Crafty Head is back on !!!

Thought I would pop in before lunch to show you this...my completed 15 minutes of play (and in a more realistic colour)

I managed to get the binding on this in time for Westbury Park Show & Tell last night in the hopes that someone could tell me what I did wrong! After I finished free machine quilting which I was fairly pleased with, I looked at the back, and was confronted with this....a LOOPY back.

I was told that I was not sewing fast enough:-0 so if this is correct hopefully after a LOT more practice it should improve!

Today I have most of the morning to myself and in an effort to complete some more PHD's I did some more embroidery on my Sheep picture (SVQ 25th Birthday Workshop) I have all the legs, feet, and tails done now so not much more to do. 

I would like to have it finished in time for the forthcoming Severn Valley exhibition in February when they will all go on show together. I am not sure if I shall frame it (as per instructions) or make a cushion by adding some borders. I have made some progress on my knitted gloves and I have to say I am really proud of teaching myself to knit on 4 needles even if they get in a tangle from time to time, I have even dealt with dropped stitches from time to time (always a panic moment for me usually!!)

and I just LOVE the way all the fingers are coming out different colours. I will end up with a pair of 'odd' gloves which really appeals to my wicked side LOL

At Westbury Park our workshop was making Felt Beads, I did not make any last night, but I bought a little kit and will have a go at home, Sue the tutor is doing the same workshop at SVQ in February so I may surprise her with a necklace.

Well better go and cook lunch, I'm off to DD's in Gloucester later to help her out with her Slimming World Group this evening. Did I tell you all she decided to become a SW counselor last September, after losing 61/2 stone (91pounds) in the last year, her group has been relatively small then last week 20 new members turned up (HELP she cried!!!).

Bye for now

L

I don't do small.....

but I have been following a blog by Victoria Findlay Wolfe called 15 minutes of play. and was inspired by her Miniature Challenge to have a go. Victoria advocates just 'playing' for 15 minutes each day with small scraps of fabric too make larger pieces which are then cut and re pieced in blocks, this challenge was to use the teeny-est bits of fabric from your scrap bag to see if you could make a really small quilt and I thought let's have a go! This is the result of several 15 minutes sessions. I made some fabric and cut it into 2" squares to make 9 squares

which I sashed together using 1" strips from the scrap bag, and its only 8" square!!!! The colours are not good here but I will try to get a better photo later when its finished.

 

My 15 minutes playing today found me with 2 objectives in mind i.e. making the backing for it from some wider strips randomly pieced 

and practicing some Free Motion quilting in an effort to make me use my machine for something other than straight line quilting.

 

I'm hoping to add a continuous binding but can't decide on the colour, so I have spent some time looking through my strippy scraps. My other stitching foray today involved finishing my first Christmas project for 2014 by completing the Redwork mini hanging I started with Sadie Yeomans of Cornerhouse Crafts (sorry can't find a link to her) at Malvern during the Autumn show.

To finish up here is the next batch of Charity Quilts made by members of Severn Valley Quilters, all 20 of which are due to be on show at our Exhibition on 20th & 21st February at The Methodist Hall, Castle Court Thornbury

Well that's all for today so be back soon.

L

Welcome 2014

Hello to all my friends, wishing you all you wish yourself for the coming Year.
Welcome also to my newest follower the lovely Beverley from Australia who was my swap partner for the Christmas Stocking swap

I have been a VERY slow blogger for the last 6 weeks or so but I have not been idle, subsequently this will be an almost Wordless Wednesday post to try and catch up.
During November I worked on my swap project which was finished just in time (phewww!) and popped in the post, sadly I forgot to take a photo of the stockings I made, but the ones I received from Beverly contained some pretty fabric 'goodies' and looked lovely hung in my dining room.

 November also saw the Christmas meeting at SVQ where we made felt 'Rocking Robins' with Heather

At the CTQ Party we sewed all morning and ate for most of the afternoon before exchanging 'Secret Santa' gifts, and I received a lovely notebook, which I plan to use for notes on my knitting projects.
At the end of  November I went to the West of England Quilt show with Sheila, I have to say we were both a little disappointed tho. Following Lunch we set off for Midsomer Quilting to get a few small purchases. They were running their 12" x 12" exhibition which was wonderful, the theme was Film Titles, I took some shots of ones that caught my eye, and voted for my favorite 3. The 15 most popular Quilts will go on to their main exhibition at Radstock Museum running from February 1st till May 31st.

Mary Poppins by De Pickford

'Jungle Book' Kaa - Trust in Me! by Lynne Clement

'ET' by Bridget Thorne

'Chicken Run' by Sue Daniels

'Field of Dreams' by De Pickford 

'ET' Portrait by Clare Passmore

This was followed in December by the party at WPQ where I led a workshop on 'Christmas Pyramids, with help from DH we made a simple 'tree' with a small fallen branch to display them, I then planned to use it as decoration for my fireplace (see below). Here are a few of the ones I made

In the same week it was Party Time at  SVQ and a Christmas Lunch with the Girls from Knit & Knatter.

Then suddenly it was the run up to Christmas, I had not made any serious preparations this year which was not like me at all so no homemade goodies, and if it hadn't been for a well known Supermarket chain we would not have had a cake or Puds, then to top it off  DH said he preferred the shop bought ones! Oh well! I guess that means a few hours extra sewing time in October (when I usually do all my Christmas Cooking) My darling 2yr old GD was getting a 'baby' for Chrismas so we decided to give her a cot for the baby to sleep in. I still have the wooden drop side Doll's cot made for me by my father when I was 4yrs old. DD had played with it when she was little and we thought it would be nice to pass it on, so with a fresh coat of paint by DH and some sewing from me this was the result.

We received the best news of all in Early December when DD and her partner announced that they will be getting married at the end of May Whoooo hoooo! In their honour I put the decorations up earlier than usual to the delight of a one small girl, so here are some shots of my festive 'Grotto's

the Conservatory

x

The fireplace

Well that sums up the end of 2013, I look forward to talking to you all again in the coming weeks, I have not made any new resolutions except to lose weight for that 'wedding', but hopefully I will continue to stick to the ones I made last year which is to finish a few more PHD's and not to buy any more fabric for at least for 6 months OR till I have used A LOT of what I already have 'in stock'. 

Take Care all

See you soom

L