A length of rope, scraps of fabric and a sewing machine

This weekend it was time for the twice yearly days tuition with the quilting lady at the community centre.

Bring along your own sewing machine and your basket of sewing aids (I take my lovely gift that Rachael made for me - you can read all about it and see the inside in this post if you haven't seen an etui box before)

The tutor gave each of us 6 metres of rope (read new washing line for that, that's what we used yesterday) and a pile of inch wide cotton fabrics

 

You wrap the cotton fabric around the rope and sew in a coil using a zig zag stitch ...

 

 

Here's a sample coil ...

 

 

As the coil base gets big enough you bend and attach the continuing length upwards to achieve the sides.....

and you end up with a finished small bowl looking like this.

 

 

and here it is upside down so you can see the depth of it....

 

10 metres of rope for the next one to try and make an oval basket which was a challenge.

 

All the bowls were different colours and sizes, here's the groups collection at the end of the class.  My oval one is the red/pink one bottom left.

 

 

A whole day spent sewing with like minded friends it was lovely.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend spent doing things you enjoy.

Blessings to you all

Julie

Gifted Gorgeousness ~ October

The 15th of the month means it's time for this months Gifted Gorgeousness post.

Created by the lovely Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching, a way to show what kind and wonderful people crafting folks are with their lovely gifts they send out to others.  The very laid back rules are quite simple and can be found on Jo's sign up page at the top of her blog.

 

Octobers link up post is here if you would like to see what other folks have had gifted to them and gift making for others.

 

I've done a little Christmas gift making, a cardigan for a new little girl that's come into the family.

 

 

I've also started on another pair of Christmas pressie socks.

 

 

A gift to all stitchers from Snowflower Diaries is the Joyful World SAL and I've completed August in the first half of this month. 

 

 

Time for some blog reading and see what everyone else has included in their Gifted Gorgeousness this month.

 

Blessings to you all

 

Julie

 

*** Julie has asked which pattern the cardigan is, for others interested it is this one.

Which season? take your pick!

Autumn is here, summer was taken out and my autumn SAL is now in the frame...

 

Time to start thinking about stitching up the winter one to complete the set.  It's all kitted up and ready to go.

Summer is over, but, I've been stitching a July piece this week.  Joyful World SAL from Snowflower Diaries in fact and another month finished and framed. 

 

I'm slowly catching up with these and stitching with the ladies at Nedlecraft Haven at the weekend when we park ourselves on the sofa to watch this seasons Strictly Come Dancing, hopefully i'll get caught up and finish them this year as planned.   You'll notice I'm omitting the border on these, as I do like this silver frame and stitching them on 28ct the design fits nicely without the border.

 

August and the lovely collie dog is on the frame and waiting for tonights Week 2 results show when we see who will be the first to be eliminated this series.

Are you thinking about Christmas gift making yet? The socks I started on my holiday that I showed you last time are completed, they are a Christmas gift,

 

I've printed and added a little paper band to them and on the reverse written the wool mix and washing and drying instructions for the recipient.   

 

 

One gift crossed off the 'to make' list and it's only the first week in October...organised or what! lol.

 

A different craft and using the sewing machine was Thursday evenings brain teaser at the Craftshare group.  We made a Dresden plate using the quilting technique.   A little bit wonky and some seams are not as perfect as I would have liked but not bad for a first attempt. 

 

 

 It's strange how you get used to using your own sewing machine and when you are using a different one things don't go quite to plan.   It was good practice and I do need it as i'm going to a quilting class later this month.

 

It was a terrible day weatherwise yesterday, cold and wet and we did in fact light a fire in the afternoon and sit watching the TV, very cosy, and I started another knitted Christmas gift.  We decided it was time to put away some of the garden furniture and typical today we have a lovely sunshiney day.   DH has been in the garden cleaning them ready to put them away .... but wait..... what's that I spy down the garden ..... SOMEONE seems to be taking a little afternoon  nap in the autumnal sunshine.......

 

 

Little pleasures .....

 

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie