Friday Night Sewing with Friends

The last two Friday nights I have enjoyed the delightful company of a group of sewists .. sewers (?) ... people-who-love-to-sew like myself, who all enjoy the company of others when getting their crafty on, all thanks to the darling Gail.  She decided to start up a FB page where we could all hang out each Friday night as we stitch/knit/sew to our hearts content, and for the last two Fridays (since it began), the fingers were flying - in more ways than one *wink*.

My set up each night: first week (top), last night (bottom).

The first week I began working on a table runner pattern I found on moda's bakeshop.  It's called 'Verna's Cutting Garden Tablerunner' by Julie Geiger.  I was able to get together the centre blocks, though I still haven't decided on the layout yet.  This is what I've come up with thus far; a lovely twist on the classic fencerail block.  I am using a charm pack of 'Eva' by Basic Grey for moda.

During the week, I was able to finish off the first 'Seasons of ...' block by Wendy B (and Dawn).  I did show a progress image last post, but here it is in all it's glory.  I decided on a chain stitch outlining the portions on the umbrella, and then a daisy chain stitch around the bottom to emphasise the 3D effect (and to give it an extra interesting & pretty finish) - the idea for which I got from an old post of Jenny of Elefantz.

A close up of the umbrella edging ...

And last night (Friday ... though as I write this the clock has already clicked over to Sunday...), I finished off my nineteenth SKoW block ... the cat.

Though I had almost completed the needle turn (excepting the name tag & nose) earlier in the week, I finished her off last night.  This leaves me with five blocks left to complete.

What are my next stitchery projects ... you know, since my WIP pencil case (yes, I still keep all my stitchery works in progress in a large A4 size pencil case ... one day I will get around to Fee's project bag!!)?!

I have the next two 'Season's of ...' blocks drawn up ...

And four TTS blocks.  The project for this month's SAL is the TTS 'Bon Noel' Wallhanging.  I haven't completely narrowed down which blocks I will be using, but I think I have it down to ...

... either of the 'right' designs on the left; the top left design in the middle; and the bottom left design on the right.  I have switched the angel & words around on the bottom left design in comparison to that in the book to even out the 'look' of the hanging.  I think this one will be going in either the glory or gift box.

Already I'm looking forward to next Friday ... but before then, I have two textiles projects to complete by Monday, a Art History assignment to finish, and another of each to begin before the week is out ... Boy is this week going to be a doozy!!!

Hand-sewing ...

While I haven't gotten as much sewing done lately as I would have liked ... you know, uni ... I have achieved a couple of things I am quite happy about, sewing-wise ...

A month ago I asked for some advice concerning the quilt I was working on for Aussie Hero Quilts.

I wanted ideas for how to border the blocks ... since this is my first full-size quilt that I have made from dot-to-dot ... ever!!! ... I really wanted to make sure this one looks good!
The consensus seemed to lie firmly upon bordering the blocks with a thin blue border (to highlight the blocks), with a brown/burgandy wider border to frame.  This is the quilt, in sandwiched form ...

Can you believe that this was the first time I had done this?!!  Without spraying it?!!  All totally basted by pins with pin moors!  (Fantastic tools!!!  Seriously! If you have never used them ... and don't particularly enjoy using safety pins ... give them a go!  I bought a pack of 50 and really, I could have used at least another packet ... I will certainly be saving up my pennies for a couple more packets of these!!  They are fantastic!!!)  I have been using the pin moors in the binding stage too, and they have been mighty handy, saving me from being stabbed by the pins (not necessarily by the needle, lol!) a few times!  Here's a more 'current' pic of them in action ...

And a 'better shot' of the quilt ... though not completely, but you get the idea ... need to save that shot for when I finish sewing down the binding ...

I really love the blue ... it really frames the blocks!!!  Thanks!!!

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The other project I have been working on, this one since Christmas, has been Natalie Bird's 'Tis the Season' stitchery wallhanging.  Well, I have finished all the stitcheries, including the label.

Last I updated on this, I had two 'blocks' and the label to do...

I used the mittens with holly block as the label (above, centre), using a darker burgundy to detail the name of the wallhanging, the year made, and 'sign' my name.

Here are the completed blocks all ready to be bordered and made into a top ...

I have put this aside as I have not yet got my fabrics to complete this project, but you can be sure I will have this completed before this Christmas!

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And because I need a stitchery project to have available to me at all times ....

I have made a start on my 'Christmas Bon Bons' from Hatched and Patched.  I drew up three 'panels' earlier this year, but haven't gotten started on them until now.  I have decided to use Pellon on the back of these stitcheries for a softer feel (I usually use Parlan, which I love ...).  DMC304 is my thread of choice.

I have a few other things that I have worked on, swap items mainly, in the last few weeks, but I will leave them to a later post to show.  I am still waiting on hearing back from my March partner as to whether she has received the blocks ... If not soon, I will be making another couple of stars for her. A few other projects I need to work on, plus another assignment due in a few weeks ... Oh, and I have a 4 year old to entertain, lol!  Busy times, busy times!!!

FNSI: November

Just a short note to say I was able, after all to do a little stitching today. Uni has had to take priority over sewing of late (assignments kicking my bum, readings giving me migraines... hopefully should be all over for the year in a couple of weeks). I did't think I'd be able to make time for this months' FNSI, but turns out I needed to get away from all the academia for a night, so here I am.

Couldn't face getting out the sewing machine knowing it would just have to be packed away again for such a long time, so I thought I'd get out something quick and non-thought necessary ... stitching. 'Tia the Season' to be precise. I've had this pattern book for a while, watching everyone on the SAL working on their's and decided to start work on the sticheries myself over my Christmas holidays, among others (more on this next month), and decided to get a couple started to try out some parlan I got a little while ago.

Will upload a photo tomorrow when I get a chance ... unless someone can explain to me how to upload a photo from your iPhone!

Needless to say, I have ordered a couple of metres more of parlan to use with my stitcheries over Christmas... got a half metre of pellon on order too along with a pigma pen to try, lol.