Stitching News

 Do you remember those Autumnal fabric strip set packs I cut? 

There are three ladies working on their blocks in class at the moment. These are Bev's. She made all 12 10-Minute Blocks during the day so there's just the fold-y back bits to be stitched on the little Cathedral Window-y centre bits..

You can see them better here, obviously because Shirley already started to hand stitch her centres. Laying the blocks out and choosing where each block looked best was tricky, but fun, it's all part of the game. 

I have two strip set packs left, call me if you want more information.

Remember Judy's beautiful floral cushion project?

This is the blotchy Batik fabric she used to get all of those delicious colours for the flowers and bird.

I'm still trying to find time to finish off my commissioned cactus applique. I don't know about you, but with the so much shorter days we're having now and Darker night drawing in, they aren't helping!!

I'll have to retire soon otherwise I'll never finish my "want to make it"  list!

A Lovely Project

 Sometimes one book can have an amazing amount of  "Want to makes" This book  has loads of patterns for the most lovely of applique projects. From huge quilts to lovely pillows and cushions. I've actually sold a lot of them just from folk flicking through the pages. The book is for felt applique but the patterns lend themselves very well to sticky stuff applique with normal cotton fabrics, and the beautiful pleasures of batik.

This is Judy's cushion. Isn't it lovely.

All the flower pieces, red, pink, purple, golden yellows are cut from only one Fat Quarter of Beautiful, blotchy Batik. You know the ones, they look like someone threw paint at them!! They are so very practical when fussy cutting is required. My method of Bias Stems is very easy, no Bias Binding maker required, ask Judy!!

Checkley Sunday Sewday this weekend has had a few cancellations so I have plenty of space if you are teetering on the edge of deciding whether to come along. Just call me 07807530441

Catching Up With Stitching News

I'm back! Did you even notice I was missing? 

A much needed break had been planned for many months.

 What a beautiful weather week it was too. This is the view from my room up in the attic, EVERY morning! It was so beautiful watching the sun come up.

Out walking on the beach before dawns crack.

Almost tempted to have a paddle! By this point if I had dipped my toes in that there water I might have disgraced my very own self, ha ha ha. All the coffee consumed before the walks was not the best plan! 5 wonderful days of uninterrupted sewing with 15 other ladies. Fabulous food, and plenty of it, with lots of choice. Quilt Sandwich, thank you, we were very well looked after and I will be back!

During the retreat, for which I had planned and cut all my fabrics, I made up the Ocean Waves blocks, the Cactus blocks, Elizabeth Hartman pattern, and some appliqued cactus. I stitched plenty of leaves on another project. I stitched A LOT but it's all slow progress isn't it. It does make you appreciate exactly how long each project takes to make. I will continue working on it at home.

A few photos from before I disappeared...

Two ladies enjoyed another Bunting Cushion workshop. Lots of top tips were explained.

They will be finished at home as both ladies made their cushion backs with a zip concealed under a flap

Shirley has made a good start on her 10 minute blocks using the kit of fabrics I had made up. They are looking great and very Autumnal. I have a very good top tip on this one, top secret!!

Sister Susie wanted to make a cushion with diamond blocks. There's a little bit of accuracy needed to get all the points lined up, a bit of perfect pinning and a small amount of good luck!

Lot's of folk are working on Advent Panels, it is time though, if they are to be finished in time. This one belongs to Jan, she came up with an easier way to make the pleated pockets that might be classed as a top tip in the future!

Princess Jackie came to make a sandwich with her new sofa throw/Lap Quilt. She says it's for snuggling up under on the sofa when the heating is not on!! We will all need one!

Shirley finished her Festive Bauble wall hanging. 

We were all looking forward to seeing how it turned out with those very different coloured fabrics and what a stunning quilt it is. Toot toot toot Shirley, fabulous and finished and inspiring!

It's a Checkley Sunday Sewday this weekend. Have you booked your place for our One Whole Day Sewing Retreat??

Stitching News

 Well Hello there! Just a few great pictures to show you.

Janis came to make her spectacular Savannah quilt sandwich. It's quite large so we had to rearrange my tables, but you know that's no problem for my great customer service. We had a natter about possible quilting ideas too. I baffled Janis a bit so she went home to ponder about it, in a darkened room I think! ha ha ha

Christabelle has enough blocks sewn together for us to see, very clearly, how the secondary pattern will look. Big Batik circles and not one curve stitched. Quite stunning, don't you think?

Jackie is also making circles with straight lines. The Tri-Recs ruler is the key to all this circular fun. Such a clever ruler set. The top is complete and a backing is now being stitched with all the left over fabrics.

Jean Bean finished her advent wall hanging. 25 little pockets for little gifts. It's a Scandi Style project from a book, but I can't remember which book! Beano loves everything in the Scandi style.

Toot toot toot Beano, it's a fabulous finish.

Another beginner cushion. This is Jane's second one. She says it was harder to make than her first, I bet she was over thinking it all because it was a gifting project. Such a simple little project, I promise!

Toot toot toot Jane, fabulous and finished and ready for gifting.

Please remember that my shop will be closed for the whole of next week but you can make appointments to shop. Just call, email or WhatsApp to book a day and time. Angie - 07807530441

Stitching News

There are some pretty fabulous projects in the making in my classroom. Folk seem to be really inspired to sew now that the days are getting more wintery and much shorter, many are on a mission to finish off projects they have been 'storing', that's what we will call it! I think most of us suffer with lack of sew time, we want to make, make, make but life, annoyingly, does take, take, take!

