Saturday enjoyment

Hello

No crafty make this weekend as I went to my Embroiderers Guild Regional Day yesterday. What a great day. The exhibition of work shows what a talented group of people the Embroiderers are. Two branches were exhibiting. I attended a brill lecture by Jacqui Carey, on Elizabethan Stitches, it was fascinating to learn how stitches developed and how they made their patterns. There were also demonstrations of smocking (did you know that you can get a smocking machine), lace making, crewel work and quilt making. The raffle prizes were bags of crafty goodies. You placed your raffle ticket stub in the box by the one you would like to win. What a great idea! That way if you won you got something you would use. I didn't win one though.

There were also stalls of traders - one sold secondhand books and old patterns. I couldn't resist, so came home with these.

And also these buttons, cause I reckoned I didn't have enough buttons at home!!!

Hope you are having a great weekend.

J xx

What a week!

I know it's been quite a few days since my last post (sounds like I should be confessing something) but can I just say "huge respect for all you bloggers with young children".  I have been visited by my granddaughter, aged two and a half, and every minute I've not been watching her I've been trying to recharge my energy levels. But it's been great fun.

I did fit in a couple of makes before she arrived.

The first stab at a crochet sheep (the head looks mouselike and the legs are too long, but I'm happy with the body). More designing to do.

And a small granny square blanket. Just the ends to weave in and an edging and then it's finished.

Hope you are having a good week.

J xx

Two parrots

Phew!          finished!!

No pattern, I'm afraid. I tend to make it up as I go along, I did try but it is really hard writing patterns, much harder than I thought; But if you were interested I could give it a try.

Why parrots?

I made one for my friend who has a craft shop. She was wanting something for her shop window and bought a bird cage and asked me if I could make something to go in it.

Apologies for it looking so Monty Python dead parrotish, I wasn't expecting to share this photo. And I don't think it's a Norwegian Blue. ;-)

Well someone saw it and commissioned me to make one for her, so I've made two so she can choose the one she likes best.  Hope she likes them.

J xx

Sunday WIP

My latest WIP, should have finished it but the weekend has been busy. Teaching crochet to friends on Saturday and another fair on Sunday. But I've been asked to make something to fill a bird cage - no prizes for guessing what they are.

Will post a picture when they are finished.

J xx

Uncovered Treasure

Oh lucky me, look what was waiting for me when I arrived home from work.

My mother must have been spring cleaning.

A glass of wine to start the weekend, no not me, I'll be finding a home for all these little goodies.

Happy Friday

J xx

More news from the fair

Whilst at the fair on Sunday I swapped ...

 Two if these flower corsages 

For these 3 beautiful pots made by Thora, she had them as 'seconds', but I like their quirky shape and paint runs.

What a bargain!!

Busy getting some more things made for the next fair this Sunday.

My embroidery toolkit competition

Carina's blog (see my blog reading links) and &Stitches are running a competition and I'm submitting this as my entry.

My Grandmother, Jessie left me all her sewing tools, this is just a small selection.

Carina and &Stitches are running a little competition, and this is my entry.

This is Jessie's sewing machine, still going strong and nice even stitches

How about these tools, a pin dispenser, and packets of needles,

And these

And there's more

The little tin contains the pins

And finally a needle, Jessie's, of course

My 2nd craft fair

As promised, here is a photo of my stall at the craft fair. A much lighter room than last time, and a whole lot warmer.

For meeting other crafters I must recommend it - what a great way to spend a Sunday.

I've got the craft fair bug!

I've done it again, this time in the warm.

Yes I've done another craft fair, this time at a small village 15 miles away.

Again not much money made, but oddles of fun. Still have enough stock available to do another one next Sunday.

I'm really enjoying them and am making some new friends.

Sorry no pics, they are on my mobile and I've left it at work in my desk drawer. Hope I can get up in time for work tomorrow as my wake-up alam is on the mobile.

Will post the pic tomorrow.

Thank you for reading. Xx

Bah humbugs

Well it's finished. It's different. Enjoyed making it.

So I made another.

PS: Noticed that I'm getting viewers from other countries, so have added the translator gadget.

Needles and stuff

Good morning, thought I'd share some of Jessie's sewing kit with you.

And some more.

(Oh look, don't know how it happened but managed to align this photo to the left).

The weekend starts here.

Have fun.

Humbugs, friends and buttons

Hello,

What do you think? This is going to be a humbug (I know it just looks like some enbroidered fabric, but wait and see).  The latest project from the Embroiders Guild I am a member of.  The idea is to use a wide variety of stitches, including those not tackled before.

I look forward to the first Tuesday evening of the month as this is when the guild meet. I had such a good time this week; sitting, sewing, chatting and sharing ideas with like minded people. I have to drive to the next town, but it's worth it.  Sometimes we have guest speakers, I particularly enjoyed looking at a vast array of buttons and buckles, collected by an enthusiast. It puts my modest little collection into the shade. For no matter how many buttons I have, there's always room for more.

I am in the process of gathering all the loose buttons I find in drawers and boxes, into a colour coded collection of glass jars.

Good for inspiration, will have to tackle my ribbon and lace collection next, if I ever get to the end of the buttons and beads.



Bye.