"Owl Zat then!"

Just a quick post today as I couldn't show the postcards that I made a couple of weeks ago.  A couple of owl themed cards were sent to Janet (in pink) for the 26th and Lesley for the 28th

I did the drawing to make templates for the appliqued pieces but it wasn't my design.  I have a pattern for 3 owl cushions designed by Gail Penberthy and it was the photo on the front of this for the little owl in the set that I drew from.  I used fusible web to attach the pieces and zigzagged around the pieces and the face and beak pieces were free machined before sewing on the eyes.  After the postcard was layered and trimmed I finished by attaching narrow ribbon.   I knew from previous swaps that Janet had requested pink cards so I used the pink background fabric for her card.

Saturday Sewing, Sunday Catch Up

Unlike the Friday Night Sew-In, I've not linked to any blog related "challenge" this is purely the title for this post.  I was due to meet up with my friend Brenda and others for a sewing day on Saturday at the middle school in Lytchett Minster, a village just outside Poole.  This was postponed to next Saturday because of the snow that fell on Friday, making things a bit dodgy for going down a country lane the following day.

I had already prepared to make some postcards for the Flying Geese themed cards due to be sent in February and as they were ready to be sewn and David was doing some extra work (working from our home office) I set to in my room and made these

The one on the bottom left has variegated thread on it it was the first card of this set that I made.  I decided not to do that on the others but instead used the thread to zigzag around the edges.

That evening I had a sort out of my scrap box so its neat and tidy (for a while) sorted out into strips (which I will sew together to re-cut) and useful sized pieces.  The rest is going.  I did find some of the right sort of fabric, clear enough to write on, to make some postcard backs.  So Sunday morning was taken with ironing fusible onto the postcard backs to put into my box of postcard bits.

 I also found time to use some Shrink Polyester that I bought at the West Country Quilt Show back in November. Fabric can be placed on top of the polyester and stitched so I used some painted fabric that I had no use for and stitched over that in a grid with some zigzag stitch.

Here's the before

and after

This shrinks when holding a steam iron just above the polyester.  I think with more stitching I'd have a more interesting effect, but not too bad for a first attempt.  Now what do I do with it?  I'm not really sure.

I hoped to show some knitting that I've done, but technology has beaten me.  I have an app on my iPad called Dropbox and it's supposed to upload to the computer, but I can't seem to get it done at all.  I think I might have to take camera photos and upload those when I next do a blog post.

From my last post Karen had suggested that I do a tutorial about how I make my quilt labels.  I hope to get one on here soon.

January Ramblings

Didn't know what to call this post, since I haven't posted for a couple of weeks so time for a good catch up.  I haven't been idle though.  Since the last time I have made a label for my bed settee quilt (the most important part of a quilt, try remembering when you've made something when there isn't one!)

 

I realised that I hadn't taken a photo of the completed quilt so here it is

And with it's accompanying cushions

Now to try and keep the settee from gathering other stuff, not easy!  This photo will remind me of what my settee should look like!

I've had a recent session of bag making, with this drawstring bag (minus the drawstring, I've got to get some cord), with some funky scooter fabric that I bought from Bramble Patch last summer

I rather liked the selvedge to this fabric, so that's been cut off and saved

Having taken up knitting (will show that in a later post I've made another zipper pouch bag for knitting bits and bobs

A couple of postcards were made but I can't show them just yet, as they are the first of the 2013 birthday swap on the BQLPC postcard group.  However this gives you a clue as to what features on them

He looks a bit drunk, doesn't he? I had a bash at another owl as the Festive Owl was packed away in the Christmas box.

Been to any January sales?  I let the post Christmas rush pass and made a leisurely trip to Castlepoint, a shopping centre in Bournemouth to have a mooch around M&S, Next and Monsoon.  Managed to get a coat, skirt and top from Monsoon.  Seemed to be rather drawn to the skirt which had hexagons and diamond shapes on it, can't think why, anybody would think I was a patchworker!

I went to Hobbycraft at Ferndown and bought a book there, I'd been thinking about buying this for a while and saw it reduced, what a result.

I also found that one of the authors, Jackie Gering, is also a guest on this week's Quilt Show so getting more of an understanding of the modern quilt movement.

I also manage to go to work as well.  I said I hadn't been idle  ;o)

Almost Forgot About This...

Lynne at Lily's Quilts is hosting Fresh Sewing Day and I'm linking up to this

So go over to her blog here 

Lynne asks about the quilting highlight of the year, which for me has to be the quilt I made for my sister Wendy's 50th birthday, which she was really thrilled with

I followed this at Christmas with a Union Jack cushion made with the remnants of the jelly roll quilt

As you will have seen from my last post I've made something already for the first day of the New Year, but here it is again

Starting as I mean to go on.....

New Year Normality

Having gone back to work yesterday and now a day off for New Year's Day, David and I are starting to get back to normal after the Christmas holidays.  A nice time as it was, it's a New Year and time to move forward.  A nice sunny day instead of the murk and rain of recent days we took ourselves to Bournemouth's West Cliff and went for a walk towards Bournemouth Pier.

I took a photo of David with my mobile and the day was so clear that not only can you see the pier, but to his left you can just about see the Isle of Wight.  It was quite busy on the promenade as people like us were making the most of the pleasant weather.  When we reached the Pier Approach we saw a few old cars which we found out were part of a classic car parade just the other side of the pier.  This was organised by a group called Classic Cars on The Prom.

The following photos will show a taste of the cars displayed, a bit difficult at time because of the crowds of people around the cars, although the top two photos it was a bit quieter towards the far end of the line.

They were just super and a nice addition to our walk along the prom.

Have any new year resolutions? Mine would be to cut down on magazines, I am a bit of a maga-holic.  Here's my pile over the past year on the dining table.  I've sorted in piles of Prima mags, knitting mags, patchwork and quilting mags and some embroidery and sewing mags.  I currently have subscriptions on Prima and Fabrications, so will have to think about whether I renew or not.

 Then there was the pile from the bedroom which was bought to add to the ones above (sorry I forgot to rotate the photo, but you get the drift)

 All these Rosemary Conley ones, funny they all have a similar theme.  That's one to go, I think I can get enough recipes (and diets) from this little lot when I get back on the post Christmas diet.

A jolly good sort out and a chucking out session once the recycling collections start next week.

I also have a number of books (doesn't every quilter!) and I may start to have a sort through those too.  I was thinking I may do some book reviews on the blog this year.

After we cleared away the Christmas decorations and getting them up in the loft, giving the place a good vacuum and moving some furniture back to their normal places, I managed a bit of sewing.  I have taken a free Craftsy class called "Bag Making Basics" not for making the bag but the make the zipper pouch.  I'm not that brilliant with inserting a zip into things but following the instructions was quite easy so I gave it a go and this is it

First new start of the New Year.

Post Christmas

Hello and I hope that Christmas went well and that you had all you wished for.  It is nice to have the break and it's that I look forward to after the build up and the pressure that goes with it.

The car has been repaired and returned to me on Friday, a much better state than when I left it after the accident.  Apart from the slight difference in shade of red  on the bonnet to the rest of the car (being a difficult colour than most to match) it looks really good.  Pleased to get it back after driving in the small hire car.

My daughter Sarah went back home to Bristol the day after Boxing Day and it was lovely to have her staying with us.  We were hoping to stop in Bristol or Bath after leaving her at the Royal Infirmary where she works, but seeing how bad the traffic was and how manic the shops looked in Bristol City centre we decided to give it a miss and head for home taking things at a leisurely pace.  The sales were certainly in full swing!

We also caught up with other relatives, my brother-in-law and his wife.   Alex and family came to see us, during the Xmas break, but with going back to work tomorrow David and I took time out today for him to work on his railway and for me to get sewing again.

As Christmas is over and my sister has her present I can now show what I made her.  A Union Jack cushion from the trimmings of the quilt I made for her birthday back in September

I had a rectangular cushion pattern not a square one, so took a bit of working out to get the proportions of the strips correct, but really pleased how it turned out and Wendy was thrilled with it too.

Alex's girls have played with my door handle cat that "guards" the door to my sewing room.  It had this for some time and asked some time ago if they wanted one, so I made them one each.  Sophie has a stripey one

Isobel has the spotty one

 And here are all three together

I had a little bit of time this week to make a postcard for the last birthday girl this year, Rosemary, who requested Earth.  Being a bit stuck on this one I opted for Earthy tones with a brown background with other earthy fabrics in strips on top, held down with plain brown and variegated brown thread in fancy machine stitches and couched embroidery thread.  I edged with brown metallic thread couched in variegated thread to give a bit of sparkle.  I hope it does speak "earth" to her.

Today I have been working on another hanging back.  The last one to hold calico pieces.  I tried out a block some time ago from a book by Karin Hellaby of Quilters Haven called Pineapple Plus
 so used this as the bag front and bordered it in purple.

 The photo above showed how the block was this morning, I quilted using some fancy machine stitches to take the plainness of the cream fabric.

And above is the completed bag.  So all four bags that I've made have helped towards organising my wardrobe store.

Looking forward to postcard swaps in the coming year, I have signed up to another birthday swap which next year doesn't have the recipient's theme, so the cards they get will be a complete surprise.  I won't take part in as many swaps next year as I did this.  However I did take a bit of time to get my postcard making box organised with pelmet Vilene and fusible web cut to size and printing off "Postcard" and return address labels using T-shirt Transfer Paper.  I have had the transfer paper for a long time (probably more than 10 years) and found to my horror I'm down to the last sheet in the pack - dear me! I'm shocked that I'll have to buy more ;o) !

This is probably the last post for 2012, so wishing the very best for 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Disaster and Christmas Cheer

The last Wednesday off before Christmas I had some last minute things to do and I was out and about in my car.  Traffic was busy and the weather was very wet and I had an accident.  I braked but it was not enough to stop the car sliding into the rear of the one in front.  I was OK, a bit shaken, but my car was not. 

So it was on to insurers and a flurry of phone calls from the car repairers, transportation of the car from Poole to Chichester. arranging car hire while my car was being repaired.  The front left headlight was broken, the bonnet and bumper.  Of course in modern cars the front is designed to crumple so it looked much worse that it actually was.  I quite thought that the repair would not be finished this side of Christmas, but I had a phone call to say it was ready late Friday afternoon and on Saturday the repairers phoned to arrange delivery.  Wow, that was really quick.  Unfortunately because of the Christmas holidays I won't see my car until this Friday, but at least its repaired.

I finished work on Friday and go back the Monday after Christmas so nice to have a week long break.  On Saturday, my daughter Sarah, arrived from Bristol, laden with 2 big bags and she is staying until the day after Boxing Day when return her back home so she has a few days off the enjoy the holidays. 

Yesterday we headed for West Sussex, to meet up with sons Alex and his family and Jamie with his family at a garden centre in Pulborough, where the miniature railway was running Santa Specials, so all 11 of us (7 adults and 4 children) visited Father Christmas. 

After then it was back to Alex's for a Christmas party so we could gather and exchange presents.  It was a way of spreading the number of presents that the children get over the holidays and a chance for us all to catch up.  We had a lovely afternoon, very ably catered by Mary and we opened some lovely presents.

 A Christmas card drawn by Sophie and a teatowel with Isobel's drawing

 Their school and pre-school photos

And from Jamie and Carly was a canvas of all the grandchildren. 

Have a lovely Christmas, Wild or otherwise!!

Getting Christmassy

The present shopping the nearly done, the cards have been sent, just a small amount of food shopping to do and we're nearly there!

I have managed to fit it a small amount of sewing, not a lot.  The weekend before last I found on my facebook page that Quilting Bloggers linked to a Christmas Mug Rug make on The Crafty Blogger here, though I have found there is a correction to the original instructions here.  I found this quite quick to make, just taking up an afternoon then adding the binding on the next morning.  Here is my rug

. 

That Sunday also involved a going to the Quarterjack's Christmas speaker afternoon, for which I was lucky to get a ticket.  The speaker was Christine Porter, from Bristol, who has is a quilt teacher and writer and once was one of the editors of British Patchwork and Quilting magazine.  Quite an entertaining speaker with a lot of quilts to show, many of which had to be produced for her books.

I succumbed and bought her Tessellated Quilts book, but didn't buy any fabric!

Idly reading the e-mail messages from BQL Yahoo group, I noticed a recurring theme on the subject of owls.  There were several suggestions of sites which has instructions on how to make owls, and came across this site which had some really sweet and simple owls, called Efemera Ink.  Like the Sunday before, this last Sunday I went and had a go, this is the result.  Following the instructions this little guy only took over an hour to make

 And here he is on the Christmas tree

 In today's post I had a surprise belated birthday postcard, in purple with some brown and gold lace, trimmed with gold coloured thread, very lush.

 To go with it came a lovely machine embroidered Christmas stocking, thanks to Marion for the surprise!

Trip to London

I don't like London that much as I find things too hectic there.  Being in a tube station is like being in a movie where you stand still and everyone whizzes around you, a bit scary when you are trying to find your way around (and making sure you're on the right line to where you want to go).  When a coach trip to London just happened to be on my day off I thought it would be something different to do.  I decided I would go to the Victoria and Albert Museum  as this was one London museum I hadn't visited and it was fascinating.

There was a couple of extra exhibitions there - one of ballgowns and another of Hollywood costumes - but decided not to see these and it was just as well as I think I walked my socks off wandering around the general exhibits.  Here are some pics of the things I liked there.  The Middle Eastern art, which included this lovely tiled panel.

And bowl (I think both the items came from Iran)

These Indian carved wall decorations - there were lovely patterns - I was fascinated by them

 In another part of the museum there were lovely mosaic floors, sorry but I had to take photos

That's just 3 of the photos that I took of the floors

I was amazed by the large columns in the Cast Courts, this was an Italian one

And found some of these from Salisbury Cathedral on the wall of one of the Renaissance galleries

I could show more pics! I quite enjoyed being there and would not rule out another trip there, some fascinating things.

Onward to the tube station to make my way to the meeting place I stopped at Picadilly Circus and went along Regent Street to see the lights (it was nearly 4 o'clock and getting dark by now), the theme being the Twelve Days of Christmas

I walked up to Libertys to have a meander, hoping to buy something from their haberdashery but things were so expensive, but lovely to look at.  I went to look at the Christmas decs and bought a small reindeer to add to our Christmas tree.

Walking towards the meeting place I diverted down to Carnaby Street with their alternive decorations

Because it's dark its probably difficult to see that they are records arranged in a large ball strung from the walls of the buildings.

A good but tiring day and something different on my day off!