Bev's cushion fronts have all their borders done and they're ready to be sandwiched. She declared that she had learned so much making the blocks and now absolutely understands the why do's and the why/best not dos. Why be really careful and accurate when cutting? Why Pin? Why not cut of bits that don't line up? and that's just a few of the whys'!

All Day Di has her spectacular, and quite enormous, quilt top finished and has now started on the blocks for the back. There were a few mis-cuts but, on the whole, She's nailed her triangle phobia. There will be a panel of these blocks across the middle of the backing.

This is Sister Susie's, isn't it fabulous!! She blanket stitched the bat with a metallic thread which looks really good, don't you think? All of the calendar quilts from Count On It book are just lovely. 

 Fiona Too used this Owl design from a free online source. I had it printed off, in a file from ages ago, which was just the ticket as Fiona had arrived with the book she wanted to use for her applique but the pattern page was left on her kitchen table, which was not ideal. it ended well though eh!

Our Bunting Cushion workshop day was great fun. I'm not absolutely sure whether the ladies enjoyed the first bit though, lots of accurate pressing, not ironing, of tiny bits! Both managed to do the little Prairie Point 'bunts' without burning their fingers. 

Below pics are the results of the day. Not quite finished but they went home with the backs prepared with covered zips, so they can easily be finished.

There's another Bunting cushion workshop on Saturday 1st October if you fancy making one for your very own self.

Sunday 25th September, this weekend, is a Sunday Fun Day Sewday at Checkley Village Hall, there have been a couple of cancellations due to illness, possibly "Freshers Flu" !!  Which means there's a last chance to book and pay for your spot on that, if you haven't already

Please make a little note that my shop will be closed from Monday 10th October for the whole week.
Shopping appointments can be made during that week but only if you arrange it in advance. PLEASE, please don't turn up without booking an appointment during that week. You will be disappointed.

Stitching News

Was that a strange week for you? Blimey it was strange for me. Not just with the major news about our Queen, but just in general.
My shop has been quiet, yet I haven't stopped! It's a big birthday month in my family so September is a bit full on. I'm having major groundworks done at home FINALLY!! It will all get back to normal soon, fingers crossed!
So just quickly, a couple of photos

Judy finished her Union Jack cushion. She chose the foundation paper pieced method, which is more accurate on the angles and lining up of the diagonals, but like my very good self, Judy's now going down a rabbit hole of 'what ifs'

This one though is fabulous and finished. toot toot toot Judy.

This is the back of Just Edna's Quilt-As-You-Go, double sided commissioned quilt. Each block has been quilted as she went then joined together Appartmently.

And this is the front, completely different!

Toot toot toot Edna, it's absolutely fabulous and finished! 

Next Sunday the 25th of September, is a Checkley Sunday Fun Day Sewday.

Please book your place as soon as possible so I know how many to cater for lunch.

Stitching News

 

Cheryl bought this book at the last Saturday Sewing session. She's been giving it a lot of thumbing through and arrived with great excitement to learn Foundation Paper Piecing. As you can see, she is now an expert! Choosing colours that are not too bright, to fit the brief, was the hardest part.

Debs had been busy at home cutting and labelling all her little bits of fabric, There is a lot of cutting little bits to be done, as with most of the Tilda projects, so she was able to get straight to the stitching

A very successful day of stitching, almost a whole street of beautiful houses.

Farmer Lynda stitched both of these borders on, chose the backing, which is extemmmmmly cute, and made a sandwich , smaller projects do have their advantages!!

And we need those trumpets up now...

Toot toot toot Farmer Lynda for this fabulous and finally finished, gifting quilt.

The Bunting Cushion workshop is next Saturday, 17th September. There are still places availabubble for that.

Sunday25th September is a Sunday Fun Day Sewday at Checkley Village Hall, so it's time to book and pay for your spot on that, if you haven't already

Please make a little note that my shop will be closed from Monday 10th October for the whole week.
Shopping appointments can be made during that week if arranged in advance. PLEASE, please don't turn up without booking an appointment. You will be disappointed.

Stitching News

What a busy time we are all having. Gardens blooming beautifully and the veggies producing well, that work keeping you all away from your stitching, then it was too hot! Then you have your plants and lawns parched and dry, and now you have flooded gardens!! You don't have all this trouble with sewing you know!! maybe stay by your sewing machine in future? It's far more predictable.

Farmer Lynda finished her gifting Reading Pillow. 

A lovely, comfortable pillow with a special pocked for a favourite book. Applique a cute character and make a project very personal, then find a Mrs. Tiggy Winkle to boot!!!

A hidden zip in the back of lovely Mrs. Tiggy Winkle fabric to fabulously finish it off for a toot toot toot fanfare!

Princess Jackie had us all drooling over her latest sandwich

What an explosion of colour Boom!

We had a great workshop day making up the Festive Baubles. It's surprising how many top tips folk can pick up while following instructions, mostly following instructions I mean. Of course they learn lots of top tips about getting back on track when they don't follow instructions too, what a giggle it causes!! Here are three of the Bauble projects in progress.

New Sue had to book a sandwich making session because all of the tables were needed. It's funny how we don't always realise how big some quilts are until we have to pin them ready to be quilted, Sue's is a whopper!