Baubles Galore

It's never too late to start on your Christmas projects.  The group made a start with these Christmas baubles using the Japanese Kimekomi technique, with many thanks to Michele and Pam for putting together last night's mini tutorial and teaching the technique.

Whilst the cat's away.....

Well some of us had to miss August's meeting because we were at the Essex International Scout Jamboree, but it looks like August's show and tell was another brilliant evening with some fab projects on show.

Our next meeting is a session making Christmas baubles using the Japanese kimekomi technique. You can's start too early on the Christmas projects!!!

Journal Covers Workshop

Look what we made today, all these journal covers - and - one of the gold work panels from the last mini tutorial turned into a small cushion with a piped edge.

Most of the journal covers are finished, the others are almost there. Some are made entirely by machine, others are hand-stitched or a mixture. It's lovely to see all the ideas, all very different.

 

 

And the gold work piece:

Retreat Weekend

Over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, 13 of us went on our first ever patchwork and quilting retreat, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. A weekend of sewing, eating, sewing, eating, sewing eating, sleep, sewing, eating.... you get the drift.

We were blessed. The weather was fabulous, so was the venue, and we lucky enough to be the only group staying in the house so could swap things around and spread out a little.

The theme for the weekend was a jelly roll - make whatever takes your fancy. The theme was optional though; those wishing to work in their own project did so.

A couple of quilts were actually finished over the weekend and several tops were pieced. Here are some photos from the weekend.

Still waiting.......

Well we've  not seen too many of the stump work pieces finished yet - more UFOs perhaps! If you can't wait, this (right) is what it should look like. 

Anyway, this month we held another mini tutorial in machine trapunto with quite a few of the group members making a sample to finish off at home. Hopefully, were will be photos next month. Again, this is the sort of thing (left).

We also held another Saturday workshop - Denim Day - with everyone bringing old denim jeans and reinventing them into something else. There were quilts and bags in in progress.

This month's show and tell then.

Sarah's quilt, using scrap fabric, the courthouse steps block and her trademark hand embroidery.

Heather went to a workshop with Pat Archibald.

 Pat's iron caddy

 Pat's project bag, using all scraps. It has loads of very useful pockets.

Karen screen printed this panel when at school and dug it out of the loft to finish, trying her hand at FMQ.

Coming soon......

Hopefully, coming soon.....the results of our recent stump work mini tutorial with Wendy. Enjoyed by all who took part, these little pieces are taking a while to complete but we're all looking forward to seeing them soon.

Meanwhile, some show and tell this month.

Embellishments

Today, quite a few of us spent the day 'playing' at making embellishments - fabric beads, fabric flowers and butterflies, machine made tassels, cords, using a variety of yo-yo templates and anything else we could think of or make from the huge variety of bits and pieces available.

Here are some photos: