group the challenge this month is "mixed media". I've made a card which has the background fabric printed from the paper bag, the flower picture from a magazine (my garden looks nothing like that - shame!) covered with self adhesive plastic film, flowers trapped in organza stitched on top of the pic. I then stamped a trio of little flowers and backed the whole thing with pelmet vilene and hand made paper. Phew, I hope that's enough, though will have to stitch around all layers to hold together.

Yesterday the Bank Holiday was spent stitching some "string" pieces into squares, which will form the basis of another quilt, probably for local Project Linus. I started the first 4 blocks in a quilting meeting back last winter, but just last week decided to have a go at more blocks until I got all 16 done. Nove have to think how I'm going to arrange them and look at some border fabric.

Postcards to go

This month I've taken part in "Circles" themed postcard swap organised by BQLPC, an offshot of BQL (British Quilt List), a Yahoo Group. Having been to Jennie Rayment's workshop last month, I'd learnt a quick way to applique circles so went mad on this. As well as some fancy machine stitches I've also used some of the TAST stitches from recent weeks, like the Palestrina stitch, Bonnet stitch, Cretan and Herringbone stitches. They just been sent in the post this month so should be with their recipients early next week. Hope you like the pictures.

New stitches

I've posted a pic of the 2 latest stitches in the TAST challenge, Oyster stitch and a little bit of Palestrina stitch, which I've also posted to the Flickr website. Oyster stitch took quite a while to master, but got enough of a hang of it to sew these lupins, together with a few French Knots. The thread that I used for the lupins is Coats Anchor Multicolour Stranded Cotton, which is made in some lovely colours. The lupin pattern was originally a goldwork pattern from Stitch magazine which I thought would be a good way of showing off this stitch.

If there are any English people out there reading my blog - I'd like to wish you all a happy St George's Day tommorow.

The Blue Pool

Yesterday my husband, David, and I went to the Blue Pool in Wareham, Dorset. Being a lovely warm and sunny afternoon, it just seemed too nice to stay indoors. The pool was once a clay pit producing ball clay which was used for making clay pipes and later Wedgewood pottery. The light refraction gives the water the aquamarine blue appearance. Being armed with my mobile phone I could not resist taking a pic.

Let them eat cake

I've recently joined a Yahoo Group called Arts in the Mail. I've joined in a challenge last month to make a folded patchwork postcard and made 3-d Flying Geese. This month I'm in a swap with 4 others with the theme of "Let Them Eat Cake" and I made 2 cards with fairy (cup) cakes and 2 others with slices of cake.

I worked with pastel colours which I wouldn't normally use and used this as an opportunity to cut up the background fabric called "Tutti Fruiti". So here are the pics.

New sewing area

I've posted a pic of our newly painted room with computer on one side and my sewing stuff on the other. Instead of a small dressing table/desk like the kind used for children's bedrooms I now have a large worktop with room for two plastic drawer caddies for fabric underneath. I also have use of the wardrobe in this room and a built in closet type wardrobe too.

While decorating items have moved from one room to another and I have so much stuff. I am in need of a jolly good sort out!

Catching up

I've posted onto my Flickr account with two examples of the latest TAST challenges. One being the Knotted Cretan Stitch and the second is the Bonnet Stitch. I hadn't heard of either of these before trying out and they were a little trying until I got used to them. I really like the effect that the bonnet stitch had and can see myself using this stitch out again before long.

Jenny Rayment workshop

On Saturday I was at a workshop organised by Quarterjack Quilters tutored by Jennie Rayment, who specialises in tucks, twists and dimensional patchwork. We made "Tucked Up Circles" a technique that was new to me. Everything was done by machine, no hand sewing at all and also learned of a stitch on my machine (I've got a Janome MC4800) that I didn't know I had for "invisible" hemming around the small circle appliqued in the middle and the binding around the edge of the circle. Could be most useful, that.

Anyway, an enjoyable workshop, Jennie gave very clear instructions and she has a wonderful sense of humour. A really good day. Here's my circle by the end of the day, yet to be sandwiched and quilted.

International Quilting Day

My friend, Brenda, and myself have organised an International Quilting Day in Sturminster Marshall, near Wimborne, Dorset for the past couple of years. This year our day was on 17th March, St Patrick's Day, so there was an Irish theme to the day. That's Brenda on the left in the photo, me on the right.

We originally became friends through visiting the same event in Hartley Wintney, near Basingstoke in 2000 which was organised by Doris Dove and Diana Baker and each year until we decided that maybe quilters in Dorset would like to such an event hence our started in 2005. Ours is sociable, with a lot of the ladies bringing their own hand sewing, there's a raffle, some demonstrations, some traders, a quiz or two, show and tell, hot lunch, followed later by tea and cakes. So successful that this year we didn't have to advertise! Each year Brenda and I choose a charity, which this year was to support the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. To date, we have raised over £400.00.

To see photos of the Quilting Day I 've put them here .

Up and down buttonhole stitch

Here is a sample of the up and down buttonhole stitch. I've used the last portion of my silk ufo to embroider onto. Took a while to get the hang on this stitch but once hooked had to keep going. I even managed and down, up and up again stitch which was sewn for the "tulip" style flowers. I like a bit of quirkiness and could not resist making a beaded dragonfly using this stitch as wings.

Cross Stitch

I've posted a couple of photos of my TAST challenge piece which this week is cross stitch. I've made a large cross of lots of crosses on black felt. I used perle and chenille threads which created an interesting texture on the black. For those who, like me, want to see the back as well as the front I've shown the reverse image.

Latest Postcards

I've just sent of postcards for the Valentine swap on BQL (British Quilt List) Postcard group. I already had some material with hearts, roses and letters on them and decided that some pink/orange silk would go well. I origally trimmed them with gold organza ribbon but badly underestimated the amount of ribbon needed, so then bought some gold ricrac to trim. I found some pale pink fabric for the postcard backs and wrote in red. Really pleased at how they turned out.

My Mum's Quilts

I thought I would share a couple of quilts that my Mum has made. A friend at one of the local quilt groups, Freda, gave some novelty fabric to anyone who could make good use of it, the only proviso was a photo of the finished quilts. I passed some football (soccer) and basketball fabric onto Mum who's made a couple of quilts for the local Project Linus. Here they are.