February sewing

Although a short month, there has been some sewing last month. I made this table runner, shown with some daffs


And without.

I can also reveal the mug rugs made for the Winter Olympics Mug Rug Swap, which I sent out to my swap partner, Pam in Virginia earlier this month.









The pattern was designed by Amanda, The Patchsmith, and I was really pleased how they turned out. I know that my mug rugs are making their way to me in the post, so hopefully some pics of those I the next few days.

I also signed up to a Craftsy class and am plodding my way through seeing 'Free Motion Quilting a Sampler' by Leah Day. Lots of lessons, about 14 I think and she does go into quite a lot of useful detail. It was on special offer when I signed up and I think well worth it. So I started to have a go yesterday using some fabric that I was never going to use in a quilt. Being a peachy colour with white thread doesn't show up too well on a photo, but it was just to get a feel of the stitching, especially as I haven't used the Pfaff machine that often for free machining. Here goes




Some wiggly spirals


Some arch shapes (can't remember what they're called)


Some snake paisley shapes, though they look more like flames.

So that was February. March will have Worldwide Quilting Day on 15th, and I will be stitching with friends. Not sure of other plans for this month but I think it may involve a bit more free machining. As it's the 1st I will join in with Fresh Quilting Day with Lily's Quilts.

http://lilysquilts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/fresh-sewing-day-and-small-blog-meet.html

(Please excuse not posting the badge from the blog as I'm typing on Blogpress)



Sue W- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

More holiday pics

Just last week we visited Brixham and Totnes. A very changeable day weather wise so made use of the good bits. Just a few miles from where we were staying in Paignton, Brixham is well known for fishing and this Banksy painting was just outside the fish market by the harbour. This was beside a door from which one could buy fish.



There were quite a few mosaic murals that decorated the walls opposite the fish market






We visited the replica of the Golden Hind. Quite a small boat but worth a visit to see how seafarers lived back in Tudor times.






Found this above a fish and chip shop



In the afternoon we went to Totnes, but soon after arriving there there was a rain storm so we spent some time in a tea to (mostly) sit it out.




The High Street is quite narrow and uphill, but there were some unusual shops to see.


We found our way to the Castle but unfortunately it was closed, this was the nearest I could get.

However I did make some fabric purchases in sewing shops in both towns



Saturday was spent In Exeter, before going home on Sunday. It was a really good break away with good company. It shouldn't be too long before we have another break.

There'll be some sewing on the blog soon.

Sue W- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Half Term Break

I don't work in a school, but my sister-in-law does so her and my brother-in-law's holidays are normally taken in the school holidays. So for this half term break David and I went with them to Paignton in Devon from Wednesday to Saturday.

Thursday we had to visit a heritage railway. This is the Dart Valley Railway which runs from Paignton to Kingswear, then there is a ferry across the Dart River to Dartmouth.




The engine, Lydham Manor, one of GWR's Manor class engines


The observation coach, which had an interesting history, which was at the rear of the train as we travelled to Kingswear.

Didn't take many photos in Dartmouth, but it is a very quaint town. I could not resist taking photos of daffodils


Aren't they a lovely sight?


A view back to the town from the quayside. You can see what a brilliant sunny day it was, sunny though cold, but nice to be out and about.

We bought this from a touristy shop, David couldn't resist this



A little birdhouse (sorry too good for birdies) but not too sure where to put this at present. It does look so cheery.

More photos to come soon

Sue W- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Textile landscape

So completely different from the precise blocks of last week's post, here are photos of my landscape. Made with silk paper onto a backing of canvas



The stitched picture


The original photo.

These photos actually taken on a sunny morning this morning, makes a change from the drab rainy weather. I went to class on Friday having to go out in persistent heavy rain, accompanied later by high winds so packing sewing stuff to take back to the car was challenging, hence the crease as I folded it. Now I've rolled it up so should ease the crease out. I've heavily stitched the path and parts of the grassy bits. Will need more work, but that's where I've got to so far.

