sock people

Long time no messages

I have been very busy these last few weeks, I have started teaching nine disabled teenagers how to make soft toys, this has been a dificult learning curve, most of them cannot cut out or sew, so preparation beforehand is important, using glue is also needed. I have an enabler who sews the main pieces by machine and with lots of short cuts we have managed to produce some really lovely creatures. The students are really happy and come back every week to see what we are going to make next. I am also doing a teaching C&G cert, which requires lots of writing. I had my graduation ceromony last Monday in the lovely Coventry Cathedral, I felt really honoured being presented with my certificate in such lovely suroundings. I will publish some pics of the students work and maybe a pic of me in my cap and gown in the next few days.

Bookmark Swap

I am taking part in a bookmark swap with Heather at Crafty Daisies babyblossomsonline@gmail.com I wondered if anyone else wanted to take part? There is a closing date but I cant remember when, check her blog.

garage finds

These are a few of my purchases from a recent garage sale, the basket was coated with layers of old gloss paint so I painted it white, lined it for a sewing basket, the tray I also painted white and I lined it with rose design paper. The dish and cup and saucer are rosey too.

my absence

I did not realise that it has been so long since I have added to my blog. I have been busy making new quirky toys, and doing my workshops ect. I have been to a garage sale and picked up 4 beautiful sahries 50p each, I don`t know what I will make from them but I am just enjoying the looking at the colours. I have been on several country walks, enjoying the colours and collecting elderberries which I used as a dye. I have done a table top sale at my local church, making bags to sell for use instead of the plastic supermarket ones, these sold very well.

Needle Case

Good news, bad news?

I have been been busy sorting though masses of paper work, to find copies of sewing notes and patterns. I have managed to find space for two classes in a community centre. I am calling them "Needlecraft Group" I feel this is what I want, a group of people who are eager to carry on their skills and those who want to learn, all getting together to share in making something crafty, soft furnishings or wearable clothes knitted or sewn. The rooms are in an old Victorian school, with high windows that I remember from when I went to infant school. I am preparing the first meeting, making a needle case using crazy patchwork also a pin cushion, two simple things to make while we get acquainted. I guess at the moment I feel a bit nervous in case no-one turns up!!!! I had a fall on Saturday and I have cracked a couple of ribs, I can not sneeze or laugh because it hurts, they don`t strap you up anymore, I am taking pain killers and they seem to take the shine off my days at the moment because I feel tired, but looking on the bright side the weather is great and I can sit in the garden.

My new silly animals

As promised Susan

Joining the swapees

These beautiful presents are swap from Susan Random Blethers, she has just started to make ATC`s and Quilties she says but I think they look really great, she has posted more on her blogg.

Photographs

Yesterday was daughter no 2s 40 something birthday and we had a bouncy castle in the garden for her grandson my great grand son who is 18months old, it is lovely to have small children in your life, my grand children are all grown up.

I took thes pics of him, the grown ups are Carole who is the birthday girl Keith my youngest son and me, taken by Arran my grandson while I was not looking

Finished my dresser

Just putting pictures of my dresser and a few of the crafty things that I have made this week. I went to the NEC to see the Quilt Show on Sunday it was really good lots of stalls selling goodies bought a few buttons and beads. I also have been making some bed linen two quilts a vallence and pillow cases, the fabric is white with a small sprig of roses on. I bought the fabric from my favourite Indian Emporium, 80 ins wide and only a£1 a yard and its crisp cotton. My bargain of the week.

Bureau

Heading for a change.

I have decided to make a new heading for my blogg. I hope it looks alright. I have been busy this week painting my old bureau white I have put it in my bedroom and put my bedtime reading in the bookcase. I have bought the paint for my dresser and hope to start on that next.

My new pieces of furniture

My eldest daughter has just moved home, and has too much furniture, so I have now got her little set of drawers which will show your favourite things in the top. I have put some of my collection of old sewing cases ect. in it and I am using it as a coffee table. She also gave me an old small pine dresser that I am going to paint and put in my kitchen, I am now going to look for goodies to put on it.

A little ray of sunshine

I must be a S.A.D. person because I have been up with the lark and cleaning all corners since the sun appeared and the rain disappeared. I am listening to my new CD my daughter gave me, it`s Michael Bouble and I just feel like dancing while listening to it. The CD came with flowers and a bottle of Ted Baker perfume(spicy and warm) to say thank you for looking after her while she has been ill. I am glad to say she is feeling a lot better and is waiting for the results or a MRI scan and other tests. She is a teacher so she has some time to rest and get well.
I now have more time to read since finishing my studies, Marcia Willett`s " The Birdcage" it is set around Bristol and the West Country. I like to alternate from crime to family type books, Susan Sallis and Agatha Christy are two other favourite authors that I like to re-read every now and again. Still putting the finishing touches to my quilt and making up some voil curtains for my friend and neighbour Mary. I am hopng next week to get back to making something that I can sell.

The floods

I`ve been too busy to write this week, I have had a job interview today, for lecturing on soft furnishings. I had to write two, two hour lesson plans and make small samples of work that I would do with the students. Its an adult learning lecturers job and is well paid. I won`t know if I will be accepted for two weeks but I felt it went well. I have now to get down to finishing my quilt for the 3rd August, thats the latest acceptance date. I think I`m growing webbed feet this rain barely stops, but I guess I`m lucky, I have not been flooded out. My heart goes out to those people whose homes lay in ruin, I had tears in my eyes when one elderly lady who had lost everything, said well they are only possesions. Guess I really don`t have anything to moan about.

I have been busy in the garden this weekend, dead heading and tidying in between the rain, and I took this picture of starlings in my bird bath, by the time I had fetched my camera some of them had flown. It is really funny to watch them fighting to get into the water.

miss pussy cat

I am posting a picture of " miss pussy cat" the colour does not look too good I tried several different lights and positions, the fabric is silk velvet which I dyed, the eyes are assorted green beads. I used one of the fancy knitting yarns for the owl.

Charity buys

mr owl

This is Mr Owl for my " Owl and the Pussy Cat" quilt , you cant quite see his eyes but they are teddy bear ones and look good.
I went to Kenilworth yesterday, they have a market there the fruit and veg are very fresh. Found a shop that sell haberdashery, these shops are few and far between, bought my eyes some new threads and iron-on backing for my owl. I could not resist the charity shops and picked up a dressmaking book which has really good tips, also some pretty edging which needs a wash but will come in use for one of my future projects. I also found a sewing pattern for a doll and dolls clothes. All for 50p each.

My quilting

This week I have started to make my quilt for the festival of quilts, I am doing the owl and pussy cat as my theme, I have dyed the fabric for the actual quilt and made the quilt up, I am now making the owl and pussy cat figures, it is going to be approx. 1mt x 75cm, this is to be my second time to take part. The work has be finished by the end of the month, as the weather is not looking any brighter I have something to keep me busy.

EUREKA!!!!!!!!

I have found the right way to write my blogg, if at first!! I lay in bed last night thinking "how is it done? and now I can move onto the next problem.

trying

I have been trying to design my blog in a similar way to other bloggs that that I admire, but I still do not know how to put date and comments to it. I will still try every day until I get it right.