Mad Sewing Days!

I think I'm drowning in sewing!

The quilt is taking shape. I only get chance to do any work on it on Wednesday evenings - it isn't a priority when I'm at home! The colours are looking lovely - very rich and autumnal. I just need to get my lounge redecorated so that it will match when it's finally finished ;-)

I found some lovely fleece fabric on ebay - I wonder who might appreciate a nice warm hat and scarf with Thomas on?

And I struck gold on Wednesday night at Patchwork class - someone getting rid of two large boxes of offcuts of curtain fabric. After a donation to a cancer charity, it all came home with me! The timing is perfect - my Folksy site is doing well, I've sold 4 bags this week from there. Plus I sold a couple of bags at the last two craft fairs I did. I've still got 3 days of fairs before Christmas and my stock is running dangerously low! Despite a huge bag of fabric in the dining room, there is nothing currently in there that is calling me to make something with it!

This little stash however, was just crying out to be made into bags! As soon as I got it home I spread it out on the dining room table and started to drool. Silk, satin, chenille, damask, brocade, cotton prints; and lots of lovely autumny/wintery shades - perfect!!

Some fabrics just demanded to go together and in no time I had a stack of cut material that now just needs sewing up.

And these are the first ones to come off the production line! At the rate of two bags a day (if I'm lucky!), it is hardly a speedy line though!

Craft Fairs & Patchwork

I've just had a lovely weekend! Did two fairs - one at Wolvey on Saturday and the other at Wansford on Sunday. Both fairly quiet affairs, but I did steady trade, selling a couple of bags and lots of the little items - scented pomanders, crocheted flowers and beanie hats.

There is a lovely atmosphere at these little fairs - plenty of chat between stall holders, I've met some lovely people! In between times, I've had peace and quiet and been able to sit and crochet with no interruptions from husband and children!

On top of the fairs, I've had some good sales via the Folksy website. The more expensive bags don't sell as well at the fairs, but I've sold at least 4 this last week, with another one commissioned. I've been making messenger bags from discarded jeans. Each one is unique. I have one myself and it is great to use - and all my own design! I'm quite pleased with myself!

The patchwork course is going well! I found some lovely autumnal fabric on ebay and have a beautiful quilt planned, full of reds, golds and russets. Watch this space!

My Boy is a Beaver

I had a proud mother moment last night - middle son was invested as a beaver!

He stood in the centre and said his promise out loud, word perfect! He looks so tiny next to the others, in his outsized uniform.

Last week he also came home with the Best Beaver cup. I can't wait until he gets to go camping and doing all those boy scout activities! (I think I'm more excited than he is)

Finished Patchwork

Finally managed to get a picture of the finished article!

Destined to be a Christmas Table Runner. I didn't like to take pictures of the projects completed by the rest of the class - but there were some beautiful items. Mine looked quite uninspired in comparison!

Busy Half term

Well it seems that we had our half term the week before everyone else! At least we were fortunate with the weather - we had some glorious days. I managed a child free day out with step mum to Blickling Hall in Norfolk. The Norfolk Craft Guild were holding a craft fair there so we had a good browse, I managed to get some christmas presents bought, and we had lunch in the tea room. A beautiful place, well worth a visit.


The boys decided to do some DIY. They designed and built a bench to sit on. (Dad did the crucialbit with hammer and nails). Then they painted it. Took them all day and now we have a lovely and practical piece of new furniture!


The chickens are also enjoying the last bits of sunshine. Bertha took advantage of the warmth to lose her feather duvet and grow a new one. Looks a bit oven ready at the moment though!

Japanese Folded Patchwork 2

OK, I haven't quite forgotten about this! This is the next stage - each circle of fabric is wrapped around a triangle of wadding, tacked in place, and finished with decorative stitching.

The triangles are then stitched together to make your quilt, tablerunner, placemat or whatever you want. Now I have actually finished the tablerunner. But I left it at class - I forgot I needed to take a picture to put on here!! I'll take one next week, promise!

Japanese Folded Patchwork

As if I don't have enough sewing to do, I thought I'd try my hand at something different and enrol on a patchwork and quilting workshop. It's great fun, as well as educational. Our tutor, Jenny, is lovely, but I keep getting told off for talking in class!!!

Anyway, we are learning about Japanese Folded Patchwork. The end result is a complete unit of fabric and wadding, decorative on both sides. The individual units can then be stitched together to make the finished article, no extra quilting or wadding to be done. We start off by cutting circles of fabric, running a gathering stitch around them and pulling it tight around a circle of card (above).

The fabric is pressed and the card removed. This circle shows two colours of fabric pieced together and pressed.

Here is my pile of pressed circles (above) and below is the start of the end product. You will have to wait to see the rest!

It's a bit of a departure for me - all hand sewing! I thought I'd miss my machine, but it's quite therapeutic to sit with the family and watch TV in the evening and still be able to do some sewing. Trouble is, I'm like a dog with a bone - this is upposed to be a long term project, to be done in spare moments. Instead, everything will now be neglected until I finish it!