Sue W- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Too Busy Sewing

I can't believe how quickly this year is going already, although I can't wait for Spring to arrive and drier weather with it.  We are very lucky that in this area while there is some flooding it's not as bad as some areas in the country for whom it is catastrophic.

Rainy days mean that I don't get far apart from going to work, so have been busy sewing.  As well as the mug rugs for the Winter Olympic Swap (can't show that yet, I must get that sent off) I have been making a couple of blocks for a quilt along from Sew At Home Mummy called Classic meets Modern Quilt Along.  One, the Bear Paw block went very well, but a little less well is the Amethyst block.  Think I may need to hand sew into the Y seams, a good job I left lengths of thread after machining the block together.

This is the Bear Paw block

Amethyst block (looks good from the top but a bit untidy underneath (but you don't see that, do you)

While having breakfast last week I was looking at another blog and linking to another and I came across a cushion with half square triangles arranged in a heart.  I since found out the site was called Fort Worth Fabric Studio, linked through The Crafty Quilter's "Sew Thankful Sunday" posting. I decided to draw this out and took a photo to email to a friend

(this was from my iPad and you will not imagine what a fuss there was trying to upload this onto the computer to put this on the blog! The wonders of modern technology ;o(  )

I worked on this cutting and sewing (using 2.5" squares) on Saturday afternoon at the Sewing Saturday group and made one heart.  Going so well I made another on Sunday, later it became a table runner.

Sunday evening the binding was sewn down, threads tidied and all done.  Must be a record for me to get something finished so quickly.

This coming week I will be at the textile art class on Friday so will hopefully progress my landscape picture a bit further.

Long Time No Post

Hadn't meant to leave it this long, but its amazing how time runs away, so a bit of a catch up.  First of all thank you to those who commented on my last post and thoughts on my blogging anniversary.

Friday before last I went to sewing class where we made some silk paper for a landscape which will be worked on in further classes.  I had found a photo to work from and had that photocopied enlarged from A4 to A3 size, which was one I took from our Cornwall holiday back in September.

As you can see a lot of green and blue and hiding just to the left of the dark blue is some grey which will give me the basis of the landscape.  Lets see how it goes....

Saturday saw my Mum and I going to Cherry Tree Fabrics (local Quilt shop) for sale bargains in which we both bought quite a bit of fabric (not that I needed it of course).  Low key stuff for me, tone-on-tone black and also white fabric, some yellows (haven't got much yellow in my stash) and some plain aqua fabrics.

This last Friday was my first 'free' Friday off, nothing planned, so went into Poole and saw this in Primark

Rather liked this postcard tea towel and at just a £1 it was asking to be bought.  I thought it was appropriate with my postcard making.  Back home in the afternoon I did some sewing and made this

Not quite a postcard but a holder for coupons. They usually get hidden in my purse and by the time they are found are usually expired.  Made like a postcard, i.e. front and back fabrics are bonded onto pelmet Vilene and another smaller piece in front made in the same way and stitched together to form a pocket. Above is the front,

 The back

And with coupons

I made another for a Mug Rug swap that I've joined. This will go to the recipient as a little something extra.

This is the swap I'll be taking part in.  I've made one already!

 

So I've not been idle!

Blog 7th Anniversary

No pictures, just words.

Today is the 7th anniversary of writing my blog.  I first started this blog to write my weekly entries for Take a Stitch Tuesday, which was (and I think still is) run by Sharon Boggon on her blog, PIn Tangle.  I learnt quite a few embroidery stitches, using my collection of variegated threads and was able to use some of the samples in postcards.  As you will have seen from my blog posts I have made a lot of postcards over the years!

I didn't think I would keep this going, seeing as I would have a diary at the beginning of the year and it would still be empty at the end of the year.  What I do like about keeping a blog is some of the feedback that I get to posts and also following other blogs getting inspiration to try different quilting techniques.

Over the years its followed me from Poole to Yorkshire and back again, seen my family expand from one grandchild to four, various excursions home and abroad.  The blog had bought about contact with Janet and Barnsley Creative Embroiderers when I was Up North, which was so helpful in trying to get to know the area.  I've also made friends with fellow bloggers Lis, Bente, Quilt Sue, Julie and all my followers not only on Google but now on Bloglovin too.

I've enjoyed taking part of challenges and swaps through blogging too.  Another Little Qiilt swap run by Kate is one, and this Christmas took part in the Christmas stocking swap.  A mug rug swap has just started on Quilting bloggers which I'll take part in. The beginning of last year along with other bloggers I made quite a few scrappy Trip Around the Worl blocks.

I may not be as prolific a sewer as some, as I've always had to fit sewing around husband, family, work, but I am lucky that I do have a sewing space.  I enjoy writing a blog as an extension of my sewing experience and hope to continue to do so.

Ain't Misbehavin', (unlike the weather)

This weekend is American Football Wildcard Weekend playoffs so Saturday and Sunday evenings David has been glued to the TV. So last nights late game was recorded and watched this morning and probably tonight's late game will be watched tomorrow. The weather is dire, there are floods in a lot of towns locally as the River Stour has burst its banks and the wind and rain shows no signs of getting any better, but luckily we are not effected by flooding (touch wood).

So it's been the perfect weekend for sewing. Carrying on from the blocks I first started on New Years Day I now have a tally of 13 blocks plus my first one where I thought I should swap blocks and colours around and looks as though I lost it. All the blocks are 8.5" square.

My apologies for the colour choices I was grabbing anything I had complete fat quarters for. It's amazing how in my stash I cut into fabrics so I don't have complete fat quarters

This is the first block



A bit bonkers isn't it

Got a bit better as I went along














I still have quite a few triangles left, though wish the cutting plan had more small squares which would have been useful so I cut some more from spare fabric. This project has kept me busy on New Years Day, yesterday's sewing afternoon at Wimborne and today.

I read a few blogs last night and came across Sarah from Sew Me -
http://sewmeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/bee-blessed-january-2014.html
who wrote about the Blessed Bee and clear instructions for making a Greek Cross block, 12.5" square. So I had to have a go at that.



Not a bad weekends bit of sewing.


Sue W- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

New Year Sewing

How did your Christmas holiday go? Ours was quite busy with travel (and Christmas dinner) in Bristol with Sarah, bought her with us back to Poole.  On Boxing Day joining our sons with their families for a get together.  The few days after my brother in law and sister in law stayed.  Then back to work on Tuesday, so a busy few days.  We managed to visit Corfe Castle on Saturday and not surprisingly it rained.

From the castle a good view down to the village and a steam train from Swanage.

And after lunch a ride on the train down to Swanage.  In spite of the weather there were quite a few people on the beach and the promenade, though the sea looked really choppy.

This was in Swanage station, it's called Manston, one of the Battle of Britain class locos.

This diesel loco was at Corfe Castle station, a narrower than normal engine as it was used on the Hastings line. It was a good day out.

So for New Year


The weather remained grim, so as it was a day off there was only one thing to do - sew!

I intend to look forward so a new project for me is to make a fat quarter quilt.  In the summer I won this book in a raffle and at the time said that I kept picking it up to read. It has a grid system for cutting out different sized squares from layers of fat quarters, some of which are re-cut into half or quarter square triangles. I used 7 fat quarters and so far I've made 6 x 8.5" blocks. Please excuse the picture which was taken this evening, though bad light all day wouldn't have been conducive for good photos.  It was fun putting the various combinations together and happily sewing away while listening to the radio.

I still have plenty of pieces to make more blocks and have put the different sizes into bags ready for a sewing afternoon on Saturday.

I haven't posted these before, so here are the Christmas postcards that I received before they get taken down when the decorations are dismantled this weekend.

As ever a wonderful selection of cards and so varied in techniques.  This may have been the last swap for a while as I want to give postcard making a rest for a while and change to doing other things.

As its the first of the month, though a little late in the day I'm linking up with Lily's Quilts Fresh Sewing Day here

Happy New Year

A bit grim for a holiday day. Things can only get better.


Have a good one, whatever you do.


          Happy New Year


Sue W- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad