BLOG 351

BLOG 351

The Gresford show is over and done with for another year but it was well worth the joyous effort. Next week I will be able to say what moneys we have raised for charity but, in the meantime, here’s an over-view for you to enjoy. There was a special display of Christmas work and the theme for the challenge this year was ‘In the Air’. Enjoy!

Magic tiles quilt

            Liberty quilt

              Family memory quilt

            Appliqued angels quilt

             Jane’s first quilt

             Display

             60 crafts for a 60^th birthday

              Canvas bag

                 Alpaca tea cosies

               Cross stitch panel

                Knitted toys (depressed hedgehog!)

             Knitted garment

                Embellished cushion

               Liberty Stars hanging

              Altar display

            Challenge entry 1

             Challenge entry 2

             Pin cushions

                Chris’s quilt

             William Shakesmeer group quilt

           Xmas display 1

              Xmas display 2

                Xmas display 3

                 Xmas display 4

             Xmas display 5

Exquisite beading

And finally, my daughter persuaded a group of us from her fitness classes to take part in the ‘Pretty Muddy’ 5km charity run on Saturday at Tatton Park. ‘Run’ was interpreted very loosely, we walked most of it, but when someone saw spectators the cry would go up ’public’ and we would all jog athletically until we had gone passed them! We obviously didn’t want to peak too soon! I can’t tell you how much fun it was to be squirted constantly with water, to roll, slip and scrabble in mud, to bounce on space hoppers and to finally slide into a huge pool of mud! Here are the before and after pics!

             Pretty Muddy before

               Pretty Muddy after

              Unrecognisable

                Jackie, Dilys and Tess

 

 

 

 

 

 

BLOG 350

BLOG 350

IT IS GRESFORD WEEK. BE THERE!

 

BLOG 349

BLOG 349

There are more projects on the go this week, all for the sales table at the Gresford show. I have a favourite tote bag which I decided to copy, and I decided to use one of my experimental panels for a pocket.

 

                 Bag and panel

 I worked out the dimensions and free-machine embroidered panels on the black fabric and wadding with a variegated thread.

                  Embroidery

I prepared handles and fitted them in place, ready to be caught in the seam when I added the top panel.

                  Handles

                Adding top panel

                 Secure handles

The decorative pocket panel was already quilted so I added a lining and bound round the edge with the same red fabric. This was positioned centrally on one side and sewn in place.

 

                Pocket

 After sewing up the sides with WS together, this was turned inside out so that I could shape the corners. The lining was made to the same measurements as the bag and shaped also.

                 Shaped bag WS

                  Shaped bag RS

              Shaped lining

The lining was then placed inside the bag with WS together ready for binding. This has been a speedy project for a change.

               Lining in bag

I found a pack of pre-cut shapes with a backing square in stock to make a panel. This I decided to use to make a 16” cushion. The shapes were ironed onto the background and this was placed onto wadding and a backing fabric. Borders were added and the shapes were sewn through the three layers.

 

                     Applique cushion

                   Borders

                 Stitch detail

BLOG 348

Blog 348

…And the best laid plans and all that! I flew back from Florida overnight on Friday, arriving back in Manchester on the Saturday morning. We had a wonderful time in the Disney parks for 7 days on the trot; I don’t know how we kept up with our young family but we did! And then there was an Amtrak journey (a la Portillo) to Savannah and back. It wasn’t quite the journey that he had; with no viewing gallery on the train and no deserted stations (he must have had a film crew with him!) but it was an interesting and comfortable experience. On returning, it took a day or two to sort out my sleep pattern so there was no way I was sewing by Sunday. However now I have hit the ground running and here’s the start of my latest projects which will go on the sale table at Gresford show in a couple of weeks.

I found four multi-coloured embroidered panels (8”) that I had made and framed for an exhibition but as they didn’t sell, I needed to think of another way of using them. I decided to use them as a panel on some quick cushions.

 

              Embroidered panels

 I chose two fabrics, a light one for the background (not shown well on the pic!) and a darker one for the trim.

           Fabrics

I bought some 14” cushion pads and set to work.

               Cushion pads

I cut out four 15 ½” squares from the light fabric. I drew a diagonal grid onto the RS with a pencil, each line 2” apart.

               Grid

I placed one of the squares onto the marked grid so that the corners of the square lined up with the diagonals that went from corner to corner. I put a dot on the line exactly where the corner of the embroidered square lay. (I didn’t want to quilt all the way across the cushion but only around the edge so these dots show me where the square will be placed and I can sew just inside the marks.)

 

            

                 Positioning

I placed a ruler on these dots and marked another line ½” in from the edge of the ruler. This is where I will stop and start sewing. I chose to do a herring bone stitch for quilting lines.

 

               Stop/start lines

              Walking foot (true colour of fabric)

             Progress

I cut 1 ¼” strips from the dark fabric to bind the centre panels.

 

            Binding

                 Sewn

               Bound

 

More next Sunday.