FNSI February

 I have spent the week mainly working on my selvedge blocks and finished the last one on Thursday evening. Just in time for me to spend my Friday afternoon trimming them and machining them together.

These are the two sides of my large tote bag - the blocks are 8" square finished so 24" x 16" - and I managed to get the base strip attached and everything layered for quilting before it was time to clear up. Lots of quilting to do next time I get the sewing machine out, but happy with my Friday progress.

My stitch journal progress for this week.

Earlier in the week we had a sunny day promised so set out for Killerton House where there is a new 20's costume exhibition. Also it's a good time to see the spring flowers in the grounds. However, the weather worsened the closer we got and we decided to stop off at The Antique Village We had a lovely time wandering round looking at the antiques, vintage and retro items. And sampling the soup and cheese scones from the cafe.

I came home with these delightful little items for my collection.

This gorgeous little pin cushion is mosaic Tunbridge ware from around 1860. The collar around the middle is beeswax, a feature I have not seen before.

The acorn thimble holder is also Tunbridge ware from around 1820 and it came with the thimble although that is of a later date.

The thimble is an early Charles Horner steel lined thimble, something I had not heard of. In 1884 Charles Horner patented the steel lined silver thimble which later became known as the 'Dorcas' thimble. The early ones were marked with PAT which you can just see on the side of mine.

That's all my news for now - hoping to get some knitting done this week - I have cast on my second Trailblazer sock and would like to make some progress.

Wishing you all a good week.

PPPP#3

My last post for this years Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade.

Thank you very much Ida for organising this event again and for getting together such a great list of prizes. You can see all the entries on Ida's blog here

I have seen some biscornu pincushions in the parade and as I have not made one before I thought I would have a go. Whilst wondering what to use for the top of the pincushion I remembered a box of HST blocks left over from the flying geese quilt that I made a few years ago.

Pressed and trimmed these measure 1 3/4". One day I will use them I am sure!! Anyway I selected nine different ones fully intending to take photographs along the way but of course I got carried away with the process and the next picture I took was this.

I used this tutorial for putting the pincushion together which worked like a dream. However, next time I will use my usual method of having a seam in the base to use for filling as it makes for a neater finish on the edge.

I wanted a nice bright button for the centre but in amongst my hundreds of buttons I couldnt find anything suitable! So ended up with this green button on top of a clear one which I think works well.

I am definitely going to make another of these. It's a while since I did any crazy quilting so that is what I am going to do next - I can see beady tassels on the four corners!

Catching up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

And it was a bit of a challenge! Orange was the colour for February and having trawled my stash I came up with one piece of orange fabric. Fortunately I met up with my patchwork group last Monday and they very kindly supplied me with the necessary fabrics so now I will have memories of them in my quilt.

Teal for March on the other hand was no problem.

Linking up with SoScrappy for ScrapHappySaturday

Also finished this week a couple of little gifts for a friends birthday.

The little fob on the scissors is for storing a thimble. Its not easy to see but I made an elongated Secret Garden block a la Lynne Edwards. Cant think why I have never made one of those hexagon pin cushions before - think I might need one for me!

We had a 'ladies lunch' on Friday when these were gifted - my last social outing for some time I feel. We have topped up our freezer and store cupboard and plan to stay put for a while. All bars and restaurants here are closed now anyway.

Stay safe everyone.

FNSI and a catch up

Lovely to join in with Wendy and friends for another stitchy Friday - thank you Wendy for inviting us round.

So, the summer solstice and longest day and not a drop of sunshine in sight! In fact it rained all day until early evening. However, we are promised a canicule - that's a heatwave - next week, so once again our temperatures will be going from one extreme to another

I spent an hour early afternoon working on some secret stitching! Then we had to go out - Philip gave a talk to our History society which was followed by a fish and chip supper. I sat next to a French lady who loves English fish and chips!

So by the time we got home I was ready to relax with some soothing hexie sewing while Philip caught up with the football. I have been working on the next round of my 1797 and had hoped to complete it last night but this is where I got to when bed called.

So this afternoon while catching up with the Archers I added the last two hexies.

I think I am going for green for the next round so I shall have to see what I have in my stash.

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Last autumn we went to a house sale and I managed to collect a small haul of goodies.

The little cloth is embroidered in all four corners and was in pristine condition. Its perfect for a small occasional table in my sitting room. I love rummaging in button boxes and I found a few interesting buttons in this lady's. The clog pin cushion and thimble holder was filthy! And the pincushion bit really mankie. I quickly ripped out the pincushion and gave the clog a really good scrub - and it has sat on my desk ever since! So this week when I gave the desk one of it's rare cleans I decided that actually it really would not take very long to add a new pincushion and that I had better get on with it! I have some fabrics that came from Holland many years ago and so I used a scrap of one of them, stuffed with batting snippets, to make a nice firm ball which was then glued into place. Here is my finished pincushion. And it really took no time at all!

It is going on the dresser with all my other antique sewing tools.

I promised myself at the beginning of the year that I would spend more time painting and sketching. Apart from when we were in Spain when I worked in a little travel sketchbook most days, I have hardly done any. So over a couple of short sessions this week I decided to have a go at a simplified drawing of one of my fuchsias. It is just a simple outline coloured in with aquarelle crayons but I am pleased with it.

It's large - A5 - so I am thinking it would make a nice applique design with a few leaves added. Something else for the to do list!

Have a great weekend.

FNSI and a Bag Story

Many thanks to Wendy for hosting our get together again this month - I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else got up to here.

Last month I was working on some secret stitching and promised to show you this month what I was working on. It was these.

Yes, another little log cabin pin cushion - this time with no gusset. It is about 3" across.

The little pouch bag I made using this pattern from s.o.t.a.k handmade - a good basic pattern in four sizes. I made the smallest.

Whilst in UK last weekend I collected a large package of wool from The Wool Warehouse in order to make this blanket.

 Good job it is squashy so that I was able to get it in my suitcase! I love the colours. I made a start on some of the blocks while I was away.

What I realsied was that I needed a small container in which to keep my crochet hooks, stitch markers, scissors and needle while I was working on the blocks - and so to my project for FNSI!
I used the same s.o.t.a.k pattern but adapted it to make a squatter pouch to keep all my little tools in.

Another little project for Friday was to make this card using 1/2" hexies for a poorly friend.

Now, while talking about the s.o.t.a.k pattern I also want to show you this wristlet bag that I made for my Mum adapting the same pattern.

I used some Liberty furnishing fabric samples and added a pocket to the inside, leaving out the boxed corners on the base.

It's a useful, adaptable, beginner friendly pattern that I am sure I am going to use a lot.

Well I think that is enough for one day - hope everyone had a great Friday.

I am also linking up with BagIt 2017 run by Patty at Elm Street Quilts.

FNSI

Third Friday in September already - my this year is flashing past! Many thanks to Wendy for inviting us to join in - you can catch up with what everyone was working on here

Sadly short on pictures for this post as I was working on 'secret stitching'! However I was extremely pleased with what I made and you will just have to take my word for it. I will include pictures on next months post.

I had just enough time at the end of the evening though to add the initial to this crazy block which is now ready to be embellished. This is also secret stitching but as the recipient does not read my blog, I think, I am safe.

I am going to have to reposition the heart - it is annoying me that I have not got the D quite straight!

I also finished a little pincushion this week - it's missed this years PPPP but will be top of my list for next year. I saw a gorgeous little log cabin pincushion on Chookyblues blog here and knew that I needed one! Here is my version - a little larger I think but I love it.

So that's it from me for today - we are off to the seaside next week for a few days, just hope the weather picks up, it's not been good here. Have a great weekend.