Sew 'N Social

Yesterday I attended the http://sew-n-social.blogspot.co.uk/ run by Fran and Tilly at Pitsford Village Hall [ just outside Northampton]. It is a great day where a project is offered or you can work on your own sewing.

Although I liked the project on offer [ a cat picture] I really wanted to complete some of my 44 UFO's.
The room is nice with plenty of table space and within minutes of arriving a drink just seems to appear on your table. Jane is responsible for all the food and drinks. Eleven o'clock and its time for another drink and home cooked biscuit.

Around 1pm lunch tables are set up and a cooked lunch is served, chicken burgers with lots of side dishes were followed by either a peach flan or mixed fruit flan and juice.

Back to the sewing tables and everyone is given a free raffle ticket, I was really lucky and won the prize of a pretty FQ and ribbon.  More food at 3pm, yummy home made cake. All this for £22.50

A really nice day and if you are interested there are places available on the June 28th workshop where the project on offer is an unusual hand bag or you can do your own thing with help from Tilly or Fran.

Working on my 7 UFO Christmas blocks

Tilly with Sue & Annette

Fran offering advice

Penny and Jill

Our son and his new job.

I am SO proud of my son that I thought I would copy his facebook entry for you all to see. He is the father of my two granddaughters that often feature on my blog. Richard Glasspool Richard Glasspool updated his status.: "Well it is close to 16 years working in the field of Parkinson's Disease, although the last year more as manager rather than clinician. On 1st May I return to the hospice where I started out as a newly qualified nurse in 1994 (I am that old) to take on managing all the palliative care services in the County. A huge change, which I am sure will bring different challenges but looking forward to what lies ahead. I am gonna miss the team and the patients I have been working with all these years."

IAM day

What a fun day yesterday, six of the eight members of my IAM group were here for the day to work on various crafts, and do a lot of chatting.

For some reason, don't ask my how or why! the Shewee I use when out Off Roading or travelling about in the countryside caused such hilarity that there were tears of laughter. If you don't know what a Shewee is Google or Amazon it. It has saved me from embarrassment many times and every rambler or countryside user over a certain age should have one in my opinion.

Dorn brought us all a bag of rhubarb which has been  turned into a Rhubarb and Strawberry [ using a long forgotten tin of strawberries] crumble early this morning.

Clare had finished a lovely quilt that she brought for show and tell. Ann had made bobbin lace snowdrops for a gift.  There was so much laughter going on I cannot remember what anyone else brought. I made a new handbag at the weekend that was my show and tell.

Love this bag and everything came out of my stash.
The top rim of the bag has parcel banding in it so it stays open for putting things in it.
The button was bought in Spain so reminds me of our last trip there.
I love the pattern so much I may make another.

The final set of eleven UFO's Part #4

This is the final set of UFO's I have found, OK there may be more lurking but the 44 I have printed here on my blog are the 44 I intend to do something about.

Carol Doak Stars of the USA
Probably my oldest UFO

12 coloured Trapunto fairy blocks

Two more cushion blocks

Teddy block waiting for a home

Goodness knows how old this UFO is,
it still needs lots of work

I hardly remember making this block

Mary Mayne workshop from years ago

Large Japanese panel
started but not finished

Amish blocks

Kits for a set of trees in the four seasons

Paper pieced birds, some finished some
not started.

Part #3 of my UFO saga!

Another set of eleven items I need to either finish or give away.

Little angels waiting for a new home

All the makings for a bag

Loved this why didn't I do something with it?

Made with the GD's who finished theirs

B & W project I am working on

Hand work in progress

A box of BOM blocks

Bookmarks started a couple of years ago

A PC only needing the edges sewing

Coloured Trapunto [ a box full!]

An Amish jacket from a sweatshirt,
started years ago and almost completed

First Green Lane Day of 2014

Yesterday Chris and 1 set off for a day of travelling the Byways and Green Lanes in Leicestershire.
En route we were held up while a flock of sheep were moved down the road near Rothwell.
The weather was good, not too hot or cold and best of all dry!
We started in Medbourne on what is called a "Field Road"  to Blaston and Horninghold using an OS map.
Then we started the route from the Leicester Roadbook travelling through quaint villages and beautiful scenery. A farmer stopped us for a chat asking about the Green Lane Association of which Chris is the Rep for Northamptonshire.
Some of the lanes had been badly torn up by reckless drivers using them when they should have known better. Badgers had also caused a lot of havoc with their large setts dug deep in the fields.
Water is always fun to drive through, and the best water was near Thorpe Langton although in trying to take a little movie I was nearly soaked as Chris had to speed out of the dip!

Waiting for the sheep to pass

Driving a Byway through a Rape seed field

Approaching a small stream

Happy Room UFO's Part #2

A black wolf machine embroidery

Two more "why did I sew them " blocks

The first ME on my Brother Innovis
4000, still the same after 2 yrs!

Enough stars for a cushion?

2 large Christmas blocks

Eight 12+1/2" Christmas blocks

Winnie the Pooh blocks for ??

Enough  swirls for a cushion or bag

A block to match the cushions on my furniture

More Christmas blocks unused

12 Winter blocks from a swap in 2013

Why when its Christmas I feel like making Christmas blocks then time gets away from me and they never get made into anything! 

Today Chris and I are going Green Lane-ing for the first time this season, so no sewing will get done.

The Saga of the Happy Room Part #1

Today I decided I really must sort out my Happy Room.
It has got to the situation where I can hardly find room to use my cutting mat and every surface [ including the floor] is swamped with "stuff". BUT I have empty containers and one empty drawer in my filing cabinet from a previous de-clutter.
Wow! did I find a lot of things I hardly remember making, some brought a smile to my face and some made me wonder "what was I thinking!"
I needed a plan, so decided to photograph every thing I found that needed work doing to it, hence this is Part #1 as I found 44 . Some are small and need little work but some need a lot of work. Some I have no idea what to do with them, so any helpful ideas would be most appreciated...
Here's the first 11 UFO's

Lap quilt only needs a few more leaves quilting on it
COMPLETED 1.5.14

A series of small hand sewn sea creatures??

A few more Colonial knots
and another cushion front made

This heart wreath is almost completed

Christmas purse in need of its frame and beads

Two sewing sets almost complete
made for gifts
COMPLETED 1.5.14

Cushion front needs a new backing

A pile of blocks for???

A lap quilt cowboy
needs quite a lot of work

2 B&W ladies Bag / cushion ???

Two ME panels for